38 arrested in drug sweep
Antioch police target lOW and inidlevel dealers

By MICHAEL SEARS
TIMES STAFF WRITER

ANTIOCH [Calif.] Police arrested 38 people Wednesday on suspicion of
illegal drug sales or possession of drugs, an officer said Thursday.

The arrests made by more than a dozeh officers were based on
warrants issued by the Contra Costa County grand jury, said Antioch
police Sgt. Steve McConnell, who heads the department's narcotic unit.

Police arrested a downtown Antioch business owner who they say sold
ephedrine, an over the counter decongestant and a key component for
methamphetamine. Officers said they had information Bijan Shaluiz, the
owner of Downtown Warehouse, a Tshirt and knickknack shop, supplied
local drug manufacturers with large amounts of ephedrine.

"In the course of our many investigations into methamphetamine labs, we
learned that Mr Shahraz was supplying people with large amounts of
ephedrine," McConnell said.

An undercover police officer purchased ephedrine in bulk from Shahraz
and struck up a conversation with him about what he planned to use it
for, McConnell said.

"During the conversation, it became evident that Mr. Shahraz knew what
it was going to be used for," McConnell said.

Shahraz posted a bond for his $10,000 bail and was released Wednesday
night.

Shahraz couldn't be contacted Thursday for comment.

"One of the goals of this program is to impact low to midlevel drug
dealers, who, on a daily basis, sell drugs in our community and make life
miserable for the law abiding citizens of Antioch," McConnell said.

"In addition to the low to midlevel dealers, we have also focused on
those individuals who manufacture or assist in the manufacturing of
drugs."

McConnell said police had arrest warrants for 61 people 24 suspected
drug dealers or suspected drug manufacturers and 37 others suspected of
drugrelated offenses.

Many of those arrested Wednesday came to the attention of police when
neighbors called officers to complain of illegal drug activity; McConnell
said.