Seattle police serve search warrants at homeless camps, arrest four

Seattle Police and the King County Sheriff’s Office served search warrants at homeless tent encampments Thursday.

RELATED: Judge halts Olympia homeless camp

SWAT teams from both law enforcement agencies served warrants at a trio of encampments between 8th and 12th Avenue South in Seattle, along Dearborn Street.

Four men in two tents who were believed to be selling heroin, methamphetamine, and crack cocaine were arrested. According to SPD, the man in the first searched tent was said to be in possession of 25 grams of heroin, “small amounts of crack and meth,” and $1,400 in cash.

In the second tent, law enforcement found three grams of meth and heroin each, and arrested a 36-year-old man for outstanding felony narcotics warrants. Also in that tent was a 26-year-old man scooped up for misdemeanor warrants, and a 53-year-old man arrested for drug violations, in possession of heroin and meth, as well as $900 in cash. There were also various “edged weapons” found in the tent.

A third tent was searched, but was unoccupied. Detectives did find white powder in that tent that they believed to be cocaine.

Homeless camps continue to be a point of contention of many in the region.

On Dec. 11, a judge granted a restraining order on a homeless camp in Olympia. Meanwhile in Marysville, a more creative solution was devised, where homeless campers have been presented with two choices: Go to jail, or get clean.

These latest arrests are part of an ongoing, active investigations, and detectives expect to serve more search warrants in the weeks ahead.

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