*Photos courtesy of The Lakewood Scoop

Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato announced today the culmination of a cooperative multi-jurisdictional narcotics investigation conducted by the Prosecutor’s Special Operations Group, US Drug Enforcement Administration Ocean/Monmouth High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force and 30 state, County and local law enforcement agencies. “Operation Heading Back” is the largest drug operation takedown in history of OCPO’s Special Operations Group and the operation commenced in Lakewood by a simple arrest last year. The Operation Heading Back investigation began in April of  2017 and resulted as being the largest drug operation in terms of drug amounts, money and scope in the history of the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Special Operations Group with significant impact throughout the state cutting the drug supply network to the Jersey Shore and beyond.

Law enforcement agencies involved are as follows:

  • The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office – Special Operations Group
  • US Drug Enforcement Administration Ocean/Monmouth HIDTA Task Force
  • NY/NJ High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area North
  • New Jersey National Guard Counter Drug Task Force
  • Ocean County Regional Special Weapons & Assault Team
  • Ocean County Prosecutor’s Financial Crimes Unit
  • The Ocean County Sheriff’s Department
  • Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office
  • Essex County Prosecutor’s Office
  • Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office
  • Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office
  • Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office
  • Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office
  • Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office
  • Union County Prosecutor’s Office
  • New Jersey Division of Parole
  • The New Jersey State Police
  • Barnegat Police Department
  • Beach Haven Police Department
  • Bloomfield Police Department
  • Brick Township Police Department
  • Howell Police Department
  • Lacey Police Department
  • Lakewood Township Police Department
  • Lakehurst Police Department
  • Long Beach Township Police Department
  • Manchester Township Police Department
  • Piscataway Police Department
  • Plainfield Police Department
  • Seaside Heights Police Department
  • Ship Bottom Police Department
  • Stafford Township Police Department
  • Toms River Police Department
  • Waretown Police Department