Police Bust Large-Scale Cannabis Operation on 4/20

Stickney, IL - Riverside police executing a search warrant April 20 at the apartment of a known cannabis drug dealer found 113 grams of cannabis, $11,000 in cash, ammunition and drug paraphernalia.

Celina R. Rodriguez, 20 of the 4100 block of South Harlem Avenue in Stickney, was arrested and charged with felony possession of cannabis, felony manufactured delivery of cannabis, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of ammunition without a FOID card, according to Riverside police.

“We arrested a known cannabis drug dealer who had been selling cannabis to juveniles as well as adults in the immediate west suburban area," said Riverside Police Chief Thomas Weitzel in a statement. "The drug operation that was shut down was hand-to-hand sales that were taking place out of the apartment unit in Stickney."

Weitzel said Rodriguez could be referred to as a "drive-up drug dealer,” since she would sometimes make drug transactions from her car.

A Forest Park Police Department's K-9 helped Riverside police in the apartment search, which uncovered paraphernalia used to package narcotics and a large amount of cannabis prepackaged for delivery, police reported.

Riverside police also found scales, packaging material, drop cell phones used in drug transactions, a zip-lock vacuum sealer device, tools for cutting and packaging cannabis, cash, ammunition and gun box cases.

Police did not find any guns, but ammunition for both a 380-caliber handgun and 9-mm handgun were found, police reported. Police also recovered a 55-inch TV and 65-inch TV used for drug sales.

The Berwyn Police Department, Forest Park Police Department and the Stickney Police Department helped execute the search warrant.

Photos courtesy of Riverside police.