EXCLUSIVE: Federal drug raid on Kauai, five arrested

EXCLUSIVE: About 60 law enforcement officers from the FBI, IRS, U.S. Postal Inspectors and Kauai Police raided Kauai homes and searched cars Thursday.  A total of five people were arrested on drug charges.

Sources tell me the raid started about at sunrise Thursday.

James Balino, 34,  Bronson Balino, 31, Rodney Cremer, 42 and his girlfriend, Sonya Tupou, 24 were all taken into custody in the early morning hours. Another man Gared Makaiau, 43, was already in custody Wednesday.  All are from Kapaa, except Tupou who is from Anahola.

According to the federal indictment the group did knowingly and intentionally possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, its salts, isomers and salts of its isomers.

Investigators also tracked large amounts of money being withdrawn and then deposited into bank accounts.

All of the transactions were over six months last year.

The U.S. Coast Guard transported the suspects to Oahu so that the agencies did not have to fly them back on a commercial plane.

All will spend the weekend at the Federal Detention Center.

If convicted, each faces up to life in prison.

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