COLUMBUS, Ga. ( WRBL ) — Muscogee County Sheriff Greg Countryman and his federal and local law enforcement partners say the streets of Columbus are safer now than they were a few days ago.
At a news conference on Friday morning the sheriff, the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Harris and Russell County Sheriff’s Office announced 101 arrests and millions of dollars in drug, gun and cash seizures.
The operation conducted Thursday in Columbus and beyond was dubbed “Sweet Silence.” It started as a Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office investigation two years ago.
The target was criminal street gangs in Columbus — primarily the Zohannons and the Crips.
By the time the operation hit the streets in the early morning hours Thursday, there were multiple federal, local and state agencies on the ground in Columbus.
The FBI brought in about 250 agents and analysts. Included in that number were seven SWAT teams to assist in the apprehension of suspects considered armed and dangerous.
Muscogee County Sheriff Greg Countryman says stopping and disrupting the gang activity in Columbus is a top priority.