On Friday, the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office in Virginia announced that 51 people had been arrested in an anti-drug operation on an array of charges after months of investigations. An undisclosed quantity of illegal drugs was confiscated.
The arrests were the results of a joint operation—called Operation “Wicked Spirits”—carried out by the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office and the Halifax/South Boston Regional Narcotics & Gang Task Force, in cooperation with several other police forces and sheriff’s offices in the region.
31 people were arrested on drugs charges, often with outstanding warrants for their arrest. An additional 20 individuals were taken into custody on non-drug-related warrants, including theft, felony probation violations, assault and battery, robbery, and one arrest for murder.
The Sheriff’s office released the names and mugshots of the 51 suspects who were arrested.
During the course of the investigation, officers seized what they suspect is methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin. A number of firearms were confiscated, including silencers and ammunition.
Longtime Halifax County Sheriff Fred S. Clark said that an operation of this magnitude took a lot of time and preparation—but he was happy with the result. He thanked all the agencies for their collective efforts.
“We will continue to be proactive in the fight against illegal drugs that plague our community and across the state,” Mr. Clark said.
“Our state and local law enforcement partners do a great job of working together to accomplish that goal,” said Chief Bryan Young of the South Boston Police Department. “I appreciate the hard work and dedication of the Halifax/South Boston Gang and Narcotics Task Force related to slowing the spread of illegal drugs into our community.”
A similar joint operation led by the Halifax/South Boston Regional Narcotics & Gang Task Force in February led to the arrest of three dozen people.
“Our residents deserve a community free from these drugs and the negative effects of their use,” Mr. Young concluded. “Our state and local law enforcement partners do a great job of working together to accomplish that goal.”
At the state level, Mr. Clark also serves as the president of the Virginia Sheriffs’ Association, which he said facilitates expanding and improving cooperation with other Police Departments.
“We have to network with all levels of law enforcement if we are to slow the pace of illegal drugs entering our community and poisoning our children,” Mr. Clark told the Gazette-Virginian. “Fentanyl deaths are at an epidemic level in our country and we have to remain vigilant in our efforts to combat the influx of this deadly drug.”
