Hundreds arrested as part of "Operation Full Throttle III" in Holyoke

The arrests that came from the operation are double compared to the first two stages and the men and women of the police department said that these efforts are paying off to help keep city safer for everyone.

"Thanks to the brave men and women of the Holyoke Police Department and our partners for the month of June, we've made in excess of 400 arrests on numerous charges," said Holyoke Police Chief James Neiswanger.

"Operation Full Throttle III" was a month-long operation involving Holyoke Police and many other agencies. The 400 arrests were accompanied by the seizure of 32,000 bags of heroin, 555 bags of crack cocaine, and 10 illegal guns.

Investigators hope that this operation will help clean up the rampant drug problem in the community

"Holyoke has some challenges and part of that is the opioid crisis going on and some of the drug dealing that's going on," Neiswanger explained.

Police hung nearly 300 of the mug shots on the walls Thursday to show the sheer amount of people they arrested during this project. The charges against those arrested covered the spectrum.

"The arrests that we made ran the gamut from mere possession to trafficking and narcotic," Neiswanger added.

As each stage of "Operation Full Throttle III" unfolded, the number of arrests multiplied. Neiswanger told Western Mass News that the results come with mixed emotion.

"We're happy and disappointed with the results. It's great that my officers were able to do outstanding work and make those arrests. It's unfortunate that that many people out there engage in illegal activity," Neiswanger said.