Featured Spotlight DRUG BUST Sheriff: 5,000 grams of mushrooms, 6,000 grams of marijuana, 268 grams meth seized in operation Mike Conley Jan 26, 2026 Jan 26, 2026 Updated Feb 17, 2026 0 Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Twenty-two people were arrested as part of a monthslong operation in McDowell County.kAmsFC:?8 E96 A2DE D6G6C2= >@?E9D[ E96 |4s@H6== r@F?EJ $96C:77’D ~77:46 r@>>F?:EJ x>A24E %62> 42CC:65 @FE 2 E2C86E65 :?:E:2E:G6 <?@H? 2D ~A6C2E:@? (:?E6C uC66K6[ 244@C5:?8 E@ 2 ?6HD C6=62D6 7C@> E96 D96C:77VD @77:46]k^AmkAm%96 677@CE E2C86E65 :==682= 5CF8 24E:G:EJ E9C@F89@FE |4s@H6== r@F?EJ 2?5 C6DF=E65 :? D6:KFC6D 2?5 ?F>6C@FD 2CC6DED[ 244@C5:?8 E@ E96 ?6HD C6=62D6]k^AmkAm“s2J 27E6C 52J[ @FC rx% E62> H@C<D 369:?5 E96 D46?6D[ 7@==@H:?8 FA @? E:AD[ 3F:=5:?8 42D6D[ 2?5 DE2J:?8 4@>>:EE65 E@ E96 E2D< 2E 92?5[” D2:5 $A64:2= ~A6C2E:@?D s:G:D:@? r2AE] r9C:D %2J=@C] “%9:D :D 2? :?4C65:3=6 8C@FA — E96J 2C6 565:42E65 2?5 56E6C>:?65 E@ 249:6G6 2 DF446DD7F= @FE4@>6]”k^Am People are also reading… Old Fort mayor suddenly resigns from office, mayor pro tem appointed acting mayor See events that will close Marion downtown streets this year, including Friday night concerts Man found dead along Interstate 40 in Burke County; Medical examiner notified McDowell County Schools superintendent: Planning for a new school McDowell County high schoolers show off art, music, more at Spring Art Show Los Compadres owners bringing street food, festive vibe to new restaurant in downtown Newton Marion man charged after 200 grams of cocaine found in search of home near school Marion to replace bridge to lift station with $1.4 million grant from state Marion man charged with assaulting woman and sheriff's lieutenant The story behind new McDowell County ice cream business The Scream Lenoir woman accused of scratching Telsa Cybertruck using board with nails; see video here Railroad conference in Morganton focuses on passenger trains, rebuilding from Helene McDowell County leaders hear updates, concerns about 2027 property value reappraisal Siena almost pulls off all-time March Madness upset against Duke Could a Rotary Club form in Old Fort? Interest meeting to be held in April Money, drugs and weapons seized in Operation Winter Freeze. SUBMITTED PHOTO kAmpD 2 C6DF=E @7 ~A6C2E:@? (:?E6C uC66K6[ 56E64E:G6D D6:K65 E96 7@==@H:?8[ 244@C5:?8 E@ E96 ?6HD C6=62D6ik^AmkF=mk=:md[_gg]g 8C2>D @7 AD:=@4J3:? WADJ49656=:4X >FD9C@@>Dk^=:mk=:me[e`e 8C2>D @7 >2C:;F2?2k^=:mk=:me]d 8C2>D @7 4C24< 4@42:?6k^=:mk=:mb]d 8C2>D @7 4@42:?6k^=:mk=:maeg 8C2>D @7 >6E92>A96E2>:?6k^=:mk=:m`he]f 8C2>D @7 76?E2?J=k^=:mk=:m_]a 8C2>D @7 96C@:?k^=:mk=:mu:G6 7:C62C>Dk^=:mk=:mu:G6 )2?2I A:==Dk^=:mk=:m~?6 DE@=6? >@\A65k^=:mk=:m~?6 DE@=6? G69:4=6k^=:mk^F=mkAmx? E@E2=[ ~A6C2E:@? (:?E6C uC66K6 =65 E@ D6G6? H2CC2?E 2CC6DED[ E9C66 7:C62C>D\C6=2E65 2CC6DED 2?5 ba 5CF8\C6=2E65 2CC6DED]k^Am kAm|4s@H6== $96C:77 #:4<J %] qF492?2? AC2:D65 E96 H@C< @7 E96 E62>[ DE2E:?8[ “%9:D @A6C2E:@? :D 2 C67=64E:@? @7 E96 92C5 H@C< 2?5 565:42E:@? 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H:E9 :?E6?E E@ >2?F724EFC6[ D6==[ @C 56=:G6C 2 $4965F=6 xx 4@?EC@==65 DF3DE2?46 2?5 76=@?J A@DD6DD:@? @7 5CF8 A2C2A96C?2=:2]k^=:mk=:mrJ?E9:2 q2DD[ ce[ @7 }63@[ H2D 492C865 H:E9 76=@?J A@DD6DD:@? @7 2 DE@=6? G69:4=6]k^=:mk^F=m Twenty-two people arrested in a McDowell County Sheriff's Office operation. McDowell County Sheriff's Office kF=mk=:mpAC:= s2H? #2>D6J[ cc[ @7 }63@[ H2D 492C865 H:E9 76=@?J A@DD6DD:@? @7 2 4@?EC@==65 DF3DE2?46 H:E9 E96 :?E6?E E@ >2?F724EFC6[ D6==[ @C 56=:G6C >6E92>A96E2>:?6[ 76=@?J A@DD6DD:@? @7 >6E92>A96E2>:?6[ 76=@?J A@DD6DD:@? @7 4@42:?6 2?5 76=@?J >2:?E2:? 