put your hands up! >> get me three guys up here right away. >> no one knows -- none of those people know that we were undercover police officers working in that area. >> this area, prostitution and drugs, the whole nine yards. >> this is like this every day, this hotel. >> the addicts pay for the rooms and they get room service. but it's not champagne and candy. >> hey, rich. this is darnell. >> if i make a mistake and blow my cover, then it will affect the whole operation.

>> looks like a hand-to-hand is taking place. >> it's not over for you yet, but obviously the game has changed. >> you ever work with the police before? >> generally it's female prostitutes. most of them do know all the drug dealers. where you at with this girl and guy?

okay. we'll be out in a second. >> you're right by the [ bleep ] day care. >> i'm not by no day care because i wasn't doing nothing. >> turn around and look at the sign, man. you're ten feet from the day care. kids are dropped off here by their parents. >> we wasn't doing nothing. >> you had [ bleep ] rocks on you. >> no. you all lying to me. >> right in the day care parking lot. >> no, you all lying. >> no more in this areas. how many times have i picked you up? how many times have i picked you up? every day. >> turn around. it's a day care. look at the kids. they're getting dropped off. no you don't! because you keep coming back. did you get picked up on your warrant last week? >> i don't have a warrant. >> you learned a lot while you were locked up, huh? >> i wasn't doing --

>> you were doing a hand-to-hand deal right in the parking lot, dude. >> you're going to lie. >> i'm going to lie? what the hell is this. >> i wasn't doing no hand-to-hand deal. >> this guy has been arrested, i imagine, 15 to 20 times. there's a lot of dealers like that out here. low level to mid level. it's the hotels. there's so many small hotels out here. they're transient. they're in and out. it's like this every day, every day. >> they don't stand on corners anymore. they sell from cars. they move. they try to be mobile to avoid the police. >> officers working mannheim road say it's a magnet for dealers in the area. >> see those two guys in the corner? that's who he's talking about. >> many dealers are moving operations from the city to the so-called mannheim strip because

of the sex trade and cheap motels. the proximity to one of the nation's busiest airports also guarantees them plenty of customers. >> these are three rocks. those are dubs. so they're $20 a piece. they could be $10 or $20. they call them blows. in the streets this is rocks and blows. this mannheim area has been high on the list of things to do. before i came sheriff, everybody knew mannheim road, prostitution, drugs. the whole nine yards. prostitution conviction. how long you been out here? >> 2002. >> 2002? >> we run into a lot of roadblocks because we try to go civilly in some areas to try to close hotels, shut down buildings that are being used for drugs and prostitution and gangs. one of the things that will get us over the hurdle is making sustained buys and arrests out

of some of these locations. >> really our goal for today is actually these three it's a friday. generally on friday they're stocked up before the weekend. hopefully they'll be stocked up today. >> undercover dope pies in a cook account sheriff's police operation known as room service. the case has been in the works for five months now. investigator mizell walls belongs to a team targeting 24 narcotic dealers all of them based on the mannheim strip. >> as far as surveillance guys, we have to be careful. this guy is paranoid. he sees a car sitting out there and people sitting in it, he's going to automatically think it's the police. it may throw the deal. anything else? >> central gang south. let's rock 'n' roll.

>> they have completed multiple undercover dope buys in the past five months at places like the lido motel. >> the addicts place calls for the room. they get room service. but it's not champagne and candy. they're getting crack-cocaine and guns. >> he and his fellow officers plan to take down all 24 of their targets in a coordinated sweep with the help of two paid sources working the streets. >> our whole case is based off of two informants. we could probably work up there for the next two or three years. with new targets. that's how many people are coming up there on a daily basis to sell narcotics. word is spreading they're jumping on the opportunity.

