A report from Cass County Sheriff Tom Burch has detailed a statewide, large-scale ongoing investigation into the sales and use of controlled substances.

Numerous traffic stops and search warrants have been conducted to target the sale and use of drugs such as methamphetamine. Four first-degree, one second-degree, one third-degree, and eight fifth-degree drug arrests have been made throughout the duration of this investigation in multiple counties. Three pounds of methamphetamine and more than $11,000 in U.S. currency have also been seized to date. Formal charges are currently pending for people in multiple counties.

An individual is identified by the Cass County Sheriff’s Office as a leader in several of these cases. 35-year-old Jeffrey Lee Thorsen of Hackensack is revealed to have used other people to transport quantities of methamphetamine from the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area to northern Minnesota. This transport of drug is for sales purposes.

Thorsen is currently pending formal changes in Cass County. He is also pending charges in other Minnesota counties. According to Sheriff Burch, the investigation is still ongoing with active cases.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office recognizes the work of other agencies in stopping these drug-related crimes. These agencies and organizations include: Paul Bunyan Drug Task Force, Leech Lake Tribal Police Department, MN Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, MN State Patrol, Morrison County Sheriff’s Office, Hubbard County Sheriff’s Office, and the Crow Wing County LADID.

Anonymous tips often help in starting an investigation. Tips can be made through Crime Stoppers of Minnesota at their website or by calling 1-800-222-8477.

By — Mary Balstad