Pubdate: Wed, 19 Dec 2001
Source: Courier-Journal, The (KY)
Copyright: 2001 The Courier-Journal
Contact:  http://www.courier-journal.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/97
Author: Alan Maimon, The Courier-Journal

OXYCONTIN SWEEP NETS 40 ARRESTS IN LEE CO.

7-Month Investigation Of Drug Dealing Led To Daylong Roundup

BEATTYVILLE, Ky. -- One of Eastern Kentucky's largest OxyContin
roundups resulted yesterday in 40 felony drug-trafficking arrests of
Lee County residents, officials said.

Beattyville Police Chief Steve Mays Jr. and Lee County Sheriff Harvey
Pelfrey said the all-day roundup by two dozen law officers resulted
from an investigation of street-level drug dealers for the past seven
months. They said two-thirds of the charges involved the painkiller
OxyContin.

The roundup, called Operation Grinch, started at 5 a.m. and ended with
arrests of all but nine of the 49 who had been named on 94 charges in
the drug warrants.

The roundup, which authorities credited to an initiative by the local
police department, was one of the largest in Eastern Kentucky since
federal, state and local authorities announced OxyFest 2001 in
February. That crackdown has targeted what officials in the region say
is an epidemic of drug abuse involving the powerful painkiller.

"Oxy has been a big problem here for the past year and a half,"
Pelfrey said. "Now it might be quiet for a while, but there will be
people to take their place."

Mays agreed that the OxyContin problem has not spared his
community.

"The police department wanted to step up and do our part," he said
of the investigation, which included Kentucky State Police officers,
the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, the federal Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and U.S. Forest Service and U.S.
marshal's officers.

The DEA has blamed 117 deaths in 31 states in the past two years on
OxyContin and suspects 179 more deaths are related to the drug. At
least 70 of those 296 deaths have been in Eastern Kentucky, according
to county coroners.

Besides OxyContin trafficking, the Lee County warrants also alleged
sale of other drugs, including methamphetamines, cocaine and marijuana.

Most of those arrested yesterday were being held in the Clark County
and Johnson County jails last night pending arraignment.

Lt. Lisa Rudzinski, a state police spokeswoman, said the agency will
continue to "vigorously pursue" illegal traffickers of OxyContin
during the coming year.

She said the ongoing effort will "not end until we make sure the drug
is only in the hands of people who medically need it and out of those
who are only seeking to abuse it."

Mays said yesterday's arrests involved people of all ages and social
backgrounds.

"We try to dedicate ourselves to making our community safer. We want
to make it a better place for our children," Mays said.

Authorities also said that during yesterday's roundup they confiscated
two stolen four-wheelers and an undisclosed amount of cash.
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