Just a few days ago, five Columbia University students were arrested for selling a wide variety of drugs in what drug enforcement officials called “Operation Ivy League.” College students buying, selling, and using drugs? That’s unheard of! Actually, it happens on every campus across America, the only difference is that most of the peddlers don’t get caught. But this isn’t about the dealers that get away with it. This is a tribute to our fallen brothers: These are some of the largest college drug busts in recent memory.
5. Operation Ivy League
Of course you know about this one because I just mentioned it, but here are some extra juicy details. Chris Coles, Harrison David, Adam Klein, Joseph Stephen Perez, all 22, and Michael Wymbs, 20 were caught selling LSD, marijuana, cocaine, Adderall and MDMA out of numerous frat houses and dorm rooms. Undercover officers had infiltrated the drug network, and since July had bought $11,000 worth of drugs from the students. Also arrested were the students’ three suppliers: Roberto Lagares, 30, Megan Asper, 22 and Miron Sarzynski, 24 – who are unaffiliated with the university. Sarzynski is also being charged for the attempted kidnapping of two cocaine-selling competitors who he believed had stolen from him. The police confiscated a bottle of LSD, 50 MDMA capsules, 15 Adderall pills, at least half a pound of marijuana and around $2,000…which is basically the size of any fraternity’s personal stash.
4. Georgetown’s DMT Lab
First, for those who aren’t big on drug research, let me explain what DMT (Dimethyltryptamine) is: It is the world’s most powerful hallucinogen, capable of producing intense spiritual experiences…for all of about five minutes. It can be derived from most living matter and is even naturally produced in the human brain, and is the chemical thought to be responsible for the process of dreaming. With that being said, let’s get down to it: In late October 2010, Charles Smith and John Romano, both Georgetown University students, and John Perrone, a guest, were charged with manufacturing the controlled substance in their dorm room. Georgetown University Public Safety officers responded to room 926 in Harbin Hall after receiving information about a strong odor occurring from the room at 5 AM. Inside they found what they originally thought to be a meth lab. Upon discovering a stash of chemicals and materials, including a glass jar with an unidentified red substance, mason jars containing a clear liquid, a turkey baster and black suitcase reeking of a strong, chemical smell, they concluded that was, in fact, a DMT lab. I didn’t know Georgetown got down like that…
3. ISU Drug Sweep
In April, 2010, several law enforcement agencies came together in one of the largest round-ups of alleged drug offenders in Illinois State University history. Task Force 6, a multijurisdictional narcotics unit, had spent months and months combing over several unrelated cases, which were then combined into one large investigation. Police swept through the university and arrested 16 people, 14 of who were students, mostly for the sale and delivery of marijuana, though there were some perpetrators who were found to be in possession of MDMA, amphetamines, hydrocodone, and cocaine. All of this for some weed? Seems kind of pointless to me.
2. Penn State Marijuana Ring
In April 2009, four Penn State students were arrested in connection with a drug operation police say aimed to distribute 400 pounds of marijuana, worth an estimated $1.2 million, throughout State College. Now that’s a weed bust. 23-year-old Penn State student Paul R. Spara supplied marijuana to 21-year-old Sanjay A. Deendyal, 22-year-old Michael S. Montgomery and 22-year-old Evan P. Stiekman, all of whom are students. All together they faced 29 counts of various charges. Two former students, Evan Mossman, 23, and Michael Presogna, 24, were also charged in the conspiracy. Witnesses testified to authorities that throughout 10 meetings between 2006 and December 2007, Spara received about 400 pounds of marijuana from 25-year-old New York resident Jason Remington, who would smuggle the bud across an Indian Reservation on the United States/Canada border. That’s actually pretty smart…I give these guys props. Recently, eleven more people were arrested with connections to Spara’s drug ring.
1. Operation Sudden Fall
Operation Sudden Fall was a 2008 joint operation between the DEA and San Diego State University campus police. It was the largest campus drug bust in San Diego County history and one of the largest college drug busts in U.S. history. The sting operation was triggered by the overdose deaths of two students at SDSU in 2007 (one by cocaine, and the other by oxycodone). Over the next five months, DEA Agents infiltrated several student drug distribution cells and more than 130 drug purchases and seizures were made. All together, 96 people were arrested, 75 of who were students. All in all, Two kilograms of cocaine were seized, along with 350 Ecstasy pills, 50 pounds of marijuana, psychedelic mushrooms, hash oil, methamphetamine, illicit prescription drugs, other drug paraphernalia, three guns, and $60,000 in cash.
