Columbus County Sheriff’s Office sees increase in drug-related arrests

COLUMBUS COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — The Columbus County Sheriff’s Office continuing to ramp up its efforts to eliminate drugs being sold in the county.

It has been just over a year since the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office Launched “Operation Take Back Columbus.”

Part of the initiative includes increased patrols in confirmed problem areas like Tabor City, Chadbourn, and the eastern portion of Columbus County.

“I’ve got a tenacious group. We’re focusing on it, we’re sticking to it and we’re using a two-prong approach right now, –if you will. We’re working on supply and demand just like I said in the beginning. We’re going to control the market one way or another and they’re going to have to find another way of life,” said Jody Greene, Columbus County Sheriff Office.

Sheriff Jody Greene says since the initiative began, the number of drug-related arrests has significantly increased, with overdoses in the county dropping.

“It’s probably up 10% from where it was last years’ time. I can tell you the overdoses have actually gone down in Columbus County, 39.6%. Last year this time, there was 121 overdoses, –exact same time to date, there’s 81. So that’s roughly a 39% decrease in over dose, and that’s – I think that speaks volumes,” said Greene.

Greene says they are seeing people of different demographics being arrested and facing drug-related charges.

“Good people make bad decisions. It has no gender, it has no age, no race. It’s a terrible thing,” said Greene.

Many of the drug-related arrests in Columbus County are for methamphetamine and fentanyl. The Columbus County Sheriff’s Office is asking county residents to submit an anonymous tip if they believe drugs are being sold in their neighborhoods.