Officers arrest 38 people in northeast Wisconsin meth bust

The Brown County Sheriff’s Department announced Tuesday afternoon that 38 people were arrested and 35 were booked into jail. The arrests were the result of more than 100 officers serving 20 search warrants, including 14 in Green Bay, and one each in Bellevue, Howard, Suamico, Ashwaubenon, and Kewaunee and Oconto counties.

“There was a bunch of officers surrounding the building in tactical equipment, helmets and everything and I realized something was going on not too good,” Ryan Rentmeester of Green Bay told WLUK-TV about the SWAT team he saw at the an apartment complex.

The sheriff’s department is sharing little information about the scope of the investigation and the nature of the arrests. A press release from the department said no additional information will be released at this time.

Earlier this year, the Brown County Drug Task Force reported that the amount of meth it seized in 2015 went up 435 percent compared to 2014.

“It’s kind of a shame to hear, such crime happening in the area like that,” Rentmeester said. “I’m glad to see the police are doing their job at least.”

Many of the suspects are expected to appear in Brown County Circuit Court on Wednesday.

A news conference likely will be held later this week.