DRUG SWEEP INVOLVED LOCAL SUSPECTS

A six-month investigation and the collective efforts of 31 northern
New Jersey and federal law enforcement agencies ended in a massive
drug bust Saturday which involved at least four counties.

Morris County officials say the bust, which resulted in the arrest of
more than 110 suspects -- including minor-league baseball players and
the owner of a Morris County restaurant -- included Sussex and Warren
county residents, but their names were not released Saturday or Sunday.

The prosecutor's offices in both counties were part of the
investigation task force.

The bust was "the largest single sweep in Morris County history,"
according to the Morris County prosecutor's office.

The investigation, named "Operation Bulldog," focused on [identification deleted] as the center of a large drug operation.
Nearly 400 police officers were involved in raids executed in Sussex,
Morris, Essex and Warren counties.

"The investigation started about six months ago, and it went into
high gear about late August, early September," said Deputy Chief
Prosecutor Paul Kellenberg. During that time, the task force was
built. He added that more arrests have been made since Saturday but
those details would be released at a news conference today.

The raid was performed early Saturday morning. Most arrests were made
within a three-hour period and all suspects were taken to the Morris
County Correctional Facility, where some were released on bail.

Authorities said employees at the restaurant were selling drugs from
the parking lot, inside the restaurant and in the bar area.

Morris County Prosecutor Michael Rubbinaccio said in a written
statement that the "take out business identified as part of this
operation did not involve food, but rather cocaine."

One of the business owners, [name deleted] was
arrested, along with [name deleted], the daughter of a known member
of the Lucchese crime family and two former minor league baseball
players, [names deleted].

One of the restaurant's employees, Dover resident [name deleted], was charged with being the leader of a
large drug network and could be sentenced to life in prison if convicted.

The ages of those arrested and charged ranged from 18 to 67. Suspects
face a variety of charges ranging from possession to conspiracy to
distribute.

Large amounts of cash and drugs and more than 65 cars were seized,
officials said.

The Morris County Prosecutor's Office oversaw the investigation,
which included a task force of 80 officers from the agencies,
including U.S. Marshals, U.S. Customs and police in more than 15
municipalities, involved in the joint effort, Kalleberg said.