MARION, Ohio — The Department of Justice announced 46 people have been charged in connection to drug trafficking in the Marion area, including crack cocaine, heroin and fentanyl.
“Organizations like the one dismantled here today target communities like Marion because they mistakenly assume that they can operate either without detection or without people speaking up,” First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bridget Brennan stated in the press release. “Let these indictments serve as notice that law enforcement partners in this District and the residents of Marion are paying attention. And we will act.”
The operation was a partnership between federal, county and local law enforcement officials. Most of the individuals were arrested Wednesday morning.
They face charges ranging from six to 29 total, and most of the individuals are from the Marion area. But officials say the operation is ongoing.
“These arrests are the result of dedicated work of multiple agencies with one shared goal — to keep this community safe and free from dangerous drugs,” DEA Detroit Field Division Special Agent in Charge Keith Martin wrote in the press release.
Other arrests have been made in Marion in recent months related to drug trafficking. In late August, a Marion man had been arrested during a MARMET Drug Task Force raid for possessing cocaine, fentanyl and firearms, according to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. In March, the MARMET drug task force also arrested two individuals accused of trafficking heroin and prescription drugs.