LEE COUNTY, Fla. (WINK) — Authorities in Lee County have wrapped up “Operation Thaw and Order,” resulting in the arrest of 70 people and the seizure of more than 40 kilos of drugs. The operation, which targeted drug dealers in the area, also led to the confiscation of 30 guns, more than $300,000 in cash, and three stolen vehicles.
Sheriff Carmine Marceno said the operation was the culmination of months of work by narcotics detectives.
“For months, the hard-working detectives of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office narcotics unit conducted targeted investigations into street-level narcotics dealers who were poisoning our neighborhoods and preying on those with addiction,” said Marceno.
The investigation involved extensive surveillance, undercover operations, and intelligence-driven enforcement efforts throughout Lee County. Some arrests were made during traffic stops and responses to license plate recognition hits for stolen vehicles.
Marceno emphasized that the operation sends a strong message to drug dealers in the area.
“Let me be perfectly clear, if you sell drugs in this county, we will find you, we will build a case against you, and we will put you behind bars,” said Marceno.
During a press conference Wednesday, Marceno reiterated that drug dealers in Lee County face three outcomes: arrest, jail time, and prosecution to the fullest extent of the law.
Items seized:
70 arrests22.4 Kilos of Meth15.8 Kilos of Ecstasy4 Kilos of Cocaine30 firearms$396,000 seized1 Tesla Seized 3 Stolen Vehicles Recovered