Pubdate: Fri, 24 May 2002 Source: Buffalo News (NY) Copyright: 2002 The Buffalo News Contact: http://www.buffalonews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/61 Author: Gene Warner Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/raids.htm (Drug Raids) $100,000 WORTH OF MARIJUANA SEIZED IN FOUR DRUG RAIDS Buffalo narcotics detectives, working closely with Amherst and Cheektowaga police, have confiscated close to $100,000 worth of marijuana in four recent raids in Lovejoy and North Buffalo, police officials announced late Thursday. The detectives, using search warrants based on information developed together by the three police agencies, recovered 191/2 pounds of marijuana, plus some cocaine, Ecstasy, methamphetamines and other drugs in the four raids. The four unrelated raids also led to four arrests and the confiscation of two handguns, one of them stolen from Niagara County, police said. "It's a culmination of the cooperation of all the agencies and the hard work our guys have put in," Capt. Christine M. Giardina, commander of the Buffalo police Narcotics and Vice Squad, said Thursday. "The hard work is paying off." Detectives were tight-lipped about many of the details of the four raids - including three of the addresses - emphasizing that the investigations are continuing and that they hope to make more arrests. However, they did say they confiscated 18 pounds of marijuana from one house in the city's Lovejoy area. "That's an enormous amount of marijuana to take out of one neighborhood," said Lt. Larry J. Baehre, the department's public information officer. "By taking 18 pounds from that neighborhood, we've certainly made a dent in the narcotics trafficking there." Narcotics officers recovered the other 11/2 pounds of marijuana in a raid at 81 N. Ogden St., where they also confiscated the two handguns and $1,155 in cash. Arrested at that address was Julie Y. Henley, 35, who faces charges of criminal possession of a controlled substance and stolen property. Detectives say they disrupted "mid-level" marijuana sales in the two Lovejoy-area raids. "They were selling large quantities of marijuana to other individuals who were selling it on the street," one detective said. The marijuana was sold by the quarter pound, which is then broken into ounces for resale. Narcotics detectives estimated that the street dealers bought the marijuana for anywhere from $150 to $300 an ounce, then resold it on the streets for $200 to $400 per ounce. Following those four raids, narcotics detectives Wednesday night confiscated 52 bags of crack cocaine and $5,670 during a raid at Apartment 808 in the Maryner Towers. Detective Sgt. George Adymy and Detectives Henry Velez and Paul Skinner charged Ruben Munoz, 19, with felony drug possession. - --- MAP posted-by: Alex