AULANDER – An apparent illegal drug operation here has landed a mother and son in jail.

Jennifer Harrell Knight, age 37, and her 17-year-old son Ernest Lewis Harrell, both of 404 West Main Street, were arrested Wednesday evening on numerous drug charges.

Knight, placed under a $101,000 cash bond, was charged with two felonies n maintaining a dwelling as a place to store, keep and sell controlled substances and possession with intent to sell and deliver crack cocaine. She was also charged with misdemeanor marijuana possession.

Harrell was jailed under a $40,000 cash bond on the charges of felonious intent to sell and deliver marijuana and maintaining a dwelling to store, keep and sell a controlled substance.

Both made their first court appearance on Thursday in Windsor.

Detective Sgt. Frank Timberlake of the Bertie County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit said the arrests stemmed from surveillance of the residence.

“We had received complaints from Aulander citizens in regards to a high volume of traffic in and out of this residence on Main Street,” Timberlake said. “We confirmed those complaints through our surveillance at which time we observed a lot of traffic at the same residence.”

After obtaining a search warrant, Bertie Sheriff’s deputies and Narcotics Unit officials gained access to the rental residence. A young man, later identified as Ernest Lewis Harrell, was observed by the officers tossing something on the floor. A subsequent search of his person and the floor revealed eight dime bags of marijuana.

The search also resulted in the discovery of drugs and a large amount of cash in Harrell’s bedroom. There, seven hits of crack cocaine packaged for sale were found in a nightstand along with a small amount of marijuana and cash. A further search of the bedroom turned-up approximately $2,500 hidden inside a female’s coat in the closet.

Law enforcement officers also found drug paraphernalia to include packaging materials.

“The Bertie County Sheriff’s Office will continue to enforce the drug laws of the state of North Carolina in an effort to deter the sale of controlled substances to our citizens and our children,” Timberlake said. “With all the ongoing improvements in Bertie County in regards to better schools along with residential and business growth, it’s our duty as law enforcement officers to make our county a safer place to live and work.”

Timberlake thanked the Bertie Sheriff’s deputies involved in the case.