More than fifty people face drug charges after a 9-month long investigation by the Covington Police Department with the assistance of the FBI and the Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force.

There are a wide array of charges which include trafficking in heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil (grey death), cocaine, crack cocaine, and methamphetamine. Some of these cases occurred within a 1000 feet of a school.

Covington Police announced the results of the investigation on Thursday. The department targeted mid-level narcotics dealers who either live in Covington or visit the city for the purpose of selling drugs. Many of the suspects in this investigation were identified through complaints lodged with the police department from citizens, a news release said. Some of the suspects will be facing multiple trafficking charges for several different cases and transactions.

The Covington Police Department said that it would release the names of the arrested suspects periodically and would continue the operation until all the suspects have been arrested.

“The Covington Police Department will continue to concentrate on drug sales, especially heroin, as drug use has a direct impact on other crimes such as prostitution, burglary and car break-ins or theft which often times occur to support drug habits”, Chief Rob Nader said. “I thank our citizens, officers and other agency partners that have helped to make this investigation a success”.

Anyone with information about drug dealer in their neighborhood is asked to contact the Covington Police D-Team Vice/Narcotics Division at 859.292.2236.

14 people are in custody currently. Their names and photos are in the slide show below.

-Michael Monks, editor & publisher