11 more suspects taken to jail in south Arkansas drug sweep

An investigation into drug trafficking in the Chicot County area led to 11 arrests Tuesday, culminating in the jailing of 15 defendants indicted earlier this month by a federal grand jury.

Four of the 15 who are charged in seven indictments unsealed Tuesday were already in custody on related charges, leaving the remaining 11 to be rounded up Tuesday morning in a multiagency endeavor dubbed Operation Quack Attack, according to U.S. Attorney Cody Hiland.

He and other officials — Diane Upchurch, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Little Rock field office, and Arkansas State Police Col. Bill Bryant — said the operation has led to the identification of multiple drug traffickers and the seizure of large quantities of cocaine, crack cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana in the area.

They said several of those involved have violent convictions already include state and federal drug trafficking crimes, aggravated assault, terroristic acts, residential and commercial burglary, second-degree murder, possession of firearms by certain persons and interstate travel in aid of racketeering.

In addition to the seven indictments handed up Sept. 5 by a grand jury in Little Rock, a federal criminal complaint has been filed charging one person in the Western District of Arkansas.

A Eudora man — Davidlon Palmer, 40 — is the lone federal defendant who remains a fugitive. Arrest warrants for five of the defendants on related state charges are pending.

During the investigation, investigators made 58 drug buys and used two search warrants. Authorities have seized more than 5.5 pounds of methamphetamine, 8 ounces of cocaine, 7 ounces of crack cocaine, 4 ounces of marijuana and six guns, as well as nearly $17,000 in cash.