Nine law enforcement agencies joined together to take down a massive illegal drug operation after a 35-pound shipment of psilocybin edibles revealed the extent of the operation. Agents found an assortment of drugs including multiple forms of cannabis, psilocybin, steroids, and even a distiller tool to make illegal moonshine.
In a press release and a Facebook post, the West Tennessee Drug Task Force, representing the state’s 28th, 29th, and 30th Judicial Districts, announced they served warrants to dismantle a drug operation at a building formerly occupied by Walmart. It involved all three jurisdictions of the West Tennessee Drug Task Force, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the United States Postal Inspector, Counterdrug Task Force, A.T.F., Humboldt Police Department, Tennessee Dangerous Drugs Task Force, and the 26th Judicial District Drug Task Force.
Search warrants were executed last on July 25 to deploy agents at a warehouse building in Humboldt, Tennessee (Not to be confused with Humboldt County in California). It’s the culmination of an elaborate drug investigation involving over 25 law enforcement officers from nine different agencies.
NBC affiliate Action News 5 reports that it’s the “largest drug bust in western Tennessee history.”
Four suspects were arrested for allegedly taking part in a drug trafficking operation: Joseph Brian Moss, 41, and Lauren Nichole Tippet Moss, 35, both of Humboldt; and Dustin Page, 38, and Tiffany Page, 39, both of Madison County.
Officers knew of the operation, but the last straw was a delivery of almost 35 pounds of psilocybin edibles that were shipped to a former Humboldt Walmart. A team of agents served a search warrant at the building located at 2500 North Central Avenue.
“This seizure is the biggest in the 28th Judicial District and arguably West Tennessee,” said Drug Task Force Director Johnie Carter. “It is the result of many years of hard work and partnerships formed between multiple agencies. West Tennessee and more specifically, Humboldt, is a safer place to live, work, and raise our families as a result of the hard work and dedication put into this case by my agents and our partners.”
The drug operation evidence might suggest a person was living a Jason Bourne-like life with dozens of identities.
Officers scoured the area and found 376 vials of steroid oils, 21 pounds of various steroid powders, 3.6 gallons of steroid oil, 9,180 steroid pills, 70 forged driver’s license cards from four states—all with the same photo of a person—and 43.5 pounds of psilocybin, 40 pounds of cannabis in multiple forms, 29 weapons, $153,421 in cash, a still to make moonshine, drug “paraphernalia,” and a digital and paper trail.
All have been charged with various criminal offenses, including: possession with intent to sell/deliver and/or manufacturing of Schedule I, III, and VI controlled substances, possession of a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony, possession of drug paraphernalia, identity theft trafficking, maintaining a drug location, and felony drug paraphernalia.
“We want to thank Director Carter and our West Tennessee Drug Task Force team for their work on this investigation,” said Frederick Agee, District Attorney General for the 28th Judicial District. “This continues to be an ongoing investigation that involves not only local and state agencies but also federal agencies. Our office will seek accountability and justice, which is our goal in every case we prosecute.”
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