MAJOR BUST JUST A DENT IN LOCAL DRUG WAR

Local drug enforcement experts say the major cocaine bust Saturday by
the Canton Police Department at The Strip shopping center in Jackson
Township will have an immediate impact for a few weeks.

But in the long term, they say, there's too much money to be made and
the demand is too high for all the sources of supply to dry up.

[Name redacted], 60, of Burbank, Calif., was arrest Saturday in a
rental car with $23,000 in cash and two kilos of cocaine (4.4
pounds), valued at $44,000 to $50,000, said Lt. Ron Shank, with the
Canton Vice Bureau.

[Name redacted] was bringing 17 to 20 kilos a month, roughly 40
pounds, into the Stark County area, Shank said.

"This is a substantial arrest," he said. "He was a major dealer to
the Stark County area. The 17 to 20 kilos is a conservative estimate.
This will impact supply to the area for a period of time."

Local experts agree, but say the supply crunch never lasts long enough.

"Everyone involved did a great job," said Sgt. Tom Minarcheck, who
heads up the Massillon drug unit. We are starting to see a little
difference on the street. Canton did a great job and the FBI is doing
a good job coordinating and getting all the agencies to work together."

Minarcheck said there always seems to be another supplier poised to
step into the void created by any major drug arrest.

"Hopefully, there can only be so many major players," he said.

Perry Police Chief Tim Escola said the arrest will make a dent in the
drug world.

"It will help to get that much off the street," he said. "The (Stark)
Metro and (Canton) Vice guys are working hard every day to identify
sources of supply."

Sgt. John Oliver, head of the Stark Metro drug unit, said anything
that inconveniences the drug dealers and slows down supply to the area helps.

"Hopefully, we just shut off a major pipeline into the area," he
said. "If we slow them down enough, we can keep up."

[Name redacted]'s bail was set at $2 million earlier this week in
Canton Municipal Court, and he is due back there on Monday for a
preliminary hearing.

Shank said Canton had a lot of help in the investigation, which took
three months. Other agencies credited include the Canton Police
Department Gang Task Force, the FBI, the ATF, Stark Metro, the Ohio
Highway Patrol, the Medina County Drug Task Force and the New
Philadelphia Police Department.

Shank also said the investigation is continuing and more arrests are expected.