MEDIA RELEASE

Gena Arter

Two Waikoloa women were arrested and charged with drug offenses after one of them was stopped for a defective tail light over the weekend.

At 9:30 p.m. Sunday, police made a traffic stop on a 2008 Jeep sports-utility vehicle on Queen Ka’ahumanu Highway near Makala Street in Kailua-Kona. Officers discovered that the driver, 22-year-old Samantha Moore of Waikoloa, was wanted on an arrest warrant for contempt of court.

After further investigation, police arrested Moore and her passenger, 31-year-old Gena Arter of Waikoloa, on suspicion of of promotion of a dangerous drug.

Samantha Moore

Vice officers obtained a search warrant for the Jeep and recovered 24.7 grams of methamphetamine, numerous prescription pills, various paraphernalia associated with drug distribution, a loaded .22 magnum caliber rifle, an unloaded .357 caliber revolver and $206 in cash.

After consulting prosecutors, detectives charged Moore on Tuesday afternoon with second-degree meth trafficking, second-degree promotion of dangerous drugs, third degree promotion of dangerous drugs, possession drug paraphernalia and five firearms offenses. Her bail was set at $147,000.

Arter was charged with third-degree promotion of dangerous drugs, possession of drug paraphernalia and five firearms offenses. Her bail was set at $15,500.

The Jeep and cash were seized for forfeiture.

Both women were held at the Kona police cellblock pending their initial court appearance on Wednesday (May 25).