Pubdate: Tue, 23 Sep 2003
Source: Arizona Republic (AZ)
Copyright: 2003 The Arizona Republic
Contact:  http://www.arizonarepublic.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/24
Author: Sean L. McCarthy, The Arizona Republic

34 ARRESTED IN DRUG RAIDS AT SCOTTSDALE NIGHTCLUBS

Police Say Owners Unaware of Dealing

Scottsdale police and federal drug agents arrested 34 people and seized 
more than $600,000 in drugs, cash and vehicles over the weekend, completing 
seven months of undercover work in the city's popular nightclub scene.

"It was high-profile," Scottsdale police Lt. Steve Gesell said Monday. "We 
wanted to be seen."

Dozens of officers arrested a man who sublet an "oxygen bar" inside the 
AXIS-Radius nightclub Friday. He is suspected of selling cocaine and 
Ecstasy in addition to sniffs of flavored oxygen. Officers also lurked 
outside the Suede and Sanctuary nightclubs Friday.

Les and Diane Corieri watched the busts go down. "I had never seen that 
before," Les said. "I really didn't know what was going on."

The "oxygen bar" suspect did not work for the Corieris, who are part owners 
of all three clubs.

Police and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents said no club owners 
knew about the drug dealers or the undercover operation, Operation X-Out. 
The city-federal investigation found people dealing cocaine, Ecstasy, 
marijuana, crack, methamphetamine, heroin and prescription drugs out of 
seven bars and clubs. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake