ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Local law enforcement agencies around Tampa Bay came together to investigate crimes related to the ongoing drug issue in our communities.
During a news conference Tuesday morning, St. Petersburg Police Chief Anthony Holloway explained how 10 agencies around the area, including the FBI Tampa Division, were able to work together to get drugs, guns and dangerous groups out of the cities.
In January of this year, the St. Petersburg Police Department started to look into the "violent" crimes and shootings happening in the city, Holloway explained. And the conclusion reportedly came to drugs being sold in the area.
After coming to this conclusion, the police chief said the agency reached out to other surrounding counties in the Tampa Bay region. Fast forward to April, all of the agencies came together to have a meeting to talk about the common issues and how to combat them.
But it wasn't until June that a plan was formed through the collaboration of the agencies.
According to the police department, Operation Coquina Key was launched to investigate several people trafficking in large amounts of marijuana and narcotics. And more than a dozen reports linked this specific group to shootings in Pinellas County.
"This violent drug ring operated throughout the entire region and law enforcement agencies were more effective working together to bring it down," Holloway said in a statement.
The long-term investigation allowed the task force to complete more than 130 warrants and 130 subpoenas.
Holloway explained how two men were arrested for bringing and delivering semi-trucks filled with drugs to the Tampa Bay area from California once a week.
Over the past two weeks, law enforcement seized large amounts of drugs, firearms and money, including:
- Approximately 1,800 pounds of marijuana (approximately $3 million value)
- 15 guns (three of them were stolen)
- $360,000 cash
- 7 pounds of liquid promethazine (codeine, 25-year minimum sentence)
- 42 grams of crack cocaine
- 40 grams of powder cocaine
- 5 grams of methamphetamine
- 18 grams of heroin/fentanyl mix
- 252 BU Crystals (mis-sold as Ecstasy or Molly)
- 1,054 grams of THC wax
- 2 stolen vehicles
- 6 vehicles seized
26 people were also arrested as the investigation went on.
All agencies that worked together in the investigation include:
- FBI Tampa Division
- Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Tampa Division
- Florida Department of Law Enforcement
- Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office
- Manatee County Sheriff's Office
- Pinellas County Sheriff's Office
- Clearwater Police Department
- St. Petersburg Police Department
- Tampa Police Department
- Pinellas County Pasco County State Attorney's Office
Watch the full news conference down below.