
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, April 9, 1991                   TAG: 9104090322
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-3   EDITION: STATE 
SOURCE: Ron Brown
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

17 CHARGED AFTER DRUG INVESTIGATION

Seventeen people were charged Monday with 27 different drug offenses following a nine-month investigation by state and local authorities in the Alleghany Highlands region, state police said.

Twelve to 15 police officers spent Monday afternoon rounding up suspects after warrants were obtained in Clifton Forge and Bath County and indictments were returned in Covington and Alleghany County.

Police used a variety of investigative techniques, including the use of informants, in obtaining the charges. The allegations stem from street-level drug buys, which involved small amounts of narcotics, Covington Police Chief Jeff Brown said.

The investigation, conducted by the Alleghany-Highland Narcotics Enforcement Task Force, started in July.

Fourteen of the people were charged with distributing marijuana and two were charged with distributing cocaine.

State police and police agencies from Covington, Clifton Forge, Alleghany County and Bath County were involved in the investigation and arrests.

Suspects were being brought to the Alleghany Sheriff's Department, where they were processed and fingerprinted before being taken before a magistrate, Brown said.

by CNB