Twelve people were arrested this weekend when a drug task force cracked down on alleged Hyde County drug dealers.

Over 50 officers with the Hyde County Sheriff’s Office, North Carolina ALE, North Carolina Highway Patrol, North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, Plymouth Police Department, Tyrell County Sheriff’s Office and Washington County Sheriff’s Office took part in the operation, rounding up people suspected of drug activity and mounting saturation patrols in high-level drug areas.

Cocaine, marijuana and prescription painkillers, along with three 12-gauge shotguns, were seized by the task force in the county-wide sweep, according to Corporal Joseph Smith of the Hyde County Sheriff’s Office.

“We’ve done several months of controlled purchases from individuals. We took out warrants and rounded them up,” Smith explained.

Smith said the investigation began six months ago and remains an active investigation.

Arrested in the sweep were Eugene Dunbar, of Engelhard, charged with two counts cocaine possession with intent to sell; Satrina Shelton, of Engelhard, with one count cocaine possession with intent to sell; Tiffaney Webber, of Engelhard, with four counts cocaine possession with intent to sell; Ricky Spencer, of Engelhard, with one count opium trafficking; Gerald Whitfield, of Engelhard, with two counts of cocaine possession; Cassandra Diggs, of Engelhard, with two counts of cocaine possession with intent to sell; Wesley Hunt, of Engelhard, with one count possession of a firearm by a felon; James Cahoon, of Fairfield, with possession of cocaine; Quadre Thomas, of Engelhard, with failure to appear in court; Terry Burrus, of Swan Quarter, with cocaine possession and possession of a firearm by a felon; Curtis Kennedy, of Swan Quarter, with possession of marijuana; and Keith Riggins, of Swan Quarter, with cocaine possession.

While no major amounts of drugs were found during the operation, Smith said he did not a recall a bigger drug round up than this weekend’s in the four years he’s been with the Hyde County Sheriff’s Office.

“Crack-cocaine and prescription pills is mainly what we’re dealing with,” said Smith. “(Hyde County’s drug problem) is not as bad as some places.”