>> the mannheim strip frustrated him even then. >> the residents of the area would complain to me about the issues on mannheim. i can only do so much. i can do traffic stops. there are times i would have binoculars and watch certain houses and certain hotels. doing my own personal investigation. this year i was fortunate. they've given us the opportunity to branch out and to do something different. >> something has to be done. we have good hard working people in these communities up there. their kids are working down the street past prostitution drug dealers every day. >> whatever he can do to get

out, he's down with that. >> today criminal intelligence unit are meeting a man tied to the mannheim strip. he admits to selling crack there. >> you have shackles? why don't you make a phone call right now. we have about seven or eight guys from your area. your area is a hot spot right now. we're going to interview them and help them out. if you say no, we're not coming back. let's do it. it was kind of an ultimatum. he said fine. >> they see potential in this inmate. we're calling him elvis to protect his identity. >> today you're on a special

assignment. >> answer me this. who is your main supplier? >> sandoval and carpenter lean on him for names. while undercover officers expand their web of targets. >> police! search warrant!

be advised. we are exiting 290. we are about to get on anaheim now. >> this is the area i initially warmed. i probably made at least 100 arrests in this area alone

within the last year. between 1st avenue and mannheim. a lot of your main players, a lot of your big time drug dealers, the ones selling the kilos, they live in the suburbs. they don't live in the city. if somebody doesn't do something about what's going on, it will be worse than the west side of chicago eventually. a lot of drug dealers for the west side are moving to this location. and they're so excited because they're making more money than they were making on the west side of chicago. >> but the cook county sheriff and police are hoping to reverse the trend. they've spent the last month building cases against two dozen targets in what's called operation room service. today he and an undercover officer traveling in the vehicle ahead of his will buy cocaine from three of their targets. they've already met them on prior occasions through a street

informant. >> 10-4. be advised, if it gets where i can't see him, i'll pass it off to you. >> the undercover officer or u.c. drives to the first handoff alone while walls follows as backup. >> today is his first time doing the buy. today is very important as far as what he is doing he just made a right turn on butterfield. duck down in case they come out of one of these houses. >> he watches the dealer trade crack for money. moments later he pulls into a driveway to get another look at the dealers known as snoop and smurf. they're walking our way.

walls and the undercover officer reconvene at a nearby lot. they've now made two buys from snoop and smurf in the same week. >> these are decent size. four should weigh out over a gram. >> a gram of cocaine equals a felon deal in illinois. the more connections they made, their better chances of conviction at trial. >> this is darnell. call me back. >> now they get ready to hit their next target. a female coke dealer known as red. this time walls will be going undercover. >> if i get searched, hopefully they won't find it.

if they do, i'll say, hey, i'm coming to buy drugs. i'm a truck driver. a take the gun with me across the road. this is why i have it. >> we have a good visual. he's going to park in the back of the taco patio. we'll wait on his call. >> all right, 10-4. >> do we know what kind of vehicle she's going to be driving? >> they're driving a green older model toyota camry. >> right there. >> be advised. target is in the parking lot. sarge, two females. >> deal is done. >> 10-4.

good deal. >> for every hour i do of surveillance without air-conditioning, they owe me a case of beer. >> with two solid buys made today, walls and the central gang unit can move onto other targets on their list and expand their operation scope. >> we try to get as many buys as we can. if i call someone and say they're going to sell dope to me, i'm going to get them. i don't care how late it is. it's just spreading. we're picking up new people every day. last week we did seven, eight or nine buys just last week alone. >> as operation room service continues to grow, an inmate at the cook county jail says he'll cut a deal with authorities. the inmate nicknamed elvis offers to give up his dope contacts in return for leniency

with his case. he's locked up on a drug possession charge. >> answer me this. i know you're a hustler. who is your main supplier? right now i got three guys. one out of bellwood. one out of maywood. and another one out of bellwood. >> so you got two in bellwood? >> i know a lot of guys in bellwood. but i don't -- with them all. >> who can we get to that you mess with? [ muted ] >> what's his real name? you want to do him or no? if you're legit about getting your stuff together, you keep your guy safe, you're going to go back to him. if you want to start with a clean slate, we eliminate your suppliers. you're not going back to those guys.

all we need is a couple. >> elvis goes for the opening and drops a dime on one of his main suppliers. >> what's his real name? is he a king? >> no. >> so he's a black guy? >> he's real smart. >> what does he move? >> crack. >> how much you make? >> if i ain't smoking it i can make thousands? >> how much are you smoking? >> thousands. i party with everybody around me. so i'm giving everybody [ bleep ] for free. i'm just [ bleep ] up my money. >> how much does he pay you? >> he doesn't pay me. i agree to move them. >> as elvis gives up his crack supplier, little does he know police have been chasing the same target for weeks.

