Two suspects were arrested Monday by the Picayune Narcotics Division for felony possession of controlled substances recently.

According to a departmental release, on June 11 at about 2 p.m., while patrolling the city, Picayune Narcotics detectives saw a blue Honda van traveling west on Highway 43 South with an expired tag. Detectives stopped the vehicle near Stafford Road for the violation. According to the release, during the stop the officers approached the vehicle and identified two people inside, Jeremiah Anis Harper, 36, 52 Oak Drive, Picayune, and Jill Alaine Duke, 47, 6675 Hwy 11 N., Carriere.

While the detectives were talking to Harper and Duke, they noticed that Harper had an open 32-ounce beer bottle. Detectives asked the suspects to exit the vehicle, the release states. After they exited the van, detectives noticed a small piece of aluminum foil on the ground next to the suspects’ feet. The aluminum foil was recovered and found to contain a brown powdery substance, which the detectives believed to be heroin. Duke and Harper were asked about the substance, but they both denied ownership.

After finding the substance, detectives searched the van and inside Duke’s purse found several syringes with a brown liquid, which they believed to be heroin, a burnt spoon with a residue they believed to be heroin and empty pieces of aluminum foil. According to the release, the items are commonly used to prepare and inject heroin.

After the search, Duke was arrested for felony possession of a controlled substance and possession of paraphernalia. Harper was arrested for felony possession of a controlled substance and possession of open beer.