12 CHARGED IN 2 DRUG BUSTS

Chicago police narcotics officers confiscated 1,100 pounds of cocaine worth
an estimated $62 million on the street and arrested five men in one of the
largest cocaine seizures in city history, authorities said Wednesday.

In an unrelated case, authorities also said they had broken up a south
suburban drug ring that supplied dealers on Chicago's South Side. Seven
people were indicted on drug conspiracy charges, including a dispatcher
from the Glenwood Police Department.

The 1,100-pound seizure occurred Tuesday night as officers watched the rear
of a house on South Tripp Avenue near Midway Airport.

"We were operating a surveillance on what we believed would be a stash
house, where drugs would be stashed before distribution," said Narcotics
Cmdr. Philip Cline.

About 8 p.m., a "pickup truck pulled up, and they began to unload things,"
Cline said. "We realized it was bundled like drugs."

Narcotics officers moved in and discovered 100 bales of cocaine,
authorities said. Police also recovered a semiautomatic pistol and $48,275
in cash, Cline said.

Arrested were: Teddy Encarnacion, 27, of the 4400 block of West Wilson
Avenue; Felix Meza-Ramiro, 50, of Garden Grove, Calif.; Carlos Valencia 25,
of San Jose, Calif.; John Guzman, 38, of Mexico; and Demetrius Polanco, 25,
of Cicero. All are charged with possession of cocaine and conspiracy, Cline
said.

The investigation was conducted jointly with the federal Drug Enforcement
Administration.

The second bust involved a three-month investigation that authorities
dubbed "Operation Sliprock." It was conducted by the Cook County state's
attorney's Narcotics Strike Force, which includes Chicago police officers.
The operation resulted in the arrest last month of Gregory T. Stroud, 47,
of the 15600 block of State Street in South Holland. Authorities identified
Stroud as a major cocaine distributor. They said Stroud's operation sold
several kilos of cocaine per week.

Authorities also arrested Carmecita Williams, 39, of the 700 block of Red
Oak Lane in University Park, who worked as a dispatcher for the Glenwood
Police Department. Williams, charged with criminal drug conspiracy and
official misconduct, allegedly provided Stroud with information on the
investigation, authorities said.

Also arrested were Stroud's nephew, Sean Stroud, 27, of the 100 block of
Park Avenue in Calumet City; Dwight Chandler, 42, of the 14400 block of
South Minerva Avenue in Dolton; Sammie Elem, 38, of the 8100 block of South
Crandon Avenue in Chicago; Claude White, 47, of the 1200 block of Lincoln
Avenue in Chicago Heights; and Thomas Douse, 55, of 12400 block of South
Bishop Street in Calumet Park.

All were arrested Sept. 2 and indicted Monday on drug conspiracy charges.
They will appear in court Oct. 19 for arraignment.

Checked-by: Mike Gogulski