Pubdate: Mon, 12 Aug 2002 Source: Times and Democrat, The (SC) Contact: 2002, The Times and Democrat Website: http://www.thetandd.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1872 Author: Stephanie Pietrowski, T&D Correspondent Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/raids.htm (Drug Raids) SHERIFF'S TEAM TARGETS UPPER DORCHESTER COUNTY ST. GEORGE -- A special Dorchester County Sheriff's Department team of deputies has been saturating the upper county in the last few weeks searching for drug activity. Several violent, drug-related crimes in the upper county, along with tips from residents on suspected criminal activity, have kept the men busy in the Reevesville, Holly Hill, Shady Grove and Utsey Hill areas this week. Maj. Tim Stephenson is head of the aggressive patrol unit. He said his team may use marked or unmarked vehicles, along with drug dogs, to target drug activity in the county's rural areas. Stephenson said that any arrest of drug traffickers takes them off the street for a short period of time, but more importantly adds to their arrest record. "Simple possession of marijuana for a first offense doesn't draw a major fine or jail time," he said. "But, even a second offense is much more serious. It all adds up. If you're carrying drugs in Dorchester County, then understand that you can be arrested and jailed at any time." The unit recently arrested seven men in Reevesville on a variety of drug and liquor charges. Dorchester County Sheriff Ray Nash assembled the team from deputies in the narcotics division and the K-9 units, and he has temporarily moved Sgt. Ed Pumphrey from the Summerville area to the upper county to assist and supervise the aggressive drug patrol. The team of Pumphrey, PFCs R. Botten, Shawn Gibbons and Mike Caudle, along with Stephenson, has extensive drug interdiction and narcotics training. They will be conducting the zero drug tolerance patrols for the next several months. The Dorchester County Sheriff's ICE (Interstate Criminal Enforcement) Team has also been busy patrolling the interstates and continues to confiscate drugs and drug money along I-95 and I-26. The ICE Team and the upper county drug patrols will be doing some combined projects in the coming months. Stephenson said the squad has been conducting several types of operations in the upper county, and he's seen that it's already made a "huge impact" on local drug trafficking. "We're just getting started up here," he said. "There's going to be a lot more to come." Citizens can report suspicious behavior directly to the team in St. George at 843-563-0307. The Sheriff's Department wants residents to be its eyes and ears to help alert deputies to possible criminal activity. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom