S.O. cracks down on street drug sales, ending 5-month “Operation Summer Heat’’ investigation with round-up of 42 dealers; Were 27 cases of crack cocaine distribution, 15 for heroin, marijuana and pills

Chad Clark briefs officers involved in the operation before they set out to look for the drug suspects.

Sheriff James Pohlmann, at right, Maj. Chad Clark, at left, discuss the drug round-up at a staging area. With them are from left, Maj. Mark poche, Cp;. Daniel Bostic and, Narcotics Agent Jason Saltalmachia.

Sheriff’s Office Cpt. Richard Jackson applies handcuffs to suspect David Bennett, wanted for crack cocaine distribution, outside the door of Bennett’s residence in the drug round-up conducted Thursday by the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office. Also shown is State Police Sgt. Jody Hasselback.

Adam Ciuffi Sr., wanted for distribution of prescription drugs, is brought to a staging area after his arrest. Shown are St. Bernard sheriff’s deputies, from left, Darren Trandacosta and Sgt. Darren Miller.

Trying to stamp out street drug sales, the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office ended a 5-month undercover investigation called “Operation Summer Heat,’’ with a pre-dawn round-up Thursday, looking for 42 people wanted for distribution of drugs including crack cocaine, heroin, marijuana and pills, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

About 25 people had been arrested by mid afternoon. Three were already in jail on unrelated charges. All will go before a judge on Friday to have bond set.

The investigation and subsequent “buys’’ of narcotics began last April, said Pohlmann and Maj. Chad Clark, commander of the Special Investigations Division which includes the Narcotics Unit.

While the investigation was conducted by St. Bernard narcotics officers, other law enforcement agencies including the federal Drug Enforcement Administration and State Police, took part in the round-up of drug suspects.

Twenty-seven of the arrest warrants were for distribution of crack cocaine and 15 for distribution of heroin, marijuana and pills. Of the 42 suspects, five are women.

Most of the suspects live in Violet but arrests were also made in Chalmette, Meraux and in New Orleans. One gun was recovered during the arrest of a man in Chalmette.

“We think the cases are rock-solid,’’ Sheriff Pohlmann said. “All of the buys were video-taped’’ and the sellers were identified before warrants of arrest were sought from judges, he said.

The arrests should make a dent in street sales in St. Bernard Parish, the he said.

Sheriff Pohlmann also said, “One reason we enjoy a low level of violence in this parish is because we don’t let drug-dealers stand on corners and end up killing each other over drug turf and customers.’’

“We have zero tolerance for drug-dealing,’’ the sheriff said. “Users need treatment. Drug dealers need to go to jail. They profit from ruining people’s lives.’’

Clark said St. Bernard officers “are committed to stopping drug-dealing.’’

The sheriff said “Operation Summer heat’’ began after, “We saw an uptick in the amount of crack cocaine on the streets’’ earlier this year.

Due to this increase, members of the Special Investigations Division, with the assistance of an undercover operative, started an investigation into the distribution of crack cocaine, Pohlmann and Clark said.

Of the 42 suspects, many are repeat offenders.

The combined ciminal history of the 42 suspects shows:

The following suspects were wanted on warrants alleging distribution of drugs:

Both Bennett and Ciuffi were out on bonds from previous arrests which hadn’t been adjudicated when they were arrested in the drug round-up on Thursday.