Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch proudly declared the triumphant conclusion of Operation Game Over, a highly coordinated four-day operation conducted on the Mississippi Gulf Coast with the aim of combating human trafficking and narcotics distribution. Spearheaded by the Attorney General’s Human Trafficking Task Force and Fentanyl Strike Force, this operation yielded remarkable results, including the rescue of four victims of human trafficking, one child, the apprehension of 33 individuals involved in these heinous crimes, and the confiscation of numerous illicit substances. Notably, the seizure encompassed a substantial amount of fentanyl, a deadly drug capable of potentially ending the lives of 8,580 individuals.
“In this one operation, we seized enough fentanyl to kill 8,580 people,” said Attorney General Fitch. “But we only scratched the surface of the poison being peddled to our children. My team is committed to taking criminals who traffic people and drugs off the streets and dismantling their illegal activities that exploit others for profit. We are grateful to our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners who worked with us on Operation Game Over and who are part of our task force network, including the Human Trafficking Task Force and Fentanyl Strike Force.”
During the operation that took place from February 5 to February 8, law enforcement executed 14 search warrants and made arrests for charges related to human trafficking and narcotics. The authorities successfully seized a variety of illegal substances, including methamphetamine, ecstasy, cocaine, marijuana, hydrocodone, Adderall, fentanyl, and a stolen firearm.
The participating agencies were as follows:
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- Biloxi Police Department
- D’Iberville Police Department
- Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
- Harrison County Sheriff’s Office
- Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)
- Jackson County Sheriff’s Office
- Mississippi Bureau of Investigation (MBI)
- Mississippi Department of Revenue – Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC)
- Mississippi Gaming Commission
The Gulf Coast Center for Nonviolence played a vital role in offering essential services and support to the victims who were rescued during the operation.
Attorney General Fitch also emphasized the continuous efforts of her office, as they have provided training to 516 officers throughout the state through the Be the Solution initiative. So far, the human trafficking team led by the AG has played a crucial role in rescuing 336 victims and apprehending 98 suspects. Their efforts have also resulted in numerous leads that have disrupted trafficking operations in Mississippi.
Launched in 2023, the Fentanyl Strike Force, in conjunction with the One Pill Can Kill public awareness campaign, has successfully trained more than 400 officers in narcotics investigations as well as the utilization of naloxone and fentanyl test strips.
