(Comal County, TX) -- On Aug. 9, 2017, a combined special task force consisting of members of the D.E.A., the Comal County Metro Narcotics Task Force, the New Braunfels Police Department, the Comal County Sheriff’s Office, the New Braunfels/Comal County G.O.N.E. (Gang Offender Narcotics Enforcement) Unit, the Guadalupe County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Marshals - Lone Star Fugitive Task Force executed a number of search warrants as part of “Operation: Crystal Lake.”
This operation is the culmination of a 5-month long investigation targeting known methamphetamine traffickers operating in the New Braunfels/Canyon Lake/Comal County area. During the initial phases of the investigation a total of 24 arrests were made, leading to 19 indictments handed down by a State Grand Jury, and an additional 4 arrest warrants.
On Aug. 9, 2017, during the early morning hours, the combined special task force executed those warrants on a number of residences in the New Braunfels/Canyon Lake/Comal County area. In total, 38 defendants have been served with arrest warrants and are now in custody, facing a total of 44 felony drug and weapons charges. The 5-month long investigation, including the execution of search warrants Wednesday morning, has yielded a total of 11½ pounds of methamphetamine, approximately 1 pound of cocaine, over 40 grams of heroin, approximately $5,000 in cash, 8 firearms (including 2 recovered stolen), and 3 vehicles (including 1 recovered stolen).
“Operation: Crystal Lake” was a targeted effort by the combined special task force to dismantle the local infrastructure of a well-established methamphetamine distribution organization, targeting mid-level distributors to street-level distributors and users. The goal of “Operation: Crystal Lake” was to make a significant impact on the distribution of methamphetamine in Comal County, particularly in the Canyon Lake area. Following these 38 arrest warrants being served, the amount of drugs available, and the ability for people to obtain those drugs, has been drastically reduced, therefore making the Comal County community a safer place to live and work.
This effort could not have happened without tremendous interagency cooperation and the hard work and dedication of dozens of local, state, and federal law enforcement and criminal justice personnel. The effort by those agencies continues, along with the commitment to ridding communities of dangerous drugs and those who distribute them.