Thirty-five people were arrested this morning in Raleigh and surrounding communities on felony drug-trafficking charges, the News & Observer reports.
The charges are related to alleged marijuana and cocaine sales. Six more people are still being sought in the sweep.
Of the 41 targeted in today’s events, 16 are being categorized by the Wake County District Attorney as habitual offenders. The group is in custody in Wake County Detention Center, a police spokesperson told the newspaper.
The spokesperson said the habitual offender designation is significant because if those so categorized are convicted of the charges against them, they face the real possibility of longer prison sentences.
Fine details of the charges and defendants are not yet available, but the newspaper says all of the suspects face accusations of involvement in cocaine and marijuana sales. Many of those in custody face additional charges related to the possession of pot and coke.
A number of arrest warrants reportedly list drug sales to undercover police officers in May and June, but some warrants listed allegations about sales made as recently as this week.
Arrests in the case began Tuesday morning and continued this morning and were mainly carried out by Raleigh police’s drug and gang units.
Bails range from $3,000 to $70,000 in the cases that are apparently part of an investigation that began this past June under the name “Summer Heat.”
Some suspects will have court hearings today, meaning that it’s already critical that they make important decisions about defending their rights with the assistance of criminal defense attorneys experienced in drug cases.
Source: Raleigh News & Observer, “Raleigh police arrest dozens in months-long cocaine, marijuana probe,” by Ron Gallagher, Nov. 13, 2013