UNC suspends 3 fraternities that feds linked to drug ring

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has suspended three fraternities linked to a drug trafficking ring that federal prosecutors say funneled large amounts of drugs into three college campuses

Drug Ring Colleges (Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill announced Friday afternoon it has suspended three fraternities that have been linked to a drug trafficking ring that federal prosecutors say funneled large amounts of drugs into three college campuses.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Greensboro announced this week that 21 people were charged in connection to the ring following an investigation by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.

In a statement, UNC Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz said the findings prompted the university to take “swift action” to combat behavior he believes endangers student and public health.

“Today, UNC-Chapel Hill suspended University recognition of the campus chapters of Phi Gamma Delta, Kappa Sigma and Beta Theta Pi due to the alleged activity cited in the ongoing investigation,” Guskiewicz wrote. “We are taking swift action today because the serious nature of the alleged criminal behaviors is contradictory to our code of conduct and endangers the health of our student body and community.”

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Anderson is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.