BIRMINGHAM, Alabama - A year-long law-enforcement effort to help curb gun crimes in Birmingham led to the federal indictment and arrests of more than a dozen people, including a handful of them who stole credit card information and used that information to illegally buy guns over the internet.

Operation Recoil, which already has yielded more than 1,000 street-level arrests, is an ongoing initiative between the Birmingham Police Department, the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Marshals and other surrounding law-enforcement agencies. The operation targets the illegal sale of guns and drugs, and obtaining guns by deceptive means in order to sell them on the streets.

"Drugs and guns are a deadly mix,'' said Birmingham police chief A.C. Roper. "Our streets are much safer with these suspects facing federal time."

Birmingham police Capt. Scott Praytor said they launched the operation in 2013 after Roper tasked the entire department with coming up with ideas to combat violent crime throughout the city.

"It's combatting violent crime by seeking out the means to commit those violent crimes, which are the weapons,'' Praytor said. "Every day the task forces are out there. It's twofold: street level and the distribution side."

Two weeks ago, Praytor said, 15 indictments were handed down in connection with the ongoing probe. The charges range from felon in possession of a firearm to conspiracy to illegally obtain firearms to possession with intent to distribute drugs.

Authorities said the investigation began in eastern Birmingham but eventually took lawmen citywide. They started out focusing on neighborhoods where there were a number of crimes involving guns.

Michael Durham, ATF's assistant special agent in charge, said seven of those arrested last week were part of a nationwide credit card fraud scheme. In that scheme, people were using stolen credit card numbers to buy guns off the internet. That group, authorities said, was led by Quantrey Bryant.

The guns were then shipped to Birmingham, where the suspects took possession of them and then distributed them on the streets. Authorities didn't say how many guns were involved. "We recovered the majority of those firearms,'' Durham said.

The investigation included undercover operations, as well as developing complex cyber intelligence. "Cybercrime is going to be a huge initiative as we go forward,'' Durham said. "They're getting more complicated."

Roper said the joint effort has proven successful. "We've taken another major step in making our streets safer,'' the chief said. "Our department's No. 1 priority is reducing violent crime. We've reported historic reductions in violent crime over the past few years, but much work remains to be done."

Bryant is charged with credit card fraud, wire fraud and conspiracy to illegally obtain firearms. Other arrests and charges include: Clifford Smith, felon in possession of a firearm; Brian Beasley, felon in possession of a firearm; Antonio Watkins, felon in possession of a firearm; Marquette Harris, conspiracy to illegally obtain firearms; Eric Jones, conspiracy to illegally obtain firearms, possession of a firearm during drug trafficking, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute marijuana; Christopher Collins, felon in possession of a firearm; Larry Steele, four counts of felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm during drug trafficking, possession with intent to distribute cocaine; Mizell Sanders, felon in possession of a firearm; Lance Alexander, conspiracy to illegally obtain firearms; Lerrell Dowdell,felony possession of a firearm, distribution of heroin, possession of a firearm during drug trafficking.

Norman Stanton, Christiana Peavy, Michael Chavis and Curtis Robins also were arrested, but their charges weren't immediately available.