FRANKFORT, Kentucky — A large-scale investigation into suspected drug trafficking rings has led to more than 200 arrests and seizures of drugs worth nearly $685,000, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said Thursday. He also praised prevention and treatment programs fighting the deadly addiction epidemic.
A Kentucky State Police investigation, launched three months ago, has included all police stations in the Bluegrass State. The crackdown, called Operation Summer Heat, is ongoing and will result in additional arrests, said State Police Commissioner Phillip Burnett Jr.
“Kentuckians in the targeted areas can sleep a little better tonight knowing that these drug dealers have been removed from their communities and will now be prosecuted,” Burnett said.
Beshear also announced progress in providing comprehensive treatment for people struggling with addiction. Four additional Kentucky counties — Breathitt, Jessamine, Lee and Nelson — have been certified as Recovery Ready Communities for the help they provide to people overcoming addiction, he said.
Kentucky has made progress with its multifaceted approach to addiction, the Democratic governor said, noting the state’s decline in drug overdose deaths over the past two years. The state leads the nation in the number of residential drug and alcohol treatment beds per capita, he said.
“Despite this, we know our work is not done,” Beshear said Thursday. “We are still losing far too many people, all children of God who are missed by their families and communities.”
In terms of enforcement, the nationwide drug enforcement effort has resulted in 206 arrests for a total of 490 charges, with narcotics trafficking accounting for the largest portion, Burnett said.
The drug seizures totaled 554 grams of fentanyl, 219 grams of cocaine, 4,862 grams of methamphetamine, 41 grams of heroin, 2,931 fentanyl pills, 50 hydrocodone pills, 64 oxycodone pills and 90 hallucinogens, the commissioner said. The street value of the illegal drugs seized is approximately $684,953. Authorities also recovered $37,159 in cash, $10,000 worth of stolen tools and one stolen vehicle during the operation, he said.
“There are now fewer individuals who pose a threat to our people,” Beshear said at a news conference. “This was not an easy task — one that brought law enforcement face to face with danger.”
The operation has eliminated both deadly narcotics and money used to finance drug trafficking, the state police commissioner said.
A total of 1,984 Kentucky residents died from drug overdoses last year, a 9.8% decrease from the previous year, according to the 2023 Kentucky Drug Overdose Fatality Report. Fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid, was the biggest culprit, accounting for 79% of overdose deaths in 2023, the report said.
Kentucky’s Republican-dominated Legislature stepped up its fight against fentanyl this year by passing a sweeping measure designed to combat crime. A key component created tougher penalties when fentanyl distribution results in fatal overdoses.
At the federal level, Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell has in recent years sent massive amounts of federal funding to his home state of Kentucky to address addiction problems there.
Beshear on Thursday stressed the importance of treatment, calling it an example of “living our beliefs and values” by offering second chances to people struggling to overcome addiction. So far, 14 of Kentucky’s 120 counties have achieved Recovery Ready certification. The designation recognizes a commitment to providing access to addiction treatment and recovery support and removing barriers to employment.
Kentucky “can’t get us out of this problem by locking us down,” said Scott Lockard, public health director for the Kentucky River District Health Department.
“We have to fill this void that drugs leave with something else,” he said.