Arlington Heights, Des Plaines men arrested in drug sting

An Arlington Heights man and a Des Plaines man were included on a list of 15 "major offenders" arrested during a Cook County drug sting that nabbed 100 area dealers, according to the Cook County sheriff's office.

The sheriff's office and Evanston Police Department. with the help of various West suburban departments. announced the results on Tuesday of a pair of joint investigations that lasted over six months each.

Dejuan Blackwell, 19, of Des Plaines was charged with three counts of delivery of cocaine, two within 1000 feet of a school, and four counts of delivery of cannabis, according to the sheriff's office.

Kevin Stewart, 24, of Arlington Heights was charged with four counts of delivery of a controlled substance, two within 1000 feet of a school, according to the sheriff's office.

Police arrested 100 drug dealers in the undercover investigation and seized 10 guns, $27,000 in cash and narcotics with an estimated street value of $622,000. Nearly all of those arrested are affiliated with violent street gangs, according to the sheriff's office.

"We will continue to work with these departments and others to identify, target, and stop drug dealers and gang members as they move from town to town, attempting to not only destroy lives, but also neighborhoods," said Cook County Sheriff Thomas Dart.

"Operation Hard Swipe", which was lead by the Evanston Police Department, began in April and targeted neighborhood drug dealers in Evanston and Rogers Park who were funneling money to gangs.

The second investigation, "Operation Wood View Park", began in February and focused on drug dealers crossing municipalities in the Western suburbs.

Police said the joint investigations are part of a larger plan to improve communication between neighboring police departments.

"Though separate operations, both came as a result of complaints about drug dealers taking over neighborhoods and leaving residents in fear," according to the sheriff's office.