80 ARRESTS MADE IN STINGS AT SCHOOLS

Nearly 80 drug dealers, most of them students, were arrested in an
LAPD sting operation at Los Angeles high schools in recent months, Los
Angeles Police Department officials announced Wednesday.

The annual "School Buy Program" took place from Sept. 11 to Dec. 14
and resulted in 123 drug purchases by undercover police from 82
dealers, LAPD spokesman Guillermo Compose said.

"We take young-looking officers right out of police academy and have
them work with our juvenile narcotics division," Compose said.

"Posing as students, they go to classes and try to see who's dealing
drugs, and buy drugs."

All but four of the suspects were arrested. Those four were identified
but remain at large, he said.

The operation led to fewer arrests this year than in recent years,
police said.

The decline, they said, is a result of dealers being more cautious
rather than decreased drug use in schools.

The drug quantities confiscated were small, with marijuana being the
most prevalent, Compose said. LSD, Ecstasy and cocaine also were
confiscated.