Local law enforcement agencies announced Friday the completion of a three-month investigation that led to 15 area arrests, just the first step in the judicial process to follow.
The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Chapel Hill and Carrboro police departments, the Orange and Durham County sheriffs’ offices and the U.S. Marshals Joint Fugitive Task Force.
“It’s the culmination of months of hard work,” Lt. Jabe Hunter of Chapel Hill police said. “It all comes down to the time when you actually pick people up.”
After monitoring known distributors to look for enough evidence to obtain search warrants, the agencies made the arrests the first week of February. These arrests, which stemmed from three search warrants, resulted in 90 felony charges.
Hunter said the investigations and subsequent arrests involved both street dealers and larger drug traffickers. He said the investigations primarily focused on cocaine and crack cocaine.
Though the number of arrests was unusually large, Hunter said the investigation process was business as usual. Since investigations and suspects are not confined to one place, Hunter said it was important to have the cooperation of other law enforcement agencies.
“We’re all about information sharing,” he said. “What affects us affects Carrboro and affects Orange County.”
Sgt. Chris Atack with Carrboro police said the focus of the investigation was regional.
“It was everyone putting an effort in the work pot and getting a result,” he said.
