Drug bust shows problems with gangs and drugs in Richmond County

More than a dozen arrests after a year-long investigation into drug trafficking and gang activity centered in the Sand Hills neighborhood.

The Richmond County Sheriff's Office, D.E.A., Columbia County Sheriff's Office and G.S.P. carried out 14 search warrants overnight.

More than 90 officers confiscated drugs, more than $85,000, eight guns, and five cars in this bust.

"It's a severe problem with drugs in Augusta, we're constantly identifying and trying to deal with it and it's a battle," said Lt. Jason Vinson with the Narcotics Division of the Richmond County Sheriff's Office.

Lt. Vinson led the year-long investigation leading to 14 search warrants at and around the Ridgewood Place Apartments on Wheeler Road.

"Over that period of time, we seized several pounds of marijuana, several ounces of cocaine and numerous prescription pills," Lt. Vinson said.

Deputies arrested eight people, and they are looking for four more.

Deputies say the problem extends all over Augusta and beyond.

In the past month, Aiken County Deputies arrested 19 people in three separate drug house raids.

"It is a bigger problem. It's not exclusively to this neighborhood, it just seems to be the core of that particular group," Lt. Vinson said.

And the problem isn't just drugs.

"They've basically developed into a street gang, the hilltop street gang, and their way of income is to sell narcotics," Vinson said.

Deputies say to get the drugs off the streets, they have to put an end to the gang problem first.

"One thing I've noticed throughout my career is that gangs and drugs pretty much run hand in hand," he said.

And although this was a big operation, they say it's far from the end of their investigation.

"There will be more arrests to follow," Vinson said.

A warning to the dealers and gang members smart enough to listen.