Nome man arrested for attempting to bring heroin to Nome

On Tuesday, Oct. 29, investigators with the Alaska State Troopers’ Anchorage Airport Interdiction Team arrested 28-year-old Quincy Iyatunguk of Nome at the Anchorage International Airport prior to boarding a flight to Nome. The investigators seized 8.8 grams of heroin that Iyatunguk carried internally, according to a press release from the Alaska State Troopers.
Nome-based Western Alaska Alcohol and Narcotics Team Investigator Kevin Blanchette said the contact came as a result of ongoing investigations into drug trafficking to Nome and the region. He said the investigators acted not in a specific tip, rather the contact and subsequent arrest was made based on collaborative efforts and investigations of several drug interdiction agents from different agencies.
The 8.8 grams of heroin, or 88 individual user doses, were concealed internally on Iyatunguk’s person. Iyatunguk was arrested without incident and charged with Misconduct Involving Controlled Substances in the Second Degree, an A felony. He was remanded without bail into the Anchorage Correctional Complex. As of press time, he was still listed as being at the facility.
 Troopers say that heroin is sold in Nome for approximately $120 per one user dose, or one tenth of a gram. Accordingly, the total approximate street value of the heroin seized is $10,560.
Investigator Blanchette said that drugs of concern are heroin, meth and cocaine coming into Nome and to the region. He said that law enforcement is concerned with all, but especially with heroin due to its extremely addiction-forming nature. He added that heroin also proves deadly when dealers lace it with fentanyl or stretch a batch with other substances. Once the next batch of drugs arrives and drug users use the same dosage as with the stretched drugs, they can overdose.
Iyatunguk was arraigned on Oct. 30 and, according to CourtView, the next pre-indictment hearing is set for November 14 at the Nesbett Courthouse in Anchorage.  
The Anchorage Airport Interdiction Team is an AST-led drug interdiction task-force staffed by Investigators and Agents from AST, Anchorage Police, the North Slope Borough Police Department, the Anchorage Airport Police Department, the Sand Point Police Department, the US Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
 

The Nome Nugget

PO Box 610
Nome, Alaska 99762
USA

Phone: (907) 443-5235
Fax: (907) 443-5112

www.nomenugget.net

External Links

Sign Up For Breaking News

Stay informed on our latest news!

Manage my subscriptions

Subscribe to Breaking News feed