WELLS — Law enforcement officers they’ve seized 14 pounds of meth during a traffic stop on the Maine Turnpike.
Court documents indicate a trooper pulled over a black Cadillac for a traffic violation on Sunday and that the federal Drug Enforcement Agency had been tipped off that a load of methamphetamine was coming into Maine from New York City.
Officials charged 55-year-old Robert Poliero, of Presque Isle, and 38-year-old Edward Barnes, of Easton, with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Both are in federal custody pending detention hearings on Thursday.
If convicted, Poliero and Barnes each face between five and 40 years in federal prison. It’s unclear if they have attorneys.
Police did not quantify how much the suspected drugs are worth, and values can vary depending on quality. But, at an estimated cost of about $70 per pure gram of methamphetamine, the shipment is valued at nearly $445,000, according to an annual price estimate for illegal drugs published by the Department of Justice and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
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