The huge operation focused on Lancaster Pike in New Castle County. Police there say it is a major thoroughfare being used by drug dealers to transport heroin from the county to the city.
New Castle County Police partnered with city, state and federal agencies set up a five day sting targeting potential transporters along that corridor.
They also targeted several apartment complexes that were known problems.
In all detectives seized 13,558 bags of heroin worth more than $41,000. They also seized several handguns.
In a press conference today county leaders vowed to run the drugs and the drug dealers out of business.
"If you live in the county and you're selling drugs in the county to the city or you're buying drugs in the city, we're going to come after you, we're going to own your car possibly your house and you're going to go to jail," said New Castle County Executive Thomas P. Gordon.
"We are immersed in a heroin epidemic, and behind that heroin lies all of our property crimes problems, our gang related issues even the loosely affiliated gangs that have our young kids shooting at each other in the city and the county. We had no choice but to stop this in its tracks, and if these are the types of investigations and operations that we have to do to do that, so be it," said Col. Elmer Settings, New Castle County Police Chief.
In all 39 people were arrested during the crackdown, with 11 arrested during a single drug sweep.
