SAN ANGELO, TX — The federal Drug Enforcement Agency, or DEA, recognized the San Angelo Police Department’s achievements in a joint operation aimed at eliminating dangerous drugs from the streets.
Specifically, the SAPD’s Crimes Division aided the DEA’s San Antonio District Office Enforcement Group D-53 in an ongoing operation called “Tragic Kingdom.” The operation is the mission of a DEA Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force formed to “arrest drug traffickers, dismantle/disrupt drug trafficking and money laundering organizations, reduce the illegal drug supply, seize assets, and bring criminals to the United States justice system or competent jurisdiction.”
So far, the operation that is still ongoing has netted 31 federal indictments and nine state cases since beginning in December 2017. With the indictments, law enforcement agencies in the San Antonio office’s region of responsibility have seized:
- Over twenty-six (26) kilograms of methamphetamine,
- Nearly two (2) kilograms of cocaine,
- Over four (4) kilograms of gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB),
- Over two hundred eighty-three (283) grams of heroin,
- Over forty (40) pounds of marijuana,
- More than one hundred ten (110) firearms, and
- Nearly $105,000.00 in narcotics proceeds
DEA Special Agent in Charge Will R. Glaspy, who oversees the Houston Division, with a zone of enforcement that spans from the Sabine River through San Antonio and San Angelo to Midland, thanked the San Angelo police unit and lauded the environment of cooperation and collaboration throughout the greater law enforcement community in Texas.
Two San Angelo Police Street Crimes Case Agents, Chris Chappa and Hank Hethcock, were specifically named in the letter of commendation from the DEA for “countless hours of surveillance and utilizing sources that ultimately aided the infiltration of the criminal organizations named in Tragic Kingdom — work that has greatly influenced the success of the investigation,” according to the SAPD.
San Angelo Police Lt. Ed Kading commands the Street Crimes Unit formed in 2016 incorporating the former narcotics division and giving the new division a sharper focus to investigate and dismantle drug trafficking organizations in San Angelo.
“Operations of this magnitude are simply not possible without the resources of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the commitment of my detectives, the cooperation of our many law enforcement partners, and the support of the San Angelo Police Department,” Kading said. “I am extremely proud of our people and this achievement, yet motivated to improve and be even more effective. I want our community to know they are surrounded by talented, well trained, committed law enforcement professionals that care deeply for our city.”
Police Chief Frank Carter said the commendation was a “very big deal” and praised Kading and the personnel under Kading’s command for the difficult work they have accomplished and spirit of cooperation they have fostered with all law enforcement agencies.
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