Posted on 09/13/2002 11:28:02 PM PDT by ValerieUSA
EVERETT -- A cocaine raid on two motels resulted in eight arrests with seven others being sought, and traces of the drug were found in three children, one 20 months old, police said.
The raids were conducted Thursday morning in two rooms each at the Everett and Topper motels following a four-month undercover investigation of crack and powder cocaine dealing on North Broadway, police Sgt. Boyd Bryant said.
In an unrelated raid a day earlier, Snohomish County sheriff's deputies said they found two methamphetamine labs and at least 35 stolen cars at a farm outside Marysville. A 32-year-old man was arrested.
In the cocaine raid, people ranging in age from 18 to 66 were arrested by police from Everett and Marysville police and the Snohomish Regional Narcotics Task Force who also seized a small quantity of drugs and paraphernalia, Bryant said.
A 9-year-old girl and her 7-year-old brother and 20-month-old sister tested positive for cocaine after their 44-year-old father was arrested. They were placed by state Child Protective Services workers with a relative outside of Everett. Their mother was questioned and released.
It was unclear whether they were given the illegal drug or absorbed it by accident, such as by eating food that had been placed on a table with cocaine residue or by playing on a drug-saturate rug, he said.
Officials from the municipal prosecutor, fire marshal and code compliance offices also were involved in the probe because of the possibility of building safety and health violations, Bryant said. No immediate action was taken.
Others in the area were relieved but not surprised by the raid.
"I can sit there and look out the window and see drug transactions every day," said Steve Dolley, service manager at the nearby Craft Stove of Washington Inc. store. "I can see people walk up and tap on the back windows (at the Topper)."
Police had been to the four-block area about 3,700 times last year and more than 2,100 times between Jan. 1 and July 15 this year, including 216 incidents ranging from domestic violence and theft to assault and child neglect at the Topper Motel and 100 at the Everett Motel, figures show.
Topper owner Curt Smith said he was struggling to get rid of lawbreakers.
"I've been keeping about a half occupancy rate because I've been trying to keep them out of here," Smith said. "We do our best."
In the meth raid Wednesday, deputies found a buried and badly damaged 2002 Lexus, at least three all-terrain vehicles hidden under piles of hay in a barn and expensive tools that also had been stolen, sheriff's spokeswoman Jan Jorgensen said.
The occupant of the 80-acre farm was arrested for investigation of possession of stolen property and manufacture of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, Jorgensen said.
The property that was seized, including trucks, trailers and other vehicles, was valued at more than $300,000.
"We've had a number of thefts there over the past few months," Jorgensen said Thursday.
Several area residents have reclaimed their property, she said.
Information from: The Herald
Topper owner Curt Smith said he was struggling to get rid of lawbreakers.
Sounds like the police were there 24/7
Good Grief
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.