The FBI announced the arrest of 20 individuals, including 14 current and former law enforcement officers, in connection with a drug-trafficking conspiracy in the Mississippi Delta. These officers and six co-conspirators were charged with drug distribution and accepting bribes to provide safe passage for drugs and drug proceeds through the region. Among those arrested were sheriffs and deputies from multiple counties, as well as personnel from the Mississippi Department of Corrections and Highway Patrol. Additionally, 19 individuals face charges related to federal firearm violations linked to the drug trafficking.

U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner and FBI officials condemned the corruption, emphasizing the betrayal of public trust and the damage to the justice system. The investigation, which lasted a year, involved coordinated arrests across the Delta and was supported by the U.S. Marshals Service. State agencies involved have suspended or separated the implicated officers and expressed zero tolerance for such misconduct. The FBI continues to urge the public to report police corruption and reminds that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.