An investigation is still ongoing in Springfield, Massachusetts, since it was revealed in March that confiscated drug money went missing from the police department’s evidence room.
WWLP has learned that at least several drug cases have been dismissed and the city is now returning money to the alleged drug dealers in those cases.
According to the 22News I-Team report, the city of Springfield has or will return over $23,000 to eight people who were arrested on drug charges because the money police seized as evidence was missing.
The dismissed cases that were highlighted in the report included suspects who were arrested for possession of marijuana, crack cocaine and heroin.
The Attorney General’s office is now investigating the missing money.
The city has also hired an accounting firm to do an internal audit. According to WWLP’s report, the firm will be analyzing close to 10,000 samples through the end of August. It will cost the city up to $120,000 from the police budget.
One attorney familiar with the investigation says police have already changed one policy since the missing evidence came to light. The department will no longer hold drug money after 30 days. Instead they will reportedly send it to a bank to be held.
