LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — We've seen constants headlines stemming from illegal drugs that are being trafficked throughout the state of Arkansas, which explains why law enforcement is working even harder to put a stop to the growing epidemic.
"Getting the drugs [and] the criminals off the streets so that Arkansans are safer," Sergeant Chase Melder with Arkansas State Police said. "But, not only that, we're safer as a country. We have teams set up all across [Arkansas] on I-40 and I-30 and sometimes on Interstate-55. Their main job every day is to go out, and through traffic stops, they try to catch criminals and criminal acts."
Last year Arkansas State Police's Interstate Criminal Patrol was recognized with awards for seizing illegal drugs with a total street value of $27.7 million. That's something that Sgt. Melder said is just the tip of the iceberg.
"[It's] weekly that we're seeing in one vehicle over 100 lbs of marijuana," he said. "The most important thing is hopefully we're saving a life somewhere. We're not naïve to the fact that more drugs are getting through than what we're [seizing] but it's our job to go out there and do the best job that we can with what we have every day," Sgt. Melder said.
The work to put an end to this crisis doesn't just stop at local law enforcement, it's also making its way up the ladder federally.
"We did an operation in Jonesboro. In the area around there, [authorities] arrested 15 people who were suspected in large scale drug trafficking," said Chris Givens, Criminal Chief for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District.
Givens said that they seized over 45 lbs of meth and over 10 lbs of marijuana. They also seized cocaine, multiple firearms, and more than $20,000 in cash.
"If we can try to do our part to keep the large dealers out of our states or punish the ones who do come into our state, that's going to continue to be our mission because public safety is our number one priority," Givens said.
Givens said that they know the drug market will always be there, but so will they — if it means saving people's lives.
"It continues to be a poison and epidemic and anytime we can get any amount [of illegal drugs] out of there we feel better about helping the community," Givens said.