Community response to major drug raid in London, investigations ongoing

LONDON, Ky. (FOX 56) — Multiple law enforcement agencies continue to investigate a major drug trafficking case in Laurel County. Police have arrested the organization that ran the operation in London.

Greg Lane is a relatively quiet neighborhood, but Lonnie Morgan said the night of June 6 was a rude awakening.

“I went out around midnight to throw something in my trash can,” Morgan said. “And there were probably six police officers on the street.”

That night, the Laurel County Drug Interdiction Task Force raided Vernon Delph’s home a few doors down. Police confiscated more than 11 pounds of meth, eight pounds of marijuana, and 23 firearms. Investigators also seized more than $15,000 in cash.

While the scale of the operation was shocking, Morgan said drugs are not uncommon in the area.

“You see it a lot in the news. People are being arrested and detained for it.”

“We have investigations going on every day, and even higher-level investigations are going on here all the time,” added Gilbert Acciardo, deputy chief of public information for the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office.

Acciardo said meth use in particular is a problem. He said two other people allegedly linked to the same organization as Delph were arrested on June 20: Jay Boykin of Georgia and Caronda Tilman of Tennessee. Police seized about nine pounds of meth from them.

“We are fighting the fight and having great success through multi-agency collaboration because you have more resources and can accomplish more when everyone is on the same team,” Acciardo said.

Morgan said these three arrests certainly make him feel safer at home and in his community.

“Any time they do that, a drug bust is good for the community,” Morgan said. “It keeps another dealer off the streets and hopefully his product doesn’t get to people for them to use.”

“People are going to get the idea, ‘Hey, you’re not going to come to Laurel County and deal drugs or sell drugs or hand them over because you’re going to get caught,'” Acciardo said.

Acciardo said the investigation is ongoing and more arrests are expected. Delph’s case has been referred to a grand jury. Tilman and Boykin are scheduled to appear in court Tuesday.