CONWAY – Tips are a lawman’s best friend, especially when they produced results.

Four Northampton County men are behind bars on drug related charges thanks to information received by officers with the Northampton County Sheriff’s Office during a traffic stop on Thursday of last week.

&uot;We heard there was an alleged plot to bring approximately four kilos of crack cocaine into the county on Friday (Feb. 4), along with the time and location,&uot; said Captain George Reid of Northampton County Sheriff’s Office.&uot;

Securing a search warrant for the property where the alleged crime would take place, Reid contacted several other law enforcement agencies to coordinate their efforts in making the arrests. He also arranged for a stake out of a residence belonging to Melvin Daryl Jones, 41, of 685 Burnt Bridges Road near Conway.

At about 12:40 p.m. on Friday, officers saw a vehicle at the residence that was consistent with the tip they had received and proceeded to pull into the driveway.

&uot;As soon as we pulled up, someone from inside came to the door, saw us and ran back inside,&uot; he said.

Corey Lavon Joyner, 33, of 1445 Buck Boone Road in Milwaukee and Jarrell Donnell Dunn, 27, of 432 Conway Apartments, Conway, were caught after attempting to flee through the back door of the residence, while Jones and Dean Anderson Artis, 47, were detained inside.

However, Curtis Varn Motley Jr., 27, escaped.

With assistance from the Hertford County Sheriff’s Office, Murfreesboro Police Department, the North Carolina Division of Prisons Tracking Team bloodhounds and the Gates County narcotics dogs, officers were able to confiscate 278 grams (10-plus ounces) of crack cocaine found in the woods behind the residence along with 16 grams in a wallet belonging to one of the suspects.

&uot;We believe they were in the process of cooking the substance because the utensils on the stove were still hot and there was ice in the sink as if ready to cool it off,&uot; Reid said, noting a street value of approximately $45,000.

Jones was charged with possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver crack-cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia and maintaining a dwelling for a controlled substance and was placed in the Northampton County Jail under a $60,000 secured bond.

Artis was charged with possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver crack cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia and detained under a $50,000 secured bond, while Dunn and Joyner are faced with charges of drug trafficking, possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver crack-cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Both Dunn and Joyner were placed in the Northampton County Jail on an $80,000 secured bond.

A warrant has been issued for Motley’s arrest for trafficking cocaine, possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver crack cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia and resisting a public officer.

Motley’s information has been entered into the National Crime Information Center.

Reid expressed gratitude to everyone involved in the investigation and attributed good cross communication between departments for the success of the arrests.

A special thanks goes out to Deputy Greg Colson, who initiated the traffic stop, along with the NC Department of Corrections, Gates County, Murfreesboro PD and Hertford County Sheriff’s Office, including Narcotics Agent Joe Burgess.

&uot;We have really been placing an emphasis on networking,&uot; Reid said. &uot;It’s tips like that coupled with working together that yields good results in helping to keep crime and drugs off the streets.&uot;