Welcome to The Gadsden County Sheriff Department!!

Lt. Jim Corder announces the results of a three-week drug sting Thursday.

Over the past three weeks, the Gadsden County Sheriff's Office, along with other municipal police departments, made 36 arrests during what was dubbed "Operation Drug Net." The sting operation was aimed at getting street level drug dealers off the street with an ultimate goal of identifying and arresting suppliers.

In addition to the 36 arrests, authorities seized $2,500 worth of crack cocaine, $1,000 worth of marijuana, $21,000 in cash, seven vehicles, one rolling methamphetamine lab and drug paraphernalia from two local convenience stores. Search warrants to served at Kelly Jr. store #9 at 1985 W. Jefferson Street and Kelly Jr. #6 at the corner of W. Jefferson and Atlanta Streets.

"In and of itself, these items are not considered paraphernalia, but put together they are considered drug paraphernalia," explained Corder. The items seized included t-shirts with the word "Cannabis" across the front just below a replica of a marijuana plant, charms in the shape of plants as well as hats and bandannas in the marijuana motif. But, Corder said, other items sold at the convenience stores disturbed officers. "Some of the items were clearly associated with the use of marijuana use and crack cocaine use," he said. Those items include marijuana pipes, pill grinders used to break up crack cocaine, hand scales, glass hollow with paper rose, jeweler bags used to package drugs for re-sale, (one store had over 5,000 bags the day they were confiscated), and copies of "High Times" magazine. "The sole purpose of the magazine is to instruct individuals on how to grow and cultivate marijuana. You can see what we're up against when our convenience stores are selling drug paraphernalia," Corder said. Corder said the task force plans to visit every conveniene store in the county, approximately 15, within the next few weeks to ask them to voluntarily stop selling these items. Corder praised fellow officers and department for the role they played in making "Operation Drug Net" a success. Those departments included the Quincy Police Department, Chattahoochee Police Department, Gretna Police Department, Havana Police Department and the Greensboro Police Department. "They provided donated manpower and equipment to aid in this operation," Corder said.

Although the Gadsden County jail is overcrowded with an average of about 240 inmates (it was originally built to house 156 inmates), Corder said, Sheriff Young wanted the word out that he intended to be tough on drugs in Gadsden County. "He told us to go get them", Corder said. "The drug busts had three major objectives", Corder said, "first to identify the problem, then eliminate the bad elements and third, to replace that element with positive reinforcement." For that portion, Corder said, the department looked at Captain Mary Ivory. Ivory is the crime prevention officer for the department and is actively working in local county neighborhoods setting up Crime Watch programs. In addition, Sheriff Morris Young has started a Meet and Greet program where he and his department visit neighborhoods each month as part of the department's community policing program. Lt. Corder asked that anyone with any information concerning drug activity contact the Gadsden County Sheriff's Department at 850-627-9233 or their local law enforcement agency. We will keep their identity anonymous, Corder said.