Officers contined their efforts to arrest suspects believed to be selling drugs over the Internet to drug users in the Picayune area.

The Picayune Police Department has arrested yet another suspect brought in by exchanges over the Internet.

For the past three to four months investigators with the department have been working to communicate with people who use the Internet and text messaging to sell drugs, said Investigator Mike Odom. Communication between the suspect, Timothy Ray Hartfield, and a confidential informant took place for a week to help make Hartfield to feel comfortable about selling the cocaine, Odom said.

Through the use of the informant, a meeting place and time was set up for Hartfield to meet the informant in Picayune. After Hartfield made the drive from Lamar County, he met with the informant at the Winn-Dixie at the north end of town.

Odom said he, Constance Myers, Bryan Dawsey, Blaine Heath, Jeremy Magri and Trent Boyd set up a perimeter around the meeting point and waited for the exchange to take place.

After the exchange of cocaine and money took place, the waiting officers moved in and made the arrest, charging Hartfield, 29, of 238 Walker Hill Rd., Sumrall, with sale of a controlled substance within 1,500 feet of a church.

“It’s not safe to peddle drugs via the Internet. The Picayune Police Department will do whatever we have to stop the drugs from coming into Picayune,” Odom said.