COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – As part of an ongoing investigation, the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office has been working to get drugs off the streets.

The investigation began in the fall of 2021. Since then, the unit has been able to sieve more than 100,000 grams of methamphetamine, 10,000 grams of fentanyl, 4,000 grams of cocaine, 4,000 grams of heroin, and $202,000 worth of cash and property.

As part of the investigation, SIU has been able to identify large drug traffickers in Franklin County, either through citizen complaints, informants, or data it has collected.

“Our mission is to service the community and make sure that we’re combating drugs because all the violent crimes, for the majority, surround drugs in some capacity,” Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Jacob Smith said. “So, our job is to make sure that we are doing everything we can to help the community.”

The Ohio Narcotics Association, an organization dedicated to combating drug-related issues, awarded the Special Investigations Unit with an Investigation of the Year award for the drug operation.