Operation Valley Venue X nets 68 charges & seizure of $42,100 in illegal drugs in Northern Shenandoah Valley

This week, the Northwest Virginia Regional Drug and Gang Task Force conducted its tenth annual Operation Valley Venue. The three-day operation took place from Wednesday (October 26, 2022) to Friday (October 28, 2022) and was a collaborative effort between the task force and area law enforcement agencies. The annual operation concentrated on identifying and arresting individuals for trafficking, manufacturing, and distributing illegal narcotics within the city of Winchester and Clarke, Frederick, Warren, Shenandoah, and Page counties.

The Northwest Virginia Regional Drug and Gang Task Force was assisted by deputies from the Clarke, Frederick, Shenandoah, Page, and Winchester City sheriff’s offices, officers from the Winchester, Strasburg, Front Royal, Luray, and Broadway police departments, troopers from the Virginia State Police Bureau of Field Operations Area 13 Headquarters, and officers from Probation and Parole District 11.

The operation netted 58 felony arrests, six probation violations, and four misdemeanor charges. Additionally, 59 probation searches were conducted, six search warrants were obtained and executed, and 31 interdiction traffic stops were completed. During the operation, 237 grams of methamphetamine with a street value of $23,700.00, 35 grams of heroin with a street value of $3,500.00, 20 capsules of heroin with a street value of $2,000.00, 7 grams of fentanyl with a street value of $700.00, 80 pressed fentanyl pills with a street value of $3,200.00, 35 grams of cocaine with a street value of $3,450.00, 51 grams of crack cocaine with a street value of $5,100.00, and 60 grams of marijuana with a street value of $450.00. The total street value of the narcotics seized during the operation was $42,100.00. In addition, two firearms and $1,326.00 in currency were seized.

The Northwest Virginia Regional Drug and Gang Task Force is comprised of law enforcement personnel from the Clarke, Frederick, Page, and Shenandoah County Sheriff’s Offices, Front Royal, Luray, Strasburg, and Winchester Police Departments, and the Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Culpeper Field Office. The Northwest Virginia Regional Drug and Gang Task Force is a HIDTA-funded initiative.