The FBI’s Miami Field Office held a press conference on Wednesday to unveil the results of Operation Viper, a targeted initiative that led to the arrest of 65 individuals and the seizure of 21 firearms — including two fully automatic weapons — during a recent sweep aimed at curbing violent crime in South Florida.
Operation Viper, which ran from mid-May through late June 2025, focused on identifying and apprehending the region’s most dangerous offenders, the FBI said.
Multi-Agency Collaboration Across South Florida
The operation featured a Violent Crime Rapid Deployment Team, composed of roughly 35 FBI agents, task force officers, and local police personnel. This joint force worked closely with departments in Miami Beach, Miami-Dade County, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Miramar, Miami Gardens, and Pembroke Pines.
Through daily coordination, the team successfully carried out 60 local arrests and five federal arrests, according to the FBI.
High-Impact Arrests and Ongoing Threat Response
Fort Lauderdale recorded the highest number of arrests — 16 individuals were taken into custody on charges ranging from armed robbery and burglary to grand theft, drug trafficking, and firearms violations, said Fort Lauderdale Police Chief William Schultz.
In Miami, authorities disrupted a criminal organization rooted in Little Haiti that had expanded its influence throughout South Florida, according to City of Miami Police Chief Manuel Morales.
Meanwhile, in Miami Gardens, Assistant Police Chief Joseph Nargiso announced the arrest of two known gang members suspected of involvement in homicide cases.
Additionally, the FBI’s presence enabled a rapid response to a false swatting incident at Stoneman Douglas High School in Fort Lauderdale on May 21, further highlighting the operation’s broader community safety impact, Schultz noted.