Law enforcement agencies in Indiana will frequently arrest people for possession of illegal drugs, but these arrests are not necessarily their top priorities. Law enforcement and prosecutors are more interested in going after drug trafficking operations. Many of their efforts are targeted toward breaking up networks of people who deal in illegal drugs.
Compared to drug possession charges, the penalties in these cases are much more serious, with longer prison sentences and steeper fines. Another difference in these cases is that they often involve multiple law enforcement agencies arresting multiple people in several locations.
25 arrested in Indiana operation
A recent Indianapolis news report told of one such operation in which 25 people were arrested.
According to the report, the arrests were related to an investigation by the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office and the police departments of Franklin and Greenwood. The law enforcement agencies executed search and arrest warrants along with the help of the Marion County Sheriff’s Office and the Edinburgh Police Department.
The 25 people arrested ranged in age from 19 to 56. They were alleged to be dealing methamphetamine and other drugs.
Caught up in a sweep
When police go after an alleged drug ring, they try to arrest everyone involved. The idea is to break up the networks that distribute illegal drugs to the community. Their main targets may be the people at the top of the hierarchy in a drug operation, but they often end up arresting many people who are much further down the ladder. Sometimes, they may try to get these lower-level offenders to serve as witnesses against those at the top, in exchange for lighter sentences or other preferential treatment.
For people caught up in this type of mass arrest operation, the result can be extremely intimidating and frightening. They must remember that they have the right to a defense, and should seek out counsel from experienced professionals.