Drug Raids In Bay St. Louis And Waveland - WLOX.com - The News for South Mississippi

Drug Raids In Bay St. Louis And Waveland

Waveland Police Chief James Varnell stood in front of his law enforcement colleagues. He told them it was time to go after drug dealers.

"It's nobody new," Varnell told the officers. "It's people that you've dealt with over and over and over again."

Bay St. Louis police officer Ray Murphy helped organize "Operation Afternoon Delight". He explained the game plan to the Bay Waveland Task Force officers. Two teams would surround two homes, one in Bay St. Louis and one in Waveland. They would use search warrants to look for illegal drugs, and alleged drug dealers.

"Hopefully we'll flush some of them out and they'll go to the corner and we'll pick the rest of them up with the jump team," he said.

After a four month undercover operation, it was time for action. At 2:30, a National Guard helicopter circled the Bay St. Louis house. Investigators stormed inside. They arrested one man, and searched a second gentleman.

It turned out the second man was only at the house because he worked for a cable company. As he loaded his truck and drove away, he laughed at his brush with police.

As for the man arrested inside the house, Chief James Varnell said he was tied to drug activity. "I'm sure that there have been drug transactions taken place out of this residence," the chief said.

Because of the two search warrants, authorities confiscated some marijuana about about $600 worth of crack cocaine.

One of the suspects on the arrest list made life very easy for police. He just happened to walk up to the Bay St. Louis scene while police were there. He was immediately placed in cuffs and read his Miranda rights.

"What we're doing today is going out and arresting subjects that we have been purchasing illegal narcotics from for the last four months," Chief Varnell said.

The Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics and the ATF assisted with the Bay Waveland drug roundup. They expected to work through the night to sniff out suspected drug dealers.

by Brad Kessie