PINEVILLE - Thirty suspected drug dealers were targeted by UNITE in a roundup held Friday, October 19, in Bell County.

"A majority of these dealers were in the Pineville area, but we had cases spread throughout Bell County," said Joel Cunigan, manager of UNITE's Cumberland Drug Task Force. "We purchased a variety of drugs, including OxyContin, Hydrocodone, Methadone, marijuana and some crack cocaine."

Staging from the Bert T. Combs Forestry Building in Pineville, law enforcement officers from five local agencies set out around 8 a.m. to serve arrest warrants. As of 2 p.m. police had arrested one-third of individuals.

The undercover investigations into illegal drug dealing leading to these indictments began about one year ago, Cunigan stated.

Bell County UNITE Coalition Chair Cathy Woolum and ministers from the West Pineville Baptist Church and Lighthouse Medical Clinic were on hand to offer assistance to those being arrested. Lighthouse holds a weekly drug and alcohol recovery Lifeline program.

Woolum said anyone concerned about the drug problems in Bell County should plan to attend a community rally to be held on Tuesday, October 23. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. in The Commons at Pineville High School.

City, county and school officials recently voiced their support for the anti-drug movement by declaring September as Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month.

Agencies assisting UNITE detectives Friday included the Bell County Sheriff's Office, Pineville Police Department, Middlesboro Police Department, Kentucky State Police, and Kentucky Vehicle Enforcement.

Those arrested and lodged in the Bell County Detention Center were:

• Wendy Adkins, age 26, Fifth Street, Pineville, trafficking in a controlled substance within 1,000 yards of a school.

• Mary Edna Cloud, age 46, Virginia Avenue, Pineville, trafficking in a simulated controlled substance.

• Bobby Johnson, age 61, Highway 72, Hulen, two counts first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.

• Billy Jones, age 22, Wallsend Hollow, Pineville, two counts trafficking in a controlled substance within 1,000 yards of a school.

• John Jones, age 45, Wallsend Hollow, Pineville, two counts second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.

• Phyllis Jones, age 43, Wallsend Hollow, second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.

• Chris Lawson, age 33, Pine Street, Pineville, two counts trafficking in a controlled substance within 1,000 yards of a school and one count second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.

• Donald Lingar, age 32, Fifth Street, Pineville, second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.

• Chris Smith, age 32, Fifth Street, Pineville, trafficking in a controlled substance within 1,000 yards of a school and trafficking in marijuana.

• Christina Lynette Worley, age 21, Kentucky Avenue, Pineville, second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.

For more information about Operation UNITE visit their website at www.operationunite.org .

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In 2003, Fifth District Congressman Harold "Hal" Rogers (R-Somerset) worked to create Operation UNITE, a regional anti-drug initiative empowering citizens groups and community leaders in 29 southern and eastern Kentucky counties. UNITE, which stands for Unlawful Narcotics Investigations, Treatment & Education, seeks to fight the drug epidemic by expanding drug awareness and education programs to keep people from using drugs; coordinating drug treatment and outreach programs for those who are already addicted; and operating regional undercover law enforcement task forces for interdiction and prosecution of those dealing drugs. Rogers has directed $33.1 million in federal funds to the counter-drug initiative over the past four years. For more information contact Karen Engle toll-free at 1-866-678-6483.

Drug Tip Hotline - 1-866-424-4382 / Treatment Referral Hotline - 1-866-90-UNITE (1-866-908-6483)