22 Arrested on Drug and Arms Charges

D.C. police arrested 22 people last night on drug and weapons charges in raids on a Northeast Washington neighborhood that officials said was home to a notorious and violent PCP market.

In the culmination of an eight-month investigation, more than 150 D.C. police officers and detectives, along with federal agents, served warrants in the Clay Terrace housing complex and nearby residences.

Officials said their targets included members of a street-level organization called CT3, the initials of Clay Terrace.

In what appeared to be a contemporary touch, members of the group presented themselves online on MySpace, police officials said. They said some targets of the raid could be seen online flashing hand and finger signals characteristic of the crew.

Police said part of the operation involved an effort to serve arrest warrants for about 30 people; about a dozen of them were teenagers, authorities said.

The investigation began with "complaints from the community" and spread into months of surveillance and more than 70 undercover drug buys, said Lt. Eugene Bentley of the D.C. police Major Case Investigative Unit. Bentley's unit led the investigation, aided by federal prosecutors, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the FBI.

"For the last three months, we have used undercover and confidential sources to infiltrate the group," Bentley said.

In addition, he said, police received important assistance from residents.

The raids netted 8.5 ounces of PCP, a gun and more than $10,000 in cash, officials said. Police also seized marijuana, crack cocaine and ecstasy.

PCP, or phencyclidine, is known for the violent, unpredictable behavior it can induce. According to a DEA Web site, PCP is most commonly applied to marijuana or a leafy herb such as oregano and then smoked.

Last night, investigators were assessing seized materials and weighing possible evidence against those taken into custody.

The raid included SWAT teams, a police helicopter and officers from across the city.