Pubdate: Thu, 31 Jan 2002
Source: Alexandria Daily Town Talk (LA)
Website: http://www.thetowntalk.com/
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Address: P.O. Box 7558, Alexandria, LA 71306
Contact:  2002 Alexandria Daily Town Talk
Fax: (318) 487-6488
Author: Mandy Maxwell
Note: Staff writer Robert Morgan contributed to this article.

POLICE PUT 'BITE' ON DRUG SUSPECTS IN STATEWIDE RAIDS

Some 35 alleged drug manufacturers, dealers and users have been arrested in 
Rapides Parish during the past 90 days as part of a statewide undercover 
drug probe, investigators said Wednesday.

The Rapides Metro Narcotics team, along with other agencies within the 
state, made 875 drug arrests in Operation Frost Bite.

"We consider this an important day in Louisiana," said Allen Parish Sheriff 
Harold "Hal" Turner, Louisiana Sheriffs Association president. He spoke at 
a press conference in Baton Rouge.

Operation Frost Bite was a six-month drug investigation that generated 
1,000 arrest warrants. Most of the arrests were made Tuesday and Wednesday 
in a coordinated sweep.

The operation - initiated by the Louisiana Sheriffs Association's Violent 
Crime and Narcotics Strike Force - continues, and more arrests are expected.

On Wednesday, Capt. Mike Villard of Rapides Metro Narcotics said the 
arrests in Rapides were on a variety of drug charges, including possession, 
possession with intent to distribute, manufacturing and obtaining drugs by 
fraud.

In Allen Parish, five suspects were arrested Wednesday in early morning raids.

Agents with the Allen Narcotics Task Force ran several undercover 
operations, which led to the arrests.

The task force includes members of the Oakdale Police Department and the 
Allen Sheriff's Office. It was formed in July 2001 and is under the command 
of Lt. Scotty LaBorde.

Arrested in Oakdale were Travis Johnson, 21, of 614 Butler St.; Wilford 
Melbert, 18, of 512 Benson St.; Ed Coleman, 51, of 1206 Prater St; Bobby 
Waller, 48, of 707 Bernice St.; and Weldon Thibodeaux, 26, of 610 North 
Seventh St.

All were charged with distribution of cocaine. Thibodeaux also was booked 
for conspiracy to distribute cocaine.

Elsewhere, agents of the Vernon Parish Narcotics Task Force arrested 26 
drug suspects Tuesday.

About $29,000 in cash was seized along with a 1990 Nissan Stanza and 
several pagers and cell phones. More arrests are expected.

Dale Broussard, director of the sheriffs association strike force, said the 
investigation led to the shutdown of five makeshift methamphetamine labs in 
Bienville, Lafayette, St. Landry and Tangipahoa parishes.

Task force sources were unable to provide an estimate of the overall 
operation's cost, the number of officers involved or the amount of drugs 
and weapons seized.

Highlighting the danger associated with the investigation, drug agents 
displayed in Baton Rouge a table laden with weapons.

St. James Parish Sheriff Willy Martin said the weapons - a semi-automatic 
AK-47 assault rifle equipped with a 100-round drum, a pistol, a shotgun and 
a smaller-caliber rifle - were seized in a raid in Vacherie where shots 
were fired.

Capt. Villard said residents of Rapides Parish should not think the 
operation was in any way a "cure" to the drug problem.

"Residents should not be naive and think that Rapides Parish is immune to 
drug activity," he said.
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