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Daylong drug raid nets 757 arrests
By Rebecca Catalanello, Times Staff Writer
Published March 8, 2008
A statewide drug sweep netted more arrests in one day this year than during one week in 2007, according to Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
In all, 757 people were taken into custody Wednesday during a coordinated effort between the FDLE and 72 local and state law enforcement agencies, including several in the Tampa Bay area.
In 2007, the same effort lasted a week and resulted in greater quantities of drugs confiscated, but just 739 arrests.
"We're pretty pleased with the results for one day," said Kristen Perezluha, an FDLE spokeswoman. The agency could not immediately explain the increased number of arrests this year.
In the Tampa Bay area, 258 people were arrested, with Tampa police making 56 arrests, more than any other agency. The Hillsborough Sheriff's Office charged 38; St. Petersburg police, 19; Clearwater, 20; Pasco Sheriff's Office, four.
Drugs seized statewide included 10.34 pounds of cocaine, 156 pounds of marijuana, 856 marijuana plants, 23.45 ounces of methamphetamine, 31.78 ounces of crack and hundreds of prescription pills. Officer also seized $1.16-million in currency.
Perezluha said the sweep was led by the National Alliance of State Drug Enforcement Agencies as a national effort to highlight the importance of a federally funded program in assisting the day-to-day operations of drug enforcement.
Funding for the grant program, called the Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Program, dropped 67 percent this year, according to the FDLE. Attorneys general, including Florida's Bill McCollum, are calling on Congress to restore the program's funding.
Rebecca Catalanello can be reached at rcatalanello@sptimes.com or 813 226-3383.
[Last modified March 7, 2008, 23:04:32]
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by Truth
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03/08/08 09:59 PM
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WAY TO GO PASCO COUNTY, all of the drug dealers that is in your county and you only arrest four? what a tremendous work load for you guys. I am surprised that you could handle it with everything else you guys do....pathetic as usual.
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by Candi
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03/08/08 09:36 PM
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The money is going to be going for all the lawsuit's from the filth and rough cop's in your jail system's. they have in Florida. I think that alot of the people belong in jail. But not abuse and beating them. Neaver going to catch all the dealer's.
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by Duane
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03/08/08 05:57 PM
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Why don't they bust some of the people laundering the money for this scum, then you might see a drop in suppliers. The reason they don't is because they all have money and pwoer.
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by David
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03/08/08 01:02 PM
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So if they didn't want to "highlight the importance" of federal funding. They would have left all these people and drugs on the street? Sounds like the NASDEA needs to remember who it is, actually paying their membership dues.
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by MJC
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03/08/08 12:32 PM
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Well, they missed the wide-open crack/weed operation working in the house next to my home. They also skipped the dope-slinging gangbangers a few doors down from there, too.
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by TOM
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03/08/08 10:20 AM
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Just a dent in the drug culture .
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by Cathy
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03/08/08 08:51 AM
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Where does the 1.16 million go? Perhaps it could be used to enhance our falling education budget.
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by doug
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03/08/08 08:46 AM
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looks like their funding just went up $1.16 million.
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