The Stone County Sheriff’s Office has been working to crack down on drug dealers this year with “Operation Ice Stone”, a long term investigation started in January specifically to target methamphetamine dealers in the county. Sheriff Brandon Long says during the course of the operation, multiple names were provided in connection to the sale and distribution of methamphetamine, fentanyl and other dangerous drugs. The operation largely consisted of undercover operations utilizing undercover officers and confidential informants to indentify and target those trafficking and selling the illegal substances.
Multiple search warrants were served in the early morning hours of June 13 that led to many of the arrests. Some of the individuals arrested were already incarcerated on unrelated charges.
The sheriff says this is not the end of the operation, but rather the conclusion of phase one. He says “rest assured, if you continue to sell drugs in Stone County, you will be meeting me or some of my deputies in the near future.”
Sheriff Long says detective Justin Meeks was instrumental in the case as the lead investigator.
Agencies assisting with the operation included sheriff’s departments from Searcy, Independence, Cleburne and Van Buren counties; police departments from Mountain View, Heber Springs and Greers Ferry; Arkansas Game & Fish Commission; Arkansas Probation and Parole; and Arkansas Department of Finance and Beverage Control.
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