Waukesha Drug Unit Getting More Federal Support, Investigative Reach

WAUKESHA, WI — The Waukesha County Metro Drug Unit will become a DEA Task Force by the end of the year, bringing increased law enforcement participation and support from the federal government, according to a news release from the Waukesha County Sheriff's Office.

The change will also allow local investigators to look beyond county lines and pursue source suppliers outside of Waukesha County, the sheriff's office said.

The existing drug unit, led by the sheriff's office and made up of several local police agencies, has been around for over 25 years to investigate local drug distribution and production complaints. The unit also investigates drug overdoses.

Authorites said the transition comes as the unit has demonstrated the ability to identify and disrupt drug trafficking organizations.

The drug unit investigated 174 cases in 2021 and arrested or referred charges for 124 people, The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported. In that time the most seized drug was marijuana, while the second was cocaine, the report said.