Press Release
Marshall County MHIT “Blitz” Targets Drug Trafficking
For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of West Virginia
1125 Chapline Street, Federal Building, Suite 3000 ● Wheeling, WV 26003
(304) 234-0100 ● Contact: Tara Tighe, Public Affairs Specialist
MOUNDSVILLE, WEST VIRGINIA – Leaders from the Mountaineer Highway Interdiction Team (MHIT) announced today that as part of a law enforcement initiative to actively combat drug trafficking, authorities executed a successful “Blitz,” or saturation patrol, in Marshall County, West Virginia between November 13 and November 14, 2014.
Representatives from the West Virginia State Police, Marshall County Sheriff’s Department, Glen Dale Police Department, and the Moundsville Police Department recently expanded MHIT operations into Marshall County. The underlying goal of MHIT is to impede the flow of illegal drugs into and through the State of West Virginia. MHIT largely targets highways and state routes, but also concentrates on airports, bus terminals, hotels, motels and parcel and package interdiction.
Marshall County Sheriff Kevin Cecil is “proud of the collaborative and well-orchestrated law enforcement effort to strategically address drug abuse in Marshall County. By dedicating additional resources to patrolling public highways, we enhance our ability to quickly recognize and respond to drug trafficking activities as they unfold.”
On November 13, officers executed arrest warrants resulting in 13 felony arrests and 14 misdemeanor arrests for charges ranging from drug trafficking and larceny to battery and fraud. Authorities also apprehended a fugitive from justice and seized 1.5 pounds of marijuana and $1,000.00 in United States currency. The highway interdiction efforts on November 14 culminated in the arrest of four individuals on misdemeanor drug charges and the seizure of prescription pills.
“By increasing the presence of law enforcement officers along heavily traveled roadways, we can aggressively and efficiently target drug trafficking operations,” said West Virginia State Police Captain James Merrill. “Highway interdiction increases the pressure on drug dealers to move their operations elsewhere, ultimately making our communities stronger and safer.”
Updated January 7, 2015
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