A Wednesday morning narcotics raid in the Lincoln Heights community netted powdered cocaine ready for sale and the arrest of two women.

The seizure, which also included user amounts of marijuana and improperly possessed prescription medication, was based a on search warrant stemming from citizen complaints in the Luke Street area, as well as follow-up investigation by narcotics agents of the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office.

Narcotics agents, detectives and deputies converged upon the residence shortly before 8:45, according to Agent J. Puhak.

Graham

The two women, Melody Lavonne “Mel” Sledge, 41, and Julia Teresa Williams Graham, 41, who also goes by the nickname Mother Teresa, were both charged and jailed on $15,000 bonds. Puhak said the women were the specific targets of the operation.

Sledge, of the Lincoln Heights community, and Graham, of the Roanoke Rapids area, each have June 5 court dates.

While declining to give a time frame in which the investigation commenced, Puhak Sledge has an extensive narcotic offender history ranging from the 1990s to present day.

The women face charges of felony possession of cocaine, possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine, felony maintaining a dwelling for a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, simple possession of schedule III — Tylenol with codeine — and misdemeanor possession of marijuana.

Powdered cocaine

The bust netted the following evidence:

Thirty individually wrapped bags of cocaine-ready for sale ranging in weights .5 grams to 3.5 grams

Personal use marijuana

Numerous pieces of crack cocaine ready for sale

Approximately 3 to 5 grams of an unidentified suspected narcotic substance that Puhak suspects to be counterfeit crack or heroin. “However, I’m going to defer to the North Carolina Crime Lab for the official scientific results.”

Improperly possessed prescription pills

Ammunition

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More of the evidence seized.

“The evidence seized was indicative of illicit-illegal narcotic sales,” Puhak said in a press release.  “Amongst the evidence was various packaging materials, consistent with illegal drug sale activity.  As shown in the photographs, an unidentified substance was seized during the search warrant; the NC Crime Lab will be notified and subsequent charges will be applied for accordingly if an additional narcotic crime is found within the substance by lab technicians.”