WMBFNews.com | Myrtle Beach/Florence, SC | News, Weather, SportsOperation Street Sweep leads to 40 arrests

Operation Street Sweep leads to 40 arrests

By Brandon Herring - bio | email

DARLINGTON, SC (WMBF) - Forty people from Darlington County have been arrested on drug charges as part of a five-month law enforcement operation.

Details of the operation were released Thursday at the Darlington County Sheriff's Office.

Sheriff Wayne Byrd said the arrests began Tuesday, but the drug investigation, including undercover drug deals, has been ongoing since October. He called the operation "Street Sweep."

The operation was the result of work by a special drug unit organized by Sheriff Byrd. The unit consists of deputies from the Darlington County Sheriff's Office and police officers from Darlington, Hartsville, Lamar and Society Hill. Hartsville Police Chief Tim Kemp said arresting 40 suspected drug dealers in one operation would not be possible if without the combined efforts in the unit.

"The fact that we're part of a team [means] it doesn't task any one agency, and the fact that we can work together we have 11 people who can come into the city and make a big dent as opposed to a couple of agents within our own department."

Byrd said he hopes the arrests will send a message that the cooperation involved in the special unit is working. He said the efforts will continue, especially because he believes tackling the drug trade in the county directly reduces other crimes.

"The more we can cut down on the drug trade, the selling of drugs and the buying of drugs, the more we hope we can cut down on some of the other crime," Byrd said.

The Sheriff's Office has issued warrants for more suspects as part of Street Sweep.

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