AUSTIN – The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) seized nearly 70 pounds of marijuana and more than four pounds of hash oil on Sept. 16 at a residence in El Paso. The seizure was the result of an anonymous tip received through the Texas Stash House Rewards Program, and a reward of up to $2,500 will be paid. This is the first reward paid as a result of a tip related to the Texas Stash House Rewards Program.
Working on tip information, DPS Criminal Investigations Division Special Agents located the residence and subsequently discovered an indoor marijuana grow operation at the location. The 70 pounds of seized marijuana has an estimated value of $425,000, and the hash oil is worth approximately $38,000. In addition, one arrest was made in connection with the seizure.
In November 2014, the Texas Department of Public Safety, in conjunction with the Office of the Governor and Texas Crime Stoppers, announced the implementation of the Texas Stash House Rewards Program. The program is funded by the Governor’s Criminal Justice Division and is designed to encourage Texans to help combat transnational crime by anonymously reporting information about stash houses used to facilitate human trafficking, drug smuggling and smuggling of people.
Texas Crime Stoppers will pay rewards up to $2,500 for information leading to the identification of stash houses used in these types of transnational crimes. For more information about the program, visit Texas Stash House Rewards Program.
To be eligible for the cash rewards, anyone with information on stash houses can provide anonymous tips in three different ways:
- Call the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-252-TIPS (8477).
- Submit a web tip by clicking the following link: Submit a Tip - Texas Stash House Rewards Program.
- Submit a Facebook tip by clicking the “SUBMIT A TIP” link (under the “About” section).
All tips are anonymous – regardless of how they are submitted.
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