Sheriffs team up to search for drugs on Tennessee River

HUMPHREYS COUNTY, Tenn. — With a turn of a key and the rumble of an engine, three county sheriffs get to work scouring the Tennessee River for drugs.

“For years, we’ve known there’s been a lot of drug traffic on the river, so we can kind of came up with a little bit of a plan,” Benton County Sheriff Kenny Christopher said.

Christopher says because his county borders the river, some people try to get away with growing drugs along the water and hauling them in boats.

“It is a war when you’re talking about drugs, and we’re never going to stop this, but we can slow it down,” he said.

But the sheriffs of the neighboring counties are hoping to help stop the problem together.

Decatur County Sheriff Keith Byrd says nine counties border the Tennessee River and Kentucky Lake.

“We’re out here mostly to see if we can stop some drug activity and cooperate with each other,” he said.

The sheriffs say because they share county lines, working together to solve area crime is crucial.

“The drug dealers and transporters, they don’t care where the county lines are. It doesn’t affect them, so having a cooperation with your neighbors is what it’s all about,” Byrd said.

Houston County Sheriff Kevin Suggs says the departments were able to get patrol boats through a federal program that sends military equipment to law enforcement.

“We just pulled the resources together. (It) makes it more safer, plus it helps on the finances in our department as well,” he said.

As officers work together to solve the issue, Sheriff Christopher has a message for those in the area. “If you’re growing drugs, hauling drugs up this river, it’s just a matter of time, and we got a place for you to stay.”

The sheriffs say they hope to get more law enforcement involved and make the searches more frequent.