Drugs, guns and cash seized as central Texas law enforcement round up suspected gang members | Local Crime News

A two-week federal, state and local law enforcement operation resulted in 250 arrests, including 201 suspected criminals, and the seizure of weapons, drugs and cash, officials said Wednesday during a joint press conference.

During the seven-agency effort known as Operation Washout 2.0, officials served 162 felony warrants, including a Falls County murder warrant, and seized 42 firearms, 227 pounds of marijuana, 62 grams of heroin, 397 grams of methamphetamine, 323 grams of cocaine and $53,579 in cash.

Texas Department of Public Safety Regional Director Todd Snyder said the operation, which focused on McLennan, Bell and Coryell counties, was “more than successful.”

“These operations don’t happen by accident, and there are so many moving parts behind the scenes, like our analysts, our administrative support staff. Just great work from everyone and a collaborative effort from all of our partner agencies here, federal, state and local,” Snyder said.

The press conference featured members of the McLennan County Law Enforcement Academy and featured McLennan County Sheriff Parnell McNamara, Waco Police Chief Sheryl Victorian, Chief of Police of Killeen Charles Kimble, Waco Texas Anti-Gang Administrator James Bonewitz, Deputy U.S. Marshal Robert Garmon, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Resident Officer in Charge Brian Garner and County Sheriff of Coryell Scott Williams.

“It’s a great example of how city, county, state, and federal agencies, when they come together and work together, you get results like this,” McNamara said. “No agency can do something like this on its own. I know we can’t.

The operation also resulted in the arrest of 28 gang members and contact with at least 48 other gang members, authorities said. In addition, 49 suspects were arrested for misdemeanor violations and 162 misdemeanor warrants were served.

Victorian thanked everyone involved in the operation and said it is expected to have far-reaching effects in several communities.

“One thing I want our community to know is that this was a one off targeted operation over a two week period that we do periodically. But that was the type of work that all the men and women of law enforcement went out and did every day,” she said.

Kimble said there was a gang problem in Killeen and thanked the officers and others who participated in the operation for helping to make central Texas safer.

“When we look, and if you’ve been following law enforcement over the last year or a year and a half, there’s been a lot of violence in our communities and cities,” Kimble said. “Whenever we can work together to end this violence…we have seen violence, we have seen officers, our civilians and even children in our communities injured by people who are prohibited from carrying arms and those who sell drugs in our communities.