Most Hawaiian Crime is Linked to Drugs According to Authorities
Authorities in Hawaii say that they face a seemingly insurmountable level of violent crime in the country and most of it is linked to some form of drug abuse. A recent crime involving the murder of 23-month-old Cyrus Belt (the boy was dropped from a freeway and hit by a teo-ton delivery truck 30 feet below) happened while his accused murderer was high on meth according to authorities and many of the adults in the small boy’s life were also drug abusers. Witnesses called on by the court talked about the crystal meth use of accused killer Matthew Higa, and Belt’s mother, Nancy Chanco, her live-in boyfriend, her father and Higa’s father. According to the authorities this is but one of many crimes that have occurred because of the presence of drugs and while meth use has gone down in recent months it still seriously affects the islands in many ways.
As many as 2/3 of all investigations in the state are in some way related to drug use. Along with Belt’s death there are other high profile crimes that have been drug related such as the death by gunshot of a 35 year old male on the street (later linked to a cocaine turf war) and the brutal beating death of an elderly and her caregiver.
“Most of the crime that we see in Hawai’i, including the violent crime, is associated with drug abuse or drug trafficking,” said Larry Burnett, director of the Hawai’i High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program, a partnership of law-enforcement agencies.
Hawaii faced its highest meth problem in 2005 when it was at its worst for the island state. While the rate of use has gone down the level of demand and recently increased price have kept the drug in regular circulation and the rate of crime linked to the drug high with it.
Tags: 24 month old's death, crime, cyrus belt, drugs, hawaii, meth, violence
