HPD busts net some amount of arrests, drug seizures

Looks like HPD's crackdown of crime in and around southwest Houston apartment complexes is paying off — in the three weeks since the operation began, some number of people have been arrested and quite a bit of drugs has been seized. But thanks to local TV news, it's hard to tell just how many or how much.

We do know that the sting targeted five apartment complexes on or near Fondren, Hillcroft and Gessner, plus nearby shopping centers and neighborhoods. From there, things get a bit hazy. According to KPRC, 185 people have been arrested so far and police have seized 415 grams of crack, 1,035 grams of powder cocaine, 2,000 grams of marijuana, 43 grams of heroin and 20 ounces of codeine (the numbers come from HPD Capt. D.R. McKinney, whom KPRC quotes). But KHOU begs to differ, reporting the same number arrests and the seizure of 450 grams of crack and 135,000 grams — nearly 300 pounds — of marijuana and cocaine. KTRK has no numbers on drug seizures, but reports a whopping 1,000 arrests. Ah well, what's in a number?

According to crime statistics, nearly one-fourth of all violent crimes in the city occur in southwest Houston, which is why police are paying so much attention to the area. And though the crackdown was only made public last week, it's been under way since May 31: HPD kept it a secret to protect undercover officers. And we guess it worked — at a sting at two South Braeswood convenience stores, KHOU says there was steady traffic from people wanting to buy drugs. "This corner was like a McDonald’s drive through, but they weren't looking to buy cheeseburgers," the station reports in its best TV news mode. Well, of course they weren't — everyone knows drugs come on banana splits.

Update: The Chronicle's story this morning gives the following stats: 185 felony arrests, 124 misdemeanor arrests, more than 600 criminal charges, 1,400-plus grams of cocaine and "large quantities of marijuana, heroin and methamphetamine." Oh, and 12 guns.