At least 27 people responsible for the distribution of large amounts of meth, coke and marijuana in Neshoba County were arrested over the weekend. Operation High Life is a joint effort involving the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics and almost a dozen law enforcement agencies.
Neshoba County Sheriff Eric Clark says there are more than 35 people who committed more than 100 violations in the county. The top violation? Conspiracy.
"Now most of these were of the nature of conspiracy to commit a crime. This was a conspiracy. These people conspiring to sell and manufacture and distribute narcotics here in Neshoba County," said Clark.
Sheriff Clark says upwards of $6,000 in cash, 8 firearms and a small amount of drugs were seized Friday.
Officials say meth is an ongoing issue in Mississippi and nationwide. Assistant Special Agent in Charge Tim Meadows is with the Jackson Homeland Security Investigations.
"What's going on here in Mississippi is indicative of what's going on across the nation with the meth epidemic. So, in this particular case here we're able to disrupt and dismantle a pretty good transnational criminal organization that was transporting drugs. So for Mississippi doing this, it's helping out our state quite a bit and will continue to do this to continue to disrupt and dismantle those organizations we want to work with in the state of Mississippi," said Meadows.
Officials say the coronavirus pandemic had an impact on the amount of drugs coming into the states. And law enforcement says they're on high alert to keep more drugs out of communities across the state.
