VIDALIA, La.&045; A crackdown on illegal drug use in Concordia Parish by the Narcotics Task Force has resulted in several arrests.

Cedric Ward, 25, 406 Maple St., Vidalia was arrested Thursday night when his vehicle was found parked behind a church located at the intersection of Louisiana 15 near Deer Park.

Ward was charged with possession of marijuana, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm with obliterated serial numbers.

Task Force officers also arrested Dena M. Meche, 22, and Brandon L. Gardner, 23, and charged them with

possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia after a search of their residence at 4208 U.S. 84 West produced a number of drug related items Thursday night. Chad Keith Foster, 18, 110 Traceside Dr., Natchez; Heath A. Weeks, 18, 678 Luke Martin Road., Ferriday; and Josh Mooney, 19, 1215 Apple St., Vidalia; were arrested parked at the same location on Saturday.

All three were charged with possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Weeks and Foster were additionally charged with the introduction of contraband into a penal facility.

Two Vidalians, Durwood E. Brown IV, 25, 2050 Viking St. and Robbie L. Hunter, 31, 2035 Viking St., were arrested with Kassidy Brown, 20, 310 Meadow Lane, Lafayette, and charged with possession of drug paraphernalia Saturday.

The arrest happened after a glass smoking pipe and a white, crystal-like substance were found on the floorboard of Hunter’s vehicle, parked behind Vidalia High School. The substance was sent to the state crime lab for testing to determine its content.

Concordia Sheriff Department’s Public Information Officer Kathleen Stevens said that the recent drug related arrests were the result of a step up in patrol due to information concerning illegal narcotics related information received from the public.

&uot;If people in the community notice things such as a car parked on the levy or behind a church that doesn’t seem to belong then they should report it to the sheriff’s office,&uot; she said.