Moses Lake Street Crimes Unit marks major gains in 2025 through federal partnerships

MOSES LAKE — After what department leaders describe as an extremely successful year, the Moses Lake Police Department’s Street Crimes Unit closed out 2025 with significant gains in narcotics, weapons and organized‑crime investigations.  

MLPD Cpt. Jeff Sursely said a strengthened working relationship with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives played a key role in elevating the team’s operations. The expanded partnership, he said, allowed detectives to target and dismantle larger drug‑trafficking, gang‑related and firearms cases that previously would have been difficult for a local unit to pursue fully. He said they have begun to work more closely with other local agencies including the Interagency Narcotics Enforcement Team, which has helped solve some of the cases.  

“That expansion with ATF really helped us last year,” Sursely said. “The cases all started here, in Moses Lake, and while they may end up somewhere else ... With federal and other agency help we are able to do more.”  

According to the department’s annual summary, the SCU made 83 arrests and secured 19 federal indictments in 2025.  

Detectives seized sizable quantities of illegal drugs, including around 2.5 pounds of cocaine, about 6,400 fentanyl pills, nearly 6 pounds of fentanyl powder, 7 ounces of heroin, roughly 37 pounds of methamphetamine, and more than a pound of marijuana.  

Additional seizures included about 54 grams of psilocybin mushrooms, 14 LSD doses, and 52 firearms. Detectives also executed 95 Superior Court warrants and 30 federal warrants during the year. 

The unit’s cases have included a broad range of serious offenses, from drug distribution and weapons violations to investigations tied to major crimes such as murder, drive-by shootings, robbery, organized theft, leading organized crime, animal fighting and drug-induced homicide.  

Other cases addressed firearm trafficking, possession of destructive devices and distribution of child sexual abuse material. 

Sursely said the team’s success is the result of years of steady growth. Although the Street Crimes Unit has existed for a long time, he said it has transformed significantly over the last six years. The team expanded from two to four detectives, gained access to increased training and strengthened partnerships with state, local and federal agencies. 

“That growth really allowed them to do more intricate things,” he said. “Those partnerships have allowed them to flourish.” 

Despite the scale of the work, Sursely said the detectives rarely look for recognition. 

“They take it as just doing their job,” he said. “I appreciate that work ethic. The chief is extremely proud of them, and so am I as their direct supervisor.” 

Looking ahead to 2026, Sursely said the unit has already been tasked with substantial new investigations, though he declined to provide details. 

“We’re looking forward to another great year,” he said.