21 Lives Potentially Ruined in Yearlong Investigation at University of Illinois

From The Chicago Tribune:

Twenty-one University of Illinois students, including some from the Chicago suburbs, were arrested this week in connection with a yearlong investigation into drug dealing on campus.

Students were arrested Wednesday and Thursday in two dorms, at three fraternities, a sorority and at several off-campus houses and apartments in Urbana and Champaign. Four non-students also were arrested by U. of I. police on drug-related charges. Those arrested were not all working together, said university police Lt. Roy Acree.

"I would hope it would send a message to students that if you are selling drugs, there is a good chance you're going to get caught," Acree said. He said officers had investigated campus drug dealing, through undercover purchases and other methods, since the fall semester.

Police seized 180 grams of marijuana, traces of cocaine, anti-anxiety pills, $3,100, two vehicles, three flat-screen televisions and two laptop computers, Acree said.

Most of the arrests were on suspicion of manufacturing and delivering marijuana, Acree said. The students could face disciplinary action, including possible expulsion from the university, said U. of I. spokeswoman Robin Kaler.

180 grams of marijuana... That's about 6 ounces... That is what a dozen decent pot smokers could put away in a week. That's about the amount of marijuana that got onto the cover page of the 4/20 Tufts Observer.

Note: This is the full version of the image on page 3, I don't have the cover on my computer.


I think cops are just trying to justify their existence. This lengthy investigation (I wonder how much that cost the school?) benefits nobody. Trust of police and administration will go significantly down amongst the pot smoking students (which is probably between a third and half of them). With this bust, new dealers will swoop in next year to fill the demand as always happens, making them criminals and potentially giving them the means to become addicts.

I hope most of these kids can get off without a criminal record. I also hope all the students who are friends with these kids, or bought weed off of them, or are just offended that the university spent a year investigating this NEVER give money to the school because that's where the schools feel it.

Anyways, I got my finals to work on. Hopefully I can get through it without dealing with bullshit like this.

Much Love,
Reggie