Six UCSC students arrested during alleged drug ring bust

UPDATE 3/8/2016 8:28 PM: Santa Cruz Police said they’re continuing their investigation after six UC Santa Cruz students were arrested for allegedly being involved in an international drug operation. The drug bust consisted of $100,000 worth of ecstasy. UC Santa Cruz said drug use on and off campus is a problem. 5,000 pounds of ecstasy pills were allegedly found inside the homes of six students.

“The Santa Cruz Police Department was tipped off that suspicious packages were being dropped off at these three locations,” said Joyce Blaschke

Investigators said pills were found in the 100 block of Peach Terrace, 200 block of Castillion Terrace and 400 block of Locust Street. The home on Locust Street has windows completely covered, neighbors said nobody could see inside.

“It’s a pretty safe neighborhood for the years that we lived here. So it’s sometimes a little bit scary to think that you know were going to have to be more diligent and I think it’s really important to talk to your neighbors,” said an anonymous Santa Cruz resident.

Neighbors also said the college students hadn’t lived in the home very long and didn’t notice anything too suspicious. All six of the students now face several drug charges, including possession of a controlled substance for sale. UCSC said given the seriousness of the allegations, the students are on interim suspension.

“Students do use drugs on our campus and we have a message that really is about being smart and safe and careful and looking out for one another. We can’t ignore the reality that drug use is something that happens at colleges across the campus,” said UCSC media relations director, Scott Jason Hernandez.

Officials at UC Santa Cruz said they know some students are using drugs and so they offer counseling service for substance abuse. Some students on campus said they don’t think there’s much harm in having the ecstasy.

“I think that it’s a gross over reaction to this sort of thing,” said UCSC student, Luke Huntington.

Another student wanted to remain anonymous but said,”It sucks because that’s like their whole entire life right there but I mean if you’re going to do something like that you got to be able to deal with the consequences if you get caught.”

Police said they are still trying to figure out where the pills originally came from and it’s unclear if any ecstasy pills had already been distributed.

All six students have bailed out of the Santa Cruz County Jail.

The Lambda Phi Epsilon International Fraternity has suspended the UCSC chapter. A statement on their website said in part, “The leadership of Lambda Phi Epsilon International Fraternity, Inc. is aware of the situation involving its undergraduate members at the University of California, Santa Cruz and will be cooperating with the local authorities to understand what happened.”

PREVIOUS STORY:

Santa Cruz Police are investigating a drug bust involving six U.C. Santa Cruz students, accused of running a drug ring through a fraternity and sorority.

Investigators said these students are members of the Lambda Phi Epsilon fraternity and Alpha Kappa Delta Phi sorority. Police said they started investigating after a tip that MDMA pills, also known as ecstasy and molly, were being shipped through the U.S. Postal Service to three addresses in the city.

With the help of U.S. Homeland Security and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, police said they found about 5,000 pills worth over $100,000.

KION’s Brandon Castillo is speaking with the Santa Cruz Police Department about the issue and will have more on this story at 5 & 6.