Federal officials say some of the most violent offenders in the Puget Sound region are off the street following an ongoing sweep carried out while Seattle hosted the FIFA World Cup. The effort, which authorities named Operation Red Card, was aimed at tracking down repeat violent criminals during the high-profile tournament.
Investigators described the operation as a preventative push, bringing together federal, state and local law enforcement to focus their efforts on the community's most violent offenders. According to officials, that kind of coordinated approach was central to the results, with one investigator saying that when agencies communicate and coordinate, great things can happen.
The sweep produced a series of concrete outcomes. Officials said Operation Red Card led to 17 arrests, with 10 felony cases referred to King County prosecutors. In addition, two fugitives were extradited as part of the broader push to remove frequent violent offenders from the streets during the World Cup.
Firearms were a major focus of the operation. Authorities said they took 12 guns off the streets, and that each of those weapons was test fired and entered into the ATF's National Integrated Ballistic Information Network. Officials noted that the process could help link the seized guns to other, still unsolved crimes.
Prosecutors moved quickly on the cases that followed. Officials said nearly two dozen charges were filed after the arrests, including assault and robbery, and that a majority of those cases involved guns. Beyond the weapons, investigators also seized almost 2.7 million lethal doses of fentanyl during the operation.
Officials pointed to the operation as a factor in keeping order during the event, saying the level of violent crime during the World Cup matches was considerably low and that Operation Red Card deserved credit for that. They added that even though the FIFA World Cup is now over, their work in the region continues.