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Authorities have been making arrests as federal, state and local law enforcement crack down against violent crime and drugs in Louisiana.
A multi-month push to go after violent gangs and drug peddlers around the Bayou State yielded 742 arrests as well as the seizure of drugs, according to a report.
The undertaking that started in October resulted in the recovery of 176 firearms in the state and vast amounts of drugs, including fentanyl and other substances, KTAL/KMSS reported.
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FBI New Orleans special agent in charge Jonathan Tapp and others (FBI New Orleans on X)
“The FBI and our partners used targeted enforcement in high crime areas to get drug dealers, violent gangs, and criminals off the streets,” FBI New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Tapp said in a statement provided to Digital. “We are focused on drug cartels and violent gangs wherever they are operating all over the country. We are targeting their supply chains, their financing, and arresting their leaders and criminal associates.”
In a statement obtained by Digital, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana Zachary A. Keller said, “This operation demonstrates the power of federal, state, and local law enforcement working together to dismantle violent criminal networks. The arrests and seizures we’ve made highlight the serious threat posed by cartel‑connected trafficking in Louisiana, and we will continue to hold those who bring deadly drugs and firearms into our communities accountable.”
FBI New Orleans noted in a Monday post on X, “The FBI and local, state, and federal partners from Central and North Louisiana announce the end of a four month operation targeting violent, drug dealing gangs. More than 700 arrests were made statewide along with the seizure of more than 100 firearms, nearly 300 pounds of illegal narcotics, and more than $250,000 in cash. The power of #Partnerships in action.”
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Authorities showed off firearms seized during the operation. (U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana)
A Tuesday press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana discussed a crackdown dubbed Operation NOLA Safe that has so far yielded 175 arrests.
“Today, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) New Orleans Field Office, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New Orleans, announced the outcome of a major violent crime abatement operation leading up to the Mardi Gras Season, Operation NOLA Safe,” the release notes.
“To date Operation NOLA Safe has resulted in 175 arrests, and the seizure of 114 firearms, 20.367 kg of cocaine, 1.063 kg of fentanyl, 102.006 kg of marijuana, 41,909 tapentadol pills and other quantities of illegal narcotics and prescription medications. We anticipate the operation will result in long-term, follow-on investigations,” the release explains.
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Photo provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana (U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana)
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“We’re getting the job done with intelligence – surveillance – and leads that we’re getting from the community,” Tapp said, according to the press release. “Our agents and task force officers are using their collective knowledge and expertise to stop criminal activity in its tracks. These aren’t just investigations or statistics for us. We eat, sleep, and breathe violent crime. We are committed to making New Orleans one of the safest places in the country.”
