RUTLAND, Vt. (AP) — Twenty-seven people have been arrested as part of an investigation into drug trafficking in the Rutland area, the Vermont office of the United States Attorney announced Friday.
In addition to the arrests during the monthslong operation conducted by federal, state, local, and county officers, and federal and state prosecutors, law enforcement searched four residences, and seized 14 firearms, including two AR-style rifles.
Officials also seized 148 grams of fentanyl and heroin, approximately 260 grams of cocaine base, approximately 50 grams of cocaine, and over $35,000 of suspected drug proceeds.
It was the third major anti-drug operation led by the U.S. Attorney’s office in less than a year. Earlier operations were carried out in Brattleboro and St. Johnsbury.
The people arrested in the Rutland operation came from Vermont and a number of out-of-state locations.
Vermont United States Attorney Christina Nolan said out-of-state drug dealers should not come to Vermont.
“The Rutland area is suffering greatly under the weight of the drug crisis and related violence, and we deployed a sustained surge of enforcement resources to bring consequences to those selling deadly drugs and violating federal gun laws in that region of the state,” Nolan said.
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