Hawai‘i Island police recover 100 pounds of illicit drugs in first year of unified vice division

In the first year of a unified vice division, the Hawaiʻi Island Police Department said it recovered 100 pounds of illicit drugs, including methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, ketamine and enough fentanyl to potentially cause 500,000 overdoses.

These seizures also directly reduced violence and helped dismantle organized criminal activity operating on Hawaiʻi Island, the police said.

From February through December 2025, vice investigations also resulted in 297 arrests for 1,146 offenses, as well as 427 warrants and 14 arrest warrants issued.

Previously, there had been two separate east and west side vice sections. But in February 2025, the unified vice division was created to enable detectives to zero in on the drug problem islandwide, conducting long-term investigations to get to distributors, police said.

“While these numbers are significant, they represent steady, disciplined work carried out behind the scenes,” said Capt. Edwin Buyten, who leads the unified vice division. “Our focus remains simple: reduce harm, protect the community, and hold offenders accountable.”

Since combining the two vice sections, the department has made strides in significantly increasing the total amount of drugs it is getting off the streets, the police said.

During 2025, vice officers recovered the following illegal drugs:

• 75.3 pounds of methamphetamine
• 20.5 pounds of cocaine
• 5.45 pounds crack cocaine, heroin, and ketamine
• Nearly 2 pounds of illicit fentanyl
• More than 550 fentanyl pills
• More than 1,000 pounds of dried marijuana, including 771 marijuana concentrate pills; 687 plants; 22 pounds of concentrates, marijuana dabs, and oil; and 11 pounds of edibles
• 4.8 pounds of other illegal narcotics, psilocybin (mushrooms), MDMA, LSD
• 789 drug paraphernalia items, which include hundreds of vape devices, scales, pipes, grinders, and other tools commonly used to distribute and consume illegal drugs.

In comparison, the combined recovery of illegal drugs by areas I and II in 2023 was:

• 72.71 pounds of methamphetamine
• 0.6 pound of cocaine
• 2.8 pounds of fentanyl pills
• 0.6 pounds of heroin
• 62.94 pounds of marijuana
• 170 marijuana plants

And in 2024, the combined recovery of illegal drugs by areas I and II was:

• 57.42 pounds of methamphetamine
• 4.13 pounds of cocaine
• 0.9 pounds of heroin
• 1.13 pounds of fentanyl
• 5,528.5 fentanyl pills
• 43.11 pounds of marijuana
• 53 marijuana plants

A year ago, Gary Yabuta, director for Hawai‘i’s High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Agency, said unifying the sections under one command was an outstanding strategy that would create a holistic approach and make investigative work better and more effective.

On Friday, he said that sentiment remains the same. Yabuta said the Vice Division, under the leadership of Buyten and his two lieutenants, Erich Jackson and Kelly Moniz, is using cutting-edge technology and methodology to combat drugs on Hawai‘i Island.

“And they have a thirst for finding these people selling poison on our streets,” Yabuta said.

The High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Agency provides funding to support all four police departments in the state. In 2025, Yabuta said the state agency provided approximately a quarter of a million dollars to Hawai‘i County’s Vice Division.

“Our emphasis is to help Hawai‘i County because they always have an action plan,” Yabuta said.

Yabuta also attributed the Vice Division’s success to the trust they’ve built with the community.

Before the realignment, Buyten said the two sections were lead by different area commanders, and detectives reported to their respective lieutenant, captain, major and then assistant chief. This resulted in slower sharing of information, which sometimes could take hours or even a day and slow down investigations.

With the unification of the sections, the operational circle has tightened and investigative information is shared at “almost light speed,” putting the department into 2026 policing, Buyten said.

“They (vice officers) want to utilize investigative techniques to get to the drugs,” Buyten said. “It stimulates motivation and morale and that’s contagious.”

The patrol officers are short staffed along with vice which has made it difficult in the past to perform and execute long-term investigations..

One of the most recent drug busts occurred in December when the vice division executed a search warrant on an Ocean View home where detectives recovered 397 marijuana plants, 364 pounds of processed marijuana, 19,814 grams of marijuana concentrate and 1.2 grams of cocaine with a combined estimated street value of $1.43 million. Detectives also recovered four firearms.

“Officers are very loyal to the community and when they had the opportunity to move forward with high-level creativity (in investigations), it’s been magical to watch it,” Buyten said.

Jackson, who oversees the westside vice officers, said the unification has increased productivity and teamwork.

“This isn’t just a west side problem or east side problem. It’s island-wide,” said Jackson, a 31-year police veteran. “I’m so impressed by officers on both sides.”

The vice officers also train together now, enhancing camaraderie and teammwork.

“I think this unit has been working so well together, and obviously, there’s still work to do,” Jackson said, adding there are several ongoing investigations underway on the west side.

In addition to drugs and paraphernalia, vice officers recovered the following in 2025:

• 73 firearms
• 1,800 plus rounds of ammunition
• Explosive materials
• More than $424,000 in U.S. currency and assets connected to drug trafficking

“The results we’re seeing are a direct reflection of the dedication, hard work and persistence of our Vice Division officers,” Interim Chief Reed Mahuna said in a news release. “These officers are relentlessly focused on identifying traffickers, building solid cases, and preventing these drugs from ever reaching our island streets.”

Members of the public are encouraged to report illicit drug use and distribution through the department’s Vice tip hotlines 808-329-0423 for Kaʻū, Kona, South Kohala, and North Kohala, and 808-934-8423 for Puna, South Hilo, and Hāmākua/North Hilo. Safety tips regarding illicit drugs can also be found here.