October 3, 2003

By Dan Heuchert

At a press conference Friday, local and University police announced the drug indictments of 33 people, including several current and former U.Va. students, U.Va. employees and "other local residents who work in areas that border the University."

All but two are charged with felonies, according to a prepared statement read by University Police Chief Paul Norris. As of early afternoon Friday, 15 of the suspects had been arrested, and the roundup was continuing, said JADE Task Force director Lt. Donald Campbell of the Charlottesville Police.

Detectives working with the Jefferson Area Drug Enforcement Task Force seized marijuana, opium, ecstasy and psilocybin mushrooms with an estimated street value of $20,000 to $22,000, according to the statement. Officers also seized an undetermined amount of property, including cars, said Charlottesville Police Capt. Chip Harding.

The identities of those arrested were not immediately made available. Norris and other JADE Task Force members declined to say if those arrested were from any identifiable group.

However, not all of those indicted worked together or knew each other, Campbell said.

The investigation — dubbed "Operation Spring Breakdown" — began several months ago with tips from U.Va. students and employees, Norris said. Harding praised the cooperation of the University Police in the investigation, which led to indictments by grand juries in the city of Charlottesville and Albemarle County.

Norris said the arrests are not an indication that the University in particular has a drug problem. "I believe drugs are a problem, an issue for society in general," he said. "I don’t think the University is any different."