Peoria is one of 34 cities tapped for a new federal law enforcement initiative aimed at tamping down on drug-related violent crime and overdose deaths.
The Drug Enforcement Administration chose Peoria as a target city for "Operation Overdrive." It is one of the smallest cities selected for inclusion in a list which also includes Chicago, St. Louis, Detroit, Baltimore, and Cleveland.
A DEA spokesperson tells WCBU that Peoria was chosen due to 2021's record high number of homicides and increasing rates of drug overdoses in recent years.
The DEA spokesperson said the agency will use a "data-driven, intelligence-led approach" to identify and dismantle criminal drug networks operating in the Peoria area.
The DEA Chicago Division will work in conjunction with the Peoria Police Department and other federal and state agencies, as well as prosecutors.
"Operation Overdrive" began on Feb. 1.
