Milwaukee officials go after heroin ring

Law enforcement agencies went after a large-scale heroin trafficking ring Monday, arresting more than 17 people, seizing at least 55 firearms and recovering more than $700,000 in cash, Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm said.

“It goes without saying that heroin has been impacting every single aspect of the work we do in the criminal justice system,” Chisholm said.

“This is a top priority to all of law enforcement in this community,” he said.

The drug organization, which officials did not name, has been operating for several years in Milwaukee and extends into the greater Chicago area, Chisholm said.

The criminal complaint has been filed under seal, meaning the document outlining specific allegations against the group has not been made public.

Chisholm declined to say whether the group had been linked to any drug overdose deaths or homicides, citing the ongoing investigation.

The High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force handled the investigation and includes members of local, state and federal agencies. Milwaukee Police Chief Alfonso Morales and West Allis Deputy Chief Chris Botsch joined Chisholm at a news conference Monday afternoon.

On Friday, the task force brought 25 arrest warrants and more than 20 search warrants to court and a judge signed off on them. The searches took place Monday and were continuing into the afternoon.

“There’s leadership out on the streets still working on the investigation,” Morales said.

And collaboration was a core component of the case, Botsch said.

“Certainly these criminal organizations do not know geographic borders or boundaries so it’s important that we pool our resources,” he said.

At this point, this drug trafficking organization does not appear to have ties to Ladell Harrison, a highprofile suspect in the recent death of a Milwaukee police officer, Chisholm said.

Harrison is charged with leading police on a chase that ended with a squad crash that killed Officer Charles Irvine Jr. He also had been under investigation by HIDTA and is accused of selling heroin and fentanyl, according to a criminal complaint.