SEIZURES REDUCE LOCAL SUPPLY OF MARIJUANA

Shreveport police have seized more than three pounds of marijuana bound for
the Highland neighborhood and arrested one of the largest alleged drug
dealers in the city.

Police, assisted by the Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force,
arrested Reggie Taylor, age unknown, of the 3600 block of Sunset Drive on
Nov. 4.

"This is one of the largest seizures I've ever seen," police Sgt. Michael
Tong said. "I would estimate he's among the top five dealers in Shreveport."

The seizure and others like it are taking a heavy toll on area marijuana
users, authorities say.

Though the seizure may not signal an end to the war on drugs, it certainly
makes buying the drug a bit more uncomfortable, Caddo sheriff's Lt. Jackie
Lewis said. "It's really no trouble getting the drugs. Sometimes they
(users) just have to look a little bit harder."

When big-time narcotics dealers are arrested, others are quick to fill the
void created by the arrest, Lewis said. But the new dealer often is very
cautious about selling to new customers.

"I think the Shreveport bust will hurt," Bossier City narcotics Sgt. Steve
Caskey said.

Caskey said his undercover agents have found it difficult to score even
small bags of the drug since a series of large marijuana busts in Mexico
this summer made it difficult to get the drug across the border. "I don't
remember how many times I've asked about buying weed and heard, 'Oh man,
it's dry."'

That's quite a different story from last year, Caskey said.

Last year, Bossier City narcotics agents seized 990 pounds of marijuana. So
far this year, agents have yet to exceed the 180-pound mark. Marijuana
seizures fell from 60 pounds in March to just more than eight pounds in
April, Caskey said.

"We're not running up on any real weight," he said. "People are saving
roaches in coffee cans or jars. If you're getting a pound now, you've hurt
somebody pretty good because there's just not much out there now. A pound
now would be like grabbing a 10-pound dealer a year ago."