Round Up Nets Over 100 Suspects

Amherst County authorities arrested about 70 suspects Sunday and another 40 arrests are expected in coming days, It is largest-ever drug sweep rounded up in the county based on a special grand jury’s indictments of 111 people who are accused of a total of 243 offenses. “Operation Avalanche” began at 4 Sunday morning. Police arresting people ranging in age from 16 to 68; most are charged with selling drugs. Sheriff Jimmy Ayers says the arrests are the result of several investigations that began in January 2012. He says some of the suspects were also charged with selling drugs 1,000 feet from a school. Two of the suspects were school-age teenagers. None of the sales occurred inside a school.