Police operation cracks down on miami drug offenses
July 28, 2009
Miami-Dade and Opa-Locka narcotics detectives and police officers arrested several suspected drug dealers in a concerted effort to reduce the amount of drug sales,
drug trafficking and drug related violence in some Miami neighborhoods. Miami narcotics detectives often engage in drug suppression raids in high crime neighborhoods in Miami, Florida. The local police departments are not only concerned with the high level of cocaine and marijuana trafficking and
sales, but they are also concerned with the high number of drug related deaths that occur in these neighborhoods. A
Miami criminal attorney revealed that although dozens of arrests were made, those arrested will soon be back on the streets. The result is not a product of the police department's efforts, but on an overwhelmed
state court system in Miami, Florida.
Residents in the area were grateful that narcotics detectives and police officers participated in "Operation Safe Garden". Tammy Stewart, an Opa-Locka resident said that the police crackdown was a good thing, but that more police presence in her neighborhood is needed. She claims that she never sees police officers patrolling her neighborhood and when the police are called, they take a long time in responding to calls.
Brian Finne, the Opa-Locka City Manager, admitted that have to do a better job in promptly responding to calls. He went further to say that all of the police agencies in Miami are challenged with the time difference in receiving and then responding to calls. Mr. Finne explained that the Opa-Locla Police Department is taking a pro-active approach to solving the problem. He intends on having more units patrol the high crime areas and back that up with a crime suppression task force.
As a result of the operation, Miami and Opa-Locka police officers removed 45.5 grams of
cocaine and 469 pounds of marijuana from the streets. Ninety-two felony and twenty misdemeanor arrests were made, small amounts of heroin and MDMA (Ecstasy) were seized along with two firearms.
Police Operation Cracks Down on Drug Dealers, Miami Herald, July 25, 2009.
