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Ruse Disorients Suspects; 120 Arrested In Sting

News Channel 8 photo by JOHN WINTERROWD

During the operation, deputies gathered 102 firearms, 50 vehicles, nearly $78,000 in cash and about 40 pounds of cocaine.

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By JOSH POLTILOVE

The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 18, 2008

TAMPA - Some of the suspects in a yearlong undercover operation involving stolen property were particularly dangerous or going to be hard to find.

So Hillsborough County sheriff's deputies set up a fake raffle, offering those suspects a chance to win a trip to the Orient. The suspects jumped at the chance, providing personal contact information to investigators, authorities said.

A sign about the trip offered the winners on-site security and a chance to check out all the bars. "Lock in your chance to win this great trip," the sign said. "Length of stay may vary. See agent for details."

The ruse led to 10 arrests.

"The Orient is, of course, the Orient Road Jail," said Lt. Steve Launikitis, who came up with the idea. "It was a spin. Nobody had a clue. It was a little play on words there, but nobody picked up on it."

The entire sting operation netted nearly $1.5 million in stolen property and resulted in more than 120 arrests.

In October, investigators opened a business called SouthEast Auction Service on West Waters Avenue where undercover deputies bought stolen property.

Deputies also made purchases outside the store as part of the operation, including stolen vehicles.

For about a year, they bought illegal or stolen guns and drugs. They recovered 102 firearms and 50 vehicles. They also seized nearly $78,000 in cash and about 40 pounds of cocaine valued at more than $1 million.

More than 140 people were identified and more than 120 arrests were made by Wednesday.

The investigation's primary focus was to take guns off the streets, Sheriff David Gee said.

Operation SouthEast Auction Service was similar to an operation last year called "Deputies Against Guns." In that investigation, detectives opened an electronics store called DAG's Electronics on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Seffner.

That operation netted nearly $2 million in stolen cars, trucks, motorcycles, electronics and watercraft.

Gee called it the biggest sting of its kind in Hillsborough County in decades.

Both operations worked when word spread quickly that the businesses would be willing to buy stolen property for cash.

This time, the sheriff's office spent $72,000 in confiscated drug money to buy stolen property, paying 5 cents on the dollar for the goods, sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Carter said.

A laptop purchased by deputies had been stolen from a Hillsborough County deputy's house, Maj. Paul Davis said.

Another gun purchased said "Maine State Police" on it.

"We haven't contacted them yet, but we will," Davis said.

Reporter Josh Poltilove can be reached at (813) 259-7691 or jpoltilove@tampatrib.com.

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