Dozens of suspects in an array of North County crimes were facing felony and misdemeanor charges Friday at the conclusion of a three-month investigation targeting repeat offenders, particularly those involved in drug gangs, authorities reported.
Deputies made 60 arrests during the effort, which wrapped up Thursday, according to sheriff’s officials.
Among the offenses attributed to the suspects were robbery, weapons violations, assault with a deadly weapon, possession of stolen property, possession of controlled substances for sale, failure to comply with probation or gang-injunction requirements, and being drunk in public.
The probe, dubbed “Operation Frequent Flyer,” focused primarily on San Marcos, with related investigative activity in Encinitas, Oceanside and Vista, Sgt. Michael Arens said.
Most of the suspects have gang ties, he said.
Over the course of the initiative, deputies seized about 159 grams of methamphetamine, 120 grams of heroin, 17 grams of cocaine, 77 ecstasy tablets, 174 pharmaceutical pills, 28 grams of psilocybin, $2,775 in cash, $37,000 in counterfeit currency, four guns and six stolen vehicles.
‘The operation utilized intelligence-led policing philosophies to identify and arrest prolific offenders,” Arens said.
Taking part in the sweep were the sheriff’s San Marcos Street Narcotics and Gang Detail, North Coastal Street Narcotics and Gang Detail, Jurisdictions Unified for Drug and Gang Enforcement and the San Marcos Gang Enforcement Team.
Thirty-nine of the arrests were for alleged felony crimes and the remainder for misdemeanors, the Arens said.
— City News Service
