Published: November 27, 2009 08:39 am      

Police say drug crimes have diminished in East Beckley area

Editor’s note: In Thursday’s edition of The Register-Herald, citizens voiced their concerns regarding drugs being trafficked in their neighborhood like it’s “an open air drug market.” Beckley Police say the problem is being addressed. This is the second of two stories revisiting the issue which was featured in a series last November.



Ten years ago, East Beckley was the hot spot.

If you wanted a quick high — whether it be crack, cocaine or weed — you could drive into East Beckley and find dealers strewn throughout the streets selling illegal drugs.

“I’ve seen it at its worse,” said Beckley Police Detective Lt. Gant Montgomery, who spent the first five years of his career on road patrol in the East Beckley area.

“I’ve seen kids standing on every street corner over there day and night.”

Today, Montgomery says, the streets of East Beckley have drastically improved.

“You don’t see that anymore. I feel it’s a safe place to live and drug crimes have diminished. I’m not saying that you don’t have drug dealing... It’s concentrated now.”

Montgomery says he understands citizens complaints regarding a drug presence lingering in the area. He says police are doing the best they can with the resources available.

Several of East Beckley’s “problems” have been taken off the streets.

Police say Larry “Winky” Smith, currently wanted by authorities, is no longer selling in East Beckley, and former Plumley Avenue resident Mark Carter is behind bars on federal drug charges.

Barber Avenue was also an ongoing city drug problem. Today the area is quiet.

“We have got some recent complaints about individuals on Antonio Avenue that we’re following up on,” Montgomery said. “I feel we’ve gotten rid of the majority of the problems in that area and the drug activity has decreased.”

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Beckley Housing Authority executive director Manuel Cartel, who manages the Antonio Avenue apartments, which some residents say drugs are being sold out of, says the housing authority has a strict policy on drugs.

“One strike and you’re out,” Cartel said.

Cartel says he’ll evict anyone who’s caught dealing; however, it’s a “continuous fight.”

The housing authority installed cameras outside the front of the apartment complex, and they were vandalized a short time later.

“People destroy the cameras, spray paint the lens ... What can I do? It’s a police matter,” Cartel added.

“It’s all over the city. I don’t have police power to run somebody out and detain somebody.

“If any of our tenants are caught dealing, they’re out of there. The appetite in America for drugs is so incredible.”

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While residents say crack seems to be the city’s No. 1 problem, the drug unit says it’s prescription medication — specifically OxyContin or Oxycodone — that’s sweeping the area.

“The state of Florida is now our No. 1 problem for prescription drugs,” Montgomery explained.

“It’s a bad problem right now. It’s increasingly becoming our major issue.”

Montgomery says doctors need to be aware of it.

People are lying and manipulating their doctors to get a prescription for narcotics, he said.

“It’s becoming a profit-driven business ... Once people just came in with a leg injury. Now you’re having people going in and faking injuries, lying about injuries, doing anything they can to get Oxycodone prescribed to sell and make money,” Montgomery said.

One big factor, which is encouraging more folks to become drug lords, is the sour economy.

“More people right now are turning to selling drugs or their prescription medication to make money. I think that’s also part of the reason why we’re seeing a lot more drug crimes than we typically do,” Montgomery said.

Another factor is experienced dealers who have served time and are back on the streets.

Many of the dealers have been arrested before and know how to work the system, Montgomery said.

“They try to find every loophole they can to get around law enforcement. Eventually they will get caught.”

Beckley Police says they follow up on every drug complaint they receive.

Just because nothing is done instantaneously, doesn’t mean police aren’t putting together an investigation to make the necessary arrests.

“Police will clean it up. It takes time,” Montgomery said.

Drugs are a citywide problem.

“Now you’re seeing the prescription drugs sales more based on rural areas, not just centered in any one part of the city,” Montgomery said.

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Police can’t solve all of the city’s drug problems alone.

They want the public to know that if you report drug activity, you may not see an immediate response.

Police may already be working a case in the area or individuals.

Don’t assume police already know about activity in your area.

If you have information regarding drugs being trafficked in your neighborhood, contact Crime Stoppers at 304-255-7867 or the Beckley drug unit at 304-256-1844.

— E-mail: jayres@register-herald.com