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

DATE: FRIDAY, July 7, 1995                   TAG: 9507070033
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-11   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: KATHY LOAN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG                                LENGTH: Short

MONTGOMERY COUNTY'S DRUG HOT LINE CALLED A SUCCESS

People with information about illegal drug activity may leave confidential messages by calling 381-2291.

"The first day after it was in the newspapers we got four calls and that's a lot," said Lynn Roach, a special agent with the Virginia State Police.

Four other calls came in the following week.

Roach said task force members are acting on the tips they have received, but cautioned that "sometimes our charges are long in the making."

Some of the tips buttress ongoing investigations while other calls have provided new leads.

"We've received information about drug dealers we already know about (and) that we didn't know about but is very believable to us," Roach said.

Roach said the task force wants to put up posters across in the county in schools and businesses touting the new hot line.

"We want them everywhere. The more exposure we have the more calls we're going to get," Roach said.

The number may be called anytime. Callers have the option of remaining anonymous and confidentiality will be respected.

The Montgomery County Drug Task Force is made up of the State Police, the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office and the police departments of Blacksburg, Christiansburg and Virginia Tech.