Police have arrested 53 people on criminal charges during an eight-hour multi-agency crime blitz following numerous citizen complaints about the ongoing criminal activity in their neighborhoods.

NEW CASTLE (DE): In response to numerous citizen complaints regarding ongoing criminal activity as well as other quality of life issues, agencies from Delaware State Police, New Castle County Police, Wilmington Police Department, Newport Police Department, Department of Corrections, and Probation and Parole spent eight hours patrolling identified New Castle County locations where 53 people were rounded up on criminal charges.

According to police spokesman, Michael Austin, the operation took place along the New Castle Avenue corridor, the South Market Street area, as well as the US 13 & 40 corridor.

Austin said, during the eight-hour enforcement blitz, police arrested 53 individuals on criminal charges, seized a 9mm handgun, confiscated 142.5 grams of marijuana, 3.495 grams of heroin, 3 grams of crack cocaine and other drug-related paraphernalia as well as recovering an assortment of stolen property. In addition to the criminal charges police also made 91 traffic arrests, which included one for DUI.

This initiative, which was a collaborative effort between the Delaware State Police, New Castle County Police, Wilmington Police Department, Newport Police Department, Department of Corrections, Probation and Parole and the Justice of the Peace Courts, highlights how the cooperation of multiple law enforcement agencies can effectively combat crime, which in turn increases the quality of life for the communities we serve.