JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – FBI Jacksonville said the agency and its partners made 120 local arrests, including dozens of “violent gang members,” during a three-month operation dubbed “Summer Heat.”
According to the agency, the operation was held between June 24 and Sept. 20, and involved all 55 FBI field offices with the intention of launching a “multi-pronged offensive” to combat gang violence, rescuing children who are victims of crime, and resolving violent crime cases in Indian Country.
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Throughout the entire country, the FBI said the operation yielded about 8,629 arrests, 1,053 children identified as victims or located, and the seizure of nearly 45,000 kilograms of cocaine, 421 kilos of fentanyl, and 2,281 weapons.
The FBI said that one operation in Daytona led to the arrest of 28 members of the Mongols motorcycle gang, and in Jacksonville, a man was indicted after he was found attempting to entice a 13-year-old into engaging in sexual activity.
“FBI Jacksonville is relentless in our mission to crush violent crime,” said FBI Jacksonville Special Agent in Charge Jason Carley. “Summer Heat sent a clear message that those who endanger our communities...Operation Summer Heat may be over, but our commitment to crushing violent crime, protecting every neighborhood, family and child never ends.”
In its national news release, FBI Director Kash Patel said, “We are not messing around. Our No. 1 mission is crushing violent crime. If you hurt a child, we’re coming for you. If you jack a car, we’re coming for you. If you’re polluting our neighborhoods with deadly drugs, we’re coming for you.”
Attorney General Pam Bondi echoed Patel’s sentiment.
“Under President Trump’s directive to make America safe again, this Department of Justice will continue prosecuting violent crime and dismantling criminal gangs who are wreaking havoc in our communities,” Bondi said.