Tampa, FL – In a major blow to the city’s notorious drug trade, a DEA-led joint task force announced the results of Operation Overdrive, a 5-month, concentrated law enforcement effort that led to dozens of arrests and significant drug seizures.
According to the DEA, the operation targeted some of Tampa’s most violent drug traffickers, who were responsible for trafficking large quantities of fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, and oxycodone. The investigation, which began in October 2022, resulted in the seizure of 2.1 kilograms of cocaine, 4.07 kilograms of fentanyl, 3.82 kilograms of methamphetamine, 0.05 kilograms of oxycodone, 0.65 kilograms of marijuana, and 0.82 grams of heroin.
The estimated street value of the seized drugs is approximately $15 million. The operation also resulted in the arrest of over a dozen drug traffickers, who are facing federal charges related to their involvement in the trafficking ring.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, led by U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg, and the DEA Miami Field Division, led by Special Agent in Charge Deanne Reuter, joined forces with the Tampa Police Department and other local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to execute the operation.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to reducing violent crime and overdose deaths in our community,” said U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg. “That goal cannot be accomplished without the hard work and dedication of our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners.”
“Inherently, drug trafficking is linked to crime and violence, and no community, including Tampa, is immune,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Deanne Reuter. “Operation Overdrive is an example of the important work we do together to keep our communities safe.”
The operation was a result of a data-driven, intelligence-led approach using national crime statistics and CDC data to identify hot spots of drug-related violence and overdose deaths across the country.
The DEA Tampa District Office-led team of local, state, and federal partners mapped, identified, arrested, and prosecuted the drug traffickers in three investigations under Operation Overdrive Tampa.
“The success of ‘Operation Overdrive’ is another example of the power of partnerships,” said Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw. “By working together with our federal partners at the DEA, we were able to target the root causes of drug-related violence and overdoses in our community.”
The operation was a collaborative effort between the DEA, Tampa Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), and the State Attorney’s Office.
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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