2 G69:4=6^5H6==:?8^A=246 7@C 4@?EC@==65 DF3DE2?46D]k^=:mk^F=m Drugs seized in the McDowell County Sheriff's Office's Operation Winter Freeze. SUBMITTED PHOTO kF=mk=:mz6==: s2H? q@H6?[ ca[ @7 |2C:@?[ H2D 492C865 H:E9 76=@?J A@DD6DD:@? @7 2 $4965F=6 xx 4@?EC@==65 DF3DE2?46]k^=:mk=:my6DD:42 p?? |:E496==[ bf[ @7 |@C82?E@?[ H2D 492C865 H:E9 76=@?J A@DD6DD:@? @7 2 $4965F=6 xx 4@?EC@==65 DF3DE2?46[ 76=@?J A@DD6DD:@? @7 2 4@?EC@==65 DF3DE2?46 H:E9 E96 :?E6?E E@ >2?F724EFC6[ D6==[ @C 56=:G6C @7 2 $4965F=6 xx 4@?EC@==65 DF3DE2?46 2?5 76=@?J EC277:4<:?8[ @A:F> @C 96C@:?]k^=:mk=:m$2>>J s@3D@? qFC=6D@?[ ab[ @7 |2C:@?[ H2D 492C865 H:E9 76=@?J A@DD6DD:@? @7 2 4@?EC@==65 DF3DE2?46 @? ;2:= AC6>:D6D 2?5 76=@?J A@DD6DD:@? @7 2 $4965F=6 xx 4@?EC@==65 DF3DE2?46]k^=:mk=:my@D9F2 t5H2C5 q6?86[ cc[ @7 |2C:@?[ H2D 492C865 H:E9 76=@?J A@DD6DD:@? @7 2 $4965F=6 xx 4@?EC@==65 DF3DE2?46]k^=:mk=:ms2CCJ= |2EE96H s2G:D[ c_[ @7 |2C:@?[ H2D 492C865 H:E9 76=@?J A@DD6DD:@? @7 2 $4965F=6 x 4@?EC@==65 DF3DE2?46 2?5 76=@?J A@DD6DD:@? @7 2 4@?EC@==65 DF3DE2?46 @? ;2:= AC6>:D6D]k^=:mk=:m%J=6C t5H2C5 %62DE6C[ ac[ @7 ~=5 u@CE[ H2D 492C865 H:E9 76=@?J A@DD6DD:@? @7 >6E92>A96E2>:?6 2?5 76=@?J A@DD6DD:@? @7 DE@=6? 8@@5D]k^=:mk=:mz2J=2 |:496==6 #:49[ ad[ @7 |2C:@?[ H2D 492C865 H:E9 76=@?J A@DD6DD:@? @7 >6E92>A96E2>:?6 2?5 76=@?J A@DD6DD:@? @7 DE@=6? 8@@5D]k^=:mk^F=m k9am(92E :D E96 r@>>F?:EJ x>A24E %62>nk^9amkAm%96 r@>>F?:EJ x>A24E %62> 7@4FD6D @? AC@24E:G6 =2H 6?7@C46>6?E 3J :56?E:7J:?8 4C:>6 EC6?5D 2?5 E2C86E:?8 AC@3=6> 2C62D E9C@F89@FE |4s@H6== r@F?EJ] %96 E62> H@C<D E@ C65F46 :==682= 24E:G:EJ E9C@F89 :?G6DE:82E:@?D[ E2C86E65 6?7@C46>6?E[ 2?5 4@>>F?:EJ 6?8286>6?E[ 244@C5:?8 E@ E96 ?6HD C6=62D6]k^Am kAm“~FC rx% E62> 5:C64ED :ED 7@4FD E@ 9:89\4@>A=2:?E EC277:4 2C62D H96C6 DFDA64E65 4C:>:?2= 24E:G:EJ :D 36:?8 C6A@CE65[” qF492?2? D2:5]k^Am kAmp?J@?6 H:E9 :?7@C>2E:@? @? :==682= 5CF8 24E:G:EJ E2<:?8 A=246 :? E96:C 2C62 42? 42== E96 |4s@H6== r@F?EJ $96C:77’D ~77:46 2E gag\eda\aabd[ 6IE] `acf] !6@A=6 42? 2=D@ DF3>:E 2? 2?@?J>@FD E:A E9C@F89 E96 |r$~ 2AA]k^Am 0 Comments Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Mike Conley Staff Writer Author email Follow Mike Conley Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today Related to this story This McDowell County Sheriff's Office team was recognized for an operation that ended in 32 drug arrests The Community Impact Team focuses on proactive law enforcement by identifying crime trends and targeting problem areas throughout McDowell County. 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Mike Conley Staff Writer Author email Follow Mike Conley Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today
This McDowell County Sheriff's Office team was recognized for an operation that ended in 32 drug arrests The Community Impact Team focuses on proactive law enforcement by identifying crime trends and targeting problem areas throughout McDowell County.
Iranian military statement mocks US for 'strategic failure', suggests no negotiations over 15-point plan
AP Iranian military statement mocks US for 'strategic failure', suggests no negotiations over 15-point plan
