Eight North Texas sheriffs held a press conference this week to discuss a one-of-a-kind partnership to disrupt the trafficking routes of drug cartels.
The sheriffs have been working together to wage war on organized crime by targeting the key highway corridors used for the transportation of drugs, guns, unlawful migrants, and victims of human trafficking.
Since 2018, the sheriff’s departments in Collin, Tarrant, Wise, Smith, Hunt, Parker, Rockwall, and Grayson Counties have allocated deputies to the North Texas Criminal Interdiction Unit (NTCIU). At a press conference last Tuesday, sheriffs discussed what the group has accomplished so far and what challenges may lie ahead in the future.
“I’m proud to be joined with these sheriffs because we’re doing what we can to protect our citizens,” Collin County Sheriff Jim Skinner told reporters, according to NBC 5 DFW. Still, he stressed that it is “extraordinarily dangerous work.”
NTCIU deputies have undergone considerable training in intercepting narcotics, human cargo, and other contraband from smugglers operating on highways across North Texas. Wielding multi-jurisdictional authority in all eight participating counties, they intercept traffickers coming to and from Dallas-Fort Worth, which the sheriffs referred to as the distribution center for many cartel drug operations.
“They are setting up packaging here. They are setting up safe houses,” said Tarrant County Sheriff Bill Waybourn, according to WFAA.
A recent news release indicates that NTCIU has made a considerable impact. It reported the unit had made over 570 felony arrests since its creation, as well as recovering 119 stolen motor vehicles. In terms of illicit drugs, approximately 7,913 lbs. of marijuana, 6,048 lbs. of methamphetamine, 1,003 lbs. of cocaine, 365 lbs. of heroin, 103 lbs. of fentanyl, and more have been intercepted. Traffic stops have also yielded other contraband, such as $7.9 million in cash and over 60 weapons and ammunition.
To demonstrate the dangers NTCIU deputies face, Waybourn showed reporters a bulletproof vest and a gun holster worn by one of them during a shootout with a suspect on I-30 near Rowlett in November.
As previously covered in The Dallas Express, the suspect, 36-year-old Rudy Chavira, was allegedly carrying approximately 12 kilos of cocaine when deputies tried to pull him over. Chavira allegedly opened fire on them, taking off westbound on I-30. Heavy traffic eventually forced him to stop, and a firefight ensued. While no deputies were injured, Chavira was hit and died later in the hospital.
In Dallas, drug crime has been on the rise since 2023. According to data from the City’s crime analytics dashboard, reports of drug offenses have grown from 9,806 in 2022 to 10,253 in 2023 for an increase of 4.6%. So far this year, 1,295 drug violations have been recorded as of February 14 for a year-over-year uptick of 5.2%.
The Dallas Police Department’s efforts to curb crime have been hampered by a longstanding officer shortage. DPD fields just 3,000 officers even though a City report called for a force of 4,000 to adequately promote public safety citywide.
The effects of this shortage have been very apparent in Downtown Dallas, which regularly logs higher rates of crime than Fort Worth’s city center, as monthly comparative studies from the Metroplex Civic & Business Association have shown. A dedicated special police unit and private security guards patrol Fort Worth’s downtown area.
Dallas City officials voted in a $654 million budget for DPD this year, which is considerably less than the spending levels on police operations seen in other high-crime jurisdictions like Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York City.
