A pair of Kenosha County brothers are accused of operating an “empire of illegal drugs” in southeast Wisconsin. In all, authorities estimated they seized THC vaping products with a street value of $1.5 million. During a Wednesday press conference, Sheriff David Beth said the operation allegedly run by 20-year-old Tyler Huffhines and 23-year-old Jacob Huffhines, was one largest drug operations of this type he’s seen in Kenosha County, and he believed it may be one of the largest in the country.
At a Paddock Lake home where the brothers lived, investigators found $59,000, guns and ammunition, cocaine, marijuana, Xanax pills, cellphones, and much more. “That’s just the tip of the iceberg in this operation,” Beth said. Investigators said the operation was based out of a condo in the Town of Bristol. At that location, they found 31,200 vape cartridges already filled and ready to be shipped out. Each contained one gram of THC. They also found approximately 98,000 cartridges that were unfilled. Investigators also located 57 mason jars filled with THC oil — each jar was valued at roughly $6,000. In all, authorities estimated they seized THC products with a street value of $1.5 million. a second residence in the Town of Bristol.
Waukesha Police Captain Dan Baumann said the investigation began in early July, when a mother and father brought their high school-aged son to his department. The parents told police they wanted to hold their son accountable for allegedly distributing vaping cartridges with THC in area high schools. With the help of the parents, investigators ended up in Kenosha County, where the Huffhines were arrested. The brothers both face an extensive list of charges.