More than 80 suspects have been arrested and over $1 million in narcotics seized following a massive drug trafficking investigation in Ashe County.
Sheriff B. Phil Howell announced Wednesday that Operation Crystal Ball is the most significant investigation of its kind in the history of the county.
The joint operation between the Ashe County Sheriff’s Office and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation began in January 2025. To date, authorities have seized illegal drugs with a total street value of $1,054,862.