Initiative aimed at stopping drug pipeline from Tennessee to Detroit a "success," DA says
(CBS DETROIT) - The initiative aimed at stopping the flow of drugs coming from Detroit to Tennessee and other states has been a success, according to a Tennessee-area district attorney.
Since it was started nearly 2 ½ months ago in mid-December, what's called the "313 Initiative" has led to major drug busts.
According to the district attorney, it's led to 73 arrests, the seizure of 12 pounds of meth, heroin and fentanyl, two pounds of cocaine and more than $200,000 in cash.
More than 40 guns, including eight stolen guns, were taken during the drug busts as well.
"Our goal is to remove the drugs, the guns and the violent activity from our streets," said Knox County District Attorney Charme Allen. "So the more drugs and guns we can remove, the safer our community can be."
Allen calls Detroit the hub for the drug pipeline that serves West Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee. She said the drugs coming from Detroit are fueling the drug problem in Tennessee.
"We have seen historically that a large portion of the cases involving drugs are coming from the Detroit, Michigan area," she said.
She said law enforcement officials and prosecuting attorneys from five different Tennessee jurisdictions are working together on the initiative. They're using a newly created database to share information about cases.
She also said the partnership with Detroit police have been a big part of its success.
Allen added the initiative serves as a warning to drug dealers that they will be caught and prosecuted.
"We do not want drug deals coming into our community to provide drugs to our citizens," she said. "We will find you, we will target you, we will dismantle you and we will prosecute you to the fullest sense of the law."