United States Drug Enforcement Administration

FEB 2 -- A DEA asset seizure made in March 2003 recently was distributed to the Virginia law enforcement agencies that participated in the large-scale marijuana investigation - dubbed Operation Weed B Truckin. Paul McNulty, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, presented the asset sharing checks to the 13 Virginia law enforcement agencies on Friday, January 27, 2006. The total received by the Virginia agencies was $673,033.66. James Gregorius, Assistant Special Agent in Charge from the Washington Division, Richmond District Office represented DEA.

Since August of 2001, federal, state and local authorities worked together to convict 14 defendants on federal charges and three defendants on state charges, stemming from a nationwide investigation which resulted in the seizure of more than 11,500 pounds of marijuana with a street value of fifteen to twenty million dollars, over three million in assets, a residence in Chesapeake, Virginia, 15 vehicles, 1 boat, and 4 tractor trailers. It also resulted in 17 convictions including the head of theorganization, Robert PHILLIPS who was convicted and sentenced on March 8, 2004, to 30 years of federal incarceration.