PUTNAM COUNTY, Fla. — At a special news conference that took place at around 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 14, Putnam County Sheriff H.D. “Gator” Deloach announced the success of a large-scale drug operation.
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In front of a room of journalists, Deloach announced that Operation Deck the Cells resulted in 24 suspects being pursued by authorities. Sixteen of these individuals have been arrested, and eight more have outstanding warrants.
Among some of the drugs seized were the following:
194 grams of methamphetamine
194 grams of cocaine
473 grams of marijuana
142 grams of MDMA
51 grams of fentanyl
“This is enough fentanyl, 51 grams, to kill the entire population of Palatka two times over,” said Deloach. “Enough to kill approximately 25,000 people that was seized from drug dealers and taken off of our streets.”
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Along with the drugs seized by the joint operation among Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the state attorney’s office were four handguns, one AR-style pistol and $8,400 in cash.
Deloach also said that a new technology was used in the operation. Individual overdose mapping “allows us to track real-time deaths and target the offenders responsible for the sale of those illicit drugs,” the sheriff said.
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Also, a sheriff’s deputy was exposed to what officials believe was fentanyl during the operation. The deputy had to be administered three doses of naloxone.