Operation We Are CLE Nets 200 Arrests, 60 Kilos of Cocaine, 5 Kilos of Heroin

CLEVELAND, OH – Hundreds of individuals were arrested, dozens of firearms seized, and a massive quantity of narcotics was confiscated in Cleveland as part of the first phase of "Operation We Are CLE," a joint operation between the U.S. Marshals Service and Drug Enforcement Administration, along with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.

According to the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio Justin E. Herdman, "This operation embodies the best of Project Safe Neighborhoods – working with federal and state agencies and local police to tailor a strategy that makes the most sense for specific areas." Herdman added, "This operation got a lot of dangerous people, firearms, and dangerous drugs off the streets of Cleveland."

U.S. Marshal for the Northern District of Ohio Peter J. Elliott praised the collaboration between agencies, stating, "The US Marshals have a long history of working with Cleveland Police and other agencies to address our community’s most pressing crime issues. We are glad we were able to hold dozens of known fugitives accountable as summer starts and people go out to enjoy their city."

Between April 23 and May 18, law enforcement conducted coordinated activities in targeted Cleveland neighborhoods, including searches for individuals with outstanding warrants, vice operations, vehicle checkpoints, traffic enforcement, and other tactics. Firearms arrests were up 175 percent over the same period last year in a targeted police district in Cleveland, while homicides were down 20 percent citywide during the first phase of Operation We Are CLE.

The U.S. Marshals Service, working with Cleveland police, targeted and arrested violent fugitives. The Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department conducted checks on registered sex offenders. The FBI and Cleveland Division of Police worked together to identify and target criminals involved in firearms violence. The DEA seized 60 kilograms of cocaine, approximately 4.7 kilograms of heroin, 100 grams of a fentanyl/carfentanil mixture, seven firearms, and $271,000 in cash.

Participating agencies include the U.S. Marshals Service, DEA, the Cleveland Division of Police, the Ohio Adult Parole Authority, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office, the Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office.

The second phase of the operation is currently underway, with authorities anticipating that many of the arrests and seizures will result in charges being filed in U.S. District Court in Cleveland.

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