Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, April 10, 1990 TAG: 9004100311
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: STATE
SOURCE: By KEVIN KITTREDGE SHENANDOAH BUREAU
DATELINE: CLIFTON FORGE LENGTH: Medium
The indictments capped a six-month undercover investigation into alleged drug trafficking in the Alleghany County area, said Cecil Handy, state police special agent in charge of criminal investigations.
"Many of the indictments stem from street buys and include the purchase of powder cocaine, crack cocaine and a small number of marijuana buys," Handy said. "I'd say most of the buys were for crack cocaine."
Police immediately began a roundup of suspects Monday afternoon, arresting about half of them between 2 and 4 p.m., Handy said.
The 25 suspects face 63 drug charges, almost all for selling drugs to undercover officers, Handy said.
The majority of those indicted live in Clifton Forge, though others live in Covington and throughout the county, police said. Handy said no prominent citizens were arrested.
Handy said state police investigators started looking into alleged drug sales here after state police stationed in the area said there was a problem.
Police in Covington and Clifton Forge, as well as Alleghany County sheriff's deputies, assisted in the investigation, Handy said.
Crack is "certainly readily available here," Handy said Monday in Clifton Forge. "We found that out. Hopefully, this will have a deterrent effect."
Handy said one operation in Clifton Forge supplied drugs to many of the other dealers and users.
Police said no resistance had occurred in Monday's roundup as of 7 p.m., when 17 people had been arrested. "No problem whatsoever," Handy said.
He said four other suspects were out of the state Monday, and one already was in jail on other charges.
Handy said most of those arrested were charged with one or more counts of selling cocaine - a felony.
The suspects were jailed in both Covington and Clifton Forge, police said.
by CNB