This month the Picayune Police Department put the finishing touches on Operation Who’s Next?
Chief Bryan Dawsey said the operation’s intent was to target not only the lower level dealers, but the mid to upper level dealers as well by utilizing warrants served over a longer period of time, rather than conducting a big roundup in a short period of time.
Assistant Chief of Police Jeremy Magri said this method allowed the department to conduct a more in-depth investigation. The effort was all part of the department’s continued work to drive drugs out of the city of Picayune.
With so many people nationwide saying that the war on drugs needs to end, Magri said that everyone needs to realize most crimes occur across the country due to drugs. Burglaries, robberies, murders and other violent crimes most of the time can be traced back to the suspect’s intention to obtain drugs, Magri said.
“They aren’t doing that to pay cellphone bills, they’re doing that to buy more drugs,” Magri said.
Additionally, by removing drugs from the streets, the officers are potentially stopping a first time user from ever trying a drug that could ruin their lives, Magri said.
Drug use affects so many aspects of many people’s lives. Dawsey said just one drug user can create emotional stress for everyone in a family.
During the year-long operation to remove drugs from the streets, the department pressed 37 felony charges of sale of a controlled substance within 1,500 feet of a school or church, two felony charges of possession of a controlled substance within 1,500 feet of a school or church, four felony counts of transfer of a controlled substance of a controlled substance within 1,500 feet of a school or church, 11 felony violations of possession of a controlled substance and three felony charges of conspiracy to sell a controlled substance within 1,500 feet of a school or church.
There were also eight misdemeanor charges of possession of a controlled substance and 13 misdemeanor charges of possession of paraphernalia filed.
Three charges of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon were pressed.
Drugs found during the operation include marijuana, mushrooms, methamphetamine, cocaine, crack cocaine, hydrocodone, heroin, oxycodone, Dexedrine and Xanax.
In all, 11 vehicles were seized as a result of the operation, including a 2001 Suzuki motorcycle, 2004 Ford F-250, 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 1998 Lincoln Navigator, 1996 Chevrolet Tahoe, 1998 Ford Explorer, 2002 Toyota Tacoma, 2007 Ford Focus, 2010 Nissan Altima, 2006 Nissan Titan and a 2007 Chevrolet Silverado.
Dawsey and Magri would like to commend their narcotics division for the hard work they put into the operation and want to let the public know that while this operation is over, another one is already in the works to continue to take drug dealers into custody.
“We’re out there,” Dawsey said. “We’re working hard to get you and take you off the streets.”