August 19, 2021 (Anchorage, AK) – The Alaska State Troopers in partnership with the Anchorage Airport Interdiction Team and Bristol Bay Police Department conducted a joint operation to disrupt the flow of illegal drugs into Southwest Alaska in August 2021. On July 29, 2021 the Anchorage Airport Interdiction Team intercepted approximately 170 grams of methamphetamine and approximately 50 grams of heroin bound for King Salmon, Alaska.
On August 3, 2021 law enforcement officers from the Anchorage Airport Interdiction Team, Alaska Wildlife Troopers, and Bristol Bay Police Department conducted a controlled delivery of the illegal drugs. As a result of the operation 61-year-old Naknek resident Kenneth Bruce Bishop was arrested and
has been indicted on federal criminal charges of possession and attempted possession of methamphetamine and heroin.
“There is a tidal wave of illegal drugs, such as heroin and meth, constantly flowing into our state. The Alaska State Troopers and our law enforcement partners remain committed to disrupting and halting the flow of controlled substances into Alaska,”
said Colonel Bryan Barlow, Director of the Alaska State Troopers. “I want to thank all of the local, state, and federal law enforcement officers that worked together to successfully interdict these narcotics and keep them out of Southwest Alaska. Illegal narcotics have a widespread negative impact on Alaskans in every corner of our state. We are committed to doing our part to change that.”
The seized narcotics have an estimated street value of $220,000 and included approximately 500 user doses of heroin and over 1,700 user doses of methamphetamine.
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service remains steadfast in its commitment to disrupt the shipment of illegal narcotics through the U.S. Mail,”
said US Postal Inspection Service Inspector in Charge Anthony Galetti. “The arrest and federal indictment of this defendant ensures our continued efforts to secure the U.S. Mail, protect the Postal Service from criminal misuse and safeguard Alaskan communities. We thank our law enforcement partners for their collaboration in this investigation to bring this defendant to justice.”
The Anchorage Airport Interdiction Team is a Trooper-led drug interdiction taskforce staffed by law enforcement from the Alaska State Troopers, Anchorage Police Department, North Slope Borough Police Department, Anchorage Airport Police Department, Sand Point Police Department, DHS – Homeland Security Investigations, US Postal Inspection Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, and the US Coast Guard Investigative Service.
Anyone with information about the distribution or movement of illegal narcotics in Alaska, can submit anonymous tips to the Alaska State Troopers online at:
https://dps.alaska.gov/tips.
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