STATEWIDE NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS
HSMV-MEDIA@FLHSMV.GOV
Multi-Agency Strike Force nets 350 felony charges, over half million in assets seized, eight undocumented aliens
~ Florida strike force continues to prove commitment to law and order state ~
 TALLAHASSEE, Fla. –Last week Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), Florida National Guard Counterdrug Taskforce, Columbia County Sheriff's Office, and agents from U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) participated in a weeklong operation in Columbia County.
The strike force was formed at the direction of Governor DeSantis to interdict human smuggling and human trafficking and to seize illegal weapons transported through the State. Through the collaborative effort of all involved, the strike force conducted 286 traffic stops resulting in the following:
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33 Misdemeanor Charges
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3 Vehicles Seized
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350 Felony Charges
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4 Guns Recovered
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2 Firearm Charges
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Over 1,500 grams of Fentanyl
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8 Undocumented Aliens
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Over 41 grams of Cocaine
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23 Drug Charges
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Over 1,000 grams of Heroin
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42 Total Arrests
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Almost 4,000 grams of Marijuana
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Recovery of almost $9,000
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Over 150 grams of Methamphetamine
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"The Florida Highway Patrol is committed to battling the illicit flow of deadly drugs entering our state and damaging our communities," said FLHSMV Executive Director Dave Kerner. "We will always work to disable the criminal cartels that take advantage of the open border. Thanks to Governor DeSantis we are empowered to fight back full force, and these interdiction operations are just one way we continue to keep Floridians safe and hold criminals accountable."
"This operation and others taking place in Florida and Texas aim at keeping narcotics, weapons, and criminals off our streets and away from our communities," said FHP Colonel Gary Howze II. "Time and time again, these operations highlight the amount of illegal material transported daily into and throughout our State. We are dedicated to stopping this by aggressively pursuing our mission of providing a safer Florida."
Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Mark Glass said, “These multi-agency interdictions continue to take felons, guns, drugs and unlawful criminals off of our streets and out of Florida’s communities. These successful strike force missions can serve as a role model for other states.” |
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Operations like this highlight the ongoing multi-agency commitment to preventing dangerous substances like fentanyl from being trafficked into our State. This operation also interdicts human smugglers, undocumented aliens, and illegal weapons through a combined mission to keep Florida safe.
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