Local Police Department Roasted Online For Underwhelming Drug Bust Photo

It’s not rare for a police department, the DEA, or the FBI, to make a drug bust and then pose for a social media photo, usually with the “dope on the table,” along with guns, money, and other paraphernalia seized in the bust. One such bust took place in Texas this week, and commenters on Twitter and a local TV station’s Facebook page enjoyed poking fun at the rather small amount of money and drugs displayed.

KTRE reported this week on a recent drug bust by the Tenaha Police Department in Tenaha, Texas. According to the station’s Facebook page, the police executed a search warrant and found “marijuana, prescription pills, drug paraphernalia, packaging materials, guns, and cash.” As KTRE reported, three men were arrested and charged with state-jail felony possession of marijuana.

On both the story and Facebook page, the news was accompanied by a photo of four police officers, along with the items seized, arranged on a table in front of them.

In the comments on the Facebook page, several observers noticed a few unusual things about the bust. Most notably, the amount of drugs seized is relatively small. The cash on display appeared to amount to about $70, including multiple $1 bills. Also, there were only two small guns, and two boxes of sandwich bags. Also, the pill bottle was empty, and for some reason, there was a water bottle on the table too.

https://www.facebook.com/KTREnews/photos/a.10150232704572994/10157204864512994/?type=3&theater

The comments had a lot of fun with the photo.

“They’re so thirsty for a bust they even took their water!” one commenter said.

“Who was the the drug dealer…El Cheapo?” another joked.

“What in the lost and found drug bust is this? This Happy Meal level drug bust…,” another said. “That ain’t weed, look like they emptied out a pencil sharpener.”

“All I see is $50, a bag of sage, and some bb guns. Which one of my little cousins did y’all bust…?” another joked.

Pointing out that the drugs looked a lot like spices, another comment joked, “Ain’t nobody got thyme for this.”

In an age when recreational marijuana is becoming legal across multiple states, and a lot of Americans are beginning to question whether the seizure of small amounts of drugs is worth the time and effort of law enforcement, those comments suggest that attitudes have changed.

The Facebook post from station KTRE had 26,000 likes and 48,000 comments in the first three days after it was posted.