Drugs and Organized Crime

The Memphis Division assesses intelligence regarding major drug trafficking organizations and develops proactive investigative strategies to dismantle those significant criminal enterprises, which is in accordance with the National Drug Strategy. The Division focuses Organized Crime/Drug investigations on national and international drug trafficking organizations which have the greatest impact on the United States.

The Memphis Division utilizes the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force concept to address organized crime/drug investigations in a multi-agency environment. The large majority of cases utilize local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies as a team to address the illegal activities of drug trafficking organizations.

In addition, in the Cookeville area, the Memphis Division is a part of the Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and is partners with other agencies in trying to stem the proliferation of marijuana trafficking in parts of Tennessee, Kentucky, and West Virginia.

An example of the type of investigations conducted by the Memphis Division is Operation Southwest Express in which over one ton of cocaine, over two tons of marijuana, and over one million dollars were seized. More than 100 members of the drug trafficking organizations were indicted resulting in the dismantlement of that criminal enterprise,  including the operatives in Tennessee.