DRUG SEIZURE REQUIRES NEW BANK ACCOUNTS

TRINITY -- A big drug bust means extra paper work in more ways than one.
The seizure of about $2.7 million worth of cocaine by Trinity police, with
the help of policemen from Villa Rica, Ga., on Jan. 10 caused the Town
Council on Tuesday night to establish two separate accounts for state and
federal forfeiture funds.

The accounts are set up in the names of Police Chief Chris McLemore and
Councilmen Tony Jones, Bruce Sparkman, Bruce Kimbrell, Richard Fortson and
Mayor Vaughn Goodwin.

"Why hasn't the town had such accounts before?" a resident asked.

"Because we've never had such a big bust," another resident said.

McLemore said the largest bust by Trinity police was one-half pound of
marijuana about five years ago.

During what began as a routine traffic stop on Alabama 24, police took 31
kilos, or 68.2 pounds, of cocaine from Marcus Mondez "Bubba" Lampkin's 1998
GMC Yukon. Decatur police struck later the same day. The cocaine they took
from a jacket in Danny Lampkin's Ford Escape amounted to 90 grams.

Danny Lampkin is Marcus Lampkin's uncle. Both men live in Decatur. Their
cases will be presented to a Birmingham grand jury.

Trinity police must use their share from the cocaine bust within two years.