In the latest update to the North Carolina college drug bust, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) suspended three fraternities discovered to have been linked to the case. Federal prosecutors say the frats were behind the supply of large amounts of drugs into three college campuses.
UNC Chancellor Kevin Guskeiwicz said the results of the investigation led the university to take “swift action” against behavior that he believes poses a threat to students and public health. UNC’s recognition of Phi Gamma Delta, Kappa Sigma, and Beta Theta Pi fraternities has been suspended “due to the alleged activity cited in the ongoing investigation.”
North Carolina Drug Bust
Just last week, 21 current and former students from Duke University, the University of North Carolina, and Appalachian State University were arrested on charges of dealing drugs. Court findings reveal that the illegal drug activities took place between 2017 and the spring of 2020.
The suspects range from 21 to 35 years, with most of them in their mid-twenties.
US Attorney Matthew GT Martin said that more than 450 kilograms of marijuana, alongside several hundred kilograms of cocaine and significant quantities of other drugs, was funneled and facilitated by the drug ring.
The attorney highlighted how this investigation was important in revealing the “dangerous” impacts of frat culture in universities.
“University administrators and national chapters cannot turn a blind eye to the impact on these students and the environment on their respective college campuses,” he explained in a press release.
Impact of Fraternities Questioned
Fraternities have been a hot topic for many years, with many questioning the impact of having such organizations in universities.
In 2019, the Phi Delta Theta fraternity house at Louisiana State University (LSU) faced controversy over a suspected hazing incident, when freshman Maxwell Gruver died from alcohol poisoning.
In another incident last month, an LSU student and member of the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity was charged with hazing after a freshman was hospitalized.
Greek life has also come under fire over sexual harassment, assault, and rape on college campuses.