Thousands of vehicles travel Highway 431 each day. While it may be impossible for Henry County authorities to keep tabs on everyone’s travel plans, a new project is helping them keep their streets clean.

Sheriff Will Maddox of the Henry Co. Sheriff's Office says, "If we work together in a small county and pull your resources together than you can get some things accomplished and that's what's happening."

Less than a month ago, the Henry County Sheriff's Office and Abbeville Police Department teamed up to form a task force, essentially gaining more manpower and resources for both sides.

Chief Mike Jones of the Abbeville Police Dept. says, "Really I would have thought it would have been a little slower than what they have been."

But, it's been just the opposite. So far, 21 arrests have been made, 75 open and active cases are taking place and nine more arrests are pending.

Clyde Hornsby, the Task Force Commander, says, “With the manpower and the case load coming in, when you're working it with two or three people, you know, two people are separate, three people are here, you just don't get as much done, once you combine your forces you know you can solve more cases and work more cases.”

Previously, Sheriff Maddox said he felt his department may be losing the war on drugs, but now, thanks to joint efforts, his view has changed.

Sheriff Maddox says, "At least there's a way to look ahead, a way to start working drugs now with the task force getting organized and