Law Enforcement Round Up 23 in Junction Meth Bust

NOTE: This information was provided and originally written by Debbie Cooper Kistler with The Junction Eagle.

JUNCTION, TX – Twenty-three men and women were arrested in the early morning hours yesterday in Junction.

According to the Junction Police Department, “Local people were awakened to the sound of two helicopters and one fixed-wing airplane operating above the city of Junction. These aircraft were assisting Kimble County Sheriff Hilario Cantu’s Office in a massive roundup of alleged drug dealers in the community. Preparation for this operation has been eight months in the making.”

JPD officials said Sheriff Cantu has been working with District Attorney Tonya Ahlschwede to collect the evidence that will help make strong cases against those who supply methamphetamine to adults and children in the Junction community.

“With grand jury indictments for “delivery of a controlled substance” warrants in hand, teams of law enforcement personnel from several agencies were dispatched to homes where alleged dealers/users are known to live and sell,” said JPD officials.

As stated, 23 men and women were arrested and there are outstanding warrants and active searches ongoing for others.

JPD said the women arrested were delivered to a jail facility in Burnet County.

“The local jail population had already been moved to correctional facilities in other towns to make room for those caught in today’s roundup,” officials said. “Child Protective Service personnel were present to take custody of the children living in some of the homes that were raided.”

The KC Sheriff’s Office's operation included personnel from the sheriff’s offices from Schleicher and Menard counties, Texas Rangers, Department of Public Safety State Troopers, DPS Criminal Investigation Division, local Adult Probation, Texas Parks and Wildlife State Police, Junction Police Department and Customs and Border Protection Agency. The aircraft from Uvalde and San Angelo were provided by Homeland Security Federal Agency.

“A long-time friend of Sheriff Cantu’s time working narcotics undercover came from Val Verde County to assist,” added JPD officials. “County Judge Delbert Roberts told Sheriff Cantu, regarding the expense of housing those arrested, ‘You’re not going to have someone come off the interstate to get our kids on drugs. It’s going to be the guy down the street.’

Sheriff Cantu said the people who observe and report suspicious activity to his office are extremely helpful.