A large drug bust that included 20 arrests was announced in a news conference held Wednesday, Jan. 26, by various law enforcement agencies. The arrests are the result of a 15-month investigation that targeted the Hamilton Park Posse.
Law enforcement groups from various North Texas agencies that comprise the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces Strike Force were a part of the operation.
Present for the news conference were:
- Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) Dallas Field Division, Eduardo Chavez
- Chad Meacham, U.S. Attorney for Northern District of Texas
- Jim Dwyer, Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) Assistant Special Agent in Charge in Dallas
- Assistant Chief Mike Igo, Dallas PD
- Police chiefs from the Garland, Coppell and Grand Prairie police department
“It takes a community to build a community and between our operations conducted throughout the day yesterday (Jan. 25), the DEA and our law enforcement partners standing here are doing just that for the residents of Hamilton Park in Dallas,” Chavez said.
Twenty arrests were made in the drug investigation by the North Texas Strike Force in Dallas. Additional operations were conducted by the DEA and U.S. Marshalls Services in Los Angeles, Bakersfield and Oklahoma City. One individual has not yet been arrested.
Individuals identified as part of the gang had violent criminal histories. Chavez said even though the epicenter was Dallas, the effects of these activities go out into the DFW area, like Garland, Coppell and Grand Prairie. It affects people who simply wish to live and raise a family in a safe area.
So far, the investigation has resulted in the seizure of over 220 pounds of cocaine, crack cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamine and thousands of deadly counterfeit drugs that contain fentanyl. More than 35 weapons including rifles and two AK pistols were also seized. In addition, more than $420,000 in assets, including cash, cars and jewelry, were seized.
Chavez said that Hamilton Park had been described to him as the forgotten neighborhood and that residents were afraid to report crimes because of possible retaliation.
“That stops now,” he said. “These street corners will be clean. We back the community in Hamilton Park and Hamilton Park is forgotten no more.”
Meacham, from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, said that the people arrested in this operation were not petty offenders.
“This drug trafficking, gun-wielding street gang has been terrorizing that neighborhood for far too long,” he said.
He said that they are violent and have had many types of arrests in the past. Meacham added that fentanyl is one of the deadliest drugs on the street and causes thousands of deaths every year.
Dwyer, from the FBI Dallas Division, assured people that they are not stopping.
“We will fulfill our duty to protect our residents,” he said.
Mike Igo from the Dallas PD added that the individuals arrested are responsible for drug trafficking, murder, bribery, aggravated assault and theft that crosses city and state lines.
He added that since 2019, the crime in areas associated with this operation includes 71 violent offenses. That includes four murders and more than 35 aggravated assaults.