Henry Co. sheriff calls drug roundup ‘effort to take poison off the street’
HENRY COUNTY, Tenn. — Dozens of arrests are made early Friday morning in Henry County in what the sheriff says is “an effort to take poison off the street.”
WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News reporter Hannah King was on scene as officers from multiple agencies performed the drug enforcement roundup.
For a year and a half, investigators have been building a case against accused drug dealers across Henry County.
Friday morning, “Operation Blind Justice” began, resulting from the ongoing investigation of more than 50 people.
“This has been a joint investigation between our Metro Crime Unit, Henry County Sheriff’s Office, Paris Police Department and TBI really helping us out in this investigation,” Henry County Sheriff Monte Belew said. “The investigation has gone on for about 18 months, and we are looking at 62 defendants on approximately 113 charges.”
Sheriff Belew says the investigation targeted drug dealers with search warrants served at homes across the county.
Henry County Sheriff Monte Belew
“We have been able to utilize everything from drones to THP’s helicopter to TBI’s airplane to multiple K-9 units from the sheriff’s office and Paris PD as well,” Sheriff Belew said. “Everything has gone really smooth, uneventful. Thoughts and prayers to the officers that are still out there working on Operation Blind Justice.”
At least 25 people were arrested without incident, most of them now facing felony drug charges.
This was just phase one of Operation Blind Justice. Phase two will include additional indictments from state and federal courts.
Agents from the DEA, TBI, Tennessee Department of Correction, along with investigators with the THP, Henry County Sheriff’s Office and other agencies teamed up to search several homes before sunrise.
“They are walking easy and they are looking over their shoulder so they know Metro Crime Unit and TBI and Operation Blind Justice is hopefully going to put a dent in some of this in Henry County,” Sheriff Belew said.
Sheriff Belew says more indictments could come as a result of the ongoing investigation.
