MOULTRIE, Ga. — An investigation sparked by complaints to law enforcement about illegal sales of prescription opiate pills has led to three arrests in recent days. A fourth drug arrest came due to a common traffic stop.

Three of the arrests came after undercover buyers purchased pills, police said, and also resulted in the seizure of oxycodone and other prescription medications.

While methamphetamine makes up the lion’s share of drug arrests in the county by a wide margin, prescription pills and other substances are still around.

“The main thing, we were receiving information that oxycodone was being sold in the county in the (Moultrie) city limits,” said Sgt. Justin Lindsay of the Moultrie Colquitt County Drug Enforcement Team. “We started focusing on these pills, and we had three cases. These investigations will continue.”

On Monday officers with the Drug Enforcement Team arrested Bobby Rashawn Grant and Christopher Bernard Ziegler, and on the next day picked up Gail Arnett McNeal.

Grant, 33, 1515 Fourth Ave. N.E., is accused of selling marijuana in July 2018 and another sale in December of oxycodone.

“Last summer I used a cooperating witness to conduct an undercover buy,” Sgt. Channing McDowell said. “We purchased $20 worth of marijuana from Mr. Grant.”

On Monday police charged Grant with sale of marijuana and use of a communication facility in committing a felony in connection with that incident.

When officers tried to make the arrest on Monday he ran from them and entered his residence, Lindsay said, and threw a container with suspected oxycodone pills, matching those purchased from him, out of a window.

Police filed additional charges of sale of oxycodone, possession of oxycodone and use of a communication facility in committing a felony.

In the second incident, Ziegler, 45, 209 Seventh St. S.W., was charged with sale of oxycodone, possession of hydromorphine, possession of methadone, possession of oxycodone with intent to distribute and use of a communication facility in committing a felony.

Police had warrants for Ziegler’s arrest and he was taken into custody after an officer saw him driving a car on Fifth Avenue Northwest. At the time of the stop officers found other pills inside the car, Lindsay said.

In the third incident, McNeal, 61, 165-B Mt. Zion Church Road, Norman Park, was picked up on arrest warrants on Tuesday and she was charged with sale of oxycodone and use of a communication facility in committing a felony.

On Sunday Theodoric Oliver, 42, 5074 Park Ave., Forest Park, Ga., was arrested after police found about four grams of suspected cocaine in his car, Sgt. Randy Rakestraw said.

“A patrol officer pulled him over at about 11:15 a.m. on Fifth Street Southwest for failing to stop at (a) stop sign,” Rakestraw said. “The patrol officer smelled the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle.”

A search of the car turned up suspected marijuana, cocaine and prescription pills.

He was charged with possession of cocaine, possession of marijuana and possession of oxycodone.