LINK TO VIDEO,
http://www.wmbfnews.com/story/17931313/hcpd-conducting-operation-at-several-locations?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=7102363
MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WMBF) The Horry County Police Department and Solicitor Greg Hembree held a joint press conference Monday afternoon about the "operation" conducted throughout the county Monday morning, and revealed that several Hells Angels members have been jailed.
SLIDESHOW
Horry County Police Chief Saundra Rhodes said 15 of 34 arrests were made after 11 search warrants were served across Horry County and in one Georgetown County location. Those arrested include the president, secretary/treasurer and prospects of the local Hells Angels Chapter, a worldwide motorcycle club, and a member of the Red Devils.
Rhodes continued that the execution of search warrants beginning at 7:15 a.m. Monday was part of an operation that began in December of 2010, and is continuing in the south precinct of Horry County right now.
Those arrested face charges including possession, manufacture and distribution of marijuana, assault and battery, assault and battery by mob, kidnapping, accessory to kidnapping, threatening a witness, and possession of a weapon during a violent crime, among other charges.
A bond hearing is scheduled for Tuesday morning for those arrested during this operation.
Rhodes said this operation was conducted by the Horry County Sheriff's Office, Horry County Police Department, Georgetown County Sheriff's Office, Myrtle Beach Police Department, Surfside Police Department and Charleston County Sheriff's Office.
HCPD released few details Monday morning in what was a major presence along Hwy 707 in Myrtle Beach Monday morning.
At least six HCPD cruisers were spotted at Dunes Cycles, a business on Hwy 707, just after 9 a.m. Monday.
Sgt. Robert Kegler, spokesperson for HCPD, told WMBF News in a written statement that he could not release any details into the police presence along the roadway Monday morning.
"Horry County Police Department is conducting an operation in various areas of Horry County," Sgt. Kegler stated in an email Monday morning. "That is all the information that can be released at this time."
WMBF News was at the scene of Dunes Cycles and witnessed at least one individual being handcuffed just after 10:30 a.m.
SWAT was on the scene of at least two different residential addresses. One home on Seacroft Drive in Surfside was said to have SWAT vehicles in the driveway, and another home on Leonard Road in Socastee was also surrounded by SWAT.
Authorities at another location on Enterprise Road appeared to be loading evidence into a U-Haul trailer around 12:30 p.m. Monday.
People who live along Seacroft Road in Surfside Beach or Leonard Road off of Highway 707 in Horry County all came out to see what was the cause of the police presence on their streets.
As SWAT teams and other tactical law enforcement agencies descended on those chosen search locations as part of the operation now known as Red Harvest, neighbors tell WMBF News they remember those arrested as keeping to themselves.
Some residents even said they never actually saw their neighbors, and even though they are in police custody now, the whole operation was frightening to witness.
Neighbor Kim Dennis said, "I was scared. I had my doors shut and locked all day because you never know what will happen, you never know. I thought this was a quiet, perfect little community."
WMBF News will bring you the latest on this police operation on WMBFNews.com as further details become available.
