By Kimberly James; WBAP and KLIF News, Dallas, Texas.
MCKINNEY – (WBAP/KLIF) – In a first of it’s kind in the nation, eight North Texas county Sheriff’s Departments band together to take a bite out of cartel crime. The North Texas Criminal Interdiction Unit involves Tarrant, Collin, Wise, Smith, Hunt, Rockwall, Grayson and Parker County Sheriff’s offices, joining ranks to patrol key drug, weapon and cash corriders of Interstate 35 and Highway 75.
Collin County Sheriff Jim Skinner spearheaded the idea of the group, calling for changes to state law to allow these agencies to send resources to be utilized by other counties even if the counties do not share a border. Not participating, Dallas and Denton counties.
Law officers say the cartels use these key North Texas routes to transport the tools of their trade. The unit is also pulling in Homeland Security and DFW International Airport resources, hauling in $8 million dollars in alleged dirty money, 103 pounds of methamphetimine, 1 thousand pounds of cocaine and more, involving 570 felony arrests.
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