Six-month drug investigation yields 6 arrests

In an effort between Bloomington police, the Indiana State Police and the Drug Enforcement Administration, six suspects have been arrested during the last few weeks in connection with drug-related charges, inlcuding sales and possession of methamphetamine.\nThe arrests were made in connection with a six-month investigation conducted by the BPD, according to Captain Joe Qualters. The arrests occurred in tandem with about 100 arrests across the nation in a two-year effort dubbed Operation Mountain Express. \n"Although these individuals have been under suspicion for years, local officials have only been able to infiltrate the organization in the last six months," said Jeff Kehr, a Monroe County prosecutor. \nThis ring has also been connected with suspects delivering large quantities of methamphetamine from Northern Indiana. Nationwide, the sting has netted $16 million in cash and 181 pounds of methamphetamine.\n"The investigation has been conducted in South Bend, Indianapolis and the Monroe County Area," Qualters said. \nQualters said the police confiscated several items during the investigation. They found five pounds of methamphetamine valued at more than $80,000 and $35,000 in cash. They also found a pound of marijuana, shotguns and handguns. \nThe police are also seizing personal property that includes furniture, large-screen televisions and a motorcycle obtained with illegal funds, Qualters said.\nKehr said the prosecutor's office has already filed charges against Roy D. Reynolds, 38, for conspiracy to deal methamphetamine and conspiracy to deal cocaine. Donald D. Reynolds, 30, has been charged with conspiracy to deal methamphetamine. Tamara D. North, 28, has been charged with aiding and dealing in methamphetamine. Angela D. Shaevitz, 22, has been charged with maintaining a common nuisance, vehicle theft and possession of cocaine, Kehr said. Two more people have been arrested, Qualters said, but they have not been charged by the prosecutor's office.\nRecently, the IU Police Department has become more actively involved in prosecuting narcotics cases. According to the Cleary Report, which represents crime on the IU Bloomington campus, drug arrests rose from 208 in 1998 to 409 in 2000. \nIUPD officer David Hannum said he has had several narcotics-related cases in the last few months.\n"Most of these cases involve marijuana, ecstasy, cocaine, opium and mushrooms," Hannum said.\nHe said he has heard about heroine and methamphetamine on campus, but has not yet made a case. \nWith the support of IU and more active investigations, the IUPD should be able to make the cases involving narcotics, Hannum said.\nEric Williams, the Public Information Officer for the Drug Enforcement Agency, said the meth problem here is not worse than any other state. \nThe incidents concerning meth are becoming more apparent because meth is more widely used.\n"Meth is becoming a more popular drug because it is easily made and the return on the investment is great," Williams said. \nAs part of the Operation Mountain Express crackdown, investigators made arrests in Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, Houston, Phoenix, Las Vegas and Los Angeles. \nThe Office of National Drug Control Policy released a profile for Indiana in December 2001. \n"The growing number of methamphetamine lab seizures indicates an increasing drug problem in Indiana that may, one day, rival powdered cocaine issues, which the state currently faces," according to the ONDCP report. \n"Methamphetamine production is increasing, especially in rural areas," according to the Indiana Drug Threat Assessment conducted by the National Drug Intelligence Center. \n"Although the state police have discovered laboratories in Angola and Elkhart in Northern Indiana, most methamphetamine laboratories seized have been in rural farming areas south of I-70 and west of I-65, particularly along the corridor from Evansville to Bloomington," according to the Assessment.\nEven though the popularity of the drug is increasing, state police are making more arrests to keep the problem under control.\nThe Indiana State Police have raided more than 400 labs throughout the state this year, compared with six in 1995 according to AP reports. \nAlthough the charges against the six individuals here were made based on state law, federal charges may still be brought against them, Qualters said. These arrests are only a portion of an ongoing investigation that officials expect will produce more arrests, he said.\nThe Associated Press contributed to this report.