A couple visiting Beaufort County to allegedly sell drugs was arrested this week by the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office Drug Unit, according to a press release.

Walter Lee Keel, 25, of Whichard Lane in Tarboro, and Allie Logan Claiborne, 20, of N.C. Highway 32 in Pinetops, face various charges after investigators conducted a traffic stop near Belhaven.

But according to a spokesman for the drug unit, most of Keel’s charges stem from previous visits to the county, and controlled buys of prescription pain meds investigators had conducted.

“We had an informant that gave us information about him and we were able to use the information,” said the spokesman. “We learned a lot about him by doing the controlled buys.”

“He just comes here to meet his clientele. … If he’s coming to Beaufort County to sell to our informant then he likely has other customers and has drugs on him,” he said.

In September, Investigators made two controlled purchases of prescription pain medication from Keel — and seized 17 dosage units of Suboxone Sublingual film and 23 dosage units of Hydrocodone, said the release.

And on the night of his arrest, Keel was also carrying 26 dosage units of heroin packaged in wax paper bindles, two dosage units of Suboxone and used syringes, according to the release.

Keel was charged with trafficking in opiates by possession, trafficking in opiates by transportation, two counts of possession with intent to sell and deliver schedule III controlled substance, possession with intent to sell and deliver heroin, maintaining a vehicle to facilitate drug activity and possession of drug paraphernalia. Allie Claiborne was charged with possession of heroin and possession of drug paraphernalia. While Claiborne was not present for the previous controlled buys by drug unit investigators, there was enough evidence for the heroin charges, according to the spokesman.

“She didn’t participate in any of the controlled purchases, but the stuff was in her purse and in the car … there was plenty of stuff that justified the heroin charges for both of them,” he said. “It’s not uncommon, when you’re dealing wi thpeople who are dealing with opiates to find heroin, because they use them interchangeably depending on what’s available.”

Both were confined at Beaufort County Detention Center: Keel under a $10,000 secured bond; Claiborne under a $3,500 secured bond.

According to the press release, the arrests represent an ongoing effort by Diversion Investigator Greg Rowe, combined with members of the drug unit, to combat the abuse and distribution of prescription pain medication in Beaufort County.

Keel was confined in the Beaufort County Detention Center under a $10,000 secured bond set by Magistrate J. Mills.. Claiborne was confined in the Beaufort County Detention Center under a $3,500 secured bond also set by Magistrate J. Mills.