A joint operation among the Alaska State Troopers and local law enforcement agencies in Ketchikan led to the arrest of a Hydaburg resident accused of smuggling more than a quarter of a million dollars worth of illegal drugs.

Annette Dilts, 27, was arrested at the Ketchikan International Airport on Feb. 5, 2021 as part of a counter-narcotics operation aimed at stemming the flow of drugs into Southeast Alaska, Alaska Department of Public Safety announced announced.Dilts was charged with two counts of second-degree misconduct involving a controlled substance, a felony.

During a search it was discovered the suspect was internally carrying roughly 250 grams of heroin and approximately 206 fentanyl pills, according to the Alaska Department of Public Safety. The total value of the drugs seized is approximately $266,000.

“There is a tidal wave of illicit drugs, such as heroin and fentanyl, being pushed into Alaska constantly. The Alaska State Troopers and our law enforcement partners remain committed to disrupting and halting the flow of controlled substances into Alaska,” said trooper Lt. Cornelius Sims, Statewide Drug Enforcement Unit deputy commander, in a news release. “I commend all of the law enforcement officers that worked together to successfully interdict these narcotics and keep them off of the streets of Alaska.”

The investigation leading to the arrest was conducted under the auspices of the Southeast Alaska Communities Against Drugs Enforcement Initiative, one the regional initiatives aimed at curtailing rampant drug use in the state.

• Contact reporter Michael S. Lockett at 757-621-1197 or mlockett@juneauempire.com.