Federal and local law enforcement officials announced Wednesday they arrested over 200 people, seized over 800 kilograms of meth and 280 guns as part of a crackdown on crime ahead of the FIFA World Cup matches in Arlington.
"Operation Red Card" began in March and lasted 10 weeks. It was supposed to run until the first World Cup match in Arlington on June 14, but Ryan Raybould, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, said it was cut slightly short due to scheduling.
"This operation has been about preparing for the FIFA World Cup and cleaning up our streets," Raybould told reporters during a press conference in downtown Dallas. "And while the sun may be setting on this operation, the work of protecting North Texans will continue well beyond this operation and well beyond the FIFA World Cup."
Raybould said officers also seized 20 kilograms of fentanyl and $6 million in cash as part of the operation. He characterized the people who were arrested as "the worst of the worst," including kidnappers, human traffickers, drug dealers and robbers.
The operation included officers and prosecutors from the Northern and Eastern Texas districts of the U.S. Attorney's Office, the Dallas FBI field office, the Dallas Homeland Security Investigations office, the Dallas Drug Enforcement Agency office and police from Dallas and Frisco.
Local law enforcement officials said federal cooperation will continue even though the operation has ended.
"We can pick the phone and make a call and ask the U.S. attorney to really lay down that hammer on the worst of the worst," Dallas Police Chief Daniel Comeaux said.
Dylan Duke is KERA's Breaking News Reporter. Got a tip? Email Dylan Duke at dduke@kera.org.
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