Columbus Sheriff Bill Rogers joined his counterparts from Bladen and Robeson and state officials this morning to announce a new drug task force.
The Borderbelt Drug Task Force is a cooperative effort with the three counties, State Bureau of Investigation and prosecutors in both counties, Robeson Sheriff Burnis Wilkins said. The agencies will share intelligence, coordinate investigations, and pool resources across county lines to target drug trafficking operations in the Border Belt region.
“We will share intelligence and coordinate investigations across county lines,” Wilkins said. “County lines are no longer an issue here.”
“Drug dealers do not understand county lines,” said SBI Director R.E. “Chip” Hawley said. “We have some resources that the local sheriffs don’t have in abundance.”
Rogers, Bladen Sheriff Jim McVicker and Wilkins all noted that the three agencies already work together whenever possible.
“It’s always been our honor to work closely with these other sheriffs,” McVicker said.
Matt Scott of the Robeson District Attorney’s office echoed the other officials’ statements that resources have been lacking in the three counties. A special drug crimes prosecutor will also be established as part of the task force.
Wilkins noted that Robeson in particular has earned a bad reputation in terms of crime.
“We always seem to be number one in the wrong things,” he said. “We don’t deny that. Drugs compound every problem – almost every one of our murders has a drug component. This will help address that.”
