35 arrested in large-scale drug task force op

The Shawano County Drug Task Force, in concert with the Northeast Tri-County Drug Enforcement Group, arrested 35 people around the county on June 9 following a large-scale effort to target illegal drugs.

Three people were arrested for possession of methamphetamine, while four were arrested on possession of THC, the active drug in marijuana. Two of the arrests involved narcotics, while another two involved fentanyl and heroin. Six of the arrests included charges of drug parpahernalia.

Many of the arrests included non-drug-related crimes, including seven incidents of operating after revocation of license, six outstanding warrants, five bail-jumping charges, four incidents of operating without a license, two incidents of resisting or obstructing officers, and one count each of possessing an electric weapon, felony misappropriation of identification, operating while impaired and probation violation.

The task force conducted 98 traffic stops total, issuing 123 warnings and 50 citations.

The Northeast Tri-County Drug Enforcement Group, which also includes Oconto, Marinette and Forest counties, works regularly with Shawano County on drug and traffic sweeps like this one, according to Chief Deputy George Lenzner. He noted that each county sets up a large-scale interdiction at least once a year, with this one targeting an area from Gresham east to Cecil. An interdiction for the west side of Shawano County occurred last fall, albeit on a smaller scale.

“We try to move them around,” Lenzner said. “I doubt you’ll see another one on this large of a scale this year. It takes a lot to get something organized with all these other counties.”

Lenzner said that eight of the nine overdose deaths documented by the sheriff’s department in 2021 were fentanyl-related, and the goal of this sweep was to get as much of the drugs off the street as possible.

“We’re trying to get some of this fentanyl and meth and heroin — the dangerous drugs — off the streets,” Lenzner said. “This is just one way to help accomplish that.”

Lenzner said he’d hoped to get more of the dangerous drugs off the streets with the traffic stops, but cleaning up issues with outstanding warrants and driving without licenses was helpful, too.

“I’m not real surprised with the number of arrests, because we know there are a ton of people driving around with warrants and without valid license,” Lenzner said. “Drug activity is out there, and we always want to get more drugs off the streets. We’re happy that we got some meth and heroin and fentanyl off the street. We’ll take what we can get and hopefully save somebody’s life.”