The Riverside Police Department has announced that its narcotics unit's undercover drug operation, Operation "Street Sweeper", has resulted in over 100 apprehensions along the Magnolia Avenue Corridor. The operation, conducted over three days, led to arrests between Van Buren Boulevard and Pierce Street, including 44 drug dealers.
According to a press release issued by the city of Riverside on May 2, Operation "Street Sweeper" also netted 71 other suspects. These individuals face charges ranging from parole and probation violations to outstanding felony arrest warrants.
The press release further revealed that most of those arrested confessed to being homeless, living on the streets and in motels along Magnolia Avenue.
Riverside police chief Larry Gonzalez noted in a May 2 Facebook post by his law enforcement agency that most of the suspects taken into custody were subsequently released and back on the streets in accordance with California's "Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act."
Los Angeles CBS affiliate KCAL News reported that undercover officers purchased drugs such as methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, PCP, and psychedelic mushrooms during the operation.
According to the release, Operation "Street Sweeper" resulted in a decrease in medical aid requests and police calls for service along the Magnolia Avenue Corridor.