Several Teens Arrested Following Major Maine Drug Bust Involving Cash, Guns & Drugs

In what is being called a 'major Maine drug bust' several Maine teenagers have been arrested following an extensive search of multiple Maine locations.

According to an article published by WGME 13, the bust involved illegal drugs, several illegal firearms and tens of thousands in cash. The police say that at this point in the investigation, every single person that they have arrested in connection with this has been a teenager.

Portland Police say that this investigation actually began following reports of a shooting in Portland last month. Authorities say that shots were fired between two cars back on February 26th. The shooting occurred in the area of Forest Avenue and Stevens Avenue.

Following the vehicle shooting, police were able to find one of the cars involved on Grant Street in Portland. At that time police took a 17-year-old boy into custody and charged him with reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon. He was then taken to the Long Creek Youth Development Center.

Police officials say they then worked to identify the owner of the other vehicle that was involved in the shooting. That eventually led to officers to uncovering the “significant drug trafficking network” which they say was connected to houses located in Portland, Gray and New Gloucester.

WGME says that during the month of March, Maine law enforcement conducted what they call 'high-risk searches' at multiple properties. It's said that more than 100 officers, both local and federal, participated in those searches.

WGME is reporting that In total, local and federal police were able to seize six handguns, a shotgun, more than 400 grams of cocaine and $44,000 in cash. Police told WGME that they are looking into pursuing federal charges.

Portland Police Major Robert Martin told WGME in part about the bust,

“This level of drugs and the number of guns, you know, we don't see that usually in adults. I mean this is really, you know, an anomaly for these kids to be this organized have this much money.”