Federal, state and local law enforcement say the South Florida streets are safer after several agencies joined forces to take down dozens of dangerous criminals.
A total of 55 arrests were made with allegations ranging from selling drugs and guns to more violent crimes, officials announced at a news conference Thursday in Miami-Dade. Authorities say the crackdown started in Liberty City with only a few suspects but investigative work found a larger crime connection.
Drugs, cash and weapons were also seized as a result of the violence reduction partnership headed by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida.
"Which strategically focuses all of our resources into specific neighborhoods and communities that are plagued by high levels of crimes. We call these hot spot communities," U.S. Attorney Wifredo Ferrer said.
In Miami-Dade, the hot spot communities were identified as Overtown, Liberty City, Little Haiti and Miami Gardens.
"Truly it's only a few individuals in these hot spots that are creating all the havoc," Miami-Dade Police Director Juan Perez said.
Perez said the arrests are proof the streets will be a little safer. Almost 50 guns were taken off the streets and heroin and cocaine were seized.
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"Eight of them qualify for the federal arm career criminal statue, which is the federal three strikes," ATF Special Agent in Charge Carlos Canino said. "Believe me, you have to try hard at being a criminal to reach that level."
From the streets of Miami-Dade to across the United States' southern border, authorities said those arrested were working at high criminal levels.
"Cases today started by focusing and targeting our resources on a couple of individuals who were known to be selling firearms and crack cocaine in the Liberty city area," Ferrer said. "During the investigation these incredible agents and officers discovered a vast network of different drug trafficking organizations and enterprises. And the distributions of theses drugs were so extensive, that we found that some of the suppliers and some of the original sources of the contraband like heroin were coming from Mexico."
