Last week, the North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement (ALE) arrested 444 residents. The state agency notes that special agents teamed up with local police and sheriff’s departments in eight districts to conduct this operation.
A spokesperson for the ALE notes that their officers specifically targeted stores that carry Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) licenses during this operation. He notes that these locations were chosen because they tend to be hubs for illegal activity including targeted violence. Officers selected stores in the counties most affected by crime in hopes of making them safer for residents to live in.
Officers executed just four search warrants during last week’s operation but ended up filing 636 charges as a result of their targeted efforts. At least 350 of those individuals who were arrested were charged with alcohol-related offenses. Five people now face weapons charges. At least 93 people were booked in jail for drug crimes. Another 50 residents were booked on fake identification charges.
One of the search warrants executed in Cumberland county helped officers identify two convenience store robbery suspects. It was during a routine traffic stop that a car carrying two motorists was stopped. When officers went ran the vehicle’s tags, they realized that the car had reportedly used as the getaway vehicle in a robbery. When they searched the vehicle, they found that the passenger had a gun on him although he’s a convicted felon.
In another incident in Charlotte, one of the search warrants executed helped officers identify who was responsible for a shooting at a house party. That incident resulted in one person dying. Three others were hurt in it.
Now that this latest operation is complete, ALE will request for the licenses of these ABC-licensed businesses to have their permits revoked or suspended.
Law enforcement agencies routinely pool their resources in hopes of being able to more effectively track down suspects so that they can make our neighborhoods safer. These operations are often unexpected. They can catch you off guard and result in you being charged with criminal offenses if you’re engaging in unlawful activities.
If you’re facing charges, then you’ll want to consult with a criminal defense attorney who has years of experience working as a prosecutor. She can let you know what the other side is thinking and advise you as to the best defense strategies that you can pursue in your Statesville case.
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