Pubdate: Sat, 18 May 2002
Source: Post-Star, The (NY)
Section: Local/Region, State
Page: B7
Copyright: 2002 Glens Falls Newspapers Inc.
Contact:  http://www.poststar.net/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1068

NEW YORK CITY POLICE SEIZE DRUG-USE ITEMS

NEW YORK (AP) -- More than 100 people were arrested in a citywide police 
sweep to seize illegal drug paraphernalia,  some of which was confiscated 
from tobacco shops, bodegas and grocery stores, Police Commissioner Raymond 
Kelly said Friday.

A total of 58 stores citywide were searched and now these businesses face 
possible civil action in court, and could be shut down, Kelly added.

"In a single day, we got massive amounts of illegal paraphernalia off the 
streets of New York, and arrested 124 criminals who peddle them," the 
commissioner said.

"Operation Crop" -- which stands for Coordinated Response to Outlawed 
Paraphernalia -- ended Thursday after several weeks of undercover officers 
purchasing some paraphernalia. The operation was formed as part of the 
NYPD's campaign to fight quality-of-life crimes.

Dozens of bags of paraphernalia was seized, from crack pipes to rubber 
stamps used to mark drug packages. Also seized was $99,000 in cash. Kelly 
estimated the paraphernalia seized was worth about several hundred thousand 
dollars.
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