Laurel County detectives arrest 2 after suspected narcotics found in bag labeled “definitely not a bag full of drugs,” sheriff says

Two people were arrested in Laurel County after investigators said a detective found a bag labeled “definitely not a bag full of drugs” that contained suspected narcotics, the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office said.

WKYT reported that Tricia Croley, 51, and Damon Bennett, 48, were taken into custody and booked at the Laurel County Corrections Center following the discovery. Court filings and the specific charges were not detailed in the report.

According to the sheriff’s account described by WKYT, investigators located the suspected drugs in a bag that carried the label as if to contradict the bag’s contents. The wording drew attention because it was allegedly intended to report to anyone who found it that it was not narcotics, even though the items inside were described as suspected illegal drugs.

The arrests are part of ongoing narcotics enforcement efforts by local authorities, with investigators using evidence developed in the case to bring people before the court. Under Kentucky law, arrests are not a determination of guilt, and the accused are entitled to challenge the evidence through the criminal justice process.

The sheriff did not indicate in the WKYT report what type of narcotics were inside the bag or what quantity was recovered. The report also did not provide details on where the bag was found, what led investigators to it, or whether additional items were collected at the scene.

Once booked, defendants typically face initial court procedures that may include arraignment and decisions about pretrial conditions. Those next steps determine whether people remain in custody, secured under bail, or released under monitoring and court-ordered restrictions while the case proceeds.

For the public, the case underscores that narcotics investigations can involve careful evidence handling and documented discovery, including physical items seized as part of probable-cause determinations. The outcome will depend on what prosecutors can prove and what the defendants dispute in court.