Seven people have been taken into custody following three separate drug raids Thursday in Cole and Osage counties.
Five people were arrested Thursday morning in a drug bust on the west side of Cole County.
Tyler Strope, 29, of Linn, is charged with first-degree trafficking, unlawful use of a weapon and possession of a controlled substance.
Kathrine Wilson, 33, and James Morris, 38, both of Jefferson City, are each charged with two felonies - second-degree trafficking and possession of a controlled substance. They both also are charged with two misdemeanors - possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a controlled substance.
Also arrested was James Whitney, who had two outstanding warrants, and a 15-year-old boy who was taken to the Prenger Family Center after he was arrested for delivery of a controlled substance, authorities said.
The Mustang Drug Task Force and Jefferson City Police Department served a search warrant at the home of Wilson and Morris in the 1400 block of Westview Drive around 8:46 a.m., according to Cole County Sheriff's Department probable cause statements.
SWAT team members entered the residence and found Strope, Wilson and Morris in the basement.
A large amount of methamphetamine was discovered there, along with a black box containing a digital scale, two bags of marijuana and $480 in cash.
Officers found a black pistol inside a car parked at the residence.
When interviewed by authorities, Strope admitted the firearm and contents in the box belonged to him. He also admitted to delivering 2 ounces of methamphetamine to Morris just before officers arrived at the home.
Strope said he had delivered an ounce and a half to Morris on Monday and 2 ounces on Tuesday and Wednesday. He said he sold the methamphetamine to Morris for $850 an ounce, and he purchased the gun for protection during his drug dealings.
As the search continued, authorities found 11 hydrocodone pills, five oxycodone pills, three alparazolam pills and another digital scale, along with more bags of methamphetamine and marijuana as well as packaging materials.
Wilson and Morris declined to answer any questions after they were taken into custody.
Information from the Cole County drug bust led to search warrants executed Thursday afternoon at two homes in Osage County, where drugs were found and two more people were arrested.
Dana Ramey, 29, and Rusty Arlen, 26, both of Belle, were taken into custody after members of the Mustang Drug Task Force and Osage County Sheriff's Department detectives executed search warrants at Ridge Crest Drive in Linn and at a home on South Missouri 89, according to sheriff's department reports.
Investigators located methamphetamine, other illegal drugs and drug paraphernalia in both homes.
Arlen was charged with delivery of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a controlled substance. He also had a no-bond warrant out of Cole County.
Ramey is charged with possession of controlled substance and delivery of a controlled substance.
Additional charges may be forthcoming from the Osage County Prosecutor's Office.