Operation Blue Rain traffic stops on US 31 nets 99 arrests in 3 days

PERU, Ind. (WISH) — Operation Blue Rain, the state police dubbed it.

The enforcement effort that stopped motorists along U.S. 31 in Fulton and Miami in northern Indiana netted 99 arrests on 186 criminal charges — including 32 felonies — from Tuesday through Thursday, Indiana State Police said in a news release issued Friday.

It is the sixth or seventh year for the enforcement effort, said Sgt. Tony Slocum, public information officer for the state police post at Peru. The 99 arrests were “quite a significant jump” over last year’s statistics, when 65 arrests were made.

“The goal was to catch and arrest individuals who utilize Indiana roadways to transport and distribute illegal narcotics,” the release said. “U.S. 31 was chosen because a large volume of motorists utilize the road to travel through the heart of northern Indiana.”

Sheriff’s departments in Cass, Fulton, Miami and Wabash counties as well as the Rochester Police Department and the state police were part of Operation Blue Rain.

Officers said they found cocaine, heroin, hundreds of hits of LSD, methamphetamine, marijuana, psilocybin mushrooms, hash oil, edible marijuana food and illegally possessed prescription medication. Officers also said they found an AR-15 assault-style rifle allegedly in the possession of a convicted violent felon.