COUNTIES TARGET DRUGS

WELCH -- A two-state operation Friday targeted close to 100 suspects
on drug-related charges between McDowell and Buchanan counties,
officials said.

In McDowell County, officials had arrested 42 of 47 individuals as of
late Friday evening on delivery, conspiracy and fugitive from justice
charges, Sheriff Danny Mitchell said. In Buchanan County, officials
had arrested 31 of 52 individuals indicted on drug-related charges as
of late Friday, Sheriff Ray Foster said.

Authorities in both counties were still searching for individuals late
Friday.

"If you live in McDowell County, and you are selling drugs, you've got
three choices -- quit, move, or go to jail," Mitchell said. "It's that
simple. I'm not going to give up."

The drug roundup in McDowell County was completed in cooperation with
the McDowell County Sheriff's Department, the West Virginia State
Police Welch Detachment, and the Southern Regional Drug and Violent
Crimes Task Force. Mitchell said the majority of the arrests were in
the Bradshaw and Panther communities. The sheriff's department set up
a staging area at the Bradshaw Town Hall, and the Panther Volunteer
Fire Department, where individuals were processed after being
arrested. Mitchell said officials used two buses provided by the
Stevens Correctional Center to transport the individuals arrested back
to Welch.

In Virginia, the Buchanan County 29th Circuit Regional Drug Task Force
served more than 150 drug-related indictments on 52 different
individuals with assistance from the Virginia State Police, the Grundy
Police Department, and authorities across the state line in McDowell
County.

"The more we work together, the more we can accomplish in the war on
drugs," Foster said. "We are all in this together. We all have family
to protect, children or grandchildren that attend our schools, travel
our roads and play in our neighborhoods. We can all make a difference
if we work toward the same goal -- stop the drugs."

Drugs, firearms and cash were recovered as part of the Virginia-side
operation, Sgt. Michael Conroy, of the Virginia State Police, said.

"The majority of the arrests were within Buchanan County," Conroy
said. "We did have some that spilled into West Virginia." Conroy said
the majority of the Virginia-side charges involved the distribution of
prescription narcotics.

The arrests started at 7 a.m. in McDowell County.

"Just about all of them were arrested at their residences," Mitchell
said. "Everything went really smooth. There were hardly any problems
at all. I was amazed at how smoothly it went."

Mitchell said the war on drugs continues in McDowell County with
assistance from the governor's office and the Appalachian High
Intensity Drug Trafficking agency.

"This is a partial result of a year-long investigation conducted by
the Southern Regional Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force and the
McDowell County Sheriff's Department," Mitchell said. "In those two
areas, it is going to make a big dent. Drug investigations and more
arrests are pending."

Mitchell said the citizens of McDowell County are asked to help fight
the war against drugs.

"We must continue to urge our citizens to get involved," Mitchell
said. "Make the anonymous phone calls, send in those anonymous drug
dealer ads, or just continue to write letters to the state police and
task force. They (concerned citizens) have played a big part in this
and we greatly appreciate it."

Foster said the drug roundup in Virginia included all areas of
Buchanan County. Conroy said members of the Buchanan County 29th
Circuit Regional Drug Task Force welcome any citizen tips received on
suspected drug activity.

"By having community support we are more effective in identifying and
arresting drug dealers," Conroy said. "We encourage people who witness
suspected drug activity to report those incidents to the state police
by calling 1-800-553-3673, or by calling our local partners. Every tip
counts."

Conroy said the task force opened more than 140 cases and made more
than 134 felony arrests between July 2005 and August 2006. In McDowell
County, Mitchell said the town of Bradshaw and the Panther Volunteer
Fire Department also provided critical assistance Friday by allowing
authorities to utilize their facilities as staging areas.

Mitchell said individuals were still being arraigned late Friday in
magistrate court on the drug-related charges.

McDowell County Commission President Gordon Lambert said Friday's drug
roundup will help, adding the county's war on drugs is one of the key
issues officials hope to discuss with lawmakers in Charleston on Jan.
17 as part of the second annual McDowell County Day at the Legislature
program.