RAIDS SEEN AS PUTTING BIG DENT IN DRUG TRADE

Reduction In Crime Rate Also Likely, Authorities Say

SAN MARCOS -- Authorities say the arrests of 24 suspected drug dealers and
the seizure of $1 million worth of methamphetamine will not only cripple
the local drug trade, but also will reduce crime here.

"You're talking about property-related crimes -- theft, auto theft,
burglaries, residential burglaries, commercial burglaries -- general street
crime, with people staggering around under the influence (and) domestic
violence calls," Deputy District Attorney Thomas Manning said yesterday.

"One of the things we do see after projects like this go down, it does
affect the crime rate. It does slow things down and shuts things down for
some time."

Federal and local agents raided several San Marcos residences and a
restaurant Wednesday and Thursday mornings, arresting 18 people on
drug-related charges. Six people were arrested earlier.

This week's arrests wrapped up a five-month undercover investigation in
which Drug Enforcement Administration and sheriff's officials seized 18
pounds of methamphetamine, 78 grams of heroin and 157 pounds of marijuana.

Authorities said the 24 arrests would crush two local gangs responsible for
the lion's share of drug-related violence in the city. Three suspects are
still being sought in connection with the drug ring.

The investigation was the third of its kind during the past year and a half
in North County. Similar investigations were conducted in Vista and, most
recently, in Escondido.

Law enforcement agencies in all three cities had sought federal help to
stem the flow of illegal drugs and collaborated with the DEA in
surveillance and undercover drug buys.

Escondido police and sheriff's officials in Vista said they saw definite
drops in the number of calls after the operations in their cities, although
no specific statistics were available.

DEA Special Agent Vince Rice said that if a dealer has 100 clients and he
is arrested, suddenly those buyers don't have a supplier. If the buyers
typically trade stolen property for their drugs and their supply is cut
off, they don't have as great a need to steal, he said.

One woman arrested Thursday was suspected of possessing between $5,000 and
$10,000 worth of stolen property.

"When you start taking away that distribution network, you start to reduce
petty theft," Rice said.

San Marcos City Councilman Jim McAuley said he believes that the operation,
along with city plans for the run-down apartments where some of the drug
activity was centered, will lower crime and drug trafficking.

The apartment complex off Autumn Drive where two raids were carried out
Thursday morning is scheduled for conversion to affordable housing.
Affordable housing has stiff restrictions and is under close government watch.

"It provides a place for people who are gainfully employed to have a
reasonable and safe place to live," said McAuley.

"So when you combine that with the (law enforcement) activities we've seen,
I think you'll see a positive improvement for the people living there now."

McAuley said San Marcos officials saw considerable improvements when they
converted apartment complexes to affordable housing on the north side of town.

Authorities said they don't think new dealers will emerge to fill the holes
left by this week's raids. It didn't happen in Vista or Escondido when drug
rings there were broken up, one DEA official said.

"They're probably a little scared right now," Rice said. "They're probably
saying, 'We should move.' "