The Lake County Sheriff’s Gang Task Force is calling 2016 “a very successful year” in fighting crime, which included the seizure of 37 weapons and $3.79 million in drugs, according to a release.
The drugs seized included:
* 9,314 grams of cannabis with a street value of $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).
* 546 illicit prescription pills ($10,920).
Sgt. Gianni Giamberduca, the task force commander, credits the task force’s success in its first full year in operation to the numerous agencies that collaborate in running it.
“You are sharing information,” he said. “You are getting better information, which puts together better cases for you.”
The task force is run by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, and is comprised of the Grayslake, Lakemoor, Lake County Forest Preserve, Lake Villa, Mundelein, North Chicago, Park City and Wauconda police departments; along with the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and U.S. Homeland Security.
“History shows us time and time again gangs are the common denominator when it comes to problems within our communities,” Undersheriff Ray Rose said in a release. “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.”
In addition to the task force, the Sheriff’s Office also maintains a strong presence in the schools and community to keep people informed about trends and warning signs, Sheriff Mark Curran was quoted as saying in the release.
The task force “has been extremely active throughout Lake County,” and is tasked to “combat, prevent and interdict criminal gang activity,” the release said.
Erin Gallagher is a freelance reporter for the News-Sun.
