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$484,000 in heroin seized in Ravenswood-Meigs traffic stop

Staff report

Jackson Newspapers

RAVENSWOOD, W.Va. — A Columbus, OH man faces first degree felony charges of trafficking in heroin and possession of heroin in Ohio, following a pursuit initiated in West Virginia and traffic stop in Meigs County, Ohio by members of the Ravenswood Police Department Interdiction Team.

A Columbus, OH man faces first degree felony charges of trafficking in heroin and possession of heroin in Ohio, following a pursuit initiated in West Virginia and traffic stop in Meigs County, Ohio by members of the Ravenswood Police Department Interdiction Team.

On Saturday (June 17, 2017), at approximately 9:15 p.m., Ravenswood Police Department Interdiction officers attempted to stop a Toyota Highlander at the entrance to the William S. Ritchie, Jr. Bridge.

The driver, later identified as Inielsis Guillot, 41, of Columbus, OH, did not pull over until he crossed over into Ohio. During the traffic stop, Ravenswood officers detected criminal indicators which led them to a consensual search of the vehicle. Upon searching the vehicle, Ravenswood officers found a large quantity of heroin located in a box.

Due to the location of the stop, Ravenswood officers contacted the Meigs County Sheriff’s Department for assistance. When Meigs County Sheriff’s officers arrived, the case was turned over to them.

Meigs County officers provided an official weight and street value of the heroin to be two kilos valued at $484,000.00.

“I believe we have one of the best criminal interdiction teams in the State of West Virginia, and thankfully so,” said Ravenswood Chief of Police Lance B. Morrison. “I hope this helps our citizens understand why we conduct so many criminal interdiction patrols on our four-lane and Route 68. We have direct information that the drugs that pass through our town eventually end up back on our streets. To see two kilos of heroin is not all that surprising to me, I’m sure this won’t be the biggest seizure we see. We also owe a debt of gratitude to our friends in Ohio who assisted us and took over the case.”

According to the Major Crimes Task Force of Gallia and Meigs Counties (OH), this is the largest heroin seizure in the history of Meigs County.

The case is being investigated by the Major Crimes Task Force of Gallia and Meigs Counties, which is part of the Ohio Attorney General’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission.

“I’m very pleased that investigators were able to intercept these drugs before they could be sold to those suffering from addiction,” said Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine. “Ohio is in the middle of an opiate epidemic that doesn’t stop at state borders, so I applaud the teamwork between both Ohio and West Virginia authorities to get these drugs off the streets.”

“I commend the Ravenswood Police for their actions in the case. Our agency works close with all counties of West Virginia along the Ohio River,” said Meigs County Sheriff Keith Wood. “This is a huge bust. We strive to get the drugs off the street. If you have any information about drug trafficking, please contact the Sheriff’s Office tip line at (740) 992-4682.”

Guillot remains lodged in the Meigs County Jail, following an initial court appearance in Meigs County Court. Bond was set at $250,000.

The Major Crimes Task Force of Gallia and Meigs Counties is comprised of officers from the Meigs County Sheriff’s Office, Gallia County Sheriff’s Office, Gallipolis Police Department, Middleport Police Department, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Gallia County Prosecutor’s Office, and Meigs County Prosecutor’s Office.

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