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FHP seize dangerous drugs from SWFL highways

Posted at 6:24 PM, Apr 05, 2017
and last updated 2017-04-06 06:51:36-04

LEE COUNTY, Fla. -- Dangerous drugs are being transported throughout Southwest Florida, but teams from the Florida Highway Patrol are working to put a stop to it.

A federal and state operation exposed dozens of commercial vehicles using I-75 to ship cocaine, heroin, marijuana and other drugs.

Throughout the operation, FHP and participating law enforcement officers made 327 traffic stops, issued 100 citations and conducted 100 commercial vehicle inspections. The operation resulted in the seizure of 6.8 grams of crack cocaine, 7.2 grams of heroin, 73 grams of bath salts, 422 grams of marijuana, 13 doses of OxyContin, seven doses of Adderall and one dose of Clonazepam.  

Dozens of officers participated in a week-long Commercial Motor Vehicle Drug Interdiction Assistance Program (DIAP) to in efforts to rapidly identify in-transit commercial motor vehicles and drivers engaged in criminal activity.

Sgt. Daniel Hinton tells Four In Your Corner this type of illegal activity is more common on our roads than you may think.
 
"You can be driving down the highway, and essentially you look over to the right or the left that could very well be a person that's transporting illegal contraband in their vehicle," Sgt. Hinton said.

While Hinton says participants already know how to do their job well, this additional training will help clean the streets.

"We want to give them a little bit more of an education as far as how to make that rapid assessment on the commercial element that people and drivers involved in criminal activity," he said.

If you witness or suspect criminal activity on the road dial *FHP or dial 9-1-1 in emergency situations.