Platte County Sheriff’s Department deputies used a cooperating informant to apprehend a suspected drug dealer — one in the country illegally.
Hong Zhang, 29, remains in custody at the Platte County Detention Center in lieu of a $75,000 cash-only bond after she was arrested last week at the Best Western near KCI International Aiport. Authorities found her 10-month-old son unattended in a room inside.
Hong Zhang
According to court documents, the informant allegedly delivered 97 pounds of marijuana to an Asian female on Labor Day weekend. She left and returned with $10,000 in cash.
On Wednesday, Sept. 14, Detectives took custody of the informant and his rented black 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe where they found about 140 pounds of marijuana packed into 132 freezer bags and spread into four duffel bags. The informant maintained contact with the suspect, later identified as Zhang.
At the suspect’s request, the informant drove toward the Best Western on North Ambassador Drive and parked in an adjacent lot at about 10:35 p.m. Zhang took the keys for the Tahoe and opened the rear hatch to remove the duffel bags.
A Kansas City (Mo.) Police Tactical Team took Zhang into custody in the parking lot along with the informant.
According to court documents, Zhang told police that her 10 month old son was alone in her hotel room. Officers used her key card to get into her room where they found an infant lying on the edge of the bed, crying. The child was taken into protective state custody. A search warrant executed on Zhang’s room turned up more empty duffel bags, which smelled like marijuana, along with approximately $4,000 in cash.
Zhang is not a citizen of the United States and overstayed her VISA by one year, according to the probable cause statement.