Three people have been arrested on opioid charges after the drug-detecting K-9 Elza alerted to drugs during a traffic stop, according to Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office drug unit investigators.

Adrienne Napier, 33, Phillip Woolard, 32, both of Lot 46 in Maryanna Mobile Home Park in Washington, and Penny Wilson, 43, of 90 Robin Road in Grimesland, were arrested on Sept. 15, after investigators made a series of purchases of heroin from Napier and Woolard, the press release stated.

According to Lt. Russell Davenport, head of the BCSO drug unit, two were traveling to Craven County and buying heroin from dealers thought to be cutting heroin much stronger drugs. That made it very important to stop the sale of heroin, Davenport said.

“I think the main thing on this case was we learned that they were traveling out of the county and bringing back heroin from the same location that (earlier lab reports) had come back to have fentanyl in it. That’s what made it so important to us to go ahead and get it solved,” Davenport said. “We have seen the majority of people who are overdosing are getting heroin that is cut with fentanyl and carfentanil.”

Fentanyl and carfentanil are both synthetic opioids, both of which are significantly stronger than morphine: fentanyl, 50 to 100 times stronger than morphine; carfentanil is 10,000 times more potent than morphine.

Napier was charged with possession with intent to sell heroin, maintaining a vehicle used for keeping and selling a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia; Woolard was charged with possession with intent to sell and deliver oxycodone a Schedule II controlled substance; Wilson was charged with possession of heroin and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Napier was confined in the Beaufort County Detention Center under a $150,000 secured bond. Woolard was confined under a $130,000 secured bond; and Wilson confined under a $30,000 secured bond.

Davenport said Napier and Woolard’s high bonds reflect the fact that both were out on bond for prior heroin charges.