A student was arrested Tuesday morning in Craven Quadrangle and another was detained in conjunction with an ongoing drug-trafficking investigation being conducted by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation.
Officials at the Durham County Jail confirmed that junior Ryan Packer was arrested and released on $5,000 bond Tuesday for possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver marijuana as well as for trafficking marijuana.
The second student involved in the drug investigation was not arrested, but witnesses told The Chronicle she was detained after she was delivered a package.
"I am aware of the fact that there were two students involved," said Larry Moneta, vice president for student affairs.
Packer declined to comment when reached by The Chronicle.
Sara-Jane Raines, Duke University Police Department executive officer, said DUPD as well as the Durham Police Department were contacted by SBI and were cooperating. SBI officials were not available for comment Tuesday.
She said she lacked details regarding specifics of the case, however, because SBI has taken over the investigation.
Duke University Postal Operations was also contacted by SBI several days ago because the agency expected delivery of a suspicious package, post office employees told The Chronicle.
SBI officials asked employees of the Bryan Center Post Office if the branch would accept the package even though it would be delivered by an outside carrier. Employees said they would refuse to receive the package because delivery by a non-U.S. Postal Service carrier is a violation of their contract.
The employees declined to name the outside carrier, and Raines said she did not know who had delivered the package.
A resident of Kilgo Quadrangle, however, said he saw a man wearing a DHL uniform shirt enter Kilgo at approximately 11 a.m. Tuesday. He was carrying a package approximately three feet long, the student said.
The witness said he saw the deliveryman emerge approximately half an hour later holding the DHL shirt and package and accompanied by a girl in handcuffs.
They drove away in an unmarked SUV that was parked behind Kilgo, the student said.
A second-floor resident of Kilgo House I said she and several other Kilgo residents were questioned by SBI officers regarding the female detained in the case-another Kilgo resident.
When reached by The Chronicle at her family's home, the student who was allegedly detained declined to comment.
As SBI officials continue the investigation, friends of Packer said they would not yet pass judgment.
"Our fraternity supports him," said junior Rob DeHaas, president of Packer's fraternity. "We're going to wait until the situation is resolved."
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