SALISBURY — A Rowan County resident and two people from Lexington were arrested May 17 on charges of bringing methamphetamine into Salisbury from Georgia, according to the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office.

For the past three years, federal, state and local law enforcement agencies have targeted individuals involved in the trafficking of methamphetamine from Georgia to Rowan County by passenger vehicle.

At 7:50 p.m. May 17, officers with the Crime Reduction Unit of the Sheriff’s Office stopped a red Honda CR-V occupied by three people in the 1100 block of Fraley Street.

 The driver was Jonathan Mark Patton, 30. Brock Michael Rowe, 41, and Ashley Dawn Sanders, 25, were passengers.

Patton is a Salisbury resident, and Rowe and Sanders live in Lexington.

An open container of alcohol was visible in the passenger compartment of the vehicle, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

When Rowe was removed from the vehicle, a plastic bag containing about a half ounce of cocaine fell from his pants and was recovered, authorities said.

A search of Sanders’ pocketbook turned up a plastic bag containing about 280 grams of methamphetamine and two plastic bags with 60 grams of marijuana.

A small plastic bag containing a residual amount of meth was found in the front passenger area.

The value of the narcotics seized was about $10,000, authorities said.

Rowe and Sanders were charged with trafficking in methamphetamine, possession with intent to sell cocaine and possession with intent to sell marijuana.

Rowe and Sanders were each placed under a $500,000 secured bond.

Patton was issued a citation for driving while his license was revoked and failure to use a turn signal.

Rowe has a previous felony conviction for larceny of a motor vehicle and numerous misdemeanor convictions.

Sanders has a previous felony conviction for larceny.

The Sheriff’s Office was assisted in the arrests by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.