A New Jersey police operation, called Operation Gravedigger, focused on illegal firearms and resulted in eight arrests for weapons charges.
Officials conducting Operation Gravedigger obtained enough information to charge eight individuals for weapon charges and also confiscated weapons and ammunition. The investigation seized 16 guns that consisted of assault rifles, handguns and shotguns. The investigation also claimed 90 rounds of ammunition and the ammunition that was loaded in each of the 16 guns.
The confiscated weapons and criminal charges were all obtained through the undercover work of the local New Jersey police department. As part of the investigation, undercover officers engaged in illegal firearm transactions with the eight individuals who were criminally charged. It was reported each of the eight individuals were independent of each other and there was no suspicion of organized firearm activity.
The eight individuals are currently being held at a local New Jersey jail and each had bail set at $100,000.
Weapons charges are serious charges that can impact an individual’s life and liberty. In addition to potential fines and imprisonment, individuals who have been convicted of a weapon charge can lose their eligibility to own or carry a legal firearm in the future.
Although police operations can be successful in terms of arrests and weapon confiscation, the procedures that occurred prior to the arrest or property confiscation could affect the legality of the arrest. When an individual faces criminal charges, an experienced attorney can review the events that led up to the arrest and determine the best defense against the pending criminal charges.
Source: Toms River, “New Jersey State Police Arrest 8 in Trenton for Illegal Firearms Distribution,” Aug. 22, 2012