LTC 509-2023 Operation Lucid AirM IA M I BEACH
O FFI CE OF TH E C ITY M A N A G ER
LTC #
TO:
FRO M :
DATE:
509-2023 LE TTER TO C O M M ISSIO N
Honorable Mayor Dan Gelber and Members of the City Commission
Aina T. Hudak, City M an a@}(
Noverver 14,2023 (y""
SU B JEC T: Operation Lucid Air
The purpose of this Letter to Commission is to provide an update regarding the Miami Beach Police
Department's (MBPD) recent Operation Lucid Air targeting narcotic sales in the Art Deco Cultural
District (ADCD).
Carried out by members of the MBPD's Strategic Enforcement Team (SET) and Strategic
Investigation Squad (SIS), this six week-long operation was developed to address complaints of
narcotic sales in the early afternoon hours. Carried out in two phases beginning with uniformed
patrolling and narcotics enforcement in the area by officers working the South Beach districts, three
additional officers and a sergeant from the aforementioned specialized units were assigned to the
operation in phase two and deployed between the hours of 11 :00 A.M. and 1 :00 A.M. the following
day throughout the month of September 2023.
Operation Lucid Air was widely successful yielding 100 arrests and multiple seizures of drugs, illicit
money, and firearms over the span of the six weeks as demonstrated below.
Cocaine Cannabis Ox codone Mushrooms Mone Firearms
117 3.1 Ibs. 10. 46 $8,484 2
In addition to identifying and removing drug dealers and their activities from Ocean Drive and the rest
of the AD C , operation also successfully located and arrested 11 wanted fugitives.
The success of Operation Lucid Air can be widely attributed to the targeted. rigorous, and dedicated
efforts of the tactical units. The results are expected to be enduring as the Department worked closely
with the county's justice system, the State Attorney's Office, and the Miami-Dade Crime Lab. The
State Attorney's Office worked hand-in-hand with the Department, readily assigning a designated
prosecutor for the duration of the detail. This collaboration generated a greater and longer-lasting
impact from the arrests effectuated and facilitated the issuance of multiple stay away orders for cases
addressed in the area. Weekly situational awareness flyers were also circulated internally, leading to
the department-wide identification of habitual and dangerous offenders.
The Department is particularly pleased with the results of Operation Lucid Air and the intelligence
gathered throughout its duration which will be used to continue to address issues within the ADC . At
this time, additional operations have not been scheduled, however, the members of the SIS unit
alongside uniformed patrol officers are riding on the momentum from the operation to continue
dedicated visibility and narcotic enforcement efforts in the ADCD.
Please click the link below to view a special presentation on Operation Lucid Air:
https_//www_dropbox_com/scl/fyy2mup@go432t4gerv/Operation-Lucid_AIr-
Presentation_mp4?key=flt~g88xg5k2Q18cldr3my5e&dl=g
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