MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Crime is not restricted to one county in West Tennessee.
Throughout 2024, agents with the West Tennessee Drug Task Force have been working to keep communities in West Tennessee safe. Agency leaders say 2024 was a record-breaking year for agents.
"Our agents are out there intercepting drugs every day on the interstates, bus stations, airports and neighborhoods, making cases against violent criminals and seizing their drugs and weapons," Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy told FOX13.
In 2024, agents seized 2,609lbs of illegal drugs, 313 illegal weapons, conducted 230 investigations and arrested 236 people. Danny Goodman, the District Attorney for Dyer and Lake County, commended the work of task force agents.
"These guys have done a great job. They deserve a lot of praise," said Goodman.
Johnie Carter, Director of the West TN Drug Task Force, told FOX13 his agents saw an increase in foreign organized crime.
"We seized a lot of drugs from what we believe would be Chinese criminal organizations operating out of Oklahoma as well as a few more operating out of California," said Carter. "I think that's what led to some of the bigger seizures and more seizures that we had this year."
With the success of 2024, Carter said his agency won't change much as his team prepares for 2025.
"We don't really plan to change anything. We're going to keep going the way we've been going," said Carter.
A major corridor where agents have been able to seize drugs lies along I-40 near Haywood County. Frederick Agee, District Attorney for Haywood County, told FOX13 there's a reason agents patrol that specific stretch of interstate.
"If we were not covering them, there wouldn't be a whole lot of law enforcement activity on those main corridors," said Agee.
Carter told FOX13 agents are able to perform a lot of busts thanks to tips from people in the community. If you have a tip you would like to send, you can call the West TN Drug Task Force at 901-222-1480. All tips are anonymous.
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