CATAWBA COUNTY, N.C. — Deputies made dozens of arrests Wednesday morning in Catawba County after six months of undercover drug busts.
Officers from across the county went to homes shortly after 6 a.m. to round up suspects.
Authorities told Channel 9 that the majority of the cases involved meth and heroin. Both have been a growing problem in the area.
Police nicknamed the operation "1776" after the number of people, 76, they are targeting in 2017.
Deputies said there are more than 250 charges involving the people who were arrested.
Sheriff deputies said the drug task force has been working cases in the area since March.
"The majority of our cases are methamphetamine and heroin, Capt. Jason Reid, with the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office, said. “Our message to the community is to let them know that we are out there in force. We're going to be proactive and continue to be relentless with this."
Residents said they are pleased to see the crackdown.
"It's good to see the community getting cleaned up," resident Scott Mingus said.
Read more top trending stories on wsoctv.com:
- HURRICANE TRACKER: Maria slams Puerto Rico as Category 4 storm
- Deputies shoot, kill armed man following chase, standoff in Monroe
- Tractor-trailer overturns, spills thousands of batteries on I-77
- Amber Alert issued after parents abduct NC 3-month-old girl
- WATCH: Vicki Graf's Wednesday forecast outlook
Cox Media Group
