Drug crackdown

Cape Girardeau police weren't kidding around last week when they announced a crackdown on drug traffic in the city. The declaration accompanied the arrest of a man for possession of crack cocaine, receiving stolen property and unlawful use of a firearm, all felonies.

A few more arrests followed, but the big sweep began Thursday, when Cape Girardeau police and officers from 11 other jurisdictions served drug warrants all over Southeast Missouri. By the end of the day 83 suspects had been brought in on suspicion of selling anything from a small amount of crack to large amounts of marijuana and psychedelic mushrooms.

Sadly one suspect hanged himself shortly after being detained in the Stoddard County Jail.

The SEMO Drug Task Force coordinated the simultaneous sweep from Portageville north to Cape Girardeau.

The message to people who deal drugs ought to be loud and clear: Not in our towns.