Busting drug dealers with texting

Photo by SimonDoggett

Would you send tips about drug dealers in your area if you knew you were guaranteed to be anonymous? Four counties in southwestern Minnesota are giving a new text message tip program a try to bust more drug dealers.

Run by the Buffalo Ridge Drug Task Force, the service covers Rock, Pipestone, Murray, and Nobles counties. It is the first drug unit in the nation to use the Tip411 program, says WCCO.

People can text tips to an anonymous database that includes no personal identifying information. Police have the ability to text back to ask follow up questions, but they still can't trace the tip back to an actual person.

If tipsters send tips not related to drug investigations, police will pass the information to the proper authorities.

Watch the full WCCO report here.