With its reputation as being the biggest party school in Southern California, nearly 100 students were arrested Tuesday in a sting operation at San Diego State University. Drugs, guns and cash were seized in the operation, which sources say came as the result of a five month undercover operation.
Among those arrested, 75 were students, some working toward degrees in criminal justice and homeland security,
CNN reported. One student working toward a criminal justice degree was charged with possession of guns and cocaine.
The sting came to a head when one student sent a mass text message advertising a "sale" on cocaine, the Drug Enforcement Administration said in a release Tuesday.
The other 21 non-students were arrested on a variety of drug related charges.
Campus police and the DEA told
Fox News the undercover investigation began following the May, 2007 overdose of an SDSU student. A second overdose of a student at a frat house occurred as recently as February.
"DEA agents infiltrated several student drug distribution cells and more than 130 drug purchases and seizures were made" during the investigation known as Operation Sudden Fall, a news release obtained by
CNN said.
The sting took authorities to seven frat houses on Fraternity Row at SDSU, where government agents said many students were aware of drug dealing by fraternity brothers.
"This operation shows how accessible and pervasive illegal drugs continue to be on our college campuses, and how common it is for students to be selling to other students," San Diego County District Attorney
Bonnie Dumanis told CNN.
Among the drugs seized in the sting, four pounds of cocaine, 50 pounds of marijuana and 350 ecstasy pills. A shot gun and more than $60,000 in cash were also seized.
