80 arrested in S.C., including gang members, police say

On Tuesday, the Horry County Police Department (HCPD) announced they have arrested 80 individuals, including gang members, and seized 58 illegally possessed weapons, in a task force targeting a trend of violent crime in unincorporated Horry County.

HCPD says in recent days, their Criminal Investigations Bureau and Operations Support Bureau, along with the recently formalized HCPD Gang Unit, began tracking a trend of attempted murders, murders, home invasions, carjacking incidents, auto thefts, and drive-by shootings in the northern and western parts of the county.

The department says they engaged local agencies, and various state and federal partners, to initiate a multi-jurisdictional task force.

The task force focused primarily on the Highway 9 corridor from Little River to Loris, with some activities branching into the cities of Myrtle Beach, Conway, and Loris.

Over the course of the two-week task force operation, HCPD say officers arrested 80 individuals, including 46 who were otherwise already wanted on various charges. Approximately 40 gang members were identified during the task force.

According to HCPD, the following items were seized and removed from the Horry County community:

– 58 weapons, including those flagged as stolen or possessed by a prohibited person

– $18,180 in US currency

– 64.6 grams of methamphetamine

– 55 grams of fentanyl

– 35.8 grams of crack cocaine

– 47.8 grams of cocaine

HCPD said they thank their public safety partners for their cooperation and support in the effort which included: South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division, U.S. Marshal’s Service, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the U.S. Homeland Security Investigations.