CRIME, POLICE + COURTS
Davis County Task Force conducted undercover drug bust
Dec 14, 2022, 9:14 AM | Updated: Dec 29, 2022, 11:21 am

After three controlled buys Davis County Task Force made arrests. Photo credit: Utah County Sheriff's Office
WEBER COUNTY, Utah — After receiving a tip from a sister law enforcement agency, an Officer with the Davis County Task Force planned a large-scale undercover drug bust.
The Task Force was informed of a 40-year-old, named Braden Larkin, allegedly selling meth.
The tip came Nov. 30, and after three undercover buys from Larkin, police arrested him on suspicion of charges relating to selling controlled substances.
The alleged purchase of meth from Larkin occurred on Dec. 1 and Dec. 5 when Davis County Task Force had their informant text Larkin requesting to buy.
Larkin agreed to meet with the informant where, according to a probable cause statement, he sold the informant an ounce of meth for $275.
Undercover agent
Further, Police said their informant told Larkin he had a friend who was looking to buy a large sum of meth. This “friend” is the Task Force’s undercover agent.
Larkin, along with his counterpart, David Manning, supposedly agreed to meet both the informant and undercover agent.
Both wore wires and hidden cameras.
When the two entered the residence of Larkin, he allegedly asked to re-meet in two hours as he may have been suspicious.
Police documents said Larkin stated, “It’s just unexpected and I’m on my second strike so it’s hard for me. The next one is a life sentence.”
After re-meeting the informant and undercover agent bought meth with $2,500 FBI funds.
The undercover drug bust conducted one more controlled buy on Dec. 5 where the informant allegedly bought meth.
According to a probable cause statement, all three times police tested the drug and confirmed it to be methamphetamine.
Related reading
- Provo City names Troy Beebe as its new Chief of Police
- Warrant for a burglary suspect in Richfield turns into drug bust