6 fraternities suspended in drug probe at San Diego State U.

[Guest guest]

Worth mentioning is that the article says many people were aware of

the dealing going on but did not report it.

This must be what " being social " means: If it is a choice between

narking on your friends and being an outcast or turning a blind eye

to the deaths of students as one's friends deal drugs, let the people

die and let the people deal.

Administrator

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080507/ap_on_re_us/college_drug_bust

6 fraternities suspended in drug probe at San Diego State U.

By ALLISON HOFFMAN, Associated Press Writer

22 minutes ago

SAN DIEGO - San Diego State University has suspended six fraternities

after a sweeping drug investigation that landed dozens of students in

jail on suspicion of openly dealing drugs on campus.

The probe — prompted by the cocaine overdose death last year of a

freshman sorority member — led to the arrests of 96 people, 75 of

them San Diego State students. A second drug death occurred during

the investigation.

Twenty-nine people were arrested early Tuesday in raids at nine

locations including the Theta Chi fraternity, where agents found

cocaine, Ecstasy and three guns, authorities said. Eighteen of those

arrested were wanted on warrants for selling to undercover agents.

Theta Chi and five other fraternities have been suspended pending a

hearing on evidence gathered during the investigation, dubbed

Operation Sudden Fall.

All of the arrested students have been suspended and will be barred

from attending classes or taking final exams until their cases are

reviewed, San Diego State President Weber said in a

statement. Those who live in university-owned housing were evicted,

he added.

" If guilty, they have ruined an untold number of lives, " Weber

said. " We are determined to remove people from our community who have

placed our students at risk. "

Authorities said some fraternity members openly dealt drugs, and that

one sent a mass text message advertising special prices on cocaine.

Two kilograms of cocaine were seized in all, along with 350 Ecstasy

pills, marijuana, psychedelic mushrooms, hash oil, methamphetamine,

illicit prescription drugs, several guns and at least $60,000 in

cash, authorities said.

Profits may have been used to finance fraternity operations,

according to an affidavit.

A member of Theta Chi sent out a mass text message to his " faithful

customers " stating that he and his " associates " would be unable to

sell cocaine while they were in Las Vegas for a fraternity formal,

according to the Drug Enforcement Administration. The text promoted a

cocaine " sale " and listed the reduced prices on bulk quantities.

" Attn faithful customers both myself and my associates will be in

Vegas this coming weekend, " the 19-year-old student wrote in the text

message. " So stock up, we will be back Sunday night. "

Those arrested included a student who was about to receive a criminal

justice degree and another who was to receive a master's degree in

homeland security.

The Greek (fraternity and sorority) system at San Diego State has

about 3,000 students, out of an enrollment of 34,000, but Fraternity

Row plays an outsized role in campus life. It sits a block from

Arena, home to many college sporting events.

Dale , national executive director of Theta Chi, said he

was " obviously shocked and saddened " by the allegations. Theta Chi

prohibited the San Diego chapter from group activities such as

parties or sports activities and will investigate additional

disciplinary measures, up to expulsion of members or the entire

chapter.

The San Diego chapter, founded 61 years ago, was the first national

fraternity on campus and has 65 members.

The chapter declined to comment. It occupies two low-slung homes a

block off Fraternity Row, with large red and white Greek symbols

propped on the roof.

Theta Chi has 131 chapters in the U.S. and Canada and more than

161,000 initiates. It was founded in 1856.

Besides Theta Chi, the other suspended fraternities are Lambda Chi

Alpha, Phi Kappa Psi, Phi Kappa Theta, Sigma Alpha Epsilon and Sigma

Alpha Mu.

University police launched their investigation into drug sales on

campus after Shirley Poliakoff, 19, died from a cocaine overdose in

May 2007. Investigators discovered many students in fraternities were

aware of organized drug dealing within their houses.

As the investigation continued, another student, from Mesa College,

died of a cocaine overdose at an SDSU fraternity house on Feb. 26,

the DEA said.

Some drugs bought and sold by students were traced to gangs linked to

Mexican cartels, according to the DEA. Agents collected about

$100,000 worth of drugs that were being advertised in " resale

quantities " between members of the fraternity and other students.