Suspected drugs, guns, cash and drug paraphernalia were seized from two search warrants executed simultaneous in Wellsville Thursday. (Photo courtesy of DTF Director Jesse Smith)

WELLSVILLE — The Columbiana County Drug Task Force (DTF) seized suspected drugs and a gun from Wellsville residences on Thursday.

The suspected drugs and gun were seized during the simultaneous execution of search warrants at two locations.

According to DTF Director Jesse Smith, the execution of the two warrants were the culmination of a long investigation and the two locations were connected in their investigation. These two warrants are the fifth and sixth searches in East Liverpool and Wellsville combined that led to the seizure of drugs since the beginning of the year.

Smith said about Thursday’s busts, that while it was two different search warrants, because of the proximity of the two locations and the DTF knew the two houses were involved in trafficking together, the agency decided to hit them both at the same time.

Information discovered as part of a long investigation led the agents to believe the residents of both locations were working together to sell drugs.

There were no arrests or charges issued from the search warrants, but charges are pending lab results of the suspected drugs from Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI).

The first house hit at 926 Wood St. was what Smith said was the primary supplier of the two houses.

When DTF officers executed the warrant, they found evidence that the resident there attempted to flush a large amount of methamphetamine down the toilet. DTF agents were able to recover a large portion of that.

Smith said even after the resident attempted to flush it, agents were able to recover 15 grams. They also seized a small amount of suspected cocaine and 28 grams of suspected ecstasy pills, drug paraphernalia suspected with drug trafficking, cash, a shotgun and handgun, that is suspected to possibly be stolen. Whether it was stolen or not has not been confirmed and will be investigated further, Smith said.

Smith noted that it was a pretty fair amount of suspected ecstasy seized which is odd because they don’t tend to see a lot of ecstasy in the area. He noted that it was pretty big in larger party towns but locally they don’t see a lot of it.

The second house located at 502 10th St. was mostly just user level weight of suspected methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia suspected for trafficking in smaller amounts.

Smith noted that the DTF receives funding assistance from the county sales tax which is up for renewal in May and asked that residents who appreciate what they do and the drugs they take off the streets to consider voting for the renewal.