>> yeah, what's up, man. it's darnell, man. you in the area? i'm going to become in town? >> investigator walls already made one deal with a supplier and wants to arrange another, but the target is playing hard to get. >> he said call when you're in the area. i'll let you know the location. that means he's nervous and he wants to dictate what the location is. >> all right, juan, you got the initial eyeball. i got a good secondary. >> walls sets up a meeting. 20 minutes past, however, and the target is a no show. he's not answering his phone, either. >> yeah, hey, this darnell, man. if you ain't going to make it through, just let me know so i can go to somebody else. ain't no big deal, man. >> for walls, the key is playing it cool. one false move could spell disaster. >> i have to do it right. if i make a mistake and blow my cover, it will affect the whole

operation. if they find out i'm sorry a police officer, people will start scattering. >> the target never arrives. back at the jail police search his name in police records but yet find nothing. >> i know you guys have been investigating him before. >> he's just a little bit more careful than you are. >> police! >> police! search warrant! >> coming up on "the squeeze" shorts declare open season on the mannheim strip. >> it's not over for you yet. but obviously the game has changed.

>> i don't think you're dealing with anybody moving a lot, a lot. but i think you're dealing with some guys that are moving enough. >> yeah. >> at chicago's cook county jail, investigators have recruited a new informant, named elvis. so far he's given up the names of a half dozen heroin dealers

on the mannheim strip. now it's time to share them with police officers building cases there. >> so all you guys you gave us, whatever you want, you call them and they get it to you? >> yeah. any one of them. >> investigator sal morra and his partner, an undercover narc consider putting elvis to work on the street. >> what's the most you can get from somebody at one time? what's the most you core? >> it depends what dealers. i could get up four and a split. ounce. >> our main concern is his connections know he got arrested. he seems to think it shouldn't matter. but it does. they're leery to deal with them when they know they just got arrested. the less people that know the better.

>> i forgot to tell you about another person. she serves major weight. she stays on mannheim road. but she serves a major amount. >> elvis is right. police don't want to give it away, but they do know her. she's one of her targets in operation room service. >> right there. >> be advised. target in the parking lot. >> they're all connected somehow. they all kind of know each other or have seen each other or have dealt with each other. but it ends up going around a big wheel. it's good when you come across the same names. you buy from him? >> yeah. >> what you usually get from him? >> no less than an ounce. >> it gives us an idea we're getting the whole crew. >> the ultimate goal for authorities is to build a conspiracy case that gets all the targets together.

they want to advise the attorney about cutting him a deal. the inmate is scheduled for a bond hearing soon. >> well, they're going to sign you the attorney. you got to tell the attorney you want to proffer. they'll know what to do. >> reporter: meanwhile, police continue to follow leads from street informants already in play. >> the guy you took him to? >> yeah, yeah. >> oh. >> today investigator mizell walls and his top informant, who we'll call jefferson are setting up buys with more dealers. >> what's up? it's me. i'm sorry my boy didn't come through. he's with me right now. >> jefferson is the key player behind operation room service. he's a long time drug addict. but with his connection he's introduced walls and other undercover officers to 16 of

their 24 targets. >> he want four bags of heroin. >> when i was in patrol, i actually arrested him one time for trespassing. from that point on, when i came to gain narcotics, i ran into him. he told me he would work for me. that's been it, ever since. he's borderline homeless. so we try to take care of him as far as what we can. >> she said give her 10 to 15 minutes. she on her way there right now. >> they would assume that anybody hanging out with him is not going to be the police. we can't even put a value on what he's done so far. what we pay him is nowhere near what he deserves to get paid. >> jefferson claims his motive is more personal than monetary. a close friend of his o.d.'d on heroin.

he says he wants to drive the heroin off the mannheim strip. >> i just placed a call to tiffany. he ordered four dime bags of heroin. >> tonight walls will conduct surveillance while jefferson an undercover officer make a buy. >> they'll call her and have her come outside. >> be advised. the c.i. talked to the target. she said she'll be down with the product in like five minutes. she's on her way downstairs now. >> it's a busy night, and there's a line of customers. jefferson scores a good deal and sets up another for the coming week. >> ucv is pulling away. >> walls know that word travels fast on the mannheim strip, and that his informant will face a life or death decision. when authorities finally take

down all 24 targets, many on the mannheim strip will put two and two together and realize that jefferson set them up. >> i mean, i've already talked to him about it and told him he would have to move after the operation is over. if he stays up here, they'll kill him. will he move? i doubt it. >> my target is out of the vehicle.

