KHARY K. MCGHEE, STAFF WRITER

A month-long investigation by Bladen County Sheriff’s deputies led to three arrests and the seizure of cocaine and marijuana at a home in Bladenboro on Friday afternoon.

Deputies found 30 grams of cocaine and more than 200 grams of marijuana at 164 Lewis Pocket Road after executing a warrant to search the home.

Three men who lived in the house, Jeffrey Winston Lewis, 46, Daniel Winston Lewis, 23, and Joseph Edward Gilmore, 21, were arrested and charged with possession with intent to deliver cocaine, possession with intent to deliver marijuana, manufacturing marijuana and cocaine, conspiracy and maintaining a dwelling to sell controlled substances. All three remain in custody at Bladen County Jail on $107,000 bond.

“It’s a large bust,” Deputy Scott Pate said. “Anything over an ounce in this county is pretty large.”

Deputies also seized eight guns, scales used for weighing drugs, police scanners and $908 in cash from the home.

In addition to information garnered from the initial investigation, information from residents in the community surrounding the home led to the seizure of more drugs than deputies initially anticipated.

“We found an additional five marijuana plants because of information we got from members of the community,” Pate said. “Once they saw what we were doing they began calling in with more information, which really helped.”

Also on Friday, deputies arrested a man in connection with the operation of an illegal bootleg liquor establishment.

Detrict Dwayne Purdie, 27, of 361 Mount Olive Road, was arrested for possession of alcoholic beverages for sale without a permit and driving a stolen vehicle after he was stopped at a traffic check at the intersection of Mercer Mill and Rosidale Roads.

Purdie was driving a vehicle that had been reported stolen. Deputies learned that Purdie had been wanted in connection with a bootleg liquor operation at 3035 Mercer Mill Road. A consent search of the premises turned up 11 bottles of liquor and 93 containers of beer.