“Operation March Mayhem” Nets 301 Arrests in Broward

Detectives seized more than 1,000 grams of cocaine

A two-day sweep by more than 200 officers from more than a half-dozen law enforcement agencies netted 301 arrests, the Broward Sheriff’s Office said Friday night.

“Operation March Mayhem” shut down a marijuana grow house in a West Park warehouse, targeted drug dealers and prostitutes, and led to the seizure of more than 1,000 grams of cocaine, the BSO said.

The crackdown brought together law enforcement from five cities, Broward County and several federal agencies.

"It's just part of the overall strategy of saturating areas. Trying to find people who are within the criminal element. Doing something wrong and arresting them,” said Capt. James Fondo of the BSO. "When you go out and arrest (200) to 300 people in a two-day period, it really makes a dent in the criminal activity in the neighborhoods."

While police found some serious crime in the sweep, they also dealt with issues such as public drunkenness and vagrancy.

”Honestly, we beat the streets up for two days now. And when you do that, the word gets out and people just kind of go indoors and they stay low for a little while,” Fondo said. “The streets are a little calmer for a little while and it hopefully makes the streets safer for both the ccitizens and the officers that are working out here.”

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