One of 26 kilos of cocaine found on Dauphin Island not reported
Two City of Dauphin Island employees were arrested for keeping rather than turning in one of the 26 lbs. of cocaine that washed up on the beach there. A civilian found a loose package containing one kilo of cocaine on May 22 and turned it over to Dean Hazard, 57. Instead of taking the cocaine to authorities, Hazard took the cocaine home and eventually shared it with fellow employee Robert Butler, 47, according to police. All of the cocaine was recovered and the two men are cooperating with police.
Beachgoers searching for seashells on the island’s west end found 25 kilos of cocaine in a package and reported that to police on May 20. The one kilo package was found by a beach walker two days later and given to Hazard.
“The Public works employee stated that he would take possession and they would notify law enforcement of their findings,” said Corporal Lonnie Parsons of the Mobile County Sheriff’s Dept.
“Later on, the beachgoers notified Dauphin Island police to see if they had received the the substances. Dauphin Island police had not received the substances. It was at that point that they reached out to us and we began an investigation.”