The director of Iowa’s Department of Public Safety Narcotics Division says Iowa law enforcement officers are seizing increasing amounts of marijuana originating from Colorado. Steve DeJoode says even before Colorado relaxed its marijuana laws late last year, the amount of marijuana seized in Iowa tripled over a three year period.
“In 2010, the number of interdiction stops in Iowa regarding marijuana, 10-percent of those originated out of Colorado. In 2011, it increased to 25-percent and in 2012, 36-percent of the marijuana interdictions in Iowa originated out of Colorado,” DeJoode says. “So, each year, we’re increasing at least 10-percent.”
DeJoode notes Interstates 80 and 35 provide primary routes to marijuana markets and when it’s seized in Iowa, the costs fall on Iowa.
“Whether or not that interdiction load of illicit drugs is destined for Iowa or not, they still have impacts on Iowa law enforcement, jail systems and the judicial system as well,” DeJoode says.