NEW ALBANY, Ind. -- Law enforcement officials began their day Thursday making arrests in three Southern Indiana counties and Louisville, in what is being called Operation Around The Horn.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, along with the Floyd County Prosecutor's Office, came together in an investigation that lasted several months. Thursday at 5 a.m., officers with the Floyd County Sheriff's Department, New Albany Police and U.S. Marshals began picking up the 38 people on the list; 35 of those are facing state charges and three more federal charges. During the raid, four additional arrests were made. Many were arrested at their home or in public or work areas.
The charges range from dealing marijuana and controlled substances to illegal trafficking in firearms, according the Floyd County Prosecutor Keith Henderson. Penalties vary from class A misdemeanors to class A felonies.
"I applaud the ATF for the effort of professionalism and effectiveness with this investigation," Henderson said at a press conference Thursday morning. "We will aggressively pursue these charges. We take these charges extremely serious."
Of those charged, 23 were arrested during the raid and more arrests were expected later in the day. There are 12 on the list still at large.
ATF Special Agent Stuart Lowrey said the investigation and raid were "significant." Most of the state charges were drug related and included marijuana, methamphetamine, heroin, synthetic marijuana and other controlled substances.
"The ATF identified a need and willingness to put resources on the streets. This started several months ago," Henderson said. "This doesn't end here. Drugs and guns are a continuing problem. But anytime you can take a dealer off the streets it makes a difference. Anytime you take a weapon off the street, it makes a difference. It's important that we meet these problems head on and people need to know if they make this choice, there are consequences."
There were no incidents reported during the raid. Many of those arrested had their initial hearing Thursday afternoon in Floyd County.
Copyright 2013 - The Evening News and the Tribune, Jeffersonville, Ind.
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
