YULEE, Fla. — Twenty-four mug shots. Twenty-four suspects busted for drugs. You name it, deputies say they found it.
“Marijuana, pills, cocaine, even meth,” Sheriff Bill Leeper said.
The Nassau County Sheriff’s Office took months on "Operation High on Summertime." Deputies say they worked undercover and purchased drugs on the street. Leeper says the arrests are a step in the right direction.
“Unfortunately, a lot of other crimes occur as a result of drugs,” he continued. “We can solve other crimes as well."
Julie Maley is happy about the bust. She formed a neighborhood watch with friends to look out for people with illegal drugs.
“I’m thrilled, but I’m also surprised there's so many people in our area involved in that. We need to take some power back. Not just watching,” she said.
A new meth storage container is expected to aid the Sheriff's Office going forward. Before, deputies had to take meth materials all the way to Putnam County. Now, they have a safe place for the drugs they confiscate right in their own back yard.
“They'll take them out and destroy them at no cost to us. It's a win-win for everyone,” Leeper said.