40 arrests made in drug case

Wednesday, March 24, 2004 | 10:52 a.m.

A task force consisting of Metro Police officers and DEA agents arrested 40 people for gang-related narcotics and firearms violations between September and February, police announced this morning.

The goal of the task force was to identify street-level drug dealers, focusing on gang members and associates in downtown Las Vegas.

During the five-month operation, the task force shut down an illegal drug operation and infiltrated a large-scale methamphetamine operation, authorities said. They also arrested numerous members of the Avalon Garden Crips, a Los Angeles-based gang, stopping their drug activity in Las Vegas, police spokeswoman Carla Alston said.

Seventeen of the 40 people arrested were charged with federal offenses. In addition, police seized 28 firearms, $54,251 in cash and: 12.65 pounds of powder cocaine; 3.14 pounds of crack cocaine; 5.53 pounds of methamphetamine; 11.73 pounds of marijuana; 4.31 ounces of Ecstasy as well as 10.8 grams of heroin.