Staff Reporter

staffreporter@alltel.net

The Hazard City Police, HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area), KSP DESI East, and Kentucky State Police Street Level Drug Detectives made a major drug bust in Hazard and Pikeville last Friday. The bust netted approximately 23 ounces of cocaine, hundreds of prescriptions drugs including OxyContin, Hydrocodone pills, and drug paraphernalia items.

The bust started out with the complaint of a stolen purse by one of the employ

ees of the Hazard Hotel on Dawahare Drive next to Reno's. Hazard Police Lt. Colonel Kenny Bryant answered the complaint, and upon investigating saw what he suspected to be cocaine on the floor in one of the rooms.

Lt. Colonel Bryant contacted the HIDTA task force and asked them for assistance. Upon their arrival they discovered approximately eight ounces of cocaine in a plastic bag in a soap dish. They also found drug paraphernalia items and over $900 in cash.

Mary Conley Ortega of Pikeville was arrested and charged with first degree trafficking in a controlled substance, second offense.

The investigation then led HIDTA Detectives to the Pike County residence of Nick R. Ortega at Left Fork of Island Creek. Kentucky State Police Detectives got a search warrant for the Ortega residence, and executed it at 3:00 p.m. last Friday.

At the Ortega residence the detectives, along with Kentucky State Police Troopers from the Pikeville Post, discovered approximately 15 ounces of cocaine, 263 and one half OxyContin tablets, 80 mg. strength, approximately $3,000 in cash, plus other narcotics. The street value of the drugs taken at the Pike County location is estimated to be $55, 566.

The Kentucky State Police attribute the Pike County bust to information received from informants by their street level drug detectives. The detectives utilized the Kentucky State Police Canine Units to help locate the narcotics.

Nick Ortega was not at his residence at the time of the search, and warrants have been issued for his arrest. The Kentucky State Police Street Level Drug Detectives are continuing the investigation which has already taken a major amount of illegal narcotics and drug money off the streets.