DRUG DEALERS USING PARKING LOTS FOR SALES

OCEAN SPRINGS -- A recent federal court trial depicting a drug transaction
in a casino parking lot to most folks may seem to be unusual activity, but
law enforcement officials suspect that it may happen more often than people
think.

Earlier this year six people, including three from Jackson County, were
arrested in Ocean Springs after agents of the FBI Safe Streets Task Force
were tipped off that a drug deal was to take place in a Biloxi casino
parking lot.

Among those arrested that night were Daric "Skeeter" Johnson of Moss Point
and Jackie Croon and Ronald Lamont Taylor, both of Pascagoula.

During Johnson's federal court trial, a surveillance tape of the casino
parking lot was shown. The video showed Andrew Vega of Baytown, Texas,
taking a large black suitcase from his truck and placing it into the trunk
of Croon's car.

Croon and Johnson were stopped by agents after they crossed into Ocean
Springs. A search of Croon's car resulted in finding about 60 pounds of
marijuana in the suitcase.

Matt Valas, area supervisor for the FBI said, the February arrest of the
six individuals is the first locally that he knows of where dealers were
caught in a casino parking lot.

Those in the law enforcement community believe scenarios such as the casino
parking lot may not be as uncommon as the average person thinks. Drug
dealers who do business in public usually will set up situations that allow
them to melt into the surroundings. The transfer of a large suitcase from
one car to another in a casino or hotel parking lot would not appear to be
suspicious to most people.

"There's really no way to know how often it happens," he said.

Sgt. John Miller with the Special Crimes Unit of the Biloxi Police
Department said drug suppliers are often drawn to large parking lots and
other areas where they are able to conduct their business without suspicion.

"They will do anything they can do to make things safer for them," Miller said.

Another popular method of transferring illegal drugs or contraband is by
parking a car in a busy parking lot. The driver leaves and the car is later
picked up by someone else. The transaction goes unnoticed.

Eddie Stuart, commander of the Narcotics Task Force of Jackson County, said
the biggest problem is having enough information to begin the
investigation. He paralleled the suitcases in the casino parking lot to
drug trafficking that takes place on the water or along the interstate.
What appears to be a commercial fisherman unloading the day's catch could
be a drug smuggler unloading narcotics covered by the fish. A vacationing
family may be transporting along the interstate.

Valas said witness information is one of the most important tools that law
enforcement uses in all types of investigations. People who believe they
have witnessed suspicious behavior need to take note of the situation, even
remembering accurately information such as a license plate number and a
description of the car. Even the smallest detail, such as a broken tail
light, can help.

"Too many times when people witness these things they don't really know
what to do and come to us without anything tangible," he said.

All Coast casinos and most malls and large shopping centers have security
cameras in parking lots and personnel who watch for suspicious activity.
But law enforcement officials say they receive few reports from security
personnel.

"We take all of it very seriously," said Rich Westfall, public relations
for the Isle of Capri Casino. "But we put patron safety first and foremost."

Mary Cracchiolo, public relations for the Beau Rivage, said the presence of
security personnel and surveillance cameras keeps those who are breaking
law at bay.

She said cameras and personnel may not be able to prevent these type
transactions from taking place.

"You can see and catch a lot of things," she said. "But you can't prevent
everything."