The St. Tammany Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Task Force arrested four Slidell residents earlier this month, after deputies found two pounds of marijuana on a shrimp boat belonging to one of the suspects.

According to the Sheriff’s Office spokesman Capt. George Bonnett, an investigation turned up information that a drug deal was to happen in the early evening of Oct. 1. Task force agents followed two of the suspects, Gary Longo, 51, and Yvonne Murray, 46, who live together at 3148 Duncan St. in Slidell, to a shrimp boat that was docked in a slip along Salt Bayou Road. Deputies witnessed a suspected drug transaction taking place between Longo, Murray and the boat’s owner Shawn Horaist, 43, 1402, Breckenridge Drive, Slidell and Richard Estain, 45, 4903 Pontchartrain Drive, Slidell.

After Longo and Murray left the boat they were stopped by agents at a gas station near Louisiana Highway 433. Authorities searched the car and found a half-pound of marijuana. Meanwhile, other agents questioned Horaist and Estain as they got off the shrimp boat. Deputies searched the two suspects and found one pound of marijuana on each of their persons. Bonnett said authorities also found $3,000 in cash on Estain and $14,000 in cash on Horaist.

The suspects gave the task force permission to search their homes. Agents found two pounds of marijuana in Horaist’s home, and a few ounces of marijuana at both homes of Estain and Longo. Deputies also found drug paraphernalia at all three homes, Bonnett said.

All four were arrested and charged with possession with intent to distribute marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

All four have been released on bond, Bonnett said. However, he said the investigation is not over and there will be more arrests.

The Narcotics Task Force is made up of deputies from the Sheriff’s Office, and police officers from the Slidell and Mandeville police departments.

Bonnett added that in the search, no shrimp were found on the boat.