On the night of January 23, 1970, law enforcement officers launched a series of narcotics raids across Houston, searching bars, pool halls, and private residences and arresting 114 individuals. (27 were indicted, nine were found in possession and charged, and 78 were processed and released.) The massive operation assembled more than 100 law enforcement personnel, including city and state police, Department of Public Safety narcotics officers, state intelligence agents, and the Texas Rangers. According to Chief of the DPS Narcotics Division Elmer Terrell, the busts were a part of Governor of Texas Preston Smith’s war on narcotics peddlers. This silent footage captures the event, as officers conduct searches and make arrests. It also shows Harris County Attorney General Carol Vance at a press conference about the operation. Later, the footage documents undercover operations at a train station in Big Spring.

Harris County Howard County Houston Big Spring

TFC 1970s 1970’s Houston Harris County Big SPring Howard County Texas Department of Public Safety Department of Public Safety DPS TXDPS narcotics narcotics division law enforcement police police officer cop law enforcement agent Elmer Terrell Terrell, Elmer Carol Vance Vance, Carol district attorney attorney DA press conference drug bust bust raid drug raid narcotics raid narcotics bust crime arrest suspect criminal tavern bar pool hall narcotics officer

Texas Rangers Houston Police Department HPD search officer law enforcement officer pat-down pat down indictment booking frisk pool table billiard table drug possession cocaine heroin dope dope trafficking drug dealer drug peddler dope dealer dope peddler drug trafficking marijuana train station train railroad station train conductor conductor undercover undercover officer informant sting