Several Carter County individuals were taken into custody Wednesday by officers with the South Central Drug Task Force.
The task force coordinated with the Missouri State Highway Patrol and Carter County Sheriff’s Department after a lengthy investigation into drug trafficking.
“I’d say this investigation has been going on for a year,” said Sheriff Dustin Boyer.
Arrested Wednesday were David W. Emery, 52, and Wayne Robbins, 43, of Ellsinore, along with Douglas R. Wells, 59, Jim S. Bessent, 63, and Albert R. Brandon, 59, all of Grandin.
Emery faces three counts of delivery of a controlled substance in Carter County Circuit Court, as does Bessent. Robbins is charged with two counts, while Wells and Brandon each face a single count.
“As of right now, they’re all still being held,” said Boyer.
By Wednesday afternoon, two more individuals had been arrested, but further information was not available before press time.
Those arrested, Boyer said, were “not necessarily” working together, and “several types of drugs” allegedly were involved.
Arrest teams, according to the highway patrol, consisted of members of multiple agencies, including the patrol, Carter County Sheriff’s Department, National Park Service, Missouri Department of Conservation, Van Buren Police Department and Ellsinore Police Department.
Though several arrests were made, Boyer said, his office still is working hard to curb the drug problem in the county.
“Our investigations are always ongoing, and we have more work to do, and we’re going to continue on,” he said.