Guns, drugs, and money taken off the streets of West Palm Beach, and police said it’s all tied to organized crime.
The joint organized crime operation announcement was made Tuesday at 2 p.m. in the 600 block of 54th Street in West Palm Beach.
Members of the West Palm Beach police, and the Office of State Attorney 15th Judicial Circuit, in addition to residents, spoke during Tuesday’s news conference.
“The first week we moved in actually there was a shooting right out in front of my house,” Withney Jean told WPTV. “And then two weeks later there was another.”
Several agencies worked with the West Palm Beach police department on the operation, including the the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and United States Marshals Service.
The bust targeted those accused of drugs and prostitution, while also removing as many illegal guns off the streets as possible.
The bust led to 32 defendants, 29 arrests, and 16 of those in custody are facing up to 60 years in prison, because of RICO charges.