Four violent criminal organizations involved in drug trafficking in southwest Baltimore have been dismantled, Maryland law enforcement announced Monday.
Almost 40 people between the ages of 16-60 have been criminally charged thus far, and confiscations included 15 stolen vehicles, nearly 70 guns, and large amounts of narcotics and money. The crime bust was a collaborative effort of over a dozen local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies that officials called “Operation Tornado Alley.”
“Law enforcement recovered over 7 kg of cocaine, 3 kg of fentanyl heroin mixture, 110 pounds of cannabis, and nearly $400,000 in cash believed to be derived from the sale of narcotics,” said Jared Forget, the special agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Agency.
Some of the drugs collected were found to be from out of state, including 340 grams of suspected cocaine that was being brought from New York into Maryland.
The investigation
Baltimore City State’s Attorney Ivan Bates said the operation was a nearly yearlong investigation, and it took law enforcement six months of 24/7 surveillance to track down the criminal groups. Baltimore police carried out 16 search and seizure warrants on Nov. 19 in three locations, where they made the bulk of the arrests.
Wiretapping the phones of people suspected to be involved in the criminal organizations helped investigators carry out the raids. Drug trafficking operations took place in four areas: the 2000 block of West Pratt Street, the 500 block of Millington Avenue, the 1700 block of Lemmon Street, and the 2800 block of Edmondson Avenue.
The wiretaps also allowed law enforcement to prevent violent acts from happening, such as an armed robbery, a premeditated hit, and a planned turf war.
Efforts from U.S. Attorney Erek Barron and Bates were also vital to the success of the operation, as their combined work allowed the officers to wiretap phones. Barron also helped collect resources and funds for the monthslong investigation.
The Nov. 19 raids were made possible through collaborations between the DEA, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, FBI, the Maryland State Police, Baltimore City Fire, animal control, and other local police departments.
Toni Crosby, the special agent in charge of ATF’s Baltimore Field Division, said the confiscated firearms were connected through the national ballistics database to 47 shooting investigations.
“These devices pose a massive threat to public safety,” Crosby said at a news conference Monday.
Bates added, “Dismantling these operations marks a significant step forward. We are not only disrupting the sale of illegal and lethal narcotics but also mitigating potential murders.”
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Bates promised his office would continue efforts to take down criminal organizations.
“My office is committed to continuing to upend the lives of individuals who think Baltimore is a safe place to traffic guns, drugs, and violence,” he said.
This article was originally published at www.washingtonexaminer.com
