FL Sheriff Conducts Grindr Drug Sting, Over 60 Arrested

Tampa’s ABC News affiliate reports:

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office said its undercover detectives have been using dating apps to track down a number of people suspected of buying and selling drugs in the area.

A 6-month undercover sting, called “Swipe Left for Meth,” yielded more than 60 arrests, the agency said. Detectives also obtained warrants for eight people.

The investigation began in July 2021 after PCSO was tipped off that people were openly selling drugs on the well-known dating app Grindr. Further investigation revealed drug sales were also happening on the dating apps Scruff, and Taimi, although Grindr was the app with more drug sales.

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In 2020, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd [photo] was appointed to a federal juvenile delinquency prevention council by Trump.

While his office is technically nonpartisan, Judd regularly wades into local politics to endorse right wingers.

Judd has served as president of the Florida Sheriffs Association and was among the 88% of Florida sheriffs who endorsed DeSantis last week.

In October 2020, he made headlines for telling Trump that he’d never have to wear a mask in Polk County. Trump had tested positive for COVID hours earlier that day.

Last week cutouts of Grady and Trump were displayed on a busy Polk County road next to a “Let’s Go Brandon” sign. Judd reportedly found the display hilarious.