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East Tennessee prosecutors and law enforcement officers continue to disrupt the drug pipeline from Michigan to Tennessee through the partnership of the 313 Initiative. The 313 Initiative is a concerted and organized effort by numerous federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to identify, target, and dismantle drug trafficking organizations from the Detroit, Michigan, area who have chosen Knox and surrounding counties to distribute prolific amounts of drugs.

Since December 2022, 313 Initiative efforts have resulted in the following seizures and arrests:

• Methamphetamine 145.91 pounds
• Fentanyl/Heroin 83.97 pounds
• Cocaine/Crack 7.5 pounds
• MDMA/Prescription Pills Thousands of dosage units
• Money Seized $794,057.00
• Guns Seized 251
• Initiative-Related Arrests 453

“In Knox County alone, we believe the work of the 313 Initiative has contributed to the decrease in overdose deaths we saw from 485 deaths in 2023 to 301 deaths in 2024,” said Knox County DA Charme Allen. “Between holding drug dealers accountable and providing more treatment opportunities for drug users, our community was able to save 184 lives last year.”

The partner agencies in the 313 Initiative include the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Tennessee Department of Correction, 4th Judicial Drug Task Force, Sevier County Street Crimes, 5th Judicial Drug Task Force, Knoxville Police Department, Knox County, TN, Sheriff’s Office,  7th Judicial Crime Task Force, Campbell County Sheriff’s Office, Claiborne County Sheriff’s Office, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Michigan State Police, Detroit Police Department, Kentucky State Police, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee, and the District Attorney’s Offices of the 4th Judicial District Attorney General James Dunn, Blount County District Attorney, 6th Judicial District Attorney General Charme Allen, Anderson County District Attorney General Dave Clark, and District Attorney General Jared Effler.