News Release

Detroit Police Department and DEA Announce Joint Operation Results

NOV 5--Detroit, MI- On November 5, 2003, Detroit Police Chief Ella Bully-Cummings and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Michael A. Braun announce the results of a one-year joint investigation in the City of Detroit. This operation involved the deployment of the DEA Mobile Enforcement Team (MET) and the Detroit Police Department (DPD) Narcotics officers to target some of the cities most crime ridden eastside areas. The DEA Mobile Enforcement Team is a concept developed in 1995 to assist police agencies throughout the United States to identify and dismantle their most violent and disruptive narcotics gangs.

During the yearlong undercover operation, which concentrated in Detroit's 9th and 11th eastside police precincts, agents made undercover purchases, conducted numerous raids and used electronic surveillance to document the illegal activities of these organizations. As a result of this joint enforcement operation:

• 30 defendants were charged with federal narcotics violations
• 3 defendants were charged with state drug violations
• approximately seven pounds of crack cocaine seized
• approximately 22 pounds of powder cocaine seized
• approximately $225,000 cash seized for forfeiture
• 375 grams of heroin seized
• 25 firearms seized
• one luxury conversion van seized

Several of the ongoing investigations have identified narcotics sources of supply in the Southwest United States responsible for distributing drugs to several Detroit narcotics organizations.

DEA is proud of the long established working relationship we enjoy with the Detroit Police Department and we look forward to continuing that partnership under the leadership of newly named Detroit Police Chief Ella Bully-Cummings.

For more information on the DEA or the Mobile Enforcement Team, please visit www.dea.gov and click on the programs and operations section.

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