Pubdate: Tue, 19 Jun 2001
Source: Ogdensburg Journal/Advance News (NY)
Copyright: 2001 St. Lawrence County Newspapers Corp
Contact: Accepts LTEs by mail only!
Website: http://www.ogd.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/689

DRUG TASK FORCE ARRESTING 50

St.Lawrence County's Drug Task Force fanned out across the county early 
this morning armed with arrest warrants in what law enforcement officials 
are describing as the biggest drug raid since the inter agency group was 
created.

With assistance from federal Drug Enforcement Administration agents, 
Ogdensburg police, village police, Sheriff's Deputies and a coordinated 
series of predawn raids on the homes of suspected dealers.

St. Lawrence county Sheriff Gary Jarvis says the arrests involve a variety 
of drugs, ranging from marijuana, cocaine, crack, ecstasy to LSD.

They represent the culmination of a year of multi agency investigations 
throughout St. Lawrence County and over one hundred controlled buys funded 
by the St. Lawrence County Legislature and the law enforcement agencies 
involved in the investigation.

The Drug Task Force includes members from the Sheriff's Department, 
Ogdensburg Police, Massena Police, Potsdam Police. Gouverneur Police, 
Canton Police. SUNY Potsdam Police and SUNY Canton police.

The task force also received assistance from the National Guard Counter 
Drug Detachment, the New York State Police Narcotics Unit, the U.S. Drug 
Enforcement Administration, U.S. Customs. U.S. Border Patrol, the St. 
Lawrence County District Attorney's office and the United States Attorney 
office for the Northern District.

Sheriff Jarvis declined to release a list of suspects targeted in the 
pre-dawn drug sweep, saying that he did not want any of them tipped off 
that officers were coming for them if they were not there when officers 
arrived at their homes this morning.

Officers had gathered at police stations across the county at 4:43 a.m. 
this morning for last minute briefings before fanning out across the 
region, armed with warrants to make arrests in the drug sweep.

More than 100 federal, state, county and local law enforcement officers 
were involved in the multi agency raids.

All of the suspects were to be held at St. Lawrence County Jail here, 
according to Jarvis, to await their arraignment in county court next 
door.  The sheriff said this morning that 26 inmates now housed there will 
be moved temporarily to county jails in Franklin and Oneida counties to 
accommodate the occupancy of the drug suspects.

St. Lawrence County District Attorney Jerome Richards. who presented the 
cases to the Grand Jury to obtain the arrest warrants, scheduled a press 
conference for this afternoon where agency officials were to discuss the 
arrests.
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