Narcotic Task Force Proves Effective in Devonshire Area

LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT
PRESS RELEASE
Monday, March 8, 1999

A 120 day partnership between the Los Angeles Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to combat gang violence and street drug trafficking in the North Hills section of Devonshire Area culminated on February 26, 1999.

The task force made a total of 412 arrests for various charges. The DEA’s Mobil Enforcement Team (MET) joined forces with resources from Narcotics Division, Field Enforcement Section, Devonshire Squad and Devonshire Area.

During the task force, officers seized nine handguns, three rifles, $49,707 in U.S. Currency, 332 grams of rock cocaine, 2214 grams of powder cocaine, 18041 grams of marijuana and 783 grams of heroin.

On March 5, 1999, users seeking to purchase drugs in the North Hills community of Devonshire Area were in for a surprise as enforcement efforts by the Los Angeles Police Department focused on buyers as well as sellers.

Squads of the Department’s Narcotics Division, Field Enforcement Section, Valley Bureau Unit, conducted a "solicitation task force," resulting in the arrest of 30 individuals for solicitation to purchase narcotics. The task force was a joint effort between Narcotics Division and Devonshire Area personnel. Turning attention to the "demand" element of drug sales serves as a warning on a wider scale that narcotics trafficking is not welcome in the City of Los Angeles.

The Solicitation Task Force on March 5, 1999 followed a sweep through the North Hills Area on March 4, 1999 targeting individuals under the influence of controlled substances. This operation involved six squads of detectives from the Narcotics Division Field Enforcement Section, Valley Bureau Unit and resulted in the arrest of 24 individuals for various narcotic related offences but primarily for being under the influence of cocaine or heroin.

For further information, contact Lieutenant James Razukas, Officer-In-Charge, Narcotics Division, Field Enforcement Section, Valley Bureau Unit at 818-756-8361.

For Release 8:20 pm PST
March 8, 1999