“Operation Valley Venue” Features Extraordinary Collaboration for Outstanding Results, Including Seizure of Methamphetamine, Heroin, Cocaine, Currency, and Firearms
The Washington/Baltimore HIDTA-funded Northwest Virginia Regional Drug and Gang Task Force conducted its ninth annual Operation Valley Venue in August, in collaboration with area law enforcement agencies. The operation concentrated on identifying and arresting individuals for trafficking, manufacturing, and distributing illegal narcotics within Winchester, VA, and the counties of Clarke, Frederick, Warren, Shenandoah and Page.
Task force and agency personnel conducted 86 probation searches, completed 22 interdiction stops, and executed five search warrants during the operation. The results included the seizure of the following drugs, with a total street value of $130,435:
- 881 grams of methamphetamine, with a street value of $87,800
- 328 grams of heroin, with a street value of $39,610
- Eight grams of cocaine, with a street value of $800
- Seven grams of crack cocaine, with a street value of $800
- 19 doses of MDMA/Ecstasy, with a street value of $380
- 33 doses of LSD, with a street value of $480
- Three fluid ounces of PCP, with a street value of $300
- 70 grams of psilocybin, with a street value of $350.
During the operation, task force and agency personnel also seized $16,296 in currency and took eight firearms off the street.
The task force is comprised of law enforcement personnel from the Clarke, Frederick, Page and Shenandoah County sheriff’s offices; Front Royal, Luray, Strasburg, and Winchester police departments; and the Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Culpeper Field Office. Many of these agencies provided additional personnel for assisting with patrol and investigative services during the operation. They were joined by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, District 11 Probation and Parole, the Woodstock Police Department, and tactical teams from the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office, Shenandoah County Sheriff’s Office, and Virginia State Police.