54 Arrests in Heroin Investigation

Authorities say more than 50 people were arrested recently as part of a plan to fight a growing heroin problem in St. Charles County.

James Shroba, agent in charge of the federal Drug Enforcement Administration's St. Louis office, said Wednesday that 54 people have been arrested in the 10-month investigation and that most were taken into custody in the past two days.

He says the investigation targeted some of the area's more violent heroin traffickers.

County Prosecutor Tim Lohmar says that as of Wednesday, 50 of those picked up have been charged and that three were charged with involuntary manslaughter in connection with heroin overdose deaths.

The St. Louis Post Dispatchreports that more than 34,000 "dosage units" of heroin and 28 weapons were also seized in the operation.