Drug Bust Leads to 17 Arrests

Retha Colclasure | 6/5/2012

A fourteen month long operation by the FBI and the Bureau of Indian Affiars has led to 17 arrests for drug trafficking in North and South Dakota this morning.

Ten of the suspects in Operation Prairie Thunder will be charged in U.S. District Court. Five more will face charges in Standing Rock Tribal Court and two will be charged in South Dakota.

"The key to Operation Prairie Thunder was cooperation. Specifically, cooperation between federal prosecutors and tribal prosecutors working together to determine where these cases should be brought. By working together like that, we were able to assure better police work, better prosecution and safer communities," said North Dakota U.S. Attorney Tim Purdon.

Most of the drug charges were for prescription drugs like oxycodone and morphine.

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