MBN, AREA SHERIFFS MEET TO PLAN DRUG ERADICATION STRATEGY

Daily Journal

Although they are in different agencies, area sheriffs and agents with the
Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics have one common goal: Enforcing the law.

Wednesday morning, the agencies held a strategy meeting at the Executive
Inn in Tupelo to plan ways to target mid- and high-level dealers in the area.

"When you get communication up, you're going to get people in jail," said
Narcotics Officer Chuck Smith.

Officers from seven Northeast Mississippi Counties attended, including
Monroe County Sheriff Ruble Maxey, Lee County Sheriff Larry Presley,
Itawamba County Sheriff Leon Hayes, Tippah County Sheriff James Page and
Prentiss County Sheriff Randy Tolar.

"We're sharing information, working together," Smith said. "A lot of (drug)
cases jump county lines."

Tolar said during the meeting, the sheriffs provided the MBN with names of
suspected drug dealers in their counties.

"Basically, they're going to do the intelligence and legwork," Tolar said.
"We've already shown in Prentiss County that this does work."

Tolar said his department works with the MBN on a regular basis.

"One of their agents has an office in our office," he said. "It's been a
real asset for us."

Tolar said the sheriff's department also works with the North Mississippi
Narcotics Unit and the Booneville Police Department.

Itawamba Sheriff Hayes said information sharing is an important aspect of
law enforcement.

"It's a joint effort," he said.

After Wednesday's meeting, he said, "all counties are aware of the ones
(offenders) we're dealing with."

"Mainly it's about cooperation between local, state and federal agencies in
our war on drugs," said Tippah Sheriff Page.

At Wednesday's meeting, Page said, the agencies stressed the importance of
working together.

"We re-emphasized the importance of various agencies working toward a
common goal - the eradication of drugs," he said.