-from dailysouthtown.com-

By William Lee, Staff Writer

Cook County sheriff’s police and Summit police arrested 26 people in connection with a street drug market near Argo Community High School and a public housing complex.

The arrests, which began last week through Tuesday, resulted from an eight-month undercover investigation that targeted crack-cocaine dealers and their customers, sheriff’s police said. Of those arrested, 12 were dealers and 14 were customers, police said.

The investigation began in May after Summit police asked for assistance in combating drug dealing in the 7400 block of West 63rd Place and the 6300 block of 74th Avenue, according to police.

Undercover sheriff’s officers bought crack from many dealers, some admitted gang members, on about 40 occasions for amounts ranging from $20 to $100 near Argo and the Robert Allison Homes, sheriff’s police said. They said the drug buys were videotaped.

Under state law, penalties are increased when illegal drugs are sold within 1,000 feet of a school, church, park or public housing.

Police said they targeted dealers in the first phase of the investigation. The 12 arrested range in age from 18 to 46, and all were charged with delivery of cocaine.

In the second phase, officers posed as drug dealers and arrested 14 people after selling them fake narcotics. Most were charged with attempted drug possession, police said.