JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Sixty people have been arrested and 11 people are still wanted in a four-month drug investigation in the city's Oceanway area, the Jacksonville sheriff announced Thursday afternoon.
Sheriff Mike Williams held a news conference to reveal the results of "Lockdown in O-Town," a targeted street-level narcotics operation that was sparked by complaints from residents in the Northside neighborhood.
The investigation branched out into four areas, and undercover detectives spent months staying at hotels on Dunn Avenue, working to build relationships with known drug dealers in Oceanway.
Detectives seized methamphetamine, powder cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, prescription pills and marijuana during the bust, the sheriff said.
"We were targeting any and all illegal narcotics activity. Heroin gets a lot of attention because it's extremely dangerous with fentanyl mixed in. This is not the same heroin from the 1970s," Williams said.
During the long-term operation, Williams said, 60 people were arrested on drug charges, cars were seized, four structures were condemned and one meth lab was shut down.
"People who sell narcotics, they do so because people are addicted. And the dealers really are predators, and having those people addicted fuels their business. And having those drug dealers off the streets is our job, and it's what we do," Williams said. "They may cohabitate together with the users. Many of these people were arrested for selling and trafficking, in some cases."
While the sting will not have a huge impact on the flow of drugs into the community, Williams said, the drugs removed from the streets will dramatically increase the quality of life for the people who live in the neighborhood.
"Anytime you can remove this many drug dealers, and this amount of drugs from our streets, you know, you're making a positive impact on the lives of those who are suffering with the drug activity that goes on in their neighborhoods," he said.
Residents told News4Jax on Friday that Main Street in Oceanway has become known as a popular section of town to buy drugs.
Resident Jason Mayo said he's was watched the drug problem spiral out of control in the area.
"Back in the day, it was like marijuana and weed," Mayor said. "Now, you hear about people overdosing on heroin and stuff."
Among the people arrested in the bust included were Louis Rickoff Jr. and Glenda Rickoff, who both face drug and child neglect charges. In January, police said they found five children living in filthy and unsafe conditions at the Rickoffs' Oceanway home.
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News4Jax obtained the more than 100-page police report from "Lockdown in O-Town," which reveals that some of the people accused of selling drugs were arrested during the day in a convenience store parking lot near a church.
Williams stressed that the operation was successful because of community complaints.
"We always ask people to reach out to us," the sheriff said.