The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department made a series of felony arrests for narcotics and gang-related crimes throughout December.

The SBCSD Narcotics and Gang Units collaborated with the State Parole Department and Santa Maria Police Department Dec. 15 and 16 to arrest 14 suspects — the majority for methamphetamine and controlled substance abuse and probation violations — in the North County area. Additionally, deputies detained Arturo Renteria and Krisanna Parke in the unincorporated Santa Barbara region on suspicion of selling meth and bringing narcotics into a jail facility.

According to a SBCSD press release, authorities initiated the sweep in response to increased levels of violence and narcotic crimes in the North County area.

Deputies also arrested 28-year-old Armando Arriaga and 20-year-old Kevin Carter on Dec. 22 at their residency on the 4100 block of State Street for the possession of methamphetamine, scales and packaging materials among other drug paraphernalia. Authorities also charged Arriaga for attempting to bring narcotics into the Santa Barbara County Jail after discovering half an ounce of meth and a small bag of Dilaudid pills, a potent painkiller similar to morphine, on his person during the booking process.

According to the press release, Arriaga and Carter are incarcerated without bail due to suspected violations of previous probation agreements.