http://www.aspendailynews.com/article_11772


Fri 12/02/2005 09:00PM MST

Local and federal law enforcement officers swarmed two Aspen eateries Friday afternoon in a vast crackdown on alleged drug sales, illegal immigrants and money laundering.

Nine arrest and four search warrants were executed as police officers rounded up a list of suspects at Cooper Street Pier and Little Annie's Eating House. Officers from the Aspen Police Department, Snowmass Police Department, Pitkin County Sheriff's Office, U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, U.S. Immigration and Customs, and the Department of Revenue assisted in the investigation, which remains ongoing.

Aspen Police Chief Loren Ryerson said eight of nine suspects had been arrested at press time and the ninth suspect was expected to be in custody by this morning. He said this is the largest number of suspects arrested in Aspen at one time that he can remember. Ryerson said more arrests could occur. He declined to answer specific questions about the bust, saying he did not want to compromise the investigation. Some, if not all, of the arrested individuals were restaurant employees.

Eye witnesses Joe Potts and Rye Poggiali, who were enjoying beverages at Cooper Street after a day of skiing and snowboarding, said they were startled by the arrests.

Potts said they were drinking shots and playing Twenty Questions with a group of other skiers a little after 4 p.m. when an undercover police officer abruptly stood up from a table.

"He yelled out, 'Sit down! Do not move! Do not answer your cell phones!'" said Potts, adding that the officer then pulled out a gun and climbed the stairs to reach the top level of Cooper Street.

A moment later, Potts said four or five police officers rushed through the front door with their weapons drawn.

"We did a shot and were playing Twenty Questions and then boom -- the police rushed in," said Poggiali. "They made us leave. They said they'd buy our drinks, but everybody had to leave right of way."

Before they left, police asked all the patrons to produce IDs and they took down their names and information. Potts and Poggiali said three or four tables were full at Cooper Street and eight to 10 people were at the bar.

Both Potts and Poggiali are residents of Aspen.

Reached at his home, Cooper Street owner Charles Wolf replied, "No kidding?" when informed about the arrests. He said he was unaware of the bust and declined to answer questions until he could glean more information from police.

Managers at Little Annie's could not be reached for comment. A sign in front of Little Annie's informed patrons that the restaurant would be closed Friday night. Yellow police tape surrounded Cooper Street Pier. Police closed parts of Cooper Avenue and Galena Street as well as back alleys as they loaded the suspects into two white vans.

The list of charges the suspects face include: possession of a Schedule II controlled substance (cocaine), possession with the intent to distribute a Schedule II controlled substance, conspiracy to distribute a Schedule II controlled substance, and money laundering.

Ryerson said the suspects could be prosecuted for some or all of the charges. Names of the suspects were not released as of press time.