From STAFF REPORTS
ROCHELLE — Three suspected drug dealers in Wilcox County were arrested Monday morning as the result of a multi-month investigation.
In the pre-dawn hours of Monday morning, representatives from the Wilcox County Sheriff's Office, Rochelle Police Department, and South Central Drug Task Force (SCDTF) accompanied the Tri-County Special Response Team (SRT) to a residence on Gordon Avenue in Rochelle in order to execute three arrest warrants and a search warrant.
The Tri-County SRT, comprised of specially trained officers from Crisp, Tift, and Turner counties, was called in for assistance due to the high risk nature of the warrants.
Shortly after 5:00 a.m., members of the SRT made entry into the Gordon Avenue residence and located one of the wanted subjects. Subsequent searches were conducted on two other locations by personnel from the Sheriff's Office, Rochelle Police Department, SCDTF, and SRT. These searches netted the other two individuals that were targeted for arrest.
Eugene Regis, Denkins Zefi, and Eve Augustine, all of Rochelle, were arrested for the sale of illegal narcotics. According to a press release issued by the Wilcox County Sheriff’s Office, SCDTF agents had been conducting street-level buys and surveillance on the three for several months.
In addition to surveillance and evidence obtained from undercover drug purchases, task force agents also received information that there may have been numerous weapons in the residence. After this information came to light, it was decided to request the assistance of the Tri-County SRT.
"These men are trained and equipped to make entry into these high-risk situations," said Wilcox County Sheriff Stacy C. Bloodsworth. "That's why we called them for assistance."
Bloodsworth praised the coordination of multiple agencies to remove drugs from the streets of Wilcox County.
"This is what it's all about; multiple agencies coming together to accomplish a common goal. Because of the cooperation of the different agencies, we were able to get three drug dealers off the streets of Wilcox County, and keep our officers safe while doing it,” Bloodsworth said. “Commander Rex Johnson (South Central Drug Task Force) and his agents did a great job of investigating and gathering intelligence about the illegal activity that led to the operation this morning. I'd also like to commend Commander Jeff Youngblood of the Tri-County SRT and the individual officers of the team for doing an excellent job.
"The deputies of the Wilcox County Sheriff's Office and Chief Keith McDuffie and his officers in the Rochelle Police Department also did an excellent job this morning,” Bloodsworth added. “With the cooperation of the citizens of Wilcox County, we will continue to do all that we can to get drugs off the streets of our communities, and keep Wilcox County a safe place to live and raise a family."
Anyone with tips on illegal drug activity in Wilcox County is urged to call either the Wilcox County Sheriff's Office at 229-467-2322 or the South Central Drug Task Force at 229-424-0000.
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