Edibles. Guns. Fentanyl pills. Gulfport police arrest 7 Coast residents in drug sting.
Five Harrison County residents were arrested Tuesday after a joint investigation looking into distribution of narcotics in South Mississippi and illegal possession of firearms, police say.
Those charged in the case are: Nigel Saunders, Sernareo Barnett and D’Laun Ball, all of Gulfport, and Mary Matthews and Jamaar Saunders, both of Biloxi
Also charged under the federal indictment are Raheem Lane and Malyk Harveston of Gulfport, who previously were taken into federal custody. They were charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, conspiracy to possess firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes and the illegal possession of firearms.
The investigation was a joint effort between the Drug Enforcement Agency and Gulfport Police.
During the investigation, officers seized:
- Counterfeit pills containing fentanyl, a a powerful synthetic opioid that is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine
- Illegal prescription narcotics
- Methamphetamine
- 120 pounds of marijuana and marijuana edibles
- Money
- Multiple vehicles
- 27 illegal firearms
“Because of the partnerships with the Drug Enforcement Agency and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, we successfully put a stop-gap in the distribution of illicit drugs and guns in the City of Gulfport,” said Gulfport Police Chief Chris Ryle.
The case is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office under the Project Safe Neighborhood initiative.
This story was originally published October 26, 2021 at 12:10 PM.
