(DAYTON, Ohio) -- Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine, Montgomery County Sheriff Phil Plummer, Warren County Sheriff Larry Sims, and Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent Marlon Miller announced today that an investigation conducted by a newly formed Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission (OOCIC) task force has resulted in the seizure of more than $1 million in illegal drugs.
Authorities with the Miami Valley Bulk Smuggling Task Force served multiple search warrants Wednesday in Huber Heights, New Carlisle, and Tipp City as part of an ongoing drug trafficking investigation. As a result, investigators located large amounts of heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine with an estimated street value in excess of $1 million.
Hundreds of thousands of dollars were also seized, and four people were taken into custody.
The Miami Valley Bulk Smuggling Task Force consists of officers from the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, Montgomery County RANGE Task Force, Warren County Drug Task Force, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Department of Homeland Security, Montgomery County Prosecutor's Office, and Warren County Prosecutor's Office.
The task force was developed to investigate upper level drug organizations in Montgomery, Warren, and surrounding counties.
"The members of this task force have been doing outstanding work to keep drugs off the streets and protect Ohio's families," said Attorney General DeWine. "Heroin alone is killing people in Ohio each and every day, but by working to cut off the supply, we are certain that this task force is saving lives."
“This collaborative effort is proving to be highly effective in seizing large quantities of drugs before they impact neighborhoods in Montgomery County and surrounding areas," said Montgomery County Sheriff Phil Plummer. "Seizing large amounts of money from these drug trafficking organizations directly effects their ability to continue to supply the area.”
“This is another excellent example of the type of drug offenders that can be effectively dealt with by the collaboration of multiple agencies with their individual resources being pooled together," said Warren County Sheriff Larry Sims. "This OOCIC task force continues to demonstrate their value to their communities through the seizure of these drugs destined for the citizens of Ohio.”
Since its inception in September, the Miami Valley Bulk Smuggling Task Force has seized the following:
- Methamphetamine: 25.2 pounds
- Marijuana: Approximately 22 pounds
- Heroin: 13.3 pounds
- Cocaine: 439 grams
- Illicit Pills: 749
- Cash: Hundreds of thousands of dollars
The task force has arrested a total of 51 people, and multiple guns have been seized.
“These significant results underscore how powerful collaboration is in combating a broad range of criminal activity,” said Marlon Miller, special agent in charge of ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations in Detroit, which covers Michigan and Ohio. “When federal, state and local law enforcement bring together their diverse capabilities and unique authorities, our ability to disrupt and dismantle criminal groups is unmatched.”
Established in 1986, the Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission assists local law enforcement agencies in combating organized crime and corrupt activities. The Commission is composed of members of the law enforcement community and is chaired by the Ohio Attorney General.
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Media Contacts:
Dan Tierney: 614-466-3840
Jill Del Greco: 614-466-3840