>> my target is out of the vehicle. the deal was good. the target is going into his building. >> five months into operation room service, the cook county sheriff's police are closing in on a broad network of drug traffickers in chicago's west suburbs. they built their case with the help of informants and a well connected inmate named elvis has offered to set up deals for them, too. >> you buy from him? what do you usually get from him? >> no less than an ounce. >> elvis confirms for police what they already know. with two solid street informants already in play, authorities have all the evidence they need to take down their targets. >> there comes a point where you

have to kind of wrap it up. it could keep going and it's going to get bigger and bigger and bigger. we want to target this particular area and get as many people as we know are selling in this area, and try to get as many as we can prosecuted. when we start arresting these people, a lot of them are going to want to talk. it's going to lead to other things. >> i need to find out where you live. you're going to tell me your address. >> meanwhile, prostitutes and johns are being taken off the mannheim strip. >> what's the story? >> no, i just rolled past. that was it, man. >> and what. >> well, she tried to have somebody -- i tried to talk to her. she was pretty. >> she was good looking. >> i thought she was a damsel in distress. >> did you have any conversation with her?

>> no, not at all. >> we just came up and arrested you for no reason? >> i don't want to go into that. >> you don't want to go into that. >> i'm through. see you later, y'all. >> all right. >> this morning alone police have booked eight johns for soliciting undercover officers for sex. and they've nabbed three local working girls, including a 30-year-old who calls herself peach. >> i used to be a heroin addict. i've been clean for 45 days. i'm ashamed. i'm embarrassed that i had to do this. you've got to survive. >> so you're still booked at this hotel down the street? >> yeah. >> okay. and then where do you go? >> i don't know. >> where's your family? >> they don't talk to me. >> instead of sending peach to jail, they give her another

option. they'll find her a place to stay if she agrees to enter drug rehab and therapy. >> don't mess up another girl's opportunity and take up a space. i can get you -- we can get you a place today. >> you willing to do it? >> yes, yes i am. >> okay. we're going to talk to a couple other ladies. we're going to make some phone calls. you look like you need a hug. you are not alone. it's going to be okay, all right. >> all right. >> the average prostitute turns maybe eight or nine tricks a day. there's 365 days in a year. over 2,000 men. what would your mental state be? how wonderful would you be acting? what types of drugs would you be onto deal with that type of lifestyle? >> the counselors speak from experience. both are former prostitutes who worked the mannhheim strip for years. >> i was a heroin iv drug user. that's why i always manage to look at their arms.

every time i got high i would pray i could fade on away. i wanted to disappear. >> when you're sitting in that chair and you have an opportunity to think about it, you want to get out. because there's no sin that i don't want to get out. but then fear sets in all the sudden. i'm like i don't know anything about this. >> about this other world. this is all i've done for ten years. >> i don't know if they say what they say they're going to do. but i can turn a trick and get comfort for a few minutes somewhere else. i'm familiar with that. >> this is some of the way the women rationalize the continuation of what they do on a daily basis. >> i want to thank everybody for coming out. the guys from the other districts. >> it's 5:30 a.m. the day cook county authorities

have been waiting for. >> we have 24 targets we have to round up that we've been buying narcs from. >> they're ready to hit more than 20 locations in a coordinated sweep. >> the total staff for the operation. we have 40 already charged. we have 24 with charges are pending. those are the ones that we'll be looking for today. >> they plan to round up many of their targets on the mannheim strip at a hotel and an apartment complex. then they'll capture the rest in outlying neighborhoods. >> our informant is out there today. he's going to keep in contact with me. he'll be able to place calls to order or find out where they're at. if we go to certain locations and can't find some of the targets, the informant will keep in contact with me to let me know which rooms they'll be in. >> if we encounter gunfire prior to the breach of the door, we'll

go back to the van. >> maintain professionalism. there will be children involved in a couple locations. be aware of that. be very safe when you're out there. >> put your hands where i can see them! >> police! search warrant! get your hands where i can see them. >> we have three in custody. >> 10-4. >> put your hands up! >> right in.

