Helena Arkansas had about 5,000 people in the 2000 census. It was small enough that it combined with neighboring West Helena to form the new entity, Helena-West Helena. The 2010 census still shows the combination isn’t large (21,757 total) but it was large enough to be of interest to drug smugglers.
The reason may be geographical. Helena-West Helena sits south of Memphis and east of Little Rock, with smaller, back-roads leading to each. Of course, the smaller the town and the less traveled the roads, the more noticeable strangers may be. A problem for drug smugglers. Unless you can get some police on your side.
That’s the essence of the charges filed when hundreds of law enforcement officers arrested dozens of people in mid-October. Included in the sweep were five police officers accused of taking bribes. The four-year investigation unearthed evidence that officers were helping smugglers by either ignoring the activities or sometimes, actively helping transport drugs.
According to a report in Yahoo News, there were 184 separate charges entered against 70 defendants in the case. It is alleged that corruption aided a supply route distributing cocaine and marijuana in Arkansas, Tennessee and Mississippi. All of the police officers have pleaded not guilty.
For city residents, it was obvious for some time that the situation needed outside examination. In fact, the new Mayor of Helena-West Helena went to Little Rock to ask for help from the State Attorney’s Office. He didn’t know at the time that the investigation was already well underway and tape recordings of police discussing the crimes had been obtained.
While the whole affair is ugly, citizens in the town have some hope that this will clean up what has become a kind of Wild West scenario, with late night gunfire common and little police response. Certainly the Mayor is pleased that action has been taken.
