Authorities executed a search warrant and raided a suspected drug house in south Clarksdale with more than one person detained and what is believed to be a controlled substance seized.
The Coahoma County Sheriff’s Department and the Clarksdale Police Department showed up in force on the west end of Stiles Street about 3 p.m. Wednesday with a team making entry on a brick home at the end of the street.
“This is a deadend street and we have repeatedly gotten calls about all the traffic down here and our investigation led us to believe drugs were being sold from here,” said Chief Deputy Leon Williams, of the Coahoma County Sheriff’s Department. “The Sheriff’s Department along with the Clarksdale Police Department joined together to execute a warrant.”
Williams said Wednesday afternoon that people were arrested but no charges had been filed as officers continued to search the house. Williams said once officers process the scene and gather evidence they will be formally charged and arraigned in court.
“We do have some people and we do have what we believe to be a controlled substance,” said Williams. “There may be other charges, too.”
Williams said entry to the home was made without incident and neither the suspects nor officers were hurt in the raid.
Clarksdale Police Chief Sandra Williams was at the scene and she said she was pleased.
“Both our departments worked well and handled this efficiently and effectively,” said Williams. “We’ve had problems with this location and even made previous arrests here. We’re trying to send a message that illegal drugs and those dealing in illegal drugs will not be tolerated in Clarksdale and you better leave town.”
Deputy Leon Williams also thanked the community for their tips and their patient.
“We get calls, and we want people to call us, but they have to realize we can’t always do something immediately,” Deputy Williams explained. “We have to do our homework, conduct our investigation and when the evidence is there, we do something like this.”
Coahoma County Sheriff Charles Jones had high praise for Deputy Williams.
“We hired Williams in May 2018 and he has done about 15 of these kinds of raids,” said Jones. “He’s retired from the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, he works hard and doesn’t stop until he has made his case.”
Almost a dozen city police and county deputies took part in the raid. Residents in the neighborhood sat in chairs and watched police for more than an hour as they searched the home and hauled people off to jail.
