A Miami Gardens, Florida drug and gun trafficking operation resulted in 97 arrests on Wednesday, news sources report. The suspects face an array of charges, including possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, carrying a concealed firearm, and selling a controlled substance. Information regarding the suspects' identities was not immediately available following the arrests. It is unclear whether any of the suspects qualified for bail bond or hired defense attorneys.
According to reports, the arrests were part of the Miami Garden Police Department's "Operation Smoking Gun III." The operation's primary targets were suspects listed in state and federal arrest warrants. The operation's two predecessors targeted similar suspects and resulted in over 200 federal charges, records indicate.
Operation Smoking Gun II follows numerous complaints from city citizens about a recent spike in violence. "Guns plus drugs always equal violence and death," an attorney spokesperson said. "As a result of this long-term concerted effort, 97 dangerous individuals, the vast majority of whom are previously convicted felons, their guns and their drugs, have been removed from the streets," another spokesperson added.
The 97 arrests occurred before sunrise on Wednesday, the press says. Police served 16 search warrants and seized 248 firearms, including a sawed-off shotgun. Officers also seized several bulletproof vests. Furthermore, the operation resulted in the seizure of an untold amount of drugs, including heroin, marijuana, cocaine, and numerous Oxycodone, morphine, and Percocet pills.
Among those arrested was one individual accused of selling 15 firearms, including a shotgun and an assault rifle, in only three months. Others arrested are suspected gang members, sources say.
The Miami Gardens Mayor reportedly warned other suspects during a press release, saying, "If we didn't get you today we'll get you. We'll get you because we won't stop trying." It is unclear whether the operation is ongoing. Additional arrests may ensue.
Illegal gun possession is an ongoing problem in the States, especially among the younger crowd. While it is not possible to say how many illegal guns there are in the United States, sources say that around 86% of adolescents in correctional facilities are alleged to have possessed a firearm at one time or another.
Not all criminals, however, are equipped with guns. Reggie Randall of Sarasota was arrested Thursday after he was accused of aiming a gas pump at three victims while trying to rob them, reports say. Randall, 38, was booked into police custody on three counts of attempted robbery. It is unclear whether he qualified for bail or hired legal representation.