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

DATE: TUESDAY, April 4, 1995                   TAG: 9504040095
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: DIANE STRUZZI
DATELINE: MARTINSVILLE                                LENGTH: Short

DRUG PROBE YIELDS 100 INDICTMENTS

More than 100 people have been charged with drug offenses after an 18-month undercover investigation by Southside Virginia law enforcement officials and Virginia State Police.

The operation, called Curbside III, focused on street-level crack and marijuana dealers and the open-air drug markets they created in Martinsville and Henry County.

The individuals - some considered major dealers in the Southside area - were indicted Monday in Martinsville and Henry County circuit courts.

"These are not the casual users of drugs. ... In many cases they were very hardened criminals," said Martinsville Police Chief Terry Roop at a news conference announcing the results of the drug operation.

Police expect additional indictments from a separate sting operation at two houses across from the Martinsville Police Department. Drug agents set up their own operation selling crack that was manufactured at the state lab in Roanoke.

by CNB