The Tampa Police Department's crackdown on spring break debauchery has quickly to escalated into more than twenty arrests amid reports of illegal drug sales. As reported by the official City of Tampa website, this firm action came following community concerns about drugs being peddled in several clubs and bars throughout the city.
"Ensuring our community is safe during Spring Break and all year round is our number one priority," Chief Lee Bercaw stated. He resolved to send a "clear message" that such behavior would not be tolerated. On the frontline, officers from the Street Anti-Crime (SAC) Squad made one notable arrest on the 1600 block of E 7th Ave, encountering 19-year-old Matthew Shaffer in a restroom as he sold what turned out to be Fentanyl-laced narcotics, as per the City of Tampa.
Shaffer, found with 17.98 grams of the substance, faces charges for the delivery and trafficking of Fentanyl, according to the Tampa Government announcement. The operation also saw another bust on the 1800 block of E 7th Ave, where 23-year-old Joseph Azucena was apprehended following the sale of cocaine to undercover officers.
Azucena has been charged with delivering cocaine and one misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia. "Our officers are dedicated to ensuring that any illegal activity is disrupted before more lives are put at risk," Bercaw reinforced in his official statement. As spring break festivities continue, Tampa Police have made it clear they will maintain a zero-tolerance policy towards drug-related offenses in the party-flooded city.
