By Tom Latek
Kentucky Today
Gov. Andy Beshear announced on Friday that the Kentucky State Police (KSP) completed a successful “Operation Summer Heat 2.0,” targeting suspected drug networks operating in the state and leading to 197 arrests.
“Every Kentuckian should be safe and feel safe, and no Kentucky family should feel the pain of losing a loved one to addiction,” Beshear said. “Because of the Kentucky State Police, we are accomplishing both of these goals, and we are thankful for the agency’s dedication to every single one of our commonwealth’s communities.”
All 16 posts participated in Operation Summer Heat 2.0, and preliminary results indicate there were 197 arrests and 490 charges issued, along with the combined seizure of 3,002 grams of fentanyl, 1,176 grams of cocaine, 6,046 grams of methamphetamine, 408 grams of heroin, 600 fentanyl pills, 97 hydrocodone doses, 127 oxycodone doses and 67 doses of hallucinogens.
Additionally, troopers confiscated 82 firearms, $181,381 in cash, and $200,000 worth of stolen property, as well as the recovery of a stolen vehicle. The estimated street value of the drugs collected exceeds $640,000. The investigation remains active, and more arrests are expected in the coming weeks.
“This mission was about more than making arrests, it was about disrupting the criminal enterprises that threatens the safety and health of Kentuckians,” KSP Commissioner Phillip Burnett Jr. stated. “I am proud of our personnel, who worked tirelessly to take these dangerous drugs off the streets and who will continue working to keep every community safe.”
Last year, the first Operation Summer Heat saw 206 people arrested and nearly $685,000 worth of drugs removed from Kentucky streets.
The Kentucky State Police encourages the public to share any information related to drug activity by contacting one of its 16 posts or submitting an anonymous tip on the agency’s website.
For the past three years, overdose deaths have decreased in Kentucky. In 2024, the state saw a 30.2 percent decline in overdose deaths compared to 2023.
Initial arrests by each KSP post:
• Post 1, Mayfield: 7
• Post 2, Madisonville: 21
• Post 3, Bowling Green: 15
• Post 4, Elizabethtown: 30
• Post 5, Campbellsburg: 10
• Post 6, Dry Ridge: 6
• Post 7, Richmond: 11
• Post 8, Morehead: 7
• Post 9, Pikeville: 30
• Post 10, Harlan: 4
• Post 11, London: 12
• Post 12, Frankfort: 2
• Post 13, Hazard: 1
• Post 14, Ashland: 16
• Post 15, Columbia: 14
• Post 16, Henderson: 11