(Spirit Lake)– The Spirit Lake Police Department announced Wednesday the culmination of a year and-a-half long investigation that resulted in the arrests of 25 people charged with more than 50 felonies and the seizure of narcotics, one vehicle, cash and guns.
Code named “Broken Arrow”, the operation was spearheaded by the Spirit Lake Police Department and involved an Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent who infiltrated what authorities say was a large network of drug and gun traffickers in the area.
Charges filed against those arrested in the operation include drug and gun trafficking, conspiracy and numerous other felonies.
Drugs that were seized included marijuana, methamphetamine, cocaine, crack cocaine and ecstasy.
Spirit Lake Police Chief Jeff Hanson says the operation ended after one of the defendants hired the undercover ATF agent to violently assault and disfigure a local man. Hanson says that man was taken into federal protective custody and wasn’t harmed.
In addition to the Spirit Lake Police Department, other agencies involved in the operation included the Estherville, Arnolds Park, Okoboji, Milford, Hartley, Sheldon and Spencer Police Departments; the Clay, Dickinson and O’Brien County Sheriff’s Offices; the Division of Narcotics Enforcement; Division of Criminal Investigation; Dickinson County Attorney’s Office, the Department of Corrections and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, in cooperation with the Iowa Great Lakes Drug Task Force.
Spirit Lake police say the operation is ongoing and more arrests and seizures are expected.
