Undercover police operation tracks down drugs, illegal guns and suspects

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Guns and drugs are off the streets of Memphis after a year-long special police operation called Operation Icebreaker. Undercover police have been working since last December to track down illegal weapons, narcotics and the people responsible. The investigation to track down guns, drugs and gang members took place all across the city. Police Director Toney Armstrong said the 45 guns the department displayed to media Monday could easily destroy lives, families and neighborhoods. “This thing will fire 20, 30 rounds in a matter of seconds,” Armstrong said, holding up one of the larger guns. “In a matter of seconds you can take out a whole neighborhood.” Thirty of the guns and drugs were seized as part of Operation Icebreaker. The other 15 weapons were confiscated during other arrests in the past 35 days. A grand jury handed up 97 indictments against 23 different people last week, and police were able to track down 12. “Undercover officers purchased heroin, meth, ecstasy, powder cocaine and marijuana,” Armstrong said. Those dozen arrested in Operation Icebreaker faced charges ranging from possession to drug manufacturing and weapons charges. Police said one of the women arrested, Samantha Gibson, had meth and a gun when she was searched during a traffic stop in September. People in her Cordova neighborhood were shocked. One of her neighbors, Jennifer Domanski, said her whole family legally carries guns, and she hates when people try to cheat the system. “You have people who do things illegally, and it’s kind of scary, because we don’t want our rights taken away as individuals.” Police said they are still looking for 11 other suspects, listed below with their charges, as a part of Operation Icebreaker.