Duluth Police Department Announced Largest Drug Bust In Regions History

A year long investigation in the Northland has uncovered the largest drug trafficking operation in the history of this area. According to Duluth Police Lt. Jeff Kazel, commander of the Lake Superior Drug and Violent Crime Task Force:

The investigation netted 1.16 pounds of of heroin and fentanyl, 2.66 pounds of methamphetamine and two firearms. It's estimated that the operation sold more than $1 million worth of opioids, meth and cocaine this year alone.

So far 35 suspects have been arrested with 5 in custody, and another 5 have search warrants in Rochester and Duluth, along with the drugs some weapons were seized as well.  More than a dozen local, state and federal agencies and task forces all worked  together conducting surveillance and making controlled buys with confidential informants.

This investigation took place in Duluth, Rochester and the Iron Range along with parts of greater Minnesota. The leader of this drug trafficking organization has been identified as 36-year-old Ricky Antoinne Osborne, of Rochester.

Seeing these type of statistics is definitely eye opening knowing that some of this was all happening in our area. Thank you to all the members of Law Enforcement who were part of this investigation getting these drugs off the street and helping our community stay safe.