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Six Month Anti-Drug Effort Involving Most Fla. Counties Nets Thousands Of Arrests

Drugs and firearms seized as part of "Operation Spring Cleaning."
Florida Sheriff's Association Youtube

This year’s “Operation Spring Cleaning” was a huge success. More than half the counties in the state participated in an effort to get controlled substances off the street during a six-month period.

In a video, Florida Sheriff’s Association President and Walton County Sheriff Mike Adkinson called the enforcement effort a huge priority for law enforcement across the state to keep everyone safe. Involving 35 counties, Operation Spring Cleaning ran from October of last year to April of this year.

“The purpose of this operation is to ensure the safety and the well-being of not only of our citizens, but our visitors as well,” said Adkinson. “Florida is a dream destination for people, but for us, it’s home. And, for the sheriffs of this state, we’ve been very successful this year. We believe this is just another example of your sheriff’s serving the state of Florida.”

Through the initiative, more than 4,900 people were arrested for dealing or trafficking illegal drugs across the state. Sheriff’s offices also confiscated about 12.5 million grams of controlled substances and seized more than 1,600 firearms.

In the Panhandle, Bay, Gulf, Okaloosa, and Santa Rosa counties participated in the effort.

For more news updates, follow Sascha Cordner on Twitter: @SaschaCordner.

Sascha Cordner has more than ten years of public radio experience. It includes working at NPR member station WUFT-FM in Gainesville for several years. She's worked in both radio and TV, serving in various capacities as a reporter, producer and anchor. She's also a graduate of the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree in telecommunications. She is the recipient of 15 awards from the Associated Press, Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), and Edward R. Murrow. Her award-winning stories include her coverage on the infamous “Dozier School for Boys” and a feature titled "Male Breast Cancer: Lost in the Sea of Pink." Currently, Sascha serves as the host and producer of local and state news content for the afternoon news program "All Things Considered" at WFSU. Sascha primarily covers criminal justice and social services issues. When she's not reporting, Sascha likes catching up on her favorite TV shows, singing and reading. Follow Sascha Cordner on Twitter:@SaschaCordner.