THOMASVILLE — The Thomas County/Thomasville Narcotics/Vice Division may be getting help in cutting down on suspects’ places to hide.

The city has been cleaning up dilapidated houses for the last year-and-a-half, Thomasville City Council member Jay Flowers said at the drug commission meeting earlier this week.

“We are actively taking down houses that are abandoned and dilapidated,” he said.

Flowers also asked the drug commission to let the city know of any houses that are in that condition and could be hideouts for criminals.

“We want to let them know we are not going to tolerate it,” said Council member Terry Scott.

Thomas County-Thomasville Narcotics/Vice Division Commander Louis Schofill didn’t know if clearing out abandoned and decrepit housing would lessen the amount of drug crimes.

“But it would make it easier so people wouldn’t have places to hide,” he said. 

In October, drug squad agents had 35 cases, leading to 33 arrests and 47 charges. Of those charges, 24 were felonies.

Agents also seized three vehicles used by suspected drug dealers and couriers.

Schofill said one recent arrest was of a suspect who ran from authorities.

“He ran from me 15 years ago,” he said. “He’s still fast.”

That suspect was charged again while he was in jail, after jail officers found marijuana on a garbage can and smelled it on him. The suspect said another inmate gave it to him.

“He’s getting into trouble even when he’s in the jail,” Schofill said.

In another case, Schofill said suspects used the proceeds left from a legal settlement to purchase vehicles that were then used to ferry drugs to Grady and Colquitt counties on the weekends. After those arrests were made, the vehicles were seized.

Editor Pat Donahue can be reached at (229) 226-2400 ext. 1806.