Cocaine bust nets 4 arrests

Kalispell police say 'substantial' amount of drug, $20,000 found in rental car

Kalispell police have made four arrests and expect more in one of the biggest cocaine seizures recently in the Flathead Valley.

Police Sgt. Tony McDonnell was on patrol at about 1 a.m. Thursday when he pulled over a rental car traveling in the wrong lane on First Avenue East, according to detective Lt. Roger Nasset.

An eventual search of the vehicle, licensed in California, yielded a "substantial" amount of cocaine and about $20,000, Nasset said. The money reportedly was concealed in a spare tire in the vehicle.

Nasset was not prepared to make public the amount of cocaine and the names of those arrested Thursday evening.

"We will do five search warrants tonight," Nasset said Thursday. More arrests are expected, he said.

One man was arrested on charges of felony intimidation and conspiracy to distribute cocaine, Nasset said. A man and a woman were arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to sell. Another man was booked on possession charges, Nasset said.

Their ages range from 19 to mid-50s, Nasset said. Two are local residents, and the other two are from California, he said.

"This is one of our bigger cocaine busts," said Kevin Burns, commander of the Northwest Drug Task Force.

The largest was about 6 pounds a few years ago, he said.

"Cocaine is definitely making a comeback," said Burns, who praised McDonnell for good police work.