3 of the Largest Drug Arrests in America in 2018

Drug arrests are some of the most common law violations in America. This is no surprise considering America’s obvious war on drugs. Law enforcement agencies are kept busy infiltrating and looking for major drug rings. Some of these operations take years, while others can take several months. However, it’s all worth it for getting illicit drugs off of the streets. By limiting access to illicit street drugs, drug dealing on the streets gets reduced. This, in turn, will limit the amount of Americans who get hooked on drugs, which unfortunately is a lot at this point.

In 2016, the FBI estimated that it made a total of 1,572,579 drug arrests. That’s over 50,000 arrests each and every day! These arrests included all type of drug charges, from marijuana to heroin. Cocaine and heroin are some of the top drugs being targeted by the drug enforcement administration. Some of these busts were for petty drug traffickers, while others infiltrated major organized crime groups. No drug arrest is too small in America’s war on drugs.

Drug enforcement agencies have been busy in 2018. Already, police officers have made some major arrests to keep drugs off of the streets. Here are 3 of the largest drug arrests made in 2018 as of yet. Naturally, these are only examples. There is a lot more that local enforcement agencies and drug enforcement agencies should be proud of.

In 2016, 182,048 drug arrests were for the sale and manufacture of illicit drugs. Which drugs were most prevalent? Here’s a quick break down of the drug offenses by substance type.

• 5.42% (64,288 of the total drug arrests) were for heroin, cocaine or their derivatives
• 4.19% (49,714 of the total drug arrests) were for marijuana
• 4.12% (48,883 of the total drug arrests) were for non-narcotic drugs
• 1.61% (19,163 of the total drug arrests) were for synthetic opioids

Another class of drug offense is drug possession. The majority of drug arrests, or 1,004,762, from 2016 were for drug possession. There were 443,454 arrests for marijuana possession and 241,806 arrests for cocaine or heroin possession.

More Than 75 Guns, 95 pounds of Meth and 32 Pounds of Heroin Seized in Puget Sound in June 2018

Several local enforcement agencies and drug tasks forces banded together for one of the largest drug takedown initiatives in Puget Sound. This operation spanned across King, Piercen, Skagit, Snohomish and Thurston counties. More than 80 drug dealers were arrested on drug charges for moving meth, heroin, cocaine and fentanyl. Fentanyl is one of the biggest killers in America. Only several micrograms are needed to cause a fatal overdose.

The operation took over four months, and the takedown involved wire-taps and surveillance. It’s fairly difficult to dismantle such a sophisticated drug trafficking ring. This drug trafficking ring, in particular, is also known for committing violent crimes. The goal of this drug bust was to reduce drug and gang violence within South Sound communities.

How successful was this operation and drug bust? Altogether, this operation resulted in the seizure of:

• 75 guns
• More than 95 pounds of methamphetamine
• Over than 32 pounds of heroin
• More than 7 pounds of cocaine (both crack cocaine and cocaine powder)
• Over $327,000 in cash
• More than 22 vehicles

Ecstasy and fentanyl were also seized. This seizure will do a lot to improve public health, since a significant amount of drugs are now off the streets. The defendants in these cases also face a variety of gun and drug charges. Successful convictions will lead to penalties that range from 5 years in prison to a maximum of life in prison. It depends on the pertinent charge. It also depends on the individual. A felon in possession with large quantities of drugs will be much more likely to be sentenced a harsher penalty than a first-time offender.

Over 90,000 Decks of Heroin Seized from Operation Heading Back in March 2018

Some of the major drug busts in 2018 spanned several counties and even eventually went offshore. This is what happened with Operation Heading Back in Ocean County. Operation Heading Back started with street-level transaction in Lakewood. The police stopped a street-level trafficker and found drugs on his person. The case then worked its way up into Central and then North Jersey. Eventually, it worked its way into the Bronx and, finally, offshore.

According to the county sheriff’s office, this operation spanned 11 months and seven counties, but it was all worth it. It led to 28 arrests, 20 firearms and 33 raids. Drug arrests can often reduce the rate of violent crimes. It makes the street a safer place for American citizens. There will be fewer drug deals, and substance abuse rates will, theoretically, start to decrease. Unfortunately, even with police officers working overtime, drug crimes continue to rise.

The drug busts were led by the Special Operations Group in Ocean County. This group first came together in 1988. The county has recently become a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. The goal of this operation is to help reduce crime on the streets.

Operation Heading Back resulted in the seizure of 90,000 decks of heroin, nearly 20 pounds of cocaine and an AK-47 assault rifle. AN additional 19 guns were also recovered. There was also over $850,000 in cash. There were 28 arrests, and authorities were able to issue three fugitive warrants. This operation dismantled nine drug factories. It effectively stopped a “one-stop shopping” drug enterprise.

Over $3.6 Million Worth of Fentanyl Recovered in Clark County

Fentanyl is one of America’s largest killers. It’s responsible for a large number of overdose deaths. Many major drug busts have been made in the Dayton area. Most recently, a major drug bust led to the seizure of $3.6 million worth of fentanyl in Clark County. That’s a notable amount of drugs that are now off the streets. It’ll help many drug addicts that are struggling with substance abuse.

According to the sheriff’s office, four men were arrested on drug charges. They face conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl. With a successful conviction, this count carries a minimum 10-year sentence. The severity of the sentencing is due to the tremendous effect that fentanyl has had on the community so far. This illicit drug is not only extremely addictive, but it’s dangerous. It’s often mixed in with other drugs, like heroin and cocaine. Some opioid addicts do take fentanyl by itself to get high. After all, fentanyl is one of the most potent opioids out there. It is 50 to 100 times stronger than morphine.

In addition to seizing fentanyl, the raid also led to the retrieval of 50 pounds of marijuana and U.S. currency stacked up in “bands” in a closet. Local law enforcement agencies have not yet disclosed the exact amount. According to the drug enforcement administration, this drug bust is linked to Mexican cartel activity, which has been increasing over the past years. It’s quite the success.

This is not the only drug bust made in the Daytona area this year. There have been many more that involved the confiscation of a huge quantity of cocaineand other illicit drugs. Distributing cocaine and other illicit drugs is a felony crime. Felony drugs can yield quite a long sentence with a successful conviction.

Local Law Enforcement Agencies are Working with Federal Drug Enforcement Agencies to Keep Drugs Off of the Streets

With drug abuse becoming so prevalent in America, it’s time that local law enforcement agencies take action. Many of these agencies have banded together with federal drug enforcement agencies. Police departments are working around-the-clock to get drugs off of the streets. This will also indirectly lower the number of violent crimes committed within the city. Many drug crimes are associated and linked with violent crimes. After all, most drug busts also result in the seizure of guns.

We should applaud the many police departments and task forces that work tirelessly to keep drugs off of the streets. Unfortunately, the number of drug arrests being made each year is still growing in every county. It’s evident with the many news videos and crime reports popping up. Some news teams dedicate their time to following task forces that deal explicitly with drug arrests. Many of these arrests appear on public file. Unfortunately, arrest rates show no signs of stopping. This is because the drug trade is incredibly profitable. Drugs are in high demand, and organized crime is taking advantage of this fact.

If you’re a drug user, you’re part of the problem. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a serious drug addict or just a recreational user. Do your part by getting clean. If you need any help, don’t hesitate to contact our team at Amethyst Recovery. We offer a variety of treatment programs and options that can help you get back on track.