ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – In a joint press conference today, St. Petersburg Police Chief Anthony Holloway, FDLE Deputy Commissioner Vaden Pollard, and Pinellas Pasco State Attorney Bruce Bartlett announced the successful takedown of a major fentanyl trafficking operation in the city.
The nine-month investigation, dubbed “Operation Cookie Dough”, targeted high-level distributor David Watson. Watson was identified as the head of a network responsible for flooding St. Petersburg with large quantities of fentanyl and other drugs.
Read: Citrus County Sheriff’s Office Shuts Down Major Opioid Pill Mill In Operation “Flip The Script”
“This is not just another drug arrest,” stated Chief Holloway. “We were able to dismantle this entire operation and have a significant positive impact on the health and safety of our residents.”
The operation, funded by the FDLE S.A.F.E. grant, resulted in the execution of multiple search warrants on August 7th. The raids yielded a massive haul of drugs, cash, and firearms:
- 10.7 kilos of Fentanyl (estimated street value of $9.6 million)
- 10.6 kilos of Powder cocaine
- 10.2 oz of Oxycodone (several hundred pills)
- 11 lbs. of Marijuana
- $506,150 in cash
- 3 handguns and ammunition
“By working together, we can keep our communities safer from drug trafficking organizations and the violence and secondary crimes they bring,” said Deputy Commissioner Pollard. “SAFE provides the funds to do that, and this operation proves the program’s effectiveness.”
The arrest of David Watson and the seizure of such a large quantity of fentanyl represents a significant victory in the fight against the opioid epidemic in St. Petersburg. Law enforcement officials hope this operation will serve as a warning to other drug traffickers operating in the area.
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