In a coordinated strike, 75 police officers converged Wed-nesday afternoon on six Wai-'anae Coast beaches in a raid that swept up 18 alleged street-level drug dealers.

The four-hour operation from Nanakuli to Makaha along Farrington Highway covered Depot, Tracks, Ma'ili, Poka'i Bay, Lahilahi and Kea'au beach parks and resulted in 48 criminal charges, 20 of them for trafficking crystal methamphetamine. The roundup netted fugitives wanted on 18 outstanding bench warrants.

All were arrested without incident or injury, police said.

Lt. David Passmore, supervisor of Narcotics/Vice's Regional complaints detail, said police seized 40 grams of crystal methamphetamine, valued at $5,500; 24 grams of marijuana; and $2,313 in cash.

Police Narcotics/Vice Capt. Kerry Inouye yesterday said the operation capped a two-month investigation to address community complaints of drug dealing at the public beaches. The investigation involved undercover officers buying drugs from sellers, he said.

Suzanne Leonida, a Wai'anae Valley Road resident, applauded police for the effort.

"It is a very positive action," said Leonida, who also is a Wai'anae Neighborhood Board member. "Drug dealing is a very big problem. We heard complaints from residents all the time at Neighborhood Board meetings. It's around the beach areas, so this (operation) sets an example."

Seven suspects were arrested at Poka'i Bay Beach Park and five others were arrested at Tracks. Of the 18 arrested, eight have been charged with felony meth trafficking — Alfred Andrew Nacionales, 39; Edmund K. Yaw, 46; Walter Bernard, 19; Karen L. Kaahu, 39; Daniel Holbron, 45; Rodney K. Davis, 26; Robert Morris, 57; and Keith Kailehu, 45. Police were seeking similar charges against seven others.

A 32-year-old woman arrested for meth trafficking was released pending further investigation for possible future indictment. Another woman, 23, was charged only on an outstanding $100 warrant while a man, 23, was charged with a petty misdemeanor of drinking alcohol in public but is being investigated for possibly having a firearm.

Passmore said bail for those charged ranged from $11,000 to $40,000 and that conviction for meth trafficking could result in a 10-year prison term.

The operation was unusual in scope, targeting six sites at once. Although none of those arrested was believed to be a high-level supplier, the operation sends a message to other dealers, Inouye said.

"Every small drug deal is part of a bigger deal," Inouye said. "At the street level, we want to send the message to people selling drugs that you can get arrested because you might be selling to an undercover police officer. And the consequence is up to 10 years in prison.

"When we go after high-level drug dealers, the investigations take longer," Inouye said. "This gives us an approach from two sides, bottom and top. We don't want to give them time to get comfortable, and we want to assure the public that we're willing to look at their complaints."

Reach Rod Ohira at rohira@honoluluadvertiser.com.