Video: Early Morning Drug Roundup

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LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A year-long investigation into shipments of kilos of cocaine across the region results in simultaneous raids in three counties and two states this morning.

Agents from five federal, state and local agents fanned out this morning in search of more than a dozen high-level dealers.

In the early morning hours as the sun came up in North Mississippi and West Alabama, from a command post at the old justice court building in Columbus, police launched their drug raid in an effort to nab upper level drug traffickers.

“And we are going to transport them to Aberdeen. The US Marshal will take them up to the magistrate. They’ll be arraigned probably this afternoon. We are still at this time rounding up several others,” said Mike Arledge, Sheriff, Lowndes County.

The others were being sought in Tate County in Northwest Mississippi and Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

The team came up short at one Columbus location but were not out done, immediately police got a tip that shifted their direction.

They then traveled at a high rate of speed down Highway 82 on their way to Ellis Loop in Artesia, picking up one suspect there.

“We started this investigation about a year ago. Probably the last six months where we have really been involved in the core of the investigation. And now its coming to a climax, and we expect to have many many more arrests in the weeks and months to come,” said Arledge.

They nabbed another suspect on Pandora Drive in East Columbus.

The suspects taken into custody Thursday morning are not just your average misdemeanor drug suspects. 

“These are very high level drug traffickers and of course one of the reasons is that we are going federal with them, because of that classification,” added Arledge. 

Those suspects arrested in the drug roundup will be taken to Aberdeen for arraignment before a federal magistrate.