Wilmington- A two-day multi-agency operation conducted early this week along the Maryland Avenue corridor, west of Wilmington, has resulted in the arrest of 69 individuals, according to Public Information Officer, Master Corporal Jeffrey Hale.
Hale said the initiative, which was a joint partnership comprised of the Delaware State Police, the New Castle County Police Department, the Wilmington Police Department, the Newport Police Department, and the Department of Probation and Parole, with the assistance of and the Department of Corrections and the Justice of the Police Courts, took place on Monday, September 11th, 2017 and Tuesday, September 12th, 2017. The operation targeted the Maryland Avenue corridor in response to numerous citizen complaints of prostitution and other quality of life crimes that have been occurring in the area, according to Hale.
During the two-day operation, 69 individuals were arrested and charged with 43 criminal or pedestrian offenses including prostitution, drug, and weapons charges. Some were also found to be wanted by various Delaware courts. The operation also seized 8 grams of powder cocaine, 1.9 grams of heroin. 5.7 grams of marijuana, .74 grams of crack cocaine, $2672.00 in suspected drug sale proceeds, a .22 caliber handgun, and a pellet gun, said Hale.
Delaware State Police Superintendent Colonel Nathaniel McQueen, Jr., said “This operation is just another example of how the cooperation of multiple law enforcement agencies can go a long way in combating crime which will only increase the quality of life for the communities we serve. These results would not have been achieved without the cooperation of numerous agencies including the New Castle County Police, Wilmington Police, Newport Police, Department of Corrections and the Justice of the Peace Courts.”