Irvington’s Mayor Tony Vauss and Public Safety Director Tracy Bowers announced a joint law enforcement initiative called ‘Operation May Day’ that executed a major sting on Thursday morning. The joint initiative included several crime fighting entities from Irvington, Hillside, Newark, Maplewood, Essex County, United States Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), Homeland Security, New Jersey State Police, Bloomfield, Perth Amboy and Woodbridge. Together, these law enforcement agencies undertook an investigation that resulted in the court issuing seven (7) search warrants. These search warrants were used to go into premises located in Irvington, Hillside, Perth Amboy, and Newark. The searches resulted in the confiscation of: $4062 in cash; 2 vehicles; 4 handguns; and, several controlled dangerous substances including crack cocaine, heroin, marijuana and prescription pills. Eleven people were arrested in the sting, including several gang members and drug distributers.
“Irvington’s Police Department worked with their counterparts in Hillside and other law enforcement agencies from municipalities, the state and federal levels to make it clear, once again, that crime will not be tolerated in Irvington,” said Mayor Vauss. “Criminals know this: Irvington is not where you want to do your crimes.”
“Operation May Day is our response to the distress many citizens have expressed about gang activity in our town,” said Public Safety Director Bowers. “This operation included our TACIT, SERT and SAFE teams. This was part of our 2016 Summer Crime Initiative. It was a tremendous success and is only the beginning.”
For information please contact Stephanie Bush-Baskette at sbush-baskette@irvingtonnj.org or 862-216-7254.