WPRO News

Providence Police announced they have seized several firearms and arrested multiple suspects after a police sweep in conjunction with state, and federal authorities.

Police say 15 illegal guns were taken off the streets and 35 suspects were arrested on charges ranging from drugs to violent crime, including two men who were trafficking firearms from North Carolina.

The sweep was a part of the Rhode Island Urban Violent Crime Initiative, which is a collaboration local, state, and federal law enforcement officials and prosecutors targeting violent crime in Rhode Island’s urban areas. Public Safety Commissioner Steve Pare says the Initiative has proved to be effective.

“This is a success because we brought all of our information, our intelligence from across law enforcement together and we strategized prosecutors,” said Pare.

Over the course of the operation, Providence Police targeted heroin and crack cocaine distributors and firearms trafficking in Providence over the past 18 months. Simultaneously, FBI officials conducted investigations into gang activity in the region.

Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza commended the initiative for helping keep the streets of Providence safe.

“Being able to track and identify problems as they develop at the street level, better enables us to police our streets and to stop these outbreaks of violence before they get started,” said Elorza.