A local SWAT team helped capture 15 people in a drug trafficking ring in Arkansas City, earlier this week.
Southern Kansas SWAT is composed of law enforcement officers from the Sumner County Sheriff’s Department, Wellington Police Department and other departments around Sumner and Cowley counties. Together with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation High Risk Warrant team, the two teams worked to breach homes and collect suspects during the sting operation.
Both SWAT teams served the high-risk warrants and once residents were safe, search teams with KBI agents were led in and did interviews with suspects and processed the scene. Officials said nine homes were served with search warrants, with one consenting to the search.
Thirteen other agencies, including the Arkansas City Police Department, Cowley County Sheriff’s Office, Kansas Bureau of Investigation, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Drug Enforcement Administration and Kansas Highway Patrol assisted in the drug trafficking bust, which had taken three years of investigation.
Around 80 to 90 police officers in total were involved in the investigation and arrests made Wednesday.
A total of 15 people were arrested in the drug bust, with 10 people charged in Cowley County court, Thursday. Charges included distribution of cocaine within 1000 feet of a school, use of a communication facility to arrange sale or purchase of a controlled substance, possession of several drugs including marijuana, cocaine and drug paraphernalia and distribution of several different narcotics including methamphetamine.
Law enforcement officials are still on the lookout for three men not found during the search — Ralph Beard, 28, Francisco Galindo, 41, and Cesar Garcia, 26. They are also looking for Oscar Galindo, 39, who ran from officials. He is described as a heavy-set Hispanic male, last seen wearing a turquoise jacket, white t-shirt and blue jeans.
Sumner County Sheriff’s Department Captain and Southern Kansas SWAT Leader Mike Yoder said the operation, despite its large size, went excellently.
“We worked in conjunction with KBI’s team and actually our two teams worked really well together. Things went real smooth. KBI did a wonderful job of planning it out and having everything set up and prepared. It was everyone involved,” Yoder said. “Everyone planned a real good role.”
Though officials in the investigation couldn’t give many details concerning the arrests, the effects of taking that many alleged drug offenders off the streets will be far reaching.
Wallace said along with drug offenses like sale and distribution, other crimes like burglary and theft will be expected to go down.
“Just like there is a trickle down effect when there is a drug operation in town...when there’s not the actions of those other types of crime go down and we have to fill that void with positive things in our community,” said Arkansas City Police Chief Sean Wallace.
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A local SWAT team helped capture 15 people in a drug trafficking ring in Arkansas City, earlier this week.
Southern Kansas SWAT is composed of law enforcement officers from the Sumner County Sheriff’s Department, Wellington Police Department and other departments around Sumner and Cowley counties. Together with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation High Risk Warrant team, the two teams worked to breach homes and collect suspects during the sting operation.
Both SWAT teams served the high-risk warrants and once residents were safe, search teams with KBI agents were led in and did interviews with suspects and processed the scene. Officials said nine homes were served with search warrants, with one consenting to the search.
Thirteen other agencies, including the Arkansas City Police Department, Cowley County Sheriff’s Office, Kansas Bureau of Investigation, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Drug Enforcement Administration and Kansas Highway Patrol assisted in the drug trafficking bust, which had taken three years of investigation.
Around 80 to 90 police officers in total were involved in the investigation and arrests made Wednesday.
A total of 15 people were arrested in the drug bust, with 10 people charged in Cowley County court, Thursday. Charges included distribution of cocaine within 1000 feet of a school, use of a communication facility to arrange sale or purchase of a controlled substance, possession of several drugs including marijuana, cocaine and drug paraphernalia and distribution of several different narcotics including methamphetamine.
Law enforcement officials are still on the lookout for three men not found during the search — Ralph Beard, 28, Francisco Galindo, 41, and Cesar Garcia, 26. They are also looking for Oscar Galindo, 39, who ran from officials. He is described as a heavy-set Hispanic male, last seen wearing a turquoise jacket, white t-shirt and blue jeans.
Sumner County Sheriff’s Department Captain and Southern Kansas SWAT Leader Mike Yoder said the operation, despite its large size, went excellently.
“We worked in conjunction with KBI’s team and actually our two teams worked really well together. Things went real smooth. KBI did a wonderful job of planning it out and having everything set up and prepared. It was everyone involved,” Yoder said. “Everyone planned a real good role.”
Though officials in the investigation couldn’t give many details concerning the arrests, the effects of taking that many alleged drug offenders off the streets will be far reaching.
Wallace said along with drug offenses like sale and distribution, other crimes like burglary and theft will be expected to go down.
“Just like there is a trickle down effect when there is a drug operation in town...when there’s not the actions of those other types of crime go down and we have to fill that void with positive things in our community,” said Arkansas City Police Chief Sean Wallace.
