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The LAPD clearly wanted to get into the "night before Christmas" layoff spirit so popular lately with the studios around town, but with nary a publicity or comedy development department to ravage, what is a municipal law enforcement organization to do? How about something as easy as shooting some fish shooting up in a barrel, and nabbing yourself a celebrity in the process?!

Undercover detectives posing as drug dealers launched the first phase of a new LAPD crackdown on skid row's massive drug marketplace Thursday by arresting 14 buyers, including a Hollywood actor.


The undercover officers masqueraded as street dealers in scruffy clothing as they lured unsuspecting buyers to purchase balloons filled with fake heroin along Spring and 6th streets.

The officers made an arrest about every 5 to 10 minutes, yelling "Cancel Christmas" as a signal to uniformed officers to move in and make the arrest.

Among those held on suspicion of felony attempted possession was actor Brad Renfro, who has appeared in such films as "The Client," "Apt Pupil" and "Ghost World."

With a giant photo of his drug arrest splashed across the front page of the LAT, it appears Christmas has indeed been cancelled for Renfro this year there will be no needles, pine or otherwise, no stockings tied off with care, no blissfully induced sugar plum visions. You're a mean one, Mr. Bratton.