Forty-nine individuals are in custody on 101 warrants in Etowah County since 6:00 a.m. Wednesday, according to Sheriff Todd Entrekin.
The Etowah County Sheriff’s Office, Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU), FBI, ATF and U.S. Marshals Service are among 12 law enforcement agencies working together to reduce felony drug warrants in the county.
Six teams, totaling approximately 70 law enforcement officers, participated in the warrant round-up titled, “Operation Clean Sweep”. At the start of today’s operation 147 individuals were wanted for 275 warrants.
Ninety percent of warrants being served are felony narcotic crimes however, some misdemeanor warrants were also being served. Of those warrants, the majority are for unlawful possession of controlled substances. However, several warrants are for distribution and trafficking of various narcotics that include: methamphetamine, synthetics, heroin, cocaine and marijuana.
So far agents have seized varying amounts of narcotics while arresting offenders. An additional nine individuals were arrested that were not on the list and will be charged in connection to today’s round-up (58 total arrested).
“The large majority of these individuals are repeat offenders,” said Sheriff Entrekin. “We are doing our best to keep these criminals in jail in an effort to make our communities safer.”
Individuals who are aware of a warrant against them are encouraged to turn themselves in at the Etowah County Sheriff’s Office or Drug Task Force.
Agencies involved in “Operation Daybreak” include: Etowah County Drug Enforcement Unit, Etowah County Sheriff’s Office, Joint Special Operations Group, United States Marshals Service Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force, Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Task Force, ATF, Altoona Police Department, Boaz Police Department, Gadsden Police Department, Glencoe Police Department, Rainbow City Police Department, Southside Police Department, St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office and the Etowah County District Attorney’s Office.