The week of September 6, FBI Director Christopher Wray visited the FBI New Orleans Field Office to meet with employees, as well as a number of key law enforcement and private sector partners in Louisiana. He met with the heads of the agencies involved in this summer’s Operation Clean House initiative and expressed his appreciation for their continued support and collaboration in fulfilling our shared mission of combatting violent crime. He also reaffirmed the FBI’s commitment to building on these successful efforts through intelligence-driven, proactive efforts to identify and target the most dangerous criminals and violent offenders driving the problem.

Operation Clean House was a four-week violent crime initiative conducted in June, in which law enforcement targeted areas in New Orleans plagued by narcotics trafficking, shootings, and killings. Including FBI New Orleans, approximately 20 local, state, and federal agencies participated in the effort, which resulted in 151 arrests, the confiscation of 54 illegally possessed firearms and 10 firearm switches, and the seizure of dangerous narcotics, such as fentanyl, heroin, and crack cocaine.

“In law enforcement our most fundamental duty is to ensure people can live in safe communities, free from fear,” said Director Wray. “Law enforcement achieves results working together through collaborative efforts like Operation Clean House, but violent crime is still far too high, and now is not the time to take our foot off the gas. We’re going to continue to lean into our partnerships and build relationships within our communities so we can disrupt and root out violent crime in our neighborhoods.”

Director Wray makes regular visits to the FBI field offices and overseas legal attachés to meet with employees and receive briefs on local issues and crime trends, as well as to collaborate with partners. He has visited each of the Bureau’s 56 field offices at least twice since his tenure began. This trip marks his third visit to the New Orleans Field Office, which covers the entire state of Louisiana.