PLACERVILLE, Calif. — Sept. 22, 2025
Over two nights on Sept. 18–19, a coordinated narcotics enforcement surge known as Operation Folsom Blues 3.0 resulted in 26 arrests and the seizure of 10 firearms on the West Slope and in the South Lake Tahoe basin, officials said. The two-night effort — led by the El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office and the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office — combined pre-planned search warrants, targeted probation compliance checks and directed interdiction in identified “hot spots.”
Law enforcement reported the seizure of roughly 157.2 grams of methamphetamine, about 11.5 grams of fentanyl and approximately 14.3 grams of cocaine during the operation. Officials described the quantities as preliminary as investigations and lab testing continue.
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District Attorney Vern Pierson said the operation was designed to disrupt narcotics distribution and remove “crime guns” from the community.
“Folsom Blues 3.0 reminds drug dealers that if you plan to traffic illicit narcotics, you are not welcome in El Dorado County,”
Pierson said in a prepared statement. Sheriff Jeff Leikauf added:
“If you try to deal illegal narcotics in El Dorado County, you don’t know who you’re selling to — and you should always be looking over your shoulder.”
Officials said the multi-agency effort included the South Lake Tahoe Police Department, Placerville Police Department, the California Highway Patrol and El Dorado County Probation. Authorities said the operation’s aims were to reduce the risk of overdoses and violence by disrupting distribution networks and recovering guns that could be used in criminal activity.
Operation Folsom Blues traces its lineage to earlier multi-agency stings in the region that targeted fentanyl and other illicit sales — operations which local law enforcement says have repeatedly exposed online and street-level distribution channels across county lines. Officials said the agency partners would continue follow-up investigations, and prosecutors would review evidence for filing decisions.
What this means locally
Sheriff’s deputies said the sweep was intelligence-driven and focused on locations believed to be hubs of trafficking and repeat probation violations. For residents, officials urged continued vigilance: report suspicious activity to local law enforcement and use established tips lines rather than attempting private interventions.
Media contacts
District Attorney’s Office — Lisette Suder, Chief Assistant DA: lisette.suder@edcda.us.
El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office — Sgt. Kyle Parker, PIO: parkerk@edso.org.
