CONFISCATED DRUG MONEY HELPS AGENCIES

Three Southeast Missouri police organizations and the federal Drug Enforcement Agency were handsomely rewarded for good police work recently.

The rewards came from more than $1 million in drug money that the agencies seized from a van. The money went to the Missouri Highway Patrol, Mineral Area Drug Task Force and Southeast Missouri Drug Task Force. Seized from the fender wells and a storage compartment of the van along Interstate 55 in New Madrid County four years ago, the money represents one of the largest cash seizures in state history, U.S. Attorney Edward L. Dowd said.

Representatives of each agency said plans are to use the money to continue the fight against illegal drugs. Wise use of those funds by each agency and police agencies with which the task forces work will go a long way toward that end.