136 Students Arrested on Drug Charges

A total of 136 students and two non-students were arrested on suspicion of dealing drugs in or around Los Angeles high schools during the last school year, the Los Angeles Police Department said Friday.

Marijuana was the most prevalent drug confiscated, the officials said. Cocaine, ecstasy, hashish and Vicodin also were either furnished to or purchased by the officers.

The narcotics seized had a street value of $14,797, police said.

Officers posing as students made most of the arrests during the fall semester, arresting 78 students and two non-students.

During the spring semester, police arrested 58 high school students.

Most of the students were expelled, officials said.

“Obviously, there is a narcotics problem in the schools like the rest of the community,” said Steve LaRoche, commander of the school district’s police department. “It permeates all of society.”