17 arrested by Street Crimes Task Force

SIKESTON - Seventeen persons were arrested and drugs confiscated when the Street Crimes Task Force took action in Sikeston and Charleston.

Officers from the Cape Girardeau, Poplar Bluff and Charleston Police Departments, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Sikeston Department of Public Safety and the Missouri National Guard helicopter joined forces Friday to address local drug and gang activities, according to Capt. Jim McMillen, DPS public information officer.

According to McMillen, there were 60 vehicle stops which led to 17 arrests and 39 citations issued.

"These arrests and citations were for a variety of offenses," he reported. "During the detail police seized 12.5 grams of marijuana, 5 grams of methamphetamine and miscellaneous methamphetamine paraphernalia."

The Task Force was created over two years ago to help combat local criminals who roam from city to city victimizing citizens, McMillen said.

"The cooperation between local agencies has helped make great strides in our effort to fight crime," he added. "We have regular meetings to share information and intelligence on criminal offenders."

Sikeston DPS Director Drew Juden called the Street Crimes Task Force a success in curbing crime in the target cities.

"It has also provided a unique and much needed information sharing process to identify a very mobile and opportunistic criminal element," he said.