EDWARD — Three people were charged after investigators seized stolen goods and drugs during a search of an Edward residence Wednesday.

Rhonda Jones, 38, and Tandric Tyre, 37, both of 322 Main St., Edward, and Sabrina Jones, of 304 Main St., were arrested after a joint investigation by Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office criminal investigations and narcotics divisions.

“Basically, CID had been working some breaking and enterings and thefts in the area and had received information that there were stolen goods in the house,” said Lt. Russell Davenport, head of the drug unit, adding that the information coincided with tips the drug unit had received about drug sales at the same address.

“We pretty much worked together to get a search warrant for the stolen items and the drugs,” Davenport said.

A stolen 7mm Browning rifle, heroin, cocaine, marijuana, digital scales and packaging material used to repackage controlled substances for resale were found during the search, according to a drug unit press release.

Rhonda Jones was charged with possession of a stolen firearm, obtaining property by false pretense, possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana, possession with intent to sell and deliver heroin and possession of drug paraphernalia; Tyre was charged with possession with intent to sell and deliver heroin, possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia; and Sabrina Jones was charged with possession of cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Tyre received additional charges after he was processed at the Beaufort County Detention Center, when an additional search turned up 7 grams of cocaine, a Suboxone strip and an Oxycodone pill hidden in his rectum, the release stated. He now faces the additional charges of possessing controlled substance in a jail, possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine, possession of a schedule II controlled substance and possession of a schedule III controlled substance.

Davenport said the investigators have seen an increase in those arrested hiding additional drugs in body cavities, a process referred to as “suitcasing.” They were told about the practice by people arrested who face their own drug charges, but have chosen to work with investigators, he said.  “Suitcasing” has become so common in the past several months that it’s changed the way investigators deal with drug arrests.

“Now we ask them. We actually warn them before they get to the jail: ‘If you’re carried into the jail, it’s another charge,’” Davenport said. “It’s bad to say, but it’s the facts of life — it’s the things we’re seeing.”

Tyre was confined in the jail under at $120,000 secured bond. Rhonda Jones and Sabrina Jones were also confined under secured bonds of $32,500 and $2,500 respectively.