DETROIT – A 22-year-old Detroit man and 15 other adults have been arrested in connection with a drug operation involving heroin, crack and meth in Port Huron.
The St. Clair County Drug Task Force began investigating the 22-year-old man in March, when officials tried to arrest him after watching him make several deals in Port Huron.
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The man fled on foot, but was found and arrested for resisting and obstructing police and breaking and entering.
He failed to show up for his court date, and a warrant was issued for his arrest out of St. Clair County. The U.S. Marshals Office also issued a federal parole violation warrant for his arrest.
Around 12:30 p.m, the DTF and U.S. Marshals made a traffic stop on the eastbound I-94 Exit ramp at Chalmers Street in Detroit. Inside the car was the 22-year-old man, a 23-year-old Detroit woman and a 17-year-old girl from Detroit.
The man was immediately taken into custody on his arrest warrant.
The 23-year-old woman was taken into custody and later turned over to the Detroit Police Department on an outstanding felony warrant.
The 17-year-old girl was questioned by DTF, Homeland Security Investigations and Detroit police before being released.
Police said the 22-year-old man is currently on federal probation for a weapons charge. During the search of his car, officials found a loaded handgun inside the passenger door compartment. The handgun was reported stolen out of Detroit.
After the man had been taken into custody, other members of DTF arrested a 24-year-old Troy woman at her workplace.
Members of DTF and Troy police officers executed a search warrant at her home in the 5900 block of Niles Drive and found a dealer quantity of heroin, along with packaging material.
Between the months of March and September, DTF executed eight search warrants and multiple other investigations. A total of 15 adults from Detroit and Port Huron were arrested for selling heroin, crack and meth, police said.
All 15 of the adults were tied to the 22-year-old man. Police said they worked as his "runners" to sell narcotics in Port Huron.
The Troy woman would transport the "runners" and the drugs from Detroit to the Port Huron area. When they arrived, they would sell the drugs on the street and then wire the money back to the 22-year-old man in Detroit.
During the investigation, the heroin seized tested positive for fentanyl/carfentanil. DTF thought the only way to stop this pipeline of lethal drugs coming into the community was to venture out of the country, which led to a joint investigation with several departments.
The 22-year-old man faces charges of maintaining a drug house, possession with intent to distribute heroin, meth and crack cocaine, criminal enterprise, felon in possession of a firearm, parole violation and being a habitual offender.
The Troy woman faces charges of maintaining a drug house, possession with intent to deliver heroin, meth and crack cocaine and criminal enterprise.