Drug Task Force arrests 51, seizes more than $800,000 in narcotics in Garland County ‘Operations Boots on the Ground’

GARLAND COUNTY, Ark. – Garland County officials said on Thursday that 51 individuals had been arrested after a long-term investigation by the 18th Judicial District Drug Task Force.

Officials said warrants are still outstanding and further arrests will be made in what they called “Operation Boots on the Ground.” The operation targeted high and mid-level drug dealers in Garland County, they said.

A number of arrestees will face federal charges, officials said, adding that the group included many repeat offenders.

District prosecutor Michelle Lawrence said in a Friday statement that more than $809,250 in narcotics was seized during the investigation. This was alongside $18,316 in drug sale proceeds also seized by the task force.

Total seizures were eight guns, 6.35 pounds of methamphetamine, 27.88 pounds of marijuana & hashish, 72 grams of cocaine, 5 grams of fentanyl, 173 grams of psilocybin mushrooms, 13 grams of MDMA and 103 grams of scheduled pharmaceutical pills, according to Lawrence.

Officials said the operation also led to two misdemeanor arrests of individuals accompanying the targeted arrestees.

The 18th Judicial District Drug Task Force has members from the Hot Springs police, the Garland County sheriff’s deputies, the prosecuting attorney’s office and Homeland Security investigators.

A task force spokesperson thanked the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Arkansas Community Corrections, State Police and the Garland County sheriff’s deputies and Hot Springs police for their assistance in serving the warrants.

The arrests were the result of long hours of investigators putting boots on the ground, giving the operation its name, Lawrence said.