MONROE - Fred Kelley, police chief for the City of Monroe, says he hopes a recent drug bust in downtown Monroe will prevent some potential drug overdoses and other crimes in the area.
Monroe Police and the State Line Area Narcotics Team (SLANT) arrested three people and seized what authorities described as moderate amounts of suspected heroin, cocaine and marijuana at about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday during a drug search at an apartment in the 1700 block of 11th Street in downtown Monroe.
"The weight (of the drugs found at the scene) was not large, of the kilo kind, but it is prolific," Kelley said Thursday.
For several months, officers have been investigating alleged heroin and cocaine trafficking to young people in the community.
The warrant search Wednesday was part of their ongoing investigation, police said.
Kelley said criminal justice authorities in the area have been "extremely dismayed" by the presence of these hard drugs, particularly heroin, in this south central Wisconsin community.
Many communities do not recognize the extent of a heroine problem in their area, until they start finding cases of drug overdoses, he added.
"Heroine is not a good thing. Uses are not sophisticated enough and don't know the purity they are getting, and that leads to potentially serious overdoses," he said.
Law enforcement also believes the use of drugs, such as the kinds seized Wednesday, has led to other crimes in the area, such as thefts and robberies.
"I hope that, by eliminating a source of drug abuse, there won't be a source to spend that money on, and we won't have so much of the other crimes," Kelley said.
During the search operation, officers took three suspects into custody.
Norman Jay Wells, 44, Monroe, has been initially charged with felony possession with the intent to deliver heroin; felony possession with the intent to deliver cocaine; felony possession with the intent to deliver marijuana; and felony maintaining a drug house.
All of these charges carry penalties of several years in prison. Wells is being held in the Green County jail.
Wells will remain in custody over the weekend and probably make his initial appearance in court on Monday, Kelley said.
Vicki L. Carlson, 43, Monroe, has been initially charged with possession of drug paraphernalia.
She was issued a summons to appear in court and released pending her future appearance.
Wells and Carlson are residents of the apartment where the search took place.
A 14-year-old Monroe male was also taken into custody and referred to juvenile authorities for a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia.
He was released to a parent, pending action by juvenile authorities.
He is not believed to be a resident of the apartment.
The State Line Area Narcotics Team is a multi-agency task force consisting of law enforcement officers from the Illinois State Police; Rockford, Loves Park and Freeport, Ill., police departments; Stephenson County, Ill., Sheriff's Department; Green County, Wis., Sheriff's Department; and Monroe, Wis., Police Department.
Monroe Police and the State Line Area Narcotics Team (SLANT) arrested three people and seized what authorities described as moderate amounts of suspected heroin, cocaine and marijuana at about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday during a drug search at an apartment in the 1700 block of 11th Street in downtown Monroe.
"The weight (of the drugs found at the scene) was not large, of the kilo kind, but it is prolific," Kelley said Thursday.
For several months, officers have been investigating alleged heroin and cocaine trafficking to young people in the community.
The warrant search Wednesday was part of their ongoing investigation, police said.
Kelley said criminal justice authorities in the area have been "extremely dismayed" by the presence of these hard drugs, particularly heroin, in this south central Wisconsin community.
Many communities do not recognize the extent of a heroine problem in their area, until they start finding cases of drug overdoses, he added.
"Heroine is not a good thing. Uses are not sophisticated enough and don't know the purity they are getting, and that leads to potentially serious overdoses," he said.
Law enforcement also believes the use of drugs, such as the kinds seized Wednesday, has led to other crimes in the area, such as thefts and robberies.
"I hope that, by eliminating a source of drug abuse, there won't be a source to spend that money on, and we won't have so much of the other crimes," Kelley said.
During the search operation, officers took three suspects into custody.
Norman Jay Wells, 44, Monroe, has been initially charged with felony possession with the intent to deliver heroin; felony possession with the intent to deliver cocaine; felony possession with the intent to deliver marijuana; and felony maintaining a drug house.
All of these charges carry penalties of several years in prison. Wells is being held in the Green County jail.
Wells will remain in custody over the weekend and probably make his initial appearance in court on Monday, Kelley said.
Vicki L. Carlson, 43, Monroe, has been initially charged with possession of drug paraphernalia.
She was issued a summons to appear in court and released pending her future appearance.
Wells and Carlson are residents of the apartment where the search took place.
A 14-year-old Monroe male was also taken into custody and referred to juvenile authorities for a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia.
He was released to a parent, pending action by juvenile authorities.
He is not believed to be a resident of the apartment.
The State Line Area Narcotics Team is a multi-agency task force consisting of law enforcement officers from the Illinois State Police; Rockford, Loves Park and Freeport, Ill., police departments; Stephenson County, Ill., Sheriff's Department; Green County, Wis., Sheriff's Department; and Monroe, Wis., Police Department.