Multi-Agency Crackdown Nets 100 Arrests In Miami
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – A massive, multi-agency crackdown on drug dealing and violent crime in Miami has yielded hundreds of arrests along with cash, illegal weapons and illegal drugs.
Miami Police said the operations date back as far as 2010 and that residents across the city are safer Friday afternoon thanks to the arrests.
"We are addressing their needs and we are going after all these shootings," said Miami Police Chief Manuel Orosa.
The charges against the more than 100 defendants included trafficking in heroin and cocaine all the way up to attempted murder. Police said four suspects were still at large.
"We arrested 22 individuals that are convicted felons for carrying and using firearms," said Chief Orosa. "We've also arrested over 100 individuals involved in the traffic of heroin and cocaine."
The three projects were called "Operation Black Dove, Operation Gun Squad Goons, and Operation Meltdown" which helped break up a drug distribution network in Overtown and Liberty City.
"We want to bring quality of life and by doing this, the people will be safer," said Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado.
The chief also announced a grant of $10,000 to finance upcoming gun buy back programs. The first one will be held January 19th at the Jordan Grove Missionary Baptist Church where the Reverend Jerome Starling is an assistant pastor.
"We don't need AK-47's, Uzis, Mac 10's," said Reverend Starling. "We don't need these type of guns in our community. We need regular people just to turn their guns in simply because they get stolen. These guns get stolen. We don't need this. We are sick and tired of all these young people dying by random gun shots in our community."
