Another texting hazard

Texting anybody while driving is dangerous. Texting a policeman while soliciting financial partners for an illegal-drug purchase is risky, too.

The latter modern hazard was recently confirmed. A law enforcement official told the Lewiston (Idaho) Tribune that a suspect sent a text to numerous recipients — including a police detective — seeking investors for a methamphetamine buy.

In the meth market, as in so many others both legal and illegal, increasing the quantity of a financial transaction generally produces a decrease in the per-weight price. As Lewiston Police Capt. Roger Lanier told the Tribune: “It is common for dealers to try to get money fronted to them to get a better deal.”

But this deal turned sour.

So how did that text end up being sent to that cop in the first place?

Capt. Lanier offered this solid deductive reasoning: “It all started apparently from a wrong number. I don’t think he would have a narcotics detective in his contacts list.”

That detective first made sure that the text wasn’t a hoax message from a co-worker. Then he texted back to the sender that he would contribute $150 to his meth-buying cause — and arranged to meet him.

Not long afterward, the suspect reportedly texted: “Well that’s weird, a cop just pulled up on me so what’s up with that?”

What was up in this case was an arrest for conspiracy to deliver meth. Which had to be a real downer for the man who was charged.