BERRIEN COUNTY, Mich. — It started as a routine surveillance operation. It ended with K-9 units, drones, spike strips, an eight-hour manhunt — and one of Southwest Michigan’s most dangerous drug traffickers finally in handcuffs.
Detectives with Michigan State Police’s Southwest Enforcement Team (SWET) had been watching a 31-year-old Kalamazoo man for months. They believed he was among the largest meth distributors in the region. On May 21, 2026, they saw their opportunity — catching him meeting with his suspected drug supplier in Berrien County.
When the Berrien County Sheriff’s Office moved in for a traffic stop, the suspect floored it.
Deputies gave chase. Spike strips were deployed on U.S. 31 near Berrien Springs, disabling the vehicle. But the suspect wasn’t done — he jumped out and ran into the darkness on foot.
What followed was an eight-hour search involving K-9 teams, drone operators, and perimeter units from multiple agencies. By May 22, officers had their man.
Inside the abandoned vehicle, investigators found approximately 50 pounds of crystal methamphetamine — enough, authorities say, to devastate entire communities.
The suspect now sits in Berrien County Jail, facing charges of fleeing and eluding police, resisting and obstructing, and possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine. He also carries an outstanding felony warrant from Van Buren County and was already out on bond from a Grand Rapids firearms arrest just weeks earlier.
Law enforcement issued a stark reminder: in Southwest Michigan, drug overdoses claim more lives every year than car crashes and homicides combined.
If you have a tip on drug activity, call anonymously: 269-982-8664. Need help with addiction? Call Southwest Michigan Behavioral Health at 800-781-0353.