>> right in. >> be advised. target in the parking lot. >> target is out of the vehicle. deal was good.

u.c. leaving the area. >> what's up, baby girl. it's me. four bags of heroin. >> west suburban, chicago. it's the big game day for cook county sheriff police after a six month sting operation. >> we have 40 that have already been charged. then we have 24 where charges are pending. those are the ones that we'll be looking for today. >> more than 60 officers will raid multiple locations across the township today. investigators have built their case with the help of a street informant with the nickname jefferson, who is also a street addict. >> who better to have information about a dope house than people that world? that's the people. you're not going to find the local priest with a great deal of information about a dope house. just before dawn the team hits its first target location, the lido hotel where a crack dealer and his family are staying.

>> where is her clothing at? >> all the kids are inside. >> i need to call somebody to get my kids. >> from the lido motel, the police unit split up. one team will take down a high-risk target in a residential neighborhood, while another team heads to an apartment complex on the mannheim strip. >> let us roll out of here. >> lieutenant john blair joins the team on route to suburban north lake. >> now we're going to head over and do our second target. this guy is an enforcer for the latin kings. he's a big target. he's a thorn in the side of the suburbs. we'll be glad to get him locked up. >> they set off a diversionary device and move in. >> police! search warrant!

>> within moments police take their targets and his brothers into custody. >> there were two kids that were brought out. but there's a 14-year-old in there. all tatted up. it's all over his back, his arm, his legs. he's 14 years old. it's part of the lifestyle. that's how they are. >> meanwhile, investigators have capture multiple targets on mannheim. >> got seven. >> seven? you got anything on you? look at me when i'm talking to you. do you have anything on you? no needles or nothing? okay. >> they make seven arrests upstairs and two more downstairs. their informant jefferson is on sight, too, as he helped to set up the sting. >> he's worried that they know. everybody knows now. if he stays up here they'll kill him. at some point today i'm going to have to run to the greyhound and

pick him up a ticket. >> there's a car here that belongs to them. they have a stash spot and a tech-9 in it, a ford. >> but the c.i. is in custody. so i need to get him down here to find out which truck. so i'll just get terry to pull him down. so we need somewhere to put him. i'm going to be doing this all day. somewhere to store him for today. because they know. they just saw me. they know that he introduced me. we'll keep him -- they know now just by looking at me. >> as investigator mizell walls arranges for his informant's safety. police continue to chase down more targets elsewhere. >> the people that we are arresting, some we had suspicions there would be narcotics with them.

>> the people that we are arresting, some we had suspicions there would be narcotics with them. that's pretty much turned out to be the case. we've pretty much accomplished it. >> however the day isn't over yet. investigator walls has one more target to nab. >> what up, red? good morning, good morning. look, i'm about to pick him up. >> he's convinced a female coke dealer nicknamed red that he's bringing her a shipment of stolen tvs. >> i'll let the boss know that you're going to sell them. and you'll just give him a cut or something like that. that way you don't disappoint your people. >> there she comes.

>> this couldn't have worked out any better. >> where is your apartment? why? >> where is your apartment? right here. hello! ebony? >> they arrest her partner as well. yet the toll of the game doesn't end there. >> can i see my son? i just want to see my son. one more time. the grandma is coming to get him? we can't just leave him here by himself. we have to stay with him until the grandma gets here. he has to leave. he's 14 years old. he can't be left there by himself. not when we take two people into custody. so what's up?

