Sheriff's officers arrest nine suspects Thursday; 45 have been arrested since the beginning of the investigation, and 121 warrants have been issued.
By JAY CRIDLIN
Published May 16, 2003
Hillsborough County sheriff's officers raided five drug suppliers' homes early Thursday morning, ending a four-month, countywide investigation that resulted in 121 arrest warrants and $600,000 in drug and cash seizures.
Eighty officers made nine arrests during the 5 a.m. sweep, though another 45 suspected dealers and suppliers had already been arrested over the course of the investigation.
Officers from HCSO's Special Operations Division displayed seized guns, drugs and cash while describing the investigation Thursday morning at the Falkenburg Road Sheriff's Office.
"Any time you take this number of people with this amount of drugs, you're going to have an impact," said sheriff's Cpl. Jose Docobo. "Today isn't the end of this part of the investigation. There's still a lot of work to do."
The investigation, nicknamed Operation Street Level Clean Up, was aimed at drug suppliers, not drug dealers. Undercover officers began by purchasing a single crack rock or marijuana cigarette, then worked their way up the chain to find suppliers.
"We weren't satisfied in taking that one street corner dealer off the street," Docobo said. "We felt if we were to have an impact, then we needed to go further. Yes, it takes more time and it takes more of an effort; but it has more of a long-term result."
Officials from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Tampa Police Department and Plant City Police Department assisted the Sheriff's Office in the investigation.
Thursday's sweeps came just days after Tampa police and the city announced "Operation Commitment," an anticrime initiative designed to flush out East Tampa's drug market.
Since January, authorities in Operation Street Level Clean Up have bought or seized 3,600 grams of cocaine valued at $288,000; 2,037 grams of methamphetamine valued at $162,640; 975 grams of crack valued at $78,000, and 64 pounds of marijuana valued at $51,200.
Police also uncovered substantial amounts of ecstasy, hydrocodone, oxycodone, heroin and somas; and seized nine handguns, two vehicles and nearly $32,000 in cash.
Some of the larger suppliers likely will face federal charges, Docobo said.
Officers said they expect to make additional arrests following Thursday's raids.
"We knew we would get a fair amount because it seems like it never stops," said Hillsborough sheriff's Lt. Gary Ganey, bureau commander for short-term narcotics investigations. "We'll attack it in different ways."
