BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. — A 14-month-long drug trafficking investigation has led to the arrest of 19 people, the Bonyton Beach Police Department (BBPD) announced Thursday morning.
WATCH BELOW: Anonymous letter tips off Boynton Beach police to major drug trafficking ring
The investigation, dubbed "Operation Trackside," was led by the Boynton Beach Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Enforcement Group 2 in West Palm Beach and resulted in arrests throughout Palm Beach and Broward counties.
In a press conference held on Thursday, Boynton Beach Police Chief Joe Degiulio called the outcome of the investigation "significant," having seized:
- Over 5,000 grams of narcotics, including cocaine and fentanyl
- Six handguns
- Two semi-automatic rifles
- $450,000 in cash
- 11 vehicles and one boat
WATCH: Boynton Beach Police Chief Joe Degiulio announces "Operation Trackside" arrests
"This operation marks a major victory in our fight against the deadly flow of fentanyl and cocaine into our communities,” DeGiulio said. “The success of this operation was made possible by the tireless work of our officers and the invaluable support of our neighboring agencies – we stand united in protecting our streets and saving lives.”
The investigation started in July 2024 after BBPD received a handwritten anonymous letter from a concerned resident who suspected drug trafficking in the neighborhood.
"Over the last 70 days is when we really ramped it up," BBPD Narcotics Unit Sargenat Daryn Whitefield said. "We were on these guys for 70 days straight, 12-16 hours a day, following them around."
Whitefield said that of the 19 arrested, four were from Boynton Beach. The others from communities around Palm Beach County and Fort Lauderdale.
The multi-agency investigation, which included over 10 law enforcement groups such as the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, and the Broward County Sheriff's Office, was funded through the State Assistance for Fentanyl Eradication (SAFE) program, which aims to combat illegal fentanyl activity throughout Florida.
“There are a lot of moving parts that come along with a drug investigation," Degiulio said. "There’s a lot of evidence that needs to be obtained; the people you see here are not street-level drug dealers. These are high-level street suppliers. So it’s not easy to get to these individuals unless you put a lot of time and effort into these investigations.”
BBPD says this is an ongoing investigation as they anticipate making several more arrests as part of "Operation Trackside."