you upset? >> yeah. >> made a big mistake, didn't you? >> authorities have seized all but three of their 24 targets. >> this one is out of the house with all the kids. inside here was crack cocaine packaged all ready to go for individual sales. >> plus 18 guns and 2,000 rounds of ammunition. on top of that some of the arrestees are likely to flip and give up more targets for police to investigate. >> a lot of times when we first arrest them, they'll play the hardcore role. you let them sit in the cell for a little while. sometimes a few hours you go and talk to them again, and their whole attitude changes. they're looking at going to prison for a long time. you'll be surprised what they

start telling you. >> i forgot to tell you about another person. she serves major weight. >> an inmate known as elvis named names, and then got cold feet out of bonding out of jail. now he finds himself in a jam, as one of the many suspects busted in today's raids. >> you're probably going to get charged, it's just a matter of what you're going to get charged with at this time. >> elvis gave up good information the first time around, so authorities will offer him another chance to flip. >> it's totally on you right now. you still want to get down, we're going to arrange that for you. it's time to get on board or get off the boat. you feel me? oç

>> all we need is a couple to help you help yourself out. the rest you're going to ged paid for, if you want to keep moving. >> sometimes the most promising informants don't pan out. investigators hoped a receive admitted dope peddler known as elvis would help them set up targets in operation room service. but he changed his mind after he raised enough money to post bond. >> police! search warrant! hands up! >> four weeks later police sweep him up in the room service raids. now he's back in custody, facing new charges, and investigators adrian sandoval and drake carpenter give him one last chance to work a number. >> so how many people came down? >> how many people came down were targets you were talking to me and him about. a lot, right?

we were trying to see how good and solid your information was. whether you were keeping it real with us. >> was i keeping it real? >> absolutely. it's not over for you yet. but the game has changed. >> remember when we said the first person in the car gets to drive. you were the first person. we were setting this up before it came down. there's more targets that we talked about that aren't in here, right. >> you still want to try to work a number? we're going to arrange that are if you. you're going to be given that opportunity because you did before. you can say you don't and leave and go back to the holding cell with the rest of the guys going down in the street conspiracy case. the window of opportunity is still there. hasn't closed completely. but now you have to be more thorough. you have to have better stuff. a lot of the stuff you gave us, they already had in play. so if you can't go outside of that box, then we don't really need you. he's of no use to anybody. we're not trying to screw you.

you need something, you call. that's keeping it real. >> most all the arrests were felon charges. it was a combination of narcotics arrest, gun arrests, prostitution arrests. some of the prostitution arrests would be misdemeanors. but the narcotics were also felons as were the guns. >> on the heels of the room service raids, the police call in the local press to send a message to the public and a warning to the bad guys on the mannheim strip. >> this is just a small tip of the iceberg. we're going to have to be up here diligent every day, all day, 24 hours. their operation is a 24 hour operation that they have going on. we have no dilutions that the gangs are going away. we are going to stay on it and continue to work the community. as gangs and other individuals migrate from the city and try to

come out here, let them know that this is as difficult, if not more difficult than operating in the city. and you're better off going elsewhere. >> in the weeks that follow, investigator mizell walls and the central gangs unit begin developing a new sting in west chicago. they stay in contact with their informant jefferson, who has left the city to build a new life elsewhere. but few who enter the dope game ever get out. if they don't wind up dead. they almost always land behind bars. >> as far as crime, i'm like, hey, you do the crime, you do the time. you know. some things i think that in order to better the situation so society doesn't completely crumble to the ground. you have to revisit some of the penalties being handed out for some of these violations. maybe the judges will start to see that. these nonviolence offenses and, you know, just sending these

guys away for 40, 50, 60 years for crack-cocaine or whatever. powder cocaine, whatever it is. it is really not helping the situation. they made mistakes. a lot of them are at a young age. 17, 18. we all were immature at that age. and they've made mistakes. they're paying for it for their whole life. >> and so the game goes on, 24-7, with no end in sight. >> we're not really here to say you did it we're trying to see if maybe you want to sit down and talk to us while maybe trying to help yourself out of the nonsense. if not, that's your prerogative. >> a lot of guys came down in the operation. basically,'re going to everybody one at a time. the first man in the car gets to drive. if you know what i'm saying. it's going to come down pretty hard. here's the number, man. you decide what you want to do. good luck. i appreciate you, man. good luck with your case.