The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has announced the arrest and charging of nearly 200 individuals for their alleged roles in drug trafficking. The arrests were carried out across 10 states.
According to a press release from the DOJ, these arrests form part of Attorney General Merrick Garland's "Violent Crime Reduction Strategy". In an effort to address violent crime, attorney's offices across the United States are collaborating with state and local partners to execute specific initiatives. These include the seizure of drugs and the prosecution of individuals who contribute to violence within communities.
In the press release, Garland commented on the recent arrests. "Over just three days and across 10 states, the Justice Department has charged nearly 200 individuals for their alleged roles in major drug trafficking operations. These cases represent just a fraction of the work our agents and prosecutors are doing every day to target, disrupt, and dismantle the cartels and drug trafficking organizations that are poisoning the American people," said Garland.
The DOJ reported that in the District of Alaska, 54 defendants were charged as more than 36 kilograms of fentanyl, 27.3 kilograms of methamphetamine, 11.3 kilograms of heroin, and 118 grams of cocaine were seized. Meanwhile, in West Virginia, charges were brought against 82 defendants who surrendered 10 kilograms of fentanyl worth $1.2 million - enough to produce 33,000 capsules. In Nebraska, charges were filed against nineteen defendants for methamphetamine distribution. The Southern District of Mississippi arrested 40 defendants found in possession of five kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, one kilogram of cocaine, and thirty-six firearms.
According to another section in the DOJ press release, these investigations have been facilitated by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). The OCDETF aims to identify and dismantle drug-trafficking and criminal organizations posing a threat to the United States. The task force operates with federal support, in addition to state and local assistance, to expose these groups.
