Drug agents make arrest and seize drugs in Bend

Deschutes County (Released from Central Oregon Drug Enforcement (Code))-Arrested: Justin Thomas Joseph Polit, 45-year-old Bend resident
Charges: Unlawful possession of methamphetamine, Attempted delivery of methamphetamine, and Unlawful possession of a firearm.

This arrest was the result of a longer-term drug investigation by the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement Team. It was concluded with a short foot chase, apprehension, and search warrant service.

In a different investigation, on April 5, 2023, the CODE team served a search warrant and arrested Justin Thomas Joseph Polit for unlawful manufacture of cocaine, unlawful possession of cocaine, and unlawful delivery of cocaine. After this arrest and over the past several months, our detective unit continued to get information that Justin Thomas Joseph Polit was continuing to sell drugs in the Central Oregon area. 

Using different investigative techniques, drug agents continued to gather evidence and investigate Polit for distributing illegal narcotics. 

On February 6, 2024, late in the evening, drug agents applied for and were granted a search warrant for Polit and his hotel room. The CODE team conducted surveillance on Polit as he was stayed at the hotel in the area of NE 27^th St./ Hwy. 20 in Bend.

Drug agents observed Polit exiting the building and attempted to make contact, but Polit fled on foot. An arrest team was able to capture Polit as he attempted to elude police on foot. This was a short foot pursuit before Polit was taken into custody at the location.

Polit was in possession of a concealed homemade 3D printed pistol frame without a serial number and a substantial quantity of methamphetamine. Drug agents also searched his hotel room and located packaging material, additional methamphetamine, a scale, cash, a dagger, and evidence that drugs were being distributed by Polit.

Polit was lodged at the Deschutes County Adult Jail on the above-listed charges. Additional charges may be filed in this case as the investigation is ongoing.

Criminal complaints contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The Central Oregon Drug Enforcement (CODE) team is a multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force supported by the Oregon-Idaho High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program and the following Central Oregon law enforcement agencies: Bend Police Department, Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, Redmond Police Department, Prineville Police Department, Crook County Sheriff’s Office, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Madras Police Department, Oregon State Police, Sunriver Police Department, Black Butte Police Department, United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Warm Springs Tribal Police Department, Deschutes, Crook, and Jefferson County District Attorney’s, and the Oregon National Guard.

The CODE team is a multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force that identifies, disrupts, and dismantles local, multi-state, and international drug trafficking organizations using an intelligence-driven, multi-agency prosecutor-supported approach. CODE is supported by the Oregon-Idaho High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) which is composed of members from the Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program.

The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives, including the CODE.

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