The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office drug unit is tackling sellers and users of a specific drug on the streets: heroin.

Over the past week, investigators have arrested three people suspected of selling or using the drug locally. On May 6, New Bern resident Kiersteen Popperwill, 20, was charged with possession of heroin and possession of marijuana. On April 29, two Washington women, were arrested: Candy Toler Pike, 45, and Karen Woolard Leggett, 50. Pike was charged with possession with intent to sell and deliver heroin; Leggett with possession of heroin.

According to Lt. Russell Davenport, head of the drug unit, Beaufort County is seeing more heroin sales and use, and there’s a reason for it.

“The increase of heroin is because of the problem we’ve had with the prescription pain pills. Now that we’ve got a diversion officer, it’s getting harder to get a prescription for their opiate addictions,” Davenport said. “Once they run out of resources, they buy heroin off the street.”

Davenport said that because there’s been a focus on illegal sales of prescription pills, people with addictions are forced to buy drugs elsewhere.

“Problem is, you don’t know what you’re getting when you’re buying off the street,” Davenport said.

The abuse of opiates often begins with a legitimate doctor’s prescription for pain medication that ultimately ends with addiction. A lack of adequate resources to treat those addicted to opiates may be part of the reason Beaufort County has seen such an increase in heroin use, Davenport said.

“There’s nothing here that I know of that’s long term and that’s what we need,” he said.