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Police Dispatcher, School District Employee Caught In N.J. Drug Ring Bust

TOMS RIVER, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- A municipal police dispatcher and a school district employee were among 25 people hit with charges in New Jersey after authorities broke up an alleged drug ring.

Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph Coronato announced the arrests Monday. They stemmed from an ongoing investigation that began last August and involves numerous local, county, state and federal law enforcement agencies.

Coronato said authorities seized numerous weapons, various illicit drugs and approximately $91,000 in cash when they executed several search warrants last week at homes in Ocean County, as well as Essex, Mercer and Monmouth counties, according to an Asbury Park Press report.

Authorities also seized several bank accounts, including one of that allegedly had about $70,000 in drug proceeds.

Lavallette police dispatcher Kathy Anne Graham, 57, allegedly warned some alleged ring members, including her daughter, about the raids, the newspaper reported. Manalapan school district worker Shawn Hannon, 27, faced drug possession charges, the newspaper reported.

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