SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH — A 39-year-old man was arrested late Saturday night after being caught distributing drugs in Salt Lake City’s Poplar Grove neighborhood, a known hotspot for drug activity.
At around 11 p.m., officers from the Salt Lake City Police Department were conducting routine patrols along 800 West, just north of North Temple. During their patrol, they observed several individuals who appeared to be using drugs in public. The officers turned on their emergency lights, prompting one individual, later identified as Basim Ali, to flee the scene.
After a brief chase, officers apprehended Ali and conducted a search. They discovered multiple small packages containing cocaine and methamphetamine, as well as foil-wrapped substances. Ali was also found in possession of three marijuana vape pens, a small quantity of plant marijuana, and a glass pipe commonly used for methamphetamine consumption.
The arrest was not Ali’s first encounter with law enforcement. Police noted that he had been taken into custody just days earlier on similar felony distribution charges. Due to this alleged pattern of criminal behavior, officers requested additional detention conditions, emphasizing the seriousness of his involvement in drug distribution.
Ali was booked into the Salt Lake County Metro Jail on charges of distribution of a controlled substance (four counts), failure to stop at the command of a police officer, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Authorities are continuing to investigate the case as part of ongoing efforts to address drug activity in the area.
Local law enforcement has been increasing patrols in Poplar Grove as part of a broader initiative to combat the growing drug-related issues in the neighborhood. The area has long been recognized as a hotspot for illegal drug use and distribution.