LENOIR CITY, Tenn. (WVLT) -- The Loudon County Sheriff's Office said they have arrested 49 people of 71 who have been indicted in a drug roundup on Thursday. Officials said they will continue to pursue everyone on their list.

"Today was mainly about methamphetamine," said Loudon County district attorney Russell Johnson. "Thanks to the Mexican Cartel pipeline, the price has come down considerably."

Lower drug prices are contributing to increased drug use they say.

"During just the past couple of years, this increase prices of methamphetamine have substantially decreased while purity has remained extremely high. Methamphetamine continues to disrupt our communities with its extremely addictive nature and the crimes that are associated with these addictions. The defendants arrested today continue to pollute our communities with methamphetamine and other highly addictive drugs on a daily basis."

Officials say increased product availability also contributed to an escalating drug problem in Loudon County.

"Over the last few years agents have progressively seen a dramatic increase in the availability of crystal methamphetamine which is sourced from Mexico through the Mexican cartels, often using local trafficking sources consisting of black, white and Mexican gangs or a combination thereof," said an official statement.

Several defendants that will be arrested have also been charged with the distribution on heroin and fentanyl. These drugs, also mainly sourced from Mexico and South America have had devasting effects

on our communities in the last year. Heroin and Fentanyl are both highly addictive opioids that often times have an unknown potency which has resulted in the death of numerous victims of overdoses."

Loudon County officials are awaiting upgrades to their already overcrowded jail in order to make more space to hold the new arrestees. The jail is certified to hold 95 people but is currently holding more than 200.

Upgrades to the facility are in progress, but not expected to be complete until January or February on 2020, according to what officials said at a news conference.

Officials with the Loudon County Sheriff’s Office, the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, the Blount County Sheriff’s Office, the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office, the Knox County Sheriff’s Office, the Lenoir City Police Department, the Loudon Police Department, the Knoxville Police Department, the Harriman Police Department, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Tennessee Highway Patrol, the 9th and 7th Judicial Drug Task Force’s, the United States Marshal Service, the United States Drug Enforcement Agency, the United States Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Loudon County E-911 Center, all participated in the round-up operation.