CHARLESTON, W.Va. — More than four months after local, state and federal agencies conducted a drug bust in Huntington and Detroit, U.S. Attorney Mike Stuart says Operation Saigon Sunset has had “great results.”
“We’re not going to measure the victory over this drug war over a matter of days or weeks. It’s going to be measured in months or years,” he said. “I’m a firm believer in that we have to cut the head off the snake. And so as we’re cutting, we’ve got to make sure it’s completely cut off.”
Multiple people were arrested in April for their involvement with the Peterson Drug Trafficking Organization for allegedly distributing heroin and fentanyl, with scores of others targeted for charges related to narcotics, violent crimes and firearms.
More than 200 law enforcement officers participated in the action.
Eleven of the 15 people connected with the Peterson Drug Trafficking organization have taken plea agreements.
“We had video evidence, we had voice evidence. It was solid,” Stuart said. “We won’t bring a case in this office unless we’re very, very confident that the evidence is substantial. That’s why there is such a high rate of conviction in federal cases, and we’re going to continue down that path.”
Nine prosecutors will soon join Stuart’s office to address drug trafficking crimes.
“All of them are going to be focused on everything we can do to try to make sure we can take on these drug dealers, drug traffickers, take every dollar they have and lock them up as long as possible,” he said. “That’s our real focus, and it’s a laser focus.”