FBI Operation Steadfast Promise Targets Violent Crime in Indian Country

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86 arrests of violent actors on Tribal lands

As part of Operation Steadfast Promise, a sustained commitment to address violent crime and improve public safety in Indian country, the FBI has concentrated efforts to combat criminal gangs and criminal enterprises that have exploited Tribal lands and communities.

Through a focused initiative between May 1 and July 31, the FBI initiated Operation Trusted Trails to identify, dismantle, and hold responsible gangs and transnational organizations that have trafficked illegal drugs on reservations. Operation Trusted Trails surged FBI investigative and intelligence resources to 11 field offices and resulted in 50 subjects charged, 86 arrests, 62 drug seizures to include 25 kg of methamphetamine and 4 kg of cocaine, and 156 weapons recovered.

"The FBI’s ‘Operation Trusted Trails’ throughout this summer took on some of the most violent crime in Indian country—delivering on this FBI’s promise to be there for our Tribal partners and crush the transnational gangs that have targeted Indian country for too long," said FBI Director Kash Patel. "With 11 field offices participating, resulting in 86 arrests, 50 subjects charged, and 62 drug seizures, this marks one of the FBI’s most successful summer surges to our Tribal partners ever—building off of our historic efforts surging over 400 agents and staff dedicated to working Indian country, as well as 30 Task Forces—the FBI's largest ever commitment. Our Tribal partners have been forgotten for far too long—but under this FBI, those days are over and they’re forgotten no longer. We will continue working day and night to defend against gangs and cartels who attempt to poison Indian country and fully hold every perpetrator accountable."

During Operation Trusted Trails, FBI personnel work closely with Tribal, state, local, and federal law enforcement agencies on FBI-led Safe Trails Task Forces. These Task Forces are one of the FBI’s most important and productive partnerships. They evolved from "Operation Safe Trails," a 1994 partnership with the Navajo Department of Law Enforcement in Flagstaff, Arizona. The FBI now has 30 STTFs to leverage federal, state, local, and Tribal partnerships to reduce violent crime and drug trafficking in Indian Country. To learn more, visit fbi.gov/investigate/violent-crime/indian-country-crime.

The FBI encourages anyone with information concerning crimes in Indian country to contact their local FBI field office or the nearest American Embassy or Consulate or submit a top at tips.fbi.gov or 1-800-CALL-FBI (tips can remain anonymous). 

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