Crime & Safety

Police Arrest Dozens on 100 Drug, Weapons Charges

More than 75 police officers participated in investigation in southeastern Fairfax County and Prince William County that led to criminal charges.

On Thursday, Fairfax County Police Department officials announced they had arrested more than 100 people on 168 charges ranging from drugs to weapons to murder-for-hire. 

The investigation, conducted with the Prince William County Police Department and the Virginia State Police, involved more than 75 officers and took more than a year. The majority of the arrests and related incidents were in southeastern Fairfax County and Prince William County along the Richmond Highway/Route 1 corridor.

The following are live updates from Thursday's Fairfax County Police Department joint press conference and other details as they developed Thursday afternoon, in reverse-chronological order.

Find out what's happening in Lortonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

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(UPDATE 3:45 p.m.)

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A search warrant for the Dollar Depot was also a part of the operation. During the search, police found a number of counterfeit DVDs and CDs.

For the nearly year-long operation, detectives from Prince William County and the Virginia State Police joined forces with detectives from Fairfax County's Criminal Intelligence and Organized Crime and Narcotics divisions.

The Criminal Investigations sections of Franconia and Mount Vernon police districts also assisted in the operation along with officers of the Neighborhood Patrol Units. In all, there were 168 charges made during the operation. Those arrested include many residents from the greater Alexandria area, Washington, D.C. and Maryland.

First Lieutenant David M. Smith said the department does not contribute the bulk of the criminal activity to one specific gang organization.

(UPDATE 2:55 p.m.)

Fairfax County is not considered a high-crime rate county and the police department will not put up with crime in the area, Col. David M. Rohrer with the FCPD, said at today's news conference announcing the arrests of more than 100 in a joint investigation involving drugs, weapons and murder-for-hire charges.

"We have seen the crime rate plummet over the years," he said. "We're blessed to serve a caring and supportive community."

(UPDATE 2:42 p.m.)

Before starting this operation, the officers and detectives involved suspected the same individuals who were commiting crimes in Fairfax County were also commiting crimes in Prince William County as well. The operation proved them correct, according to First Lieutenant David M. Smith of the Fairfax County Police Department.

Also recovered: Ten pounds of cocaine, 30 pounds of marijuana, and electronics such as iPhones and iPods.

About 80 arrests were made in the past 10 months; about 30 arrests were made today (Thursday) in a sweep that took place at 4:30 a.m.

(UPDATE 2:20 p.m.)

Along with the arrests, more than $560,000, 23 guns, two bullet-proof vests, stolen electronics, jewelry, credit cards and tools were recovered, police said at Thursday's news conference.

(UPDATE 2:12 p.m.)

Early this year, officers and crime analysts were asked to help identify problematic areas and people associated with criminal activities, according to Fairfax County Police.

The police operation concentrated enforcement efforts along the lower portion of Richmond Highway in Fairfax County extending into Prince William County.

(UPDATE 2:06 p.m.)

After nearly a yearlong operation, officers and detectives with the Fairfax County Police Department, the Prince William County Police Department and the Virginia State Police have arrested at least 101 people for crimes ranging from possession of stolen property to attempted murder for hire, according to an updated press release handed out prior to a news conference Thursday.

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(Original story): Dozens of arrests have been made involving more than 100 criminal charges connected to narcotics, weapons, property, and money recovered or seized, according to Fairfax County Police Department.

More than 75 police officers participated in a joint investigation that began early this year that led to the arrests, a Fairfax County Police Department release notes.

Police are briefing media Thursday afternoon at the McConnell Public Safety and Transportation Operations Center in Fairfax.

Patch will update this story as more information becomes available.



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