Joined by its law enforcement partners at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office, the NOPD today (May 6, 2025) held a media briefing to discuss the current results of an ongoing multi-agency operation focusing on removing criminals, illegal narcotics and firearms from the streets of the city.

Since August of 2024, the NOPD Special Operations Division has been working hand in hand with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in the Joint Tactical Intelligence Group to target illegal narcotics activity in the city. The unit has also worked with the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office to obtain charges against arrested individuals and, in one case, bring the closure of a business alleged to have been a hotspot for illegal narcotics activity and violent crime.

“Through this ongoing partnership, we’re using analytical data to assist in obtaining warrants and making multiple arrests on high-risk warrant executions to take numerous illegal narcotics and suspects off our streets,” Superintendent Anne E. Kirkpatrick said.”

The unit is comprised of tactical operators assigned to NOPD's Special Operations Division Tactical II Investigative group, who are also essential SWAT personnel. HSI and ATF have each assigned special agents and analysts to this unit to work daily amongst the group of NOPD tactical investigators.

Through May 5, the operation has netted the following results:

• Arrested individuals: 106
• Arrest warrants cleared: 194
• Guns seized: 85, 17 of which were reported to be stolen
• Arrests on counts of felon in illegal possession of a firearm: 45
• Narcotics seized:
  • 48.6 pounds of marijuana
  • 601.5 grams of crack cocaine
  • 7,790 Tapentadol tablets
  • 221 grams of heroin
  • 1.58 pounds of crystal methamphetamine
  • 1.85 pounds of Ecstasy pills
  • 76.7 grams of amphetamines
  • 12 Hydrocodone pills
  • 54 Xanax pills
  • 22 Oxycodone pills
  • 67 Tramadol pills
  • 229.1 grams of promethazine

• US currency seized: $129,203

Recent examples of arrests this operation has achieved include:

• The arrest of 10 individuals on March 27 in the 2800 block of Philip Street, in the Sixth District. During this arrest, one of the suspects arrested was also wanted on a shooting incident that occurred on February 12 in the Third District. The arrested subjects were found to have affiliation with the Magnolia “M3” group.

• On April 2, another suspect was arrested in the 0-10 block of Winners Circle, in the Seventh District. This suspect was found to have multiple firearms in his possession, one of which was reported to be stolen. He was also found with multiple firearm parts, several live rounds of various caliber ammunition and illegal narcotics.

• Two suspects were arrested on April 8 between two warrants executed, one in the 3200 block of Saint Peter Street in the First District, and another in the 7500 block of Means Avenue, in the Seventh District. This warrant also led to the confiscation of multiple illegal narcotics, six (6) firearms and a stolen vehicle.

• The arrest of 10 additional suspects on April 22 in the 1800 block of South Claiborne Avenue, in the Sixth District. This location, which housed a carwash operation, is believed to be a hub of illegal narcotics activity in the Sixth District. This also included 12 vehicle search warrants and led to six firearms being confiscated, along with $6,000 cash, multiple illegal narcotics and body armor.

• Five arrests were made during enaction of multiple search warrants on April 23 in the 3700 block of Orleans Avenue, in the First District. The search warrant resulted in the seizure of multiple illegal narcotics, drug paraphernalia, nearly $10,000 in cash and six (6) firearms.

• Two additional suspects were arrested on April 24 in the 1300 block of South Galvez Street, in the First District. Items confiscated include narcotics packaged for retail distribution, drug paraphernalia, approximately $3,000 in cash and three (3) firearms, one of which was reported stolen from Saint Bernard Parish.

Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams said that these investigations have led to strong cases being handed to his office for prosecution, including use of technology.

“What you’re seeing is detectives and agents embracing technologies and getting that information early, so that it’s preserved for juries to see,” he said. “I’ve never seen case files and police reports look better. When you see agents and detectives working together and using data, information and intelligence to go after those high-impact criminals and take them off the board and improve quality of life for neighbors.”

Tonya Barrett, assistant special agent in charge for Homeland Security Investigations’ New Orleans bureau, said this partnership was created out of necessity.

“There was a shared recognition that the violence plaguing the New Orleans community needed a bold and unified approach”, she said. “By bringing together agents and detectives at the ground level, we are integrating tactical enforcement with intelligence-led strategies to fully confront violent crime and street gang activity in our city.”

Barrett said this structure is unique, as typically local law enforcement would embed with Federal law enforcement for such operations. However, in this case, Federal officers have embedded with NOPD to operate at the base level and work upward in investigations. Additionally, NOPD officers working in the unit have been Federally deputized and have access to intelligence operations through HSI. Already, the group has secured six Federal indictments in 2024, with four additional investigations pending.

“These resources allow us to dismantle criminal organizations from the top down and from the bottom up,” she said.

ATF New Orleans Field Division Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson said the beginnings of this unit date back to discussions in 2023, with the unit becoming active in mid-2024. Plans for the unit were based on operations previously conducted when both he and Kirkpatrick were working in Oakland, Calif.

“At the time, Chief (Kirkpatrick) was not here,” he said. “When she landed here, I knew then that we could pick up momentum and put this plan into action, along with the guidance and support of the district attorney.”

Jackson also stressed the importance of embedding Federal agents with local officers to combine intelligence gathering and analytical data with investigatory processes to handle cases not only locally, but in other parishes as well if needed.

“It’s very gratifying to see that what we knew would work in the city is working,” he said. “We’re staying on the gas and staying focused on the mission. This task force will continue to grow and refine itself.”

In addition to the agencies previously mentioned, Kirkpatrick also thanked additional partner agencies including the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, Louisiana State Police and the U.S. Postal Investigation Service who have also assisted in this operation.

“These results show the hard work and dedication these law enforcement officers have in taking these dangerous criminals off our streets, taking these illegal guns and drugs out of circulation and working to make our city safer,” Kirkpatrick said. “We thank them for their diligence and their continued efforts. This is an ongoing investigation with more results to come.”

All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Have a question or correction? Please email NOPD’s Public Affairs Division at nopdpio@nola.gov.