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Statesboro-Bulloch Crime Suppression Team (C.S.T.) began operating Tuesday and hit the ground running with vehicle pursuits and marijuana felony charges.

Marijuana felony charges were issued at two separate times, once at a traffic stop over an expired tag when marijuana was discovered in the vehicle.

The other marijuana felony charge began at The Avenue at Southern where a traffic stop was initiated on the seller who struck two C.S.T. vehicles, a vehicle pursuit ensued before the seller fled on foot into El Jalapeno’s Restaurant with intent of blending in with customers, according to the release.

During a ‘knock and talk’ at an apartment at Copper Beach Apartments, investigators obtained probable cause to issue a search warrant where marijuana, US currency and packaging material was discovered, according to a news release.

Investigation into the Copper Beach Apartments apartment continues.

C.S.T is a consolidation of the Sheriff’s Office’s Drug Suppression Team, the Sheriff’s Office’s STEP unit and the Police Department’s Crime Suppression Unit.

The creation of the unit was from an understanding between Sheriff Lynn Anderson and Public Safety Director Wendell Turner, according to the news release.

Five Sheriff’s Office investigators, three uniformed Sheriff’s Office deputies, a K-9 and four Statesboro Police Department officers make up C.S.T. allowing for a flexible unit, according to the release.

The first task of the C.S.T. is to reduce major crime trends by providing proactive, focused law enforcement activities.

The second key task is that in areas of higher-than-normal criminal activity there will be an increased presence of law enforcement.

The third focus of the C.S.T. is to investigate the drug-related violations that tend to lead to other criminal activities.

The final task for the C.S.T. is that in an effort to ensure that recidivist criminals cannot continue their criminal activities, the team will be serving arrest warrants on wanted persons.

The team exists to put unceasing pressure on criminals of all types who prey on innocent citizens, according to the release.

Focused enforcement that no single agency can provide is a benefit of the C.S.T. as well as being able to investigate and pursue criminals regardless of jurisdiction, according to the release.

According to the release, Anderson and Turner believe that the activities of the C.S.T. will continue to improve the safety of citizens of Statesboro and Bulloch County in the future.