Approximately ten (10) pounds of Crystal Methamphetamine and two (2) ounces of Fentanyl headed for Columbia County was seized last Friday by members of the Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Task Force (MJDTF).
The seizure took place on Friday, August 23, 2024 following a several-month-long investigation. That investigation determined that these drugs were headed for Columbia County. Due to the ongoing nature of this complex investigation, direct subjects and coconspirators involved are not being named at this time.
The Columbia County Sheriff’s office is the lead and parent agency of a federally assisted program known as the Gateway HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area) Initiative. The Gateway HIDTA Task Force is comprised of federal, state, and local agencies who are tasked with disrupting and dismantling the flow of illicit narcotics into our community. The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office has full-time narcotics detectives and an intelligence analyst who are assigned to this unit. Additionally, one of these detectives is dual-sworn federally and serves as a Task Force Officer with the Drug Enforcement Administration. This detective served as the lead on this investigation.
Sheriff Mark Hunter stated, “Pounds of deadly drugs were stopped from pouring into our community thanks to the ongoing commitment and dedication of our Drug Task Force. Much of their work goes unseen but this team is very much appreciated for their constant effort in combatting illegal narcotics. I could not be more proud of their work and our partnerships with other agencies which makes successful outcomes like this possible.”
We would like to thank our partnering agencies who assisted in this investigation, including: The United States Drug Enforcement Administration, The Florida Department of Law Enforcement, The Florida Highway Patrol and the Lake City Police Department.
So far this year, the MJDTF has seized over $1,508,457 in drugs, eighteen (18) firearms, and $53,330 in assets.
