This Florida Sheriff’s Office looked at 433 overdose deaths in 2023. “One overdose death in our community is one too many.”
In 2023, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office began looking into local drug trafficking. This effort expanded, leading to the disruption of five drug organizations in Florida and beyond.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, based in Duval County, serves and protects almost a million citizens. It’s a respected agency with about 2,000 staff, including police, corrections, and civilian personnel.
Known as one of the top law enforcement agencies in the country, JSO upholds high professional standards. They offer thorough training and operate an advanced academy to prepare excellent employees.
Under the leadership of Sheriff T.K. Waters, the members of the agency strive for a crime-free environment, driven by partnerships with empowered citizens, fostering a vibrant community and the success of all individuals.
On January 3, 2024, Sheriff T.K. Waters of Jacksonville announced that 14 people were arrested, marking the end of a five-month-long investigation into drug-related activities. Various law enforcement agencies, including the DEA, FBI, and U.S. Customs, participated in the operation.
Initially, the JSO’s “Operation Player’s Club” focused on addressing local drug issues and gained momentum from June 2023 to November 2023. Ultimately, they successfully dismantled five drug trafficking organizations operating in Florida, Georgia, and Puerto Rico.
Puerto Rico played a role as a supplier of drugs to the Jacksonville area.
Sheriff Waters stated that the operation was initiated in response to the Jacksonville community suffering from the impact of drug addiction and related crimes.
The Sheriff’s Office started by targeting a suspected major local drug organization involved in dealing large quantities of illegal fentanyl and methamphetamine.
Although 14 individuals have been arrested, warrants are still pending for an additional 13 people. One man, a significant drug trafficker from Jacksonville, is awaiting federal prosecution with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Narcotics found during the operation:
- Methamphetamine weighing 118.53 pounds, with a street value of $663,768
- 12.5 kg of NDMA, worth $99,000 on the black market
- 7.5 kg of cocaine powder, worth $150,000 on the black market
- 164.1 grams of crack cocaine, worth $16,000 on the black market
- 2.25 kg of fentanyl, worth $121,500 on the black market
- 13.58 pounds of pot worth $40,740 on the black market
- Authorities also took 26 guns into custody.
“We will never be able to quantify the lives that were saved by removing this poison and those who profit from this poison from our streets.”
