Redmond drug bust nets 2 — despite canal swim

A traffic stop in southwest Redmond led to the seizure of $11,000 worth of methamphetamine and the arrest of two Bend residents on drug charges – but first, one tried to get away by jumping in an irrigation canal and swimming across it, to no avail, Central Oregon drug agents said Wednesday.

Shortly after 9:30 a.m. Monday, Deschutes County sheriff’s detectives stopped a silver Kia near the intersection of Highway 97 and Yew Avenue for various traffic violations, including failure to drive within a lane of travel and failure to signal a turn, said Lt. Ken Mannix of the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement Team.

“Information developed during the stop led to the deployment of a drug detection K-9,” Mannix said in a news release.

During a search of the car, Collins ran and jumped into a nearby canal, Mannix said. He swam across it and got out, but was then arrested without incident by Redmond police.

A search of the car turned up about 9 ounces of meth with a street value of about $11,000, as well as drug paraphernalia, packaging material, scales and other evidence of sales and manufacturing of the drug.

Collins and White were lodged at the county jail in Bend.

Collins remained held Wednesday on $100,000 bail, facing charges of meth possession, distribution and manufacture, heroin possession, attempt to elude a police officer and car theft.

White, charged with meth possession, distribution and manufacture, was released Tuesday after posting 10 percent of her $15,000 bail.

Mannix said Collins has been the subject of other recent CODE Team drug investigations, the most recent last September, when he was arrested on various drug charges and agents seized about a half-ounce of meth.