KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – East Tennessee prosecutors and law enforcement officers said they are continuing to disrupt what they describe as a Detroit-to-Tennessee drug pipeline through the multiagency 313 Initiative, an effort aimed at getting drugs, dealers and guns off the streets in multiple states.
The latest case unfolded over the weekend, when the Knox County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit and Organized Retail Crime Unit, while specifically targeting the Detroit-to-Knoxville drug pipeline, attempted to stop a Dodge Caravan.
The driver allegedly took off, but after a short chase, detectives seized thousands of dollars, along with 11 pounds of methamphetamine and marijuana, officials said.
Three people were arrested: 21-year-old Damaino Farris and 41-year-old James Costner, both of Roseville and 33-year-old Kevin Foy of Detroit.
According to court records, Foy was released from prison less than a year ago after pleading no contest to manslaughter and home invasion charges out of Macomb County.
Farris, Costner and Foy are scheduled to be back in court April 1, 2026.
The 313 Initiative
Officials said the weekend bust is part of the 313 Initiative, described as a “concerted effort by numerous federal, state and local agencies to identify, target and dismantle drug trafficking organizations from the Detroit area that have chosen Knox County and surrounding counties to distribute large amounts of drugs.”
Since December 2022, the Knox County District Attorney’s Office says investigators working under the 313 Initiative have seized about 145 pounds of methamphetamine, 84 pounds of fentanyl or heroin, more than 7 pounds of cocaine or crack, thousands of prescription pills, nearly $800,000 and 251 guns, and have made 453 arrests.
“In Knox County alone, we believe the work of the 313 Initiative has contributed to the decrease in overdose deaths we saw from 485 deaths in 2023 to 301 deaths in 2024,” said District Attorney Charme Allen. “Between holding drug dealers accountable and providing more treatment opportunities for drug users, our community was able to save 184 lives last year.”
Surrounding jurisdictions have also reported improvements, prosecutors said. In 2024, the 5th Judicial District noted a 57% decrease in reported overdose deaths from the previous year.
Agencies involved
Partner agencies in the initiative include the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Tennessee Department of Correction, the 4th Judicial Drug Task Force, Sevier County Street Crimes, the 5th Judicial Drug Task Force, Knoxville Police Department, Knox County Sheriff’s Office, the 7th Judicial Crime Task Force, Campbell County Sheriff’s Office, Claiborne County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Michigan State Police, Detroit Police Department, Kentucky State Police, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee, and the district attorneys’ offices for Tennessee’s 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th judicial districts.