The Polk County Sheriff’s Office has arrested two Polk County residents in connection with Operation Pill Sweep, an undercover drug operation that has been ongoing for the past nine months.
Katrina Sue Batey, 52, and Kimberly Ann Batey, 50, both of 6410 Big Level Road in Mill Spring were arrested on opium charges, according to Polk County Sheriff Donald Hill.
Katrina Batey was charged with three counts of trafficking in opium or heroin, one count of maintaining a vehicle for a controlled substance, one count of maintaining a dwelling for a controlled substance, two counts of selling and delivering marijuana, one count of possession with intent to sell approximately ¼ lb. of marijuana and one count of possession of paraphernalia, according to police reports.
Kimberly Batey was charged with two counts of trafficking opium, according to reports.
The sheriff’s office has been working with the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) in an attempt to eliminate illegal prescription medication activity in Polk County. In the operation, an array of illegal drugs have been purchased, including marijuana, cocaine, oxycodone, oxycontin, Percocet, lortab, hydrocodone, Xanax and opium.
The agencies were assisted by the U.S. Veteran’s Affairs Office, the Spartanburg County, S.C., and Buncombe County sheriff’s offices.
Hill says he expects to arrest more than 20 people in the next several weeks.
Hill said his office estimates that approximately 2,000 prescription pain killers have been purchased in connection with Operation Pill Sweep.
This is the first operation Hill said he can remember of this magnitude in Polk County in his approximately 20 years of working with the sheriff’s office.
The abuse of prescription medication is one of the biggest problems in Polk County, Hill said, and he plans to offer no negotiations in the prosecution of these cases.
Katrina and Kimberly Batey were the fourth arrests made so far in the operation.
Katrina Batey was released from custody on a $25,000 bond. Kimberly Bately was released on a $20,000 bond, according to the sheriff’s office.
Editor’s note: Look for more coverage in future editions of the Bulletin as arrests are made in connection with Operation Pill Sweep.