BLADEN COUNTY, N.C. – Sheriff James McVicker with the Bladen County Sheriff's Office is concerned with a troubling trend he's been seeing in his community.

• Authorities say they've found opioids, marijuana and heroin
• More than two dozens arrests were made over last few months
• There are about 25 wanted drug dealers to be processed

Drug use is on the rise.

“It's everything. It's opioids. It's marijuana and heroin,” McVicker said.

The sheriff and the narcotics taskforce have had their hands full this summer with undercover drug bust arrests, more than doubling in the last six months averaging from 20 this time last year, to 60.

“Over the last months, we have probably made over two dozen arrests,” said Justin Hewitt, the Sgt. over narcotics for the Bladen County Sheriff's Office.

The arrests for heroin this past month have been around six, which is higher than average. Hewitt says just last week they busted a storage unit, finding more than 237 grams of heroin, $3,400 in cash and an AK-47.

Hewitt says they are still looking for suspects Monte Williams and his fiance Takenya Lennon behind trafficking the drug.

He says the recent arrest of Deanne Kaye Bryan of Blandenboro, who surrendered to authorities, was related to Williams' operation.

“We believe they were supplying hundreds of people in this area,” the sheriff said.

He says there are about 25 drug dealers wanted who have yet to be processed. He is worried about the community.

“You can't arrest this problem away. If someone comes to you and says they need help, we'll try and provide that help to you,” McVicker said.

He believes the spike in heroin use is directly related to a multi-agency pill mill bust that happened in Tabor City in Columbus County last month.

Dr. Jong Kim and his office assistant, Tammy Thompson, are facing multiple drug related charges. Prosecutors say they wrote illegal prescriptions making roughly $16,000 a day totaling about $3 million in profits.

Sheriff McVicker says the spike went up shortly after their clinic closed.

“It got rid of the opioid problem to some extent, but it caused a sharp increase in heroin. Because these people who are addicted are going to have something, and now its heroin," he said.

The Bladen County Sheriff's Office says they are working with multiple agencies to get control of this problem and even have a jail alternative if you get treatment. McVicker says they are working with two rehab facilities in the area accepting those who need help.

If you need help for your addiction, contact First Sgt. Richard Allen at 910-862-6960.