DRUG SWEEP JOB WELL DONE

The streets in western Barbour County are cleaner-at least for now. We're
not talking about new beautification efforts, either. We're talking about
the suspected drug dealers rounded up in a recent sweep headed by the
Barbour/Bullock County Drug Task Force.

The eight-month operation ended with the arrest of at least 12 suspected
drug dealers. Many were allegedly caught on tape selling drugs to
undercover agents.

We commend Det. Stephen Hanners of the Drug Task Force, along with agents
Lonnie Adams, David Dubose and Michael Saad. The community owes them a debt
of gratitude for enduring the stress and long hours such an operation demands.

This successful drug sweep shows again what Drug Task Force agents have
told us before: We've got a serious drug problem in Barbour County.

Hopefully the latest string of arrests will result in stiff sentences for
those found guilty of distributing illegal drugs. As Agent Hanners points
out, many of the suspects arrested this time were repeat offenders.

Kudos also to the other law enforcement agencies involved. They included
the Barbour County Sheriff's Department, the Third Judicial Circuit
District Attorney's Office, the Alabama Department of Corrections K9
detection team and the police departments of Clayton, Louisville, Clio and
Troy.

Thanks for a job well done.