FIVE ARRESTED IN DRUG SWEEP

Police Raids Target Cocaine Trade

In a show of force designed both to make drug arrests and to send a message
to area gangs, a group of detectives from three agencies raided three homes
Thursday morning.

A group of 30 law enforcement officials from the city, county and state
gathered at 6a.m. and were briefed about the raids -- two in Spokane and
one in Spokane Valley.

The heavily armored officers, led by detectives from the Spokane County
Sheriff's Office, battered down three doors and arrested five of the six
suspects they were seeking.

"Just because we have been dealing with a crush of methamphetamine the last
two years does not mean that cocaine has gone away," sheriff's spokesman
Cpl. Dave Reagan said.

"And people who would come into our area and try to ply the drug trade will
receive their share of attention from law enforcement agencies," he said.

[NAMES DELETED] were arrested Thursday at the raid at [ADDRESS DELETED],
Reagan said.

[NAMES DELETED] - who goes by the street name "Li'l Homicide" - were booked
on three counts each of delivery and two counts of possession of a
controlled substance, Reagan said.

[NAME DELETED]' three children, who were in the apartment at the time, were
turned over to Child Protective Services.

The second raid hit [ADDRESS DELETED], where detectives arrested [NAMES
DELETED]

Both suspects were booked into jail on a single count each of delivery of a
controlled substance. [NAME DELETED]'s child also was turned over to CPS,
Reagan said.

The caravan of six vehicles then drove to the South Hill and raided
apartment [ADDRESS DELETED].

Detectives arrested [NAME DELETED] on a detainer from the State Department
of Corrections.

During a search of [NAME DELETED]'s apartment, Washington State Patrol
Trooper Nick Girard and his drug dog helped detectives find a quarter-ounce
of crack cocaine, Reagan said.

All the suspects arrested Thursday were either confirmed gang members or
gang associates, Reagan said.

Spokane has been a magnet for gang members who travel from California to
trade cocaine here for "B.C. bud," or Canadian marijuana. The gang members
get a better price for the marijuana in California, Reagan said.

"There is so much violence associated with the drug trade, especially with
gangs," Reagan said. "You can't let that activity go unchecked or it gets
out of hand very rapidly.

"That's happened in other areas of the country and we're not going to let
that happen here."