SUFFOLK COUNTY JOINS DWI CAR SEIZURES

(YAPHANK) - Suffolk County has seized the cars of two drunken driving
suspects, making use for the first time of a county ordinance on the
books since 1993. Twenty-one-year-old Karl McGovern of North Babylon
lost his 1991 Chevrolet late last night, and 25-year-old Christopher
Klein of Selden lost his 1990 Toyota early this morning, at a
checkpoint on Route 110 in Huntington Station. Both drivers lost their
cars because they had been convicted of driving while impaired within
the last five years.

Unlike New York City and Nassau County, Suffolk County's local law
says first time offenders will not have their vehicles seized.

Twenty-three New York City drivers and roughly 21 Nassau County
drivers have lost their cars under the general forfeiture rules of the
local administrative codes. These laws make no specific mention of
drunken drivers, but the vehicles are being seized on the premise they
were used in the commission of a crime.

GANG CRACKDOWN IN STATEN ISLAND

(NEW YORK) - The New York Police Department has arrested 21 alleged
members of the Bloods street gang in Staten Island. Police seized one-
point-five pounds of crack cocaine, three-point-five pounds of
marijuana, numerous weapons, three vehicles and 45-thousand dollars
in cash on Thursday and Friday. The suspects range in age from 17 to
66, and include men and women, and whites, Hispanics and blacks.

Five suspects were charged with criminal sale of a controlled
substance, 11 were charged with possession, and five face weapons and
drug charges. Police say they are uncertain about the gang
affiliations of all the suspects.