An undetermined amount of cash and illegal drugs was confiscated from the Coki Point area Saturday as law enforcement officers converged there and took up to 12 persons into custody.
The raid was the result of an almost 2-month-long investigation into the widespread sale and distribution of illegal narcotics in the area, according to Wayne Chinnery, territorial drug policy adviser to the governor.
"We have studied this area the last month and a half, we have targeted it and today we came out to clean it up," he said.
Chinnery was not certain whether the detainees were residents of the Smith Bay/Coki Point area. He did say some will be formally charged with drug possession, conspiracy to distribute illegal drugs and possession with intent to distribute illegal drugs.
Two women were among those detained Saturday. Chinnery could not say what their roles were.
He confirmed that the rampant use and distribution of drugs in the area was the target of the probe. "During our surveillance we observed hand-to-hand deals as well as vehicle deals," Chinnery said.
It was unclear what type of drugs or the amounts were confiscated Saturday.
He said the Coki Point raid was just one of several investigations of illegal drugs now under way.
The operation was led by agents of the Narcotics Strike Force and backed up by enforcement officers from the Department of Planning and Natural Resources, the V.I. Housing Police force and the V.I. Police Department.
Chinnery urged anyone with information on the illicit use of drugs to call the Narcotics Strike Force at 774-1813.
