Governor Tate Reeves has announced the results following the deployment of the Mobile Enforcement Team (MET) on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The deployment caused a surge in law enforcement personnel and resources to coastal communities in an effort to decrease crime across the southern portion of the state.
“This operation means far more than just drugs and criminals off the streets. This means safer neighborhoods, safer roads, less threats to our kids and families, and an improved quality of life,” said Reeves. “We’ve sought to undermine existing criminal enterprises and to bolster the ongoing efforts of local law enforcement leaders and that’s exactly what this deployment accomplished.”
Plans to form a partnership between multiple local, state, and federal agencies were initially revealed by Reeves in mid-May, with the goal being to directly target and counter violent crime, deter narcotics distribution, remove illegal firearms from the streets, and keep communities safe. The initiative was led by the Mississippi Department of Public Safety and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics.
READ MORE: New safety initiative launched along Mississippi Gulf Coast
In all, the MET deployment resulted in 170 arrests, 152 felony charges, and 111 misdemeanor charges.
Two human traffickers, one a United States citizen and the other an illegal alien, were also arrested after attempting to smuggle nine illegal aliens into the country. Both traffickers are being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi and the nine illegal aliens were transported to a detainment facility for processing.
Additionally, the following narcotics and items were seized:
- 5,574 dosage units of fentanyl
- 3.5 ounces of heroin
- 16 grams of cocaine powder and crack cocaine
- 50 dosage units of LSD
- 5 ounces of hallucinogenic mushrooms
- 4.9 pounds of marijuana
- 21 ounces of THC wax and edibles
- 43 firearms
- $207,109 in currency
- 2 stolen vehicles
The following agencies participated in the MET Deployment:
- Mississippi Department of Public Safety
- Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics
- Mississippi Highway Patrol
- Mississippi Office of Homeland Security
- Commercial Transportation Enforcement Division
- Mississippi National Guard Counterdrug Unit
- Mississippi Department of Corrections
- Mississippi Department of Marine Resources
- Mississippi Department of Revenue, Alcoholic Beverage Control
- Gulf Coast High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection
- U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration
- FBI Safe Streets Task Force
- U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations
- Hancock County Sheriff’s Department
- Harrison County Sheriff’s Department
- Jackson County Sheriff’s Department
- Bay St. Louis Police Department
- Biloxi Police Department
- D’Iberville Police Department
- Gautier Police Department
- Gulfport Police Department
- Long Beach Police Department
- Moss Point Police Department
- Pascagoula Police Department
- Pass Christian Police Department
- Ocean Springs Police Department
- Harrison County Fire Service
- American Medical Response
