Responding to a rash of community complaints about drug dealing near an elementary school on 'Akepo Lane in Kalihi, Honolulu police arrested 11 people, including five convicted felons, on federal and state drug charges this week.

A four-month undercover drug sting culminated in the arrests Tuesday and Wednesday by District 5 crime reduction unit officers.

Nine of those arrested were indicted by a federal grand jury last week on charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine near an elementary school or community college and possession with intent to manufacture, distribute, or dispense, more than 50 grams of a controlled substance, according to the U.S. attorney's office.

Two others were charged in state court with distributing a dangerous drug in the second degree.

The operation, dubbed "Crushed Ice," involved District 5 CRU, patrol officers and undercover detectives with HPD's narcotics/vice division.

Police seized a quarter pound of crystal methamphetamine worth $16,000 during the sting.

"We'll be doing more enforcement in the Weed and Seed area because we won't stand for it (drug dealing) and the community won't stand for it," said Ho-nolulu police Maj. Kurt B. Kendro. "We're continually doing things around the island and they (the community) may not see uniformed officers but we are investigating."

The operation was initiated after police received numerous complaints from residents about drug dealing on 'Akepo Lane.

Princess Kaiulani Elementary School and Honolulu Community College both sit within 1,000 yards of the lane.

Authorities were able to bring federal charges in the case because the area where the dealers were operating is a designated federal Weed and Seed area.

The program, which attempts to "weed" out criminal elements and "seed" community involvement and pride, got good reviews from residents. The U.S. Department of Justice said that under Weed and Seed, all sectors of a community come together to voice their concerns, set priorities and create solutions.

In 1998 the Kalihi/Palama/Chinatown area became the state's first Weed and Seed site because of its high crime rate.

"I applaud the Honolulu police officers involved in this operation," said U.S. Attorney Ed Kubo. "The police and prosecutors are serious about keeping our Weed and Seed areas safe from drugs and crime, and anyone who deals drugs in our communities will get arrested, convicted and removed from our communities."

Yesterday, officers posed as drug dealers in a reverse sting. Officers began gathering evidence and making undercover buys on 'Akepo Lane in November 2006.

None of those arrested in the case lived in the area and some were homeless, police said.

'Akepo Lane falls within police beat 566, which had the second-most reported felony crimes in the Kalihi police district in 2005, the last year that beat-by-beat crime statistics are available.

There were 380 felony crimes reported in beat 566 in 2005, including 277 thefts, 46 car thefts, 29 burglaries and 21 assaults.

Reach Peter Boylan at pboylan@honoluluadvertiser.com.