PUUNENE - It took little more than a minute Friday morning to turn a car that had been used in drug dealing near Baldwin High School into a crumpled piece of metal.
The destruction occurred at SOS Metals Island Recycling, where the 1994 Pontiac Firebird was taken after being forfeited to the state, police said.
The car was seized in February 2008 after Maui police juvenile investigators set up surveillance in response to a complaint about drug dealing occurring mornings and afternoons in a parking lot near the Wailuku campus. Officers saw possible drug transactions from the car by a 17-year-old boy who was a student at the school.
When police couldn't get consent to search the car, which belonged to the boy's mother, a vice officer with a K-9 dog was called to the scene. The dog alerted to the presence of drugs and police obtained a warrant authorizing a search of the vehicle.
Police recovered nearly 4 grams of marijuana and $230 cash and arrested the boy and a 19-year-old woman who was with him.
Based on evidence that the car was used in illegal drug activity, it was forfeited to the state.
Under both state and federal law, police said most drug offenses are "covered offenses" that can lead to forfeiture of property, money and other illegal proceeds that are obtained from the crime or used in the commission of the crime.
After it was determined the car didn't qualify to be sold at auction, it had to be destroyed under the law.
"It sends a message to kids - this can happen to you," said Lt. Mollie Klingman, commander of the police Juvenile Section.
The Juvenile Section and Vice Division worked together on the investigation.
