P1TLCM10: It’s Your Ship

Instructor: Chief Gary Benthin served as a law enforcement officer for 32 years; 22 of those years as chief of police on two departments. Before becoming a police chief he received a Master’s Degree in Public Affairs from Western Carolina University and graduated from the North Carolina Police Executive Development Program at the University of North Carolina. Chief Benthin is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and has twice graduated from Criminal Justice Instructor schools. Chief Benthin has strong expertise in law enforcement administration, leadership and training. Under his direction as chief, drug investigators with the Eden Police Department conducted an undercover operation that resulted in the seizure of more than $1.3 million in cash, two tractor-trailers, 21 cars and trucks and eight guns.  This was, at the time, North Carolina’s largest and most successful drug investigation ever.  Among the items seized were a tractor-trailer that was intercepted while heading to Mexico with nearly $900,000 in cash. In addition, warehouses used in the transportation of drugs were identified during the investigation after undercover officers posing as drug dealers were able to infiltrate the operation.  The investigation, which began in March 2007 and ended in July 2008, began in Eden but spread to Virginia, Texas, California, Georgia and Mexico and included several agencies, including the SBI, federal agencies and several county and local agencies.  By law, the Eden Police Department was able to keep $468,000 of the seized assets.