Officers arrested a store owner and four other people Wednesday following an investigation into suspected illegal drug sales at a Bowdon tobacco shop.

Carroll County sheriff’s Capt. Shane Taylor said the county’s Aggressive Criminal Enforcement team, which is a joint cooperation by the Sheriff’s Office and Carrollton Police Department, made the arrests following a two-month investigation at Andy’s Tobacco Outlet on Highway 166 East just outside of Bowdon. Individuals working with police were able to arrange drug sales for methamphetamine and marijuana inside the store, Taylor said.

The store’s owner, Andy Ragland, 37, of Bowdon, and four other Bowdon residents connected with the business were charged with selling the drugs, Taylor said.

Authorities said only about 20 percent of the business was dedicated to selling tobacco products, while the remaining 80 percent of the merchandise was described as drug paraphernalia, including pipes commonly used to smoke narcotics and containers that were handcrafted to appear as food or beverage products but contained secret twist-off caps to hide items.

Officers searched the home of roommates James Whaley, 42, and Joseph “Jody” Rayburne, 30, on Lake Clyde Circle Wednesday evening and found about $1,200 in methamphetamine that was packaged for sale, less than an ounce of marijuana and four firearms, according to authorities.

Whaley and Rayburne had been arranging illegal drug sales at the store, Taylor said.

Whaley and Rayburne were arrested and charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime and possession of drug-related objects, according to authorities. Whaley was also arrested for conspiracy to sell methamphetamine, and officers said Rayburne was additionally charged with selling methamphetamine and misdemeanor possession of marijuana.

Officers also searched the home of Christopher “Chris” Brown, 38, and wife, Gwyndolyn, 46, on Lake Clyde Lane. The couple is accused of selling drugs from the tobacco store. Police charged the couple with possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with the intent to distribute marijuana, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime and possession of drug-related objects.

Gwyndolyn Brown was also charged with conspiracy to sell methamphetamine, and authorities said Chris Brown was charged with two additional counts of selling methamphetamine.

About $300 worth of marijuana, $700 in methamphetamine and a gun were recovered during the search of the Browns’ home, Taylor said.

When officers with the ACE unit, with the assistance of Bowdon police, searched Andy’s Tobacco Outlet Wednesday night, officers found about 10 containers designed to conceal items ” such as a can of dog food, iced tea beverage and chip container ” and a sample of small jewelry bags as part of the ongoing investigation, Taylor said.

According to Taylor, the small bags matched those bags taken from the alleged sellers’ homes that had packaged the narcotics found that same night.

Ragland was arrested for selling methamphetamine, according to authorities.

While deputies and police were searching the house on Lake Clyde Lane, Taylor said Tulisia Carroll, 31, of Villa Rica and Bobby Braggs, 35, whose addresses were not immediately available, drove up to the house. Braggs and Carroll were arrested and charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession of ephedrine with the intent to manufacture methamphetamine, criminal attempt to manufacture methamphetamine, violation of the Georgia Controlled Substances Act, possession of drug-related objects and pills not kept in an original container, according to authorities.

According to Taylor, authorities said Braggs and Carroll were in possession of methamphetamine, ephedrine pills and other items used in the production of methamphetamine when they arrived at the residence while officers were there with a search warrant.

Shelley Tranthan, 32, of Bowdon, according to Taylor, was also inside the home when authorities arrived, and she was charged with giving a false name to a law enforcement officer.

Taylor said that during the investigation at the tobacco store, it was learned that people would frequent the store to allegedly place an order for the narcotics. The drugs were not kept in the store, authorities said, but the order to purchase marijuana or methamphetamine and pickup was arranged.

“This was a successful conclusion to a fairly lengthy investigation involving multiple surveillance operations and shows a great cooperation between two different agencies on the unit,” Taylor said. “Even though the locations were just outside the city limits, Bowdon police provided a great resource of additional manpower Wednesday night.”

Taylor said the investigation began after the Sheriff’s Office began receiving tips regarding the suspected illegal drug operation at the store.

“This case was brought to the attention of law enforcement and at times led by a group of very concerned individuals that were very helpful during the investigation,” he said. “We believe about 80 percent of that store was dedicated to what we commonly encounter as drug paraphernalia used in the drug world.”