Area law enforcement agencies converged on the Fort Peck Reservation Monday in a massive drug bust to arrest nearly 40 individuals suspected of drug-related crimes. Six search warrants were also executed.

The day began at the Roosevelt County Courthouse with a briefing for “Operation New Beginning,” the name given the huge drug bust, began in April when Roosevelt County Sheriff Freedom Crawford and the Big Muddy River Drug Task Force launched an investigation into the illegal sale of prescription pills.

Prescription drugs either being resold or traded for other drugs include oxycontin, hydrocodone, tramadol, gabapentin, morphine and others, which are much cheaper than methamphetamines, Crawford told officers during the briefing.

Darla Shumway | Wolf Point Herald-News Incident Command staff, from left, Jeff Wozniak, Roosevelt County Sheriff Freedom Crawford and Undersheriff Ron Kemp discuss final preparations for the massive drug bust that took place across the Fort Peck Reservation on Monday.

Prescription drug trafficking is as big a problem as meth is, noted Crawford. The drugs are being prescribed by doctors, both locally and across the state, which are then being sold on the street.

After the briefing, more than 60 area law enforcement personnel from Roosevelt, Valley, Richland, Sheridan and Daniels counties, Fort Peck Tribes, Wolf Point Police Department and the Montana Highway Patrol split into teams and spread out across the reservation, coordinating their efforts to achieve the most surprise.

Members of the media, including an area television news crew and two area newspapers, were allowed to ride along with response teams during the arrests and search warrants.

Among those arrested were: Diane Bad Temper, Poplar, Bernadine Bear, Poplar, Amber Black Dog, Poplar, Rusty Black Thunder, Poplar, Kali Brown, Poplar, Bobby Carpentier, Poplar, Julia Carpenter, Poplar, Carmelita Eagle Boy, Poplar, Doremis Eagle Boy, Poplar, Dee First, Poplar, Myrna First, Poplar, Maynard Hawk, Poplar, Holly Hopkins, Poplar, Scott Kirn, Poplar, Johnathan Magnan, Poplar, Kenny Olson Jr., Poplar, Lisa Perry, Poplar, Michelle Red Dog, Poplar, Betty Ricker, Poplar, Anntoinette Shields, Poplar, Arlie Shields, Poplar, Launa Swanson, Poplar, Terrance Welch, Poplar, Derae Wounded Face, Poplar, Robin Youngman, Poplar, Natasha Fast Horse, Poplar, Kara Red Dog, Poplar, Evanda Red Boy, Poplar, Kim Sparvier, Poplar, Sophina Youpee, Brockton, Benjamin “Benny” Johnson, Brockton, Mary Jackson, Frazer, Julian Diserly, Frazer, Phillip Grandchamp of Wolf Point, Ted Grandchamp, Wolf Point, Olivia Jorgenson, Wolf Point, and Loni Lilley, who was already incarcerated.

Benjamin “Benny” Johnson is the mayor in Brockton.