SHELBY COUNTY, TN - Nine people are facing charges after cops bust a major drug ring operating from Chicago to Memphis. It’s a result of a nine month undercover investigation. It started after police noticed a spike in the number of heroin overdoses, especially among teenagers in Germantown and Collierville.
Investigators say the accused dealers drove the drugs down to Memphis from Chicago. Police say in some cases they even used the Greyhound bus. Investigators tell myEyewitnessNews these arrests put a major dent in the heroin market.
According to Shelby County Attorney General Bill Gibbons, the accused dealers pushed heroin, xanax, ecstasy, marijuana and other drugs in a ring that operated from Chicago. The dealers are accused of targeting Memphis, Germantown and Collierville.
“We were seizing ounce quantities of heroin in Shelby County during this investigation and that is a tremendous, significant amount of heroin,” says David McGriff with the West Tennessee Drug Task Force.
Collierville parent Stephanie Hunt is learning about the bust for the first time. “It upsets me. I’ve got a 9 year-old and a 6 year-old. Two girls and it’s scary to think what’s going on these days, knowing it’s coming in your town. It just terrifies me.”
Investigators say these arrests should terrify other drug dealers looking to target Shelby County. Seven of the nine people arrested will face felony charges.
As investigators look to take down the bad guys, parents like Stephanie Hunt will do everything they can to help. “We won’t tolerate it. I’ll tell you right now. We’ll put our foot down and we’ll come after you and we will get you, but you will not get in our neighborhood and you will not get to our kids.”
The District Attorney General says more arrests are possible in the heroin ring. Bonds for the accused drug dealers range from $50,000 to $2 million. In addition to drugs, police also seized 3 weapons, 6 cars and more than $7,000.
