Officers with the Great Bend Police Department have made two drug-related arrests over the past week. On Nov. 17 at approximately 3:36 p.m, officers conducted a traffic stop on a Honda Civic for a moving violation. During the traffic stop, police K-9 Menta was deployed to perform a free-air sniff around the vehicle. Following a K-9 indication, officers performed a search of the vehicle.
Officers located methamphetamine during a thorough search of the vehicle. The driver of the vehicle, identified as 40-year-old James Raab, was placed under arrest for possession of methamphetamine, no drug tax stamp, improper turn signal, and no current proof of insurance. Raab was transported to the Barton County Jail and booked in lieu of a $10,000.00 surety bond.
On Nov. 21 just before 5 p.m., a GBPD officer initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle in the 1000 block of Adams Street for an equipment violation. During the traffic stop, K-9 Menta was utilized to conduct a free-air sniff, where she alerted to the presence of illegal narcotics.
Methamphetamine was also located in during the course of that search, as was a firearm. The driver of the vehicle, identified as 23-year-old Layton Brown, was placed under arrest for possession of methamphetamine, criminal possession of a firearm, no drug tax stamp, driving while suspended, and illegal window tint. Brown was transported to the Barton County Jail where he was booked in lieu of bond.
These investigation are still ongoing. Anyone with information in reference to this case is urged to contact the Great Bend Police Department at 620-793-4120 or Crime Stoppers at 620-792-1300.