Smoked: 75 pounds of marijuana seized in drug bust
By George P. Hassett
A Malden man was arraigned this morning in Somerville District Court after allegedly being caught with 75 pounds of marijuana and $247,200 in cash.
Michael G. Ricketts, 45, was arrested in West Somerville with the drugs and the cash after Massachusetts State Troopers received information from authorities in Arizona that a package was to be shipped to a fictitious company in Somerville, believed to contain approximately 40 pounds of marijuana, said a spokesperson for the Middlesex County District Attorney's office.
State Troopers set up surveillance at the address of this fictitious company and at approximately 12:00 p.m., a man, later identified as Ricketts, took possession of two suspected packages. Officers approached Ricketts, and he fled from his vehicle through neighboring backyards away from officers, police said. But Ricketts was soon caught and placed under arrest.
Officers recovered approximately 40 pounds of marijuana and seized Ricketts’ vehicle. After police busted Ricketts, they went to his girlfriends house in Everett and allegedly found another 35 pounds of marijuana in the apartment as well as $247,200 in cash.
The DA’s office estimates that the 75 pounds of marijuana has a street value of about $90,000.
Thank God it was the Stateies that got hold of that cash. Can you imagine where the Somerville Police would store that amount?
An old refridgerator, a hollowed out sofa, up the Acting Chief's horses ass........
Going Straight to Hell,
Dr. Mrs. McCarthy
Posted by: Dr. Mrs. McCarthy | July 07, 2006 at 06:26 PM
Oh Crap! Shelton, what the hell are we supposed to do all weekend?
Well I don't know about you Billy Boy, but I've got a great bottle of hootch to keep me busy.
Looks like there may be quite a delay in the next chapter(what is it now -76?)of Bill Shelton's fantasy thriller, "Disassembled Square".
Better luck next time Bill. Give Larry a call. See if it's really all oregano in those unmarked jars in his kitchen pantry.
A Weekend Up in Smoke,
Dr. Mrs. McCarthy
Posted by: Dr. Mrs. McCarthy | July 07, 2006 at 06:37 PM
The MVTF is holding a meeting right now crying their organic milk after this seizure. Oh the humanity! They took our weed! They've denied us our human rights!
Look at the bright side, Crunchers, you can whine some more to the Mayor about adding new members to the Human Rights Commission to address this most heinous grievance.
Posted by: Jimmy D. on Smoked | July 07, 2006 at 07:20 PM
Lets all hope that Shelly Shelton not only turned in installment #14 but wrote it before the bust. Poor Shelton and his buddies down at that hole in a wall on Somerville Aveune.
Posted by: Doug McClure | July 07, 2006 at 09:19 PM
I FRIEND WITH WEED IS A FRIEND INDEED
Posted by: Pot Head | July 08, 2006 at 08:16 PM
It's a little strange that no Somerville Police were mentioned during this bust. As a courtesy any outside Law Enforcement Agency will notify the local police that they are doing a surveillance on a possible drug dealer.
I guess this just shows you how much the Acting Chief Midget and his band of cohorts are respected. What a slap in the face!
Posted by: brickbottom | July 11, 2006 at 11:39 AM
Due to an incomplete release from the Middlesex District Attorney's Office, the role of the Somerville Police Department in the capture of Michael Ricketts was omitted. It was, in fact, a Somerville Police officer and a state police officer who arrested Ricketts, and Somerville Police were significantly involved in the investigation, according to the revised release.
Posted by: George Hassett | July 13, 2006 at 12:11 PM