San Diego University Suspends Students, Frat Houses In Drug Bust

San Diego, CA (AHN) - San Diego State University suspended on Wednesday six fraternities and 75 students who were arrested Tuesday during a drug sting.

The students, who were among 96 arrested in San Diego on suspicion of pushing illegal drugs in the SDSU campus, were also evicted from the university dormitory.

According to Fox6.com, SDSU president Stephen L. Weber announced in a mass e-mail to the student body, ""They [the arrested students] will not be returning to class or taking final exams until completion of due-process review, to which they are entitled under the law."

Lambda Chi Alpha, Phi Kappa Psi, Phi Kappa Theta, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Sigma Alpha Mu and Theta Chi fraternities were suspended while the case on their involvement in the drug dealing is heard in court.

Among the arrested students was Theta Chi member Kenneth Ciaccio, 19. Undercover agents, who infiltrated SDSU fraternities as part of the sting operation by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in San Diego, received a text message from Ciaccio last month saying he would not be able to sell them drugs because he was traveling to Las Vegas.

Other students also openly sold drugs and sent mass text message advertising special prices on cocaine. DEA agents who raided the campus seized four pounds of cocaine, 50 pounds of marijuana and 350 ecstasy pills worth more than $100,000. Hashish oil, methamphetamine, psychedelic mushrooms, illicit prescription drugs, cash and firearms were also seized.

The operation was prompted by the death of an SDSU sorority member from cocaine overdose one year ago and a similar death by a student from Mesa Community College on Feb. 24.