Strike Force Arrests 50 in "Operation Southwest Shopper"

The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office arrested 13 individuals for making illegal prescription drug purchases as part of "Operation Southwest Shopper."  A total of 50 individuals were arrested last week in the multi-county sweep organized by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and other agencies participating in the Statewide Drug Strike Force created by Governor Rick Scott. Read the FDLE press release here, and view links to a complete list of defendants and their mug shots. As Sheriff Knight states in the press release, "Illegal prescription drug trafficking does not recognize jurisdictional boundaries, so fighting this form of crime effectively requires a cooperative and coordinated effort." Sheriff Knight is co-chair of the Strike Force for this region.