THORTON PROVIDES TELL-TALE SIGNS OF DRUG ACTIVITY

In the wake of last weekend's major marijuana bust, that was a joint
investigation by five agencies and seized over 150 pounds of
marijuana and an undisclosed amount of cash at a residence in Turkey,
Sampson County Sheriff Jimmy Thornton wants to remind local citizens
to be on the watch for suspicious activity in their neighborhoods.

"As you can see by the amount of marijuana seized in just one raid,"
he said, "the drug trade is alive and well."

Thornton explained that in order for drug dealers to operate they
have to have a clientele base and have to feel comfortable in their
surroundings. "The only way we can effectively deal with the drug
situation in our county is through the assistance of concerned
citizens," he said. "The more eyes and ears we have in a community,
the more effective we are as a law enforcement agency."

According to the sheriff, there are at least nine tell-tale signs of
drug activity.

Loitering --loitering in or around a house, shed, abandoned building, etc.

Heavy traffic --a number of cars and pedestrians stopping at a home
for only brief periods of time. Traffic may increase on the weekends,
late at night or intense for a few period of days.

Exchanges of money -- Cash and packets traded through windows, mail
slots or under doorways.

Unknown visitors - Visitors appear to be acquaintances rather than friends.

People bringing valuables to a residence-- People bringing TVs, VCRs
and cameras and then leaving empty handed.

Waiting in cars/odd parking locations-- Visitors may sit in their
cars for a while after leaving a residence or may leave a person in
the car while others visit. Visitors may also park a few blocks away
and approach on foot.

Lookouts -- Frequently lookouts will be younger people who tend to
hand around the property during heavy traffic periods.

Activity at extremely late hours -- Noise and visitors at extremely
late hours on weekends or weeknights. Both cocaine and
methamphetamine are stimulants -- users tend to stay up very late.

Other signs -- These include exchanging cash for small packets, using
drugs while sitting in cars, using syringes or other paraphernalia
and leaving them on neighboring properties.

"If anyone has information on drug activity in their neighborhoods,
you can call us at any time," Thornton said.

If you have a tip, call the Sheriff's Special Investigations Division
at 910-592-8917