Route 24, I-195 patrol surge nets eight more drunk drivers, 530 packets of heroin

By Matt Woolbright, Globe Correspondent

Police have arrested nearly 50 people, issued citations to hundreds more, and seized 530 packets of heroin in just the first three weekends of increased patrols on two Southeastern Massachusetts highways.

State Police began deploying 11 extra troopers on weekend nights to Route 24 and Interstate 195 near Fall River and New Bedford after a series of violent crashes and an abnormally high amount of fatalities.

This past weekend, two people were arrested after police found the packets of heroin in their car, and another eight drunk drivers were arrested — one of them for his third operating under the influence offense, State Police said. Two others were arrested, seven others received criminal summonses, and police issued 272 motor vehicle citations.

The increased patrols will continue through September, at which point State Police will decide if maintaining the extra patrols are necessary.