Attorney General Lynn Fitch announced the completion of Operation Check Mate, led by the Attorney General's Office's Fentanyl Strike Force. The operation resulted in 20 felony arrests, 10 misdemeanor arrests, one DUI, 156 traffic citations, and the execution of one search warrant.
“Fighting the fentanyl epidemic cannot be done without cooperation. It takes all of us," said Attorney General Lynn Fitch. "My office is committed to building a network of law enforcement across the state with the tools and knowledge to disrupt drug operations and successfully prosecute these criminals. Thank you to our local, state, and federal partners who worked with us during this operation. Together, we can get these dangerous criminals out of our communities and drugs off of our streets."
During Operation Check Mate, law enforcement seized four firearms, marijuana, methamphetamine, MDMA pills, crack cocaine, suspected fentanyl powder, $7,368.00 in illicit proceeds, and 40 illegal gambling devices. The following agencies participated:
- Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF)
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
- Lauderdale County Sheriff's Department
- Meridian Police Department
- Mississippi Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC)
- Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics
- Mississippi Gaming Commission
- Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS)
Attorney General Fitch announced the creation of the Fentanyl Strike Force in
2023, with the roll-out of her One Pill Can Kill public education and awareness
campaign. This operation followed one of the free Fentanyl Strike Force trainings offered to law enforcement by the Attorney General’s Office. More than 800 officers have now been trained in narcotics investigations, as well as the use of naloxone and fentanyl test strips.
Law enforcement agencies interested in participating in the Fentanyl Strike Force should contact the Attorney General’s Office at OnePill@ago.ms.gov.
