KSP BEGIN DRUG ARRESTS

Kentucky State Police began arresting more than 100 suspects around the
state Wednesday in the culmination of a six-month investigation of
street-level drug abuse.

State police spokeswoman Lt. Lisa Rudzinski said those arrested are users
and traffickers. Although the investigation concentrated on prescription
drug abuse, Rudzinski said no doctors or pharmacists are among those charged.

Charges range from simple possession of marijuana, a misdemeanor, to
trafficking in controlled substances, a class C felony punishable by up to
10 years in prison. Most of the charges involve abuse of prescription drugs
such as OxyContin, Lortab and Xanax as well as illicit substances such as
cocaine and methamphetamine.

Arrests will be made in each of the 16 state police post areas, though
Rudzinski said the eastern portion of the state has a larger share of the
arrests. More than 200 charges will be levied.

The investigation was code-named "Operation Rx."