Balch Springs marshals join DEA in operation that recovered about 90 kilos of meth; two arrests reported in unsheltered-camp sweeps

Balch Springs public safety officials on March 24 described a multi-agency drug operation in late February that led to the seizure of a large quantity of methamphetamine and the arrest of at least one person, and they reported arrests tied to two unsheltered encampments.

Chief Kevin Nance told the council that on Feb. 27 federal Drug Enforcement Administration agents asked for assistance from the Balch Springs Marshals Office as part of surveillance of a Cheyenne Road residence near the Dallas border. After an earlier traffic stop produced about 10 kilograms of meth and a driver who said the drugs came from the Cheyenne Road address, Balch Springs marshals conducted a traffic stop on a separate vehicle on Dowdy Lane that contained another roughly 5 kilograms. A search warrant at the Cheyenne Road property uncovered about 90 kilograms of methamphetamine inside a trailer behind the house, Nance said. The street value was discussed at an estimated $10,000–$15,000 per kilogram.

Nance said agents also recovered multiple firearms — several AR-15 and AK-style rifles and handguns, including a revolver reported stolen — and seized a black Dodge Ram. He said federal charges were filed and an immigration detainer was placed on the arrestee.

Chief Nance also reported coordinated sweeps of roughly 10 unsheltered camps within the city. In that operation officers contacted two individuals who were arrested on outstanding warrants: one with a felony warrant out of Collin County and a second with a state-jail-felony warrant. Nance said the number of unsheltered people in the city had declined due to ongoing outreach and enforcement work.

Police Chief Herbst presented monthly statistics for February, reporting a total of 201 criminal reports for the month with 88 part-1 (violent and property) reports within that figure. The department responded to 130 motor-vehicle accidents, answered 1,732 9-1-1 calls and processed 1,461 calls for service overall. Herbst said officers made 54 arrests, executed 45 warrants for the month (19 felonies, 26 misdemeanors) and filed 70 criminal cases with the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office. He also noted progress on staffing: four officers are at the police academy, two are in field training and the department recently extended a conditional offer to one dispatcher.

Nut graf: Public-safety staff gave the council a briefing meant to highlight recent enforcement results, staffing changes and community outreach. The most consequential operational detail reported was the late-February joint operation with federal agents that yielded a multi-kilogram meth seizure and multiple weapons confiscated; council did not take formal action on these reports.

Selected quotes

“This is a report regarding our streetscape initiative, improvements...” — (example of other staff presentation) — unrelated to this report.

“As a result of that traffic stop, another 5 kilos of methamphetamine was in the vehicle… Search warrant was obtained… 90 kilos of methamphetamine was in a trailer in the back of the house,” Chief Kevin Nance said during the public-safety briefing.

Ending

Council received the reports; staff did not propose additional policy actions at the meeting. Council members thanked public-safety staff and emphasized continued attention to both major narcotics enforcement and the city’s outreach to unsheltered residents.