Indiana State Police and Huntington Police Department Arrest 28 in Operation Huntington Cocktail Party

HUNTINGTON, IN -This morning, a nearly year-long investigation, dubbed “Operation Huntington Cocktail Party” by the Indiana State Police Drug Enforcement Section and the Huntington Police Department came to an end with the arrest of 28 people on 63 charges ranging from Class A Misdemeanors to Class A Felonies. 

According to Huntington Police Chief S. Tom Emely, his agency had responded to several deaths over the last two years that involved people who have overdosed on illegally obtained prescription medication.  “Youth and young adults are self-medicating themselves with deadly mixtures of prescription drugs and alcohol”, said Emely.  He went on to say that “the drug trade is like the spokes of a wheel with the hub of that wheel being the drug trade and the spokes being the crimes that are committed to support that trade”.  As a result, investigators from the Huntington Police Department with the direct involvement from the Indiana State Police Drug Enforcement Section began a joint investigation.   

At approximately 6:00 am, and with the assistance of the Huntington County Prosecutor’s Office, numerous arrest teams comprising of officers from the Indiana State Police, Huntington Police, Huntington County Sheriff, Warren Police, Roanoke Police and Markle Police Departments took to the streets of Huntington, with arrest warrants in hand, and began to look for a total of 31 defendants, wanted on a total of 73 charges.  All 28 of the defendants arrested were taken to and incarcerated in the Huntington County Jail. 

This investigation goes to the heart of the Indiana State Police’s mission which is to address crimes and criminals with proactive initiatives and to also assist local law enforcement agencies at any time and in any manner possible.