Gang Crackdown in Lake County Nets Heroin, Crack, Ecstasy and Other Drugs in 2016

LAKE COUNTY, IL - The first full-year of the Lake County Sheriff's Gang Task Force resulted in the recovery of numerous firearms and drugs.

In 2016, the gang crackdown yielded 37 firearms, 9,314 grams of cannabis (street value - $186,200), 34 kilograms of powder cocaine ($3,409,410), 70 grams of crack cocaine ($7,050), 21 capsules of ecstasy ($420), 1,458 grams of heroin ($175,000) and 546 illicit prescription pills ($10,920), according to a news release from the Lake County Sheriff's Office, which referred to the campaign as "successful."

“The Lake County Sheriff’s Gang Task Force regularly identify and arrest violent gang members while taking drugs off the streets, in our efforts to keep Lake County safe," Sheriff Mark Curran said. "We also maintain a strong educational presence in our schools and communities to keep the public alert and informed of trends and warning signs.”

Numerous gang members were arrested by the task force, which is "responsible to combat, prevent, and interdict criminal gang activity in Lake County," the Sheriff's Office stated, noting the focus of the campaign was on human trafficking, gun trafficking and money laundering in addition to narcotics.

Undersheriff Ray Rose added that gangs fuel "drug problems, violence problems, human trafficking problems, prostitution problems and so on."

"We will not tolerate these activities in Lake County and we will continue to aggressively investigate and arrest these criminals.”