A two-month operation targeting drug trafficking and violent crime in Palm Beach County has led to dozens of arrests and a large amount of guns and narcotics seized, authorities said Thursday.
Operation Hurricane
“Operation Hurricane” was led by the ATF and involved the DEA, Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office and other agencies. The operation resulted in at least 46 suspects facing charges, officials said at a news conference.
Authorities seized 94 firearms and “substantial quantities” of drugs, including over 7 kilos of cocaine, nearly 1.5 kilos of crack cocaine, over 400 grams of fentanyl, thousands of methamphetamine pills, and trafficking amounts of methamphetamine and heroin.
“Four hundred grams of fentanyl can kill 200,000 people. That’s more people than live in the city of West Palm Beach,” said Jason A. Reding Quiñones, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District. “That’s how dangerous this drug is.”
The effort involved over 120 undercover operations throughout the county. In one instance, a firearm that was seized was found to be connected with a recent murder case and led to a suspect being arrested and charged in the killing.
Investigators said ATF agents had been conducting controlled firearm and narcotics purchases from individuals operating near 18th Street and Tamarind Avenue in West Palm Beach when they learned that Jarvis Williams, a convicted felon, was allegedly involved in a fatal shooting on May 9.
Authorities said an undercover ATF agent purchased a Glock Model 22 pistol from Williams five days later, and ballistic testing through NIBIN allegedly linked the firearm to the homicide. Williams was subsequently arrested by the West Palm Beach Police Department and, according to authorities, faces a state charge of second-degree murder with a firearm as well as a federal charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
In a May 28 case, authorities arrested four convicted felons following what investigators described as an undercover narcotics transaction. Authorities said they seized two firearms, ammunition, cell phones, gloves, masks and handcuffs that investigators described as robbery paraphernalia.
In two additional operations on June 17 and June 18, authorities arrested seven people who investigators allege provided armed protection for narcotics transactions. According to federal officials, agents recovered seven firearms, ammunition, ballistic vests, two-way radios, handcuffs and other tactical equipment.
“Illegal guns fuel robberies, retaliatory violence, drug trafficking and murder,” Acting Deputy Attorney General Colin M. McDonald said at the news conference. “Illegal narcotics bring addiction, overdose and instability into neighborhoods already carrying too much of the burden of crime.”
Of the 46 people arrested, 41 are facing federal charges, while five face state charges. Robert Cekada, director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, said the investigation focused on individuals involved in violent crime.
“These are not good people. These are not law-abiding American citizens that we’re targeting,” Cekada said.
Original reporting: NBC6 Miami — read the source article.
