Operation Red Card: Police announce violent crime and drug sweep ahead of World Cup

Operation Red Card combats Dallas crime before World Cup

Law enforcement entities in North Texas have announced Operation Red Card, a security operation designed to combat crime in the region to ensure safety for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. FOX 4's Shaun Rabb has more on the operation's details.

DALLAS - North Texas law enforcement officials are introducing a 90-day initiative leading up to the FIFA World Cup. 

Operation Red Card is aimed at rounding up and putting people committing crimes out of commission and behind bars.

Operation Red Card

What we know:

On Thursday, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould announced that Operation Red Card has been underway in North Texas since mid-March.

In soccer, referees hit you with a red card when you have committed a serious foul or carried out violent conduct. The result is immediate ejection from the match. 

That’s why the term is being used in a sweep to get people wanted for dangerous crimes off the streets.

Raybould said this new 90-day initiative is important to ensure people traveling from all over the world this summer remain safe and enjoy the game and their time in North Texas.

What they're saying:

Raybould is a former professional soccer player. He said the beautiful game had a profound impact on him, and he wants to make sure the next generation of soccer players and all the world travelers who come to North Texas to support their teams are free from any threats of violence.

"Operation Red Card is a three-month operation that began on March 14 and will run through June 14, the day that we have our first game in Arlington. Through this operation, we are targeting criminals, human traffickers, and drug dealers. It has already been a great success to date," he said.

Dallas Police Chief David Comeaux believes his department has the necessary funding for the police overtime needed to keep everyone safe.

His comments are in relation to the events over the past couple of weeks. The governor threatened to withhold funds for World Cup security over the department’s willingness to work with ICE agents. And the Dallas City Manager announced a freeze on travel and hiring in some departments, partly because of overtime at DPD.

By the numbers:

In both the northern and eastern districts of Texas, which include Dallas, Tarrant, Collin, and Denton counties, 171 people have been charged with federal offenses under Operation Red Card.

The biggest focus has been on illegal drugs, especially fentanyl.

So far, law enforcement officials have seized 70 kilos of methamphetamine, 31 kilos of cocaine, 15 kilos of fentanyl, and 104 firearms.

"This sugar packet represents 500 lives that could be potentially lost due to fentanyl," said Joseph Tucker, the special agent in charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas office. "Many foreign visitors might be unaware of the risks associated with this drug. To help prevent drug overdoses during this global event, the DEA is also leveraging its ‘One Pill Can Kill’ campaign to raise awareness about counterfeit pills containing fentanyl."

Billboards with that message will be added around North Texas as the World Cup approaches.

World Cup in Dallas

Big picture view:

The Dallas-Fort Worth area is one of several North American hosts for the 2026 FIFA World Cup tournament. 

Nine matches will be played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, which will be called Dallas Stadium for the tournament. That’s more than anywhere else in the country.

Teams from Croatia and Sweden will have their base camps in North Texas. Dallas will also host the International Broadcast Center at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Center and a month-long fan fest at Fair Park.