The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has launched a Homeland Security Task Force based in Nashville aimed at combating transnational criminal organizations in Middle Tennessee.

Acting U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee Rob McGuire made the announcement at a press conference on Thursday surrounded by representatives from some of the more than 15 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies involved in the effort.

“While all of these agencies have their own areas of expertise and areas of responsibility, the idea behind the Homeland Security Task Force is to bring these resources together for the betterment of the community, to try to lower the amount of fentanyl trafficking and fentanyl overdoses, to lower the amount of gang violence, to stop the flow of illegal drugs and firearms into our communities,” McGuire said.

Thursday’s announcement marked the official public launch of the task force, McGuire said. However, agencies have already been working under the umbrella for months. And they have already been producing significant results.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office reports that the 38 individuals charged, including eight members and associates of MS-13 (a transnational crime gang), are believed to have been involved in drug trafficking, carjackings, assaulting officers, using guns while committing violent crimes and immigration offenses.

The charges are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) established in Nashville by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, the U.S. Attorney’s Office shared.

The HSTF is dedicated to “eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings” in the U.S. and beyond.

Agency leaders called out several of the successful investigations including one they say dismantled a fentanyl pipeline that was funneling drugs into Tennessee.

“Operation We Will Rock You started when one of our local narcotics investigators noticed a spike in overdose deaths within our community,” said Cumberland County (Crossville) Sheriff Casey Cox. “His work led to uncovering a major drug trafficking organization operating within Middle Tennessee.”
Meanwhile, law enforcement efforts in Memphis/Shelby County continue to produce results. 

There has been a tapering down in arrests from the Memphis Safe Task Force in the last week, according to new arrest data released by Shelby County Government. Advocates of the program say this means Memphis is becoming safer as less crimes are being committed, which is the overall aim of law-enforcement. Enforcing the law should lead to less crimes being committed.

While the number of arrests during the select time period was still higher than in years past, there has been a drop in arrests since the task force ramped up operations in late September and early October.

According to the data released by Shelby County, bookings are down 21% in the fifth week of the MSTF from the fourth week. During the second week the task force was in Memphis and Shelby County, it hit almost 800 bookings, the highest of the operation thus far.

At a Nov. 6 town hall event hosted by the Frayser Exchange Club, Memphis mayor Paul Young said his team was planning to continue the crackdown on crime once the National Guard and federal agencies leave Memphis.

We don’t know the timeline, we don’t know how long it’s going to last, but what I can tell you is that we are now starting to shift our thinking to, ‘how do we sustain it…what are we going to do when they leave?'” Young said to the club. “We’re already developing a four-point plan, one that involves law enforcement, of course. We’re going to be looking to do more recruitment, investing in community safety specialists and officers that can help us that are more community-based.”

Steve Gill is the editor and publisher of TriStar Daily.