Fayette County and other agencies target drug trafficking, other illicit activities
fayette – A multi-agency drug sting Thursday resulted in numerous illegal narcotics being taken off the streets in Fayette County, as well as several arrests.
According to a press release from Fayette County Sheriff Jess McMullen, 'Fayette County Sting 19' on June 5 targeted drug and other illegal trafficking activity along U.S. 19 through Fayette County.
The targeted endeavor was initiated by Fayetteville Police Chief Ty Hogan and also included the Fayette County Sheriff's Department, the Oak Hill and Fayetteville police departments and the National Park Service. Its aim was to put a bull's-eye on illegal activities along the major traffic corridor in Fayette County.
'As we all know, the drug activity in southern West Virginia has been an issue for many years,' said McMullen. 'Law enforcement agencies have worked hard on combatting the sale and distribution of drugs in these areas, but it has been a rough road.
'The plan behind this operation was to target the drugs that are trafficked into our area from other states. The drugs on our streets are not commonly manufactured in this area; they are transported in from other areas and are typically manufactured south of the American border. If we can slow the trafficking process coming into our area, we can slow the distribution into our communities.'
According to McMullen, the following illegal narcotics and related items were secured during the sting: $19,770 in drug-related U.S. currency; 103 grams of fentanyl; 12 grams of cocaine (including crack); and one gram of methamphetamine.
Four felony arrests for possession with the intent to deliver were lodged, as well as numerous simple possession citations for Schedule 1 and Schedule 2 controlled substances, in addition to multiple misdemeanor arrests.
'On behalf of myself, Chiefs Whisman (Michael, Oak Hill), Hogan (Tyler 'Ty,' Fayetteville) and Wissinger (Rob, NPS chief ranger), we would like to commend these officers on their continued dedication to our communities of Fayette County,' McMullen said in the release. 'Traffic enforcement helps combat these illegal drugs being distributed to those who suffer from addiction, and could potentially save lives.
'We would like to thank our communities for their continued support of the men and women who work tirelessly to keep our communities safe.'
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