News Release



For further information please contact: Major James Keathley or Captain Ron Replogle

573-751-3313

DDCC072706

July 28, 2006



EMPHASIS: Operation Byrne Drugs





Colonel Roger Stottlemyre, Superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, announces a local, state, and national day of drug enforcement. During the last meeting of the National Alliance of State Drug Enforcement Agencies (NASDEA), it was decided that a national day of drug enforcement would be organized. The date chosen for the operation was Thursday, July 27, 2006. More than 35 states participated in yesterday’s national drug enforcement effort.



This operation is a national effort to show how effective concentrated drug enforcement can be. This initiative has been given the name "Operation Byrne Drugs." The Edward Byrne grant program is named for a New York City police officer who was killed at a young age by organized drug traffickers who were trying to prevent a witness from being able to testify in a drug case. Each year, the United States Congress appropriates money to the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) in the Department of Justice. BJA distributes the formula grant component of the Byrne appropriation according to a state’s population.



State police and highway patrol agencies, local police departments, sheriff's departments, HIDTA units, and multi-jurisdictional drug task forces throughout the nation collectively conducted search warrants, consent searches, marijuana eradication efforts, undercover investigations, drug interdiction and arrest warrants during the day. This collective effort was conducted to highlight the need and effectiveness of the Byrne grant funding and the impact cuts to this funding could have on local and statewide drug enforcement. Due to Federal drug funding cuts, all 26 of Missouri’s multi-jurisdictional drug task forces are in jeopardy of losing their Byrne funding. This would significantly impact the ability of the State of Missouri and its law enforcement agencies to combat the drug problem.



During yesterday’s operation, 59 police agencies and 163 police officers conducted investigations in 24 counties throughout the state. As many as 267 subjects were sought by investigators which resulted in at least 239 arrests throughout the day. Sixteen searches were conducted, which resulted in the seizure of $289,300.00, 152 pounds of marijuana, 99 grams of cocaine, two drug labs, oxycontin, drug paraphernalia, heroin, pseudoephedrine and four illegal firearms.



This organized effort between Federal, state, and local law enforcement, should emphize the dedication and determination that the police have in fighting the drug problem. This is believed to be the largest one-day drug enforcement operation in Missouri History.