The Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) announced on Thursday that 17 people had been arrested in connection with weapons and drug trafficking.
The investigation spanned five states: D.C., Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Texas. As a result of the operation, 122 guns and 10,000 fentanyl pills have been removed from the streets and handed over to authorities.
According to the ATF, the 17 apprehended were reportedly illegally present in the United States.
“They will be in the process of being deported back to the country where they were originally from and they will no longer commit violent crimes in the United States of America,” said Anthony Spotswood, ATF’s special agent in charge.
Several agencies cooperated with the ATF to make these arrests, including:
- Homeland Security Task Force
- Drug Enforcement Agency
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- U.S. Park Police
- Internal Revenue Service
- Metro Transit Police
