Coincides With Three-Day South-Central L.A. Narcotics Sweep : 8 Arrested in Undercover Drug ‘Sting’ at ‘Rock House’

The $25 pushed through a window at a South-Central Los Angeles house produced a “rock” of crystallized cocaine in return. And a trip to jail.

Undercover Los Angeles Police narcotics officers set up a “sting” operation at 2317 West 42nd St. after a raid last Tuesday failed to shut down the “rock house,” authorities said Saturday.

The sting, organized after several complaints from nearby residents about drug trafficking at the house, resulted in eight arrests late Friday and early Saturday on drug and weapons charges.

“After we supposedly closed down that house, we got more complaints and went back Friday night,” said South Bureau Sgt. Steve Grenier.

Using marked money supplied by the Secret Service, an undercover officer bought cocaine from Godfrey Peters, 23, at the house, police said. A group of 10 officers then broke into the house, arrested Peters and set up their own sting operation.

“We turned off the lights inside and left the porch light on,” said Grenier. The officers then awaited customers. “As soon as they made a buy through a slot in the window, we arrested them,” he said.

Grenier added that several would-be customers “got bad vibes when they saw the window broken from the forced entry, and at least 15 ran away.”

In addition to Peters, police arrested five suspected cocaine buyers and two men who were carrying loaded firearms.

The sting operation coincided with, but was separate from, a three-day drug sweep through South-Central Los Angeles that resulted in 209 arrests of what police called “small-time” street dealers.

A 68-member narcotics task force, some working undercover to buy illegal drugs, completed the sweep of “perennial hot spots” late Friday, said Narcotics Division Lt. William Costleigh.

The sweep was designed to discourage “repressible crimes” such as robbery, burglary and theft that police believe are committed by drug users who need money to support their habits.

Most of the suspects were arrested for being under the influence of drugs or for possessing small amounts of drugs, Costleigh said. The remainder were booked for investigation of trafficking in heroin, marijuana and PCP, he added.

Officials said small-time street dealers arrested in previous sweeps often have provided officers with valuable information that has led to the arrests of major dealers and the location of their supplies.

The sting and sweep operations were in response to complaints by residents who often have been the victims of drug-related crimes, police said.

“What prompted it was the residents and the businesses calling to complain” about drug activity, said Lt. Cleon Jones.