Officers honored for work in reservation drug busts

Ten law enforcement officers from three different agencies were recognized Wednesday by the U.S. Border Patrol for their work involving two major drug seizures on the Colville Indian Reservation.

The officers’ quick decision making was instrumental in confiscating 85 pounds of “B.C. Bud” marijuana on Feb. 19 and 315 pounds of B.C. Bud and 24,000 Ecstasy pills on March 15, said agent Robert L. Harris of the Spokane sector of the U.S. Border Patrol.

B.C. Bud is a type of marijuana known for its potency and value.

Both drug busts involved the dope being flown into the United States from Canada by floatplanes

In the first case, a floatplane dropped the drugs on Omak Lake, and in the second, it was Soap Lake, police said. Both lakes are on the Colville Indian Reservation.

No arrests were made in the first incident. But the March 15 bust resulted in the arrest of two Vancouver, B.C., residents, police said. Sharmila Kumar, 37, and Shailen Varma, 25, were each charged for smuggling controlled substances.

The officers who were presented awards were from the Colville Tribal Police, Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation Natural Resources Enforcement Division and Confederated Tribes of Colville Reservation Game Division.

The actions of these officers were of great assistance to the U.S. Border Patrol’s mission of securing America’s border between the official ports of entry and are greatly appreciated, Harris said.