More than 40 people were arrested and large quantities of drugs seized following operations by the Fentanyl Strike Force, Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch announced Monday. Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office and Meridian Police Department were among the agencies participating in the initiative.
The two operations, which took place in January and February, netted a total of 48 arrests for sales and possession of controlled substances. Additionally, one of the operations resulted in law enforcement confiscating 76,000 pills and 114 pounds of powder, both of which tested positive for the powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl. Officers also seized two pill presses and 12 firearms.
“We are committed to building a network of law enforcement across the state with the tools and knowledge to identify and handle fentanyl and remove drug-pushing criminals from our communities,” Fitch said. “I am grateful to these brave officers for their work to get these dangerous drugs off the streets and save lives. Together with the everyday Mississippians that we are empowering with our One Pill Can Kill initiative, we will defeat this devastating epidemic.”
In addition to LCSO and MPD, participating agencies include the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, Mississippi Department of Corrections, DEA, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Postal Inspectors, Madison Police Department, Lafayette County Metro Narcotics Unit, Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office, Oxford Police Department, University of Mississippi Police Department, Yalobusha County Sheriff’s Office, Panola County Sheriff’s Office, Marshall County Sheriff’s Office and Tupelo Police Department.
Lauderdale County Sheriff Ward Calhoun said partnering with state and federal agencies helps deputies better serve their community and protect the county’s citizens.
“Working together with state and federal agencies, we are able to utilize those relationships to better protect our communities from the scourge of these drugs,” he said.