53 people were arrested in the drug investigation that lasted for months

FORT MYERS, Fla. — The Lee County Sheriff’s Office has concluded a months-long narcotics investigation that led to 53 arrests. The following items were seized during the operation:

• 22 guns
• 4.5 kilos of cocaine
• 70 lbs marijuana plants
• 553 grams of fentanyl
• 914 grams of meth
• $58,000

Standing in front of a video wall filled with dozens of mugshots, Sheriff Carmine Marceno said 37 of the 53 people arrested were facing drug trafficking charges, adding that the final search warrant was issued shortly before the announcement.
“..dealers will be afraid to run the streets of this community and think twice before selling drugs like candy to our children so public safety will prevail.” said Marceno, noting that increased resources to combat narcotics sales and distribution were approved by Lee County commissioners.

LCSO also seized four vehicles, two ATVs and a jet ski.

“Anything of value we can get from them, we take it, and it gets confiscated,” Marceno explained, referring to the seizure of property. “It’s confiscated money, it’s assets that are lost, and we take bad money and make it good.”

Marceno added that such large-scale operations occur almost every three months, with information gained leading to future arrests.