Arizona couple's 'dried floral business' actually sold opium in Indiana, say authorities
A judge sentenced an Arizona couple to three years in federal prison after shipping hundreds of pounds of opium straw to Indiana and California.
The couple wanted authorities in Indianapolis and Noblesville to believe they operated “an online dried floral business” and labeled packages as “dried decorations.”
Todd Anderson, 60, and Carolyn Anderson, 58, of Flagstaff, Arizona, pleaded guilty to the distribution of opium poppy and morphine, according to a news release issued Friday by the U.S. Department of Justice for the Southern District of Indiana.
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From June 2019 through August 2020, the Andersons packaged and shipped hundreds of pounds of poppy straw (dried opium poppy) for re-distribution by others. The pair used four businesses, registered in Arizona, to illegally import the poppy from the United Kingdom, according to the release.
Poppy Straw is a Schedule II Controlled Substance that can result in death if improperly ingested. It is highly addictive and can be abused for its opioid effects, the release stated. An active ingredient in poppy straw is morphine, a powerful opioid that is also a Schedule II controlled substance.
The Andersons operated a website that offered “dried poppy pods” for sale but were not registered importers with the DEA to sell any controlled substances as required by law. Authorities said the Andersons sold a variety of poppy pods that contained high amounts of morphine.
On multiple occasions, authorities said Carolyn Anderson texted potential buyers in Indianapolis and Noblesville to purchase anywhere from 10 to 50 pounds of poppy straw for $125 per pound, the release stated.
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In August 2020, the Andersons were arrested at their property in Arizona, where local law enforcement officers recovered 499 kilograms — approximately half a metric ton — of poppy straw. Agents seized an additional 40 kilograms of poppy straw the Andersons shipped to customers in Indiana and elsewhere.
“Illegal opioid abuse and substance use disorders have driven epidemic levels of overdoses and other traumas suffered by our families, friends, and neighbors,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers.
In addition to three years in federal prison, U.S. District Court Chief Judge Tanya Pratt ordered the Andersons be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for three years following their release from federal prison and ordered each defendant to pay a $15,000 fine.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Arizona couple pleads guilty to selling poppy opium in Indiana
