Metro hits jackpot in drug sweep

Friday, April 11, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

JUDGING from the harvest of arrests, it's little wonder Metro Police cracked down on criminal activity at Meadows Village.

Officers obtained warrants and swept through 20 apartments in the complex on the south side of Las Vegas, netting an amazing number and variety of suspects.

Metro's action Wednesday came after Mayor Jan Laverty Jones called for an increased police presence in the area to combat almost unlimited drug activities.

Meadows Village may be the worst crime zone in Las Vegas. Murders and other violent crimes permeate the area and bullet holes have been found in the wall of a hotel-casino parking garage.

The police raid demonstrated just how dangerous the neighborhood is. In a sweep of the apartments, 23 felony arrests were made, including three involving firearms. Most of the nine misdemeanor arrests were linked to street drugs allegedly sold to narcotics officers. Ten illegal aliens were apprehended and a cache of drugs and drug-associated cash were seized.

The raid also showed how effective intensive police activity can be. The 20-block neighborhood reportedly is infested with drug activity. Although other neighborhoods have crime problems, this area obviously tops the list. The proximity of the area to the resort corridor also is disturbing and could have additional serious implications if the crimes are not checked.

Meadows Village is a good example of a neighborhood out of control. What was a fairly quiet area has deteriorated over the years and now has become a haven for transients and criminals. Ordinary people still living there must be in constant fear for their lives. The only way to offset this disturbing trend is to saturate the neighborhood with uniformed and uncover officers.

Unfortunately, it may take time to do this. Although voters approved an expansion of the department last fall, it will take several years before the department has enough manpower to serve the needs of all neighborhoods. The department simply cannot be everywhere at once.

But Meadows Village shows that the long arm of the law can still be effective. Such raids may be the only recourse.