More than 30 people were detained in Northeast Ohio as part of a large-scale narcotics investigation known as “Operation Smoke and Mirrors,” according to investigators.
According to officials, the United States Marshals Service, Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department, and Ohio State Highway Patrol arrested 33 people on Thursday. The arrests were made throughout several communities, including Cleveland, Bedford Heights, Euclid, Maple Heights, and Dayton.
The operation followed a months-long probe that began in the fall of 2025. The Cartel, Gang, Narcotics, and Laundering Task Force, Cleveland Police’s Second District Vice Unit, and the Ohio High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Initiative were among the law enforcement organizations participating.
The investigation centered on the distribution of fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine in Cleveland’s Clark-Fulton neighborhood.
Authorities reported that the operation resulted in the confiscation of considerable amounts of illegal substances, including roughly 252 grams of cocaine, 250 grams of fentanyl, 250 grams of methamphetamine, and 50 grams of MDMA. Several firearms were also recovered.
As a consequence of the investigation, the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office obtained indictments for 40 people.
Officials said the investigation is still underway, and further arrests are possible.
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