First Annual Operation Blue Tornado results in many arrests

Marion County Sheriff’s Office hosted the first annual Operation Blue Tornado on Oct. 6-7. Operation Blue Tornado was a multi-agency effort to enhance traffic safety on the major highways throughout Marion County and to curtail illegal activity.

Operation Blue Tornado resulted the following: 10 illegal drug arrests, one failure to stop for blue light arrest, 12 driving under suspension or driving without a valid license arrests, one unlawful possession of a handgun arrest, two alcohol related arrests, five wanted fugitives captured, one stolen vehicle recovered.

In addition to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, the following agencies also participated in Operation Blue Tornado: Marion County Combined Drug Unit; Marion Police Department; Mullins Police Department; Nichols Police Department; Marion County Magistrate’s Office; Marion County Central Dispatch; Horry County Police Department; S.C. Highway Patrol; S.C. Law Enforcement Division and the S.C. Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services. Sheriff Richardson would like to thank all the officers that participated in the operation. A special thanks is also extended to Wal-Mart, Food Lion and Pizza Shak for providing food both days for the officers.