April 18, 2024
Suspected drugs, cash and paraphernalia discovered during the execution of a search warrant on Mill Street in Middleport. Submitted photo.

MIDDLEPORT, Ohio – According to Middleport Police Chief Bruce Swift, on Jan. 6, 2018 in the early morning hours a search warrant was executed resulting in two people being arrested and charged with possession and trafficking in drugs.

The Middleport Police Department along agents of the Major Crimes Task Force of Gallia and Meigs Counties, and the Meigs County Sheriff’s Office executed the search warrant at a residence on 231 Mill Street in Middleport. Kevin Harris, 35, and Charles A. Landers, 30, both of Middleport were arrested and charged with possession and trafficking.

According to Chief Swift, law enforcement officers seized suspected heroin, methamphetamines, cocaine, and psilocybin (more commonly known as mushrooms), suboxone, two firearms, scales, more than $1,800 in cash and large quantities of drug paraphernalia.

Both Harris and Landers are being held in the Middleport Jail pending initial court proceedings.

Chief Swift noted, “The case has been under investigation for several months and is part of the effort to deal with the drug epedemic that plagues our area.”

Kevin Harris, 35, and Charles A. Landers, 30, both of Middleport were arrested and charged with possession and trafficking. Submitted photo.

Additionally the public is asked to report suspected drug activity in the village to the Middleport Police Department. Chief Swift stated they are trying to make the community a safer place.

The search warrant was obtained through the cooperation of Meigs County Prosecuting Attorney James Stanley.

The Major Crimes Task Force of Gallia-Meigsis a state task for under the jurisdiction of the Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission which is part of the Ohio Attorney General’s Office. The task force was formed in 2013 and consists of the Meigs and Gallia County Sheriff’s Offices, the Ohio Bureau of Investigations, the Middleport and Gallipolis Police Departments and both the Meigs and Galia County Prosecutors Offices.

All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.