http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/06/14/home.d ... index.html

Drug caches found in Home Depot vanities
From Stacey Francisco
CNN


Wednesday, June 14, 2006; Posted: 11:47 a.m. EDT (15:47 GMT)

(CNN) -- Large quantities of drugs were found inside merchandise from at least two Home Depot stores in Massachusetts, and authorities are investigating, police said Wednesday.

A contractor late last week discovered two 50-pound "bricks" of marijuana wrapped in plastic bags inside a bathroom vanity he had purchased at a Home Depot store in Tewksbury, said Chief of Detectives Lt. Dennis Peterson.

The estimated street value of the marijuana is around $145,000, Peterson said.

Similar incidents have occurred in other parts of the state.

A plumber purchased a vanity in western Massachusetts on Monday in which he later found 3 kilograms of cocaine and around 40 pounds of marijuana, with a total estimated street value of $250,000, according to the Southwick Police Department.

Southwick Police Lt. David A. Ricardi said the item was purchased at "a local hardware store" but would not confirm it came from The Home Depot.

According to Peterson, a third individual discovered large quantities of illegal drugs inside Home Depot merchandise.

Peterson would not provide the details of that incident but said it was part of the overall investigation and that Tewksbury police were working with their Southwick counterparts and the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

Tewksbury police and DEA officials conducted a search Tuesday of about 12 Home Depot stores statewide and found other bathroom vanities that contained drugs, Peterson said. He would not elaborate on how many drug caches were discovered in the search.

In each incident being investigated by Tewksbury Police, all of the merchandise boxes originated from a Texas location and were distributed through one Massachusetts warehouse, Peterson said.

"I'm sure the packages were being shipped to the distribution center and someone was supposed to intercept them," Peterson said. "So that person [who was supposed to intercept the packages] either wasn't on duty that day or the packages were marked wrong."

The Southwick and Tewksbury Police Departments both said The Home Depot was cooperating fully with their investigations, and no one employed by the company is a suspect at this time.

Both departments also said none of the customers who purchased the vanities that contained drugs are suspects.

In a written statement, The Home Depot said, "The company is cooperating with authorities as they investigate this matter, and we will support law enforcement in any way possible to help bring those responsible to justice."

i might have to start shoppin at home depot and then return the stuff i buy if i dont find drugs in there.

If I found $100,000 worth of pot, I would keep a couple pounds and return the rest to the police, because I'm a good citizen.

And hopefully a very good friend

When I've got a big (free) bag, I'm an awesome friend.

Vanity sales around here have skyrocketed

I'm doing some major work in the basement and made a rather large run to the HD recently... there are 2 unopened pedestal sinks and bases out in my garage right now, and maybe it's time to check and see if all the parts are there...

I heard contracters hate Home Depot. Perhaps this will change their minds.

*sell the rest, cause I'm a good business man.

i am so pissed off at home depot right now.

they oughta be giving me drugs for making do the run around just to get my water heater fixed.

i'm done with home depot, because of their flooring department i'm just getting into my home now after the work on my place started 14 months ago. They had to come to do the carpets on three different occasions because they f'd up, then they screwed me on the price, which further lengthened the process. I should have been in the place by March at the latest, and we're moving in tomorrow. Screw them.

How come the people that find drugs are always such narcs? If I find 100 pounds of weed, I'm getting a dolly straight to my trunk.