Recently, teams from the Florida Highway Patrol’s Commercial Vehicle Enforcement and Criminal Interdiction Unit hosted a week-long Commercial Motor Vehicle Drug Interdiction Assistance Program (DIAP) with the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office. The program trains law enforcement on how to detect and apprehend transporters and/or users of illicit contraband engaged in commercial vehicle operations on Florida’s roadways. The program concluded with “Operation Ground Up,” an enforcement detail in the Ft. Myers region, which resulted in multiple drug arrests and seizures.
Throughout the operation, FHP and participating law enforcement officers made 327 traffic stops, issued 100 citations and conducted 100 commercial vehicle inspections. The proactive enforcement from “Operation Ground Up” resulted in the seizure of 6.8 grams of crack cocaine, 7.2 grams of heroin, 73 grams of bath salts, 422 grams of marijuana, 13 doses of OxyContin, seven doses of Adderall and one dose of Clonazepam.
“The drug epidemic is a serious issue across our nation and the FHP is committed to ensuring these drugs are not being transported on our roadways,” said DHSMV Executive Director Terry L. Rhodes. “I am extremely proud of the results of this operation because keeping the seized drugs off the road and performing these commercial vehicle inspections undoubtedly saved numerous lives.”
“Operation Ground Up” is the first time that the FHP has initiated a field operation in conjunction with the DIAP training course. The enforcement detail took place in Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Hendry and Glades counties.
“The DEA continues to commit its support to our law enforcement partners in all areas. Our collaborative efforts in this operation show our dedication and persistence in ensuring safety on the roads, as well as all public venues,” said Adolphus P. Wright, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Miami Field Division. “We want everyone to arrive at their destinations alive and unharmed.”
“FDLE is committed to participating in these cases because we cannot successfully fight illegal drugs without limiting drug availability,” said FDLE Commissioner Rick Swearingen.
The focus of the DIAP program is the development and distribution of criminal interdiction techniques to rapidly identify in-transit commercial motor vehicles and drivers engaged in criminal activity. The FHP’s goal was to provide enhanced training techniques by instructor-led training followed immediately by an enforcement operation to reinforce classroom exercises.