PLAQUEMINE- The Iberville Parish Sheriff reports the arrest of 17 alleged drug dealers from across the parish in an eight-month operation between local and federal authorities.

Sheriff Brett Stassi said the indictments of Plaquemine men Malcolm Jackson and Shaheed Thompson were processed in federal court due to the volume of drugs they were distributing.

Stassi said they were going through three guys in Baton Rouge. They are, Larry Hughes, Alexander Brock and Eric Curtis. All five men were indicted by a grand jury in federal court in December.

The rest of the indictments of local individuals resulted in 45 charges that will be prosecuted in state court.

"Everywhere I go people are saying sheriff, they are picking the low hanging fruit in the drug world," Stassi said. "Through this joint venture, we were able to get to the next and the next level."

Those charged in federal court were indicted on cocaine distribution charges.

Stassi said the collaboration with their federal partners helped make this operation successful.

"These foot soldiers these heavy hitters there will be more and more coming in," Stassi said. "The search for drugs in the United States is insatiable. We need to stop the drugs coming into our parishes. This is the last step of this operation, not the last operation by far."

This is the full list of those arrested.