Sarasota Police Arrest 35 Street Drug Dealers

SARASOTA, FL — Sarasota police plan to announce the arrest of 35 street-level drug dealers on Tuesday at an afternoon press conference. Chief Bernadette DiPino and members of the Sarasota Police Department Criminal Investigations Division are expected to detail the results of a four-month police investigation.

"The news conference is in reference to a major operation that took place between June 2018 and October 2018," said Sarasota police. "The operation resulted in more than 35 arrests of street-level drug dealers openly selling illegal narcotics in the city of Sarasota."

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The Sarasota Police Department Narcotics Unit and Street Crimes Unit launched the operation to disrupt open-air drug markets.

"The operation was conducted with undercover detectives making drug buys from suspected street-level dealers in areas that intelligence-led policing proved to be highest in drug crimes," police added.

The suspected drug dealers had a combined total of more than 600 prior felony charges and more than 250 prior felony convictions among the group.

Photo courtesy Sarasota Police Department