News Photo by Reagan Voetberg Huron Undercover Narcotics Team board members are pictured at their quarterly meeting on Friday.

ATLANTA, Mich. — The Huron Undercover Narcotics Team (HUNT) board met for their quarterly meeting on Friday at the Tri-Township Fire Department, discussing recent work done by HUNT detectives.

HUNT Commander D/Lt. Ray Rollet relayed information about a case out of Alcona where the suspect was caught with methamphetamine. A search warrant was conducted on that suspect’s residence where more methamphetamine was found as well as multiple firearms.

Rollett said he was proud of the way that search went down with coordination between HUNT detectives and patrol officers.

Rollet also highlighted the work done by detectives on the Troy Wardlaw case. Wardlaw was caught with 425 grams of cocaine and charged with possession of cocaine with intent to deliver in Alpena County. Subsequent search warrants were executed where evidence of delivery and manufacturing was found as well as a pistol with the serial number filed off.

“These guys are detectives,” Rollet said. “When you’re a detective, that means you have your phone on you and you are available after hours. You might have to check stuff on the weekend. It is not put your bag away and go home.”

“These guys are really getting after it,” he said.

Rollet said that across the state, crack cocaine is making a comeback over methamphetamine, possibly due to lower methamphetamine prices where dealers are not making the profit margins that they used to.

“I just want to say, great job,” Alpena Police Chief Eric Hamp said. “We’ve talked but you’ve had essentially, pretty close to a whole new team, and what you guys have accomplished in six months has truly been impressive. And we appreciate it. And I look at it as HUNT’s back. I look forward to the…2025 report that’ll come out in 2026 to see the numbers.”

IN OTHER BUSINESS

— Rollet would like to get one more detective on the HUNT team and discussed with the board starting a three-year rotation where the counties would take turns providing a detective for a year.

— The board voted to move $96,000 in adjudicated forfeiture funds to a Michigan CLASS portfolio.

— Hamp presented the treasurer’s report for the last quarter of fiscal year 2025, running from July 1 to Sept. 30. There was an opening balance of $429,404 and an ending balance of $441,152 in that quarter.

— The number of cases initiated by HUNT detectives from July 1 to Sept. 30 is significantly larger than in 2024, according to a report in the meeting packet. A total of 40 cases were initiated in the last quarter of fiscal year 2025, and 21 cases were initiated in the last quarter of fiscal year 2024.

— Rollet reported that HUNT has received half of their federal Byrne JAG grant, which makes up a large chunk of HUNT’s funding. The other half is not guaranteed until the federal government shutdown ends and a budget is agreed on.

Reagan Voetberg can be reached at 989-358-5683 or rvoetberg@TheAlpenaNews.com.