State police conduct 19th crackdown on ‘violent crime’ in the metro-east

For the 19th time since June 2023, Illinois State Police agents from around the state have conducted a “violent crime suppression detail” in East St. Louis and nearby communities in St. Clair and Madison counties.

Illinois State Police announced Wednesday that the latest operation was on Saturday and Sunday when 17 arrests were made and nine guns were seized. This effort targeted “known high crime areas, violent offenders and structured criminal groups” in the metro-east, the news release stated.

Since June 2023, 626 arrests have been made and 295 firearms have been seized in the metro-east during the 19 operations, according to a Belleville News-Democrat review of state police announcements.

A state police news release included information about three cases in East St. Louis Sunday:

• A handgun and suspected cocaine were recovered during a traffic stop at St. Clair Avenue and 19th Street. A passenger was arrested.
• A rifle, handgun and marijuana were recovered during a traffic stop on the Interstate 55 ramp to Illinois 3 southbound. The driver and three passengers were arrested.
• A handgun was seized in a traffic stop on 38th Street at College Avenue. The driver was taken into custody.

Charges are pending against the persons arrested, according to the news release.

The names of the persons arrested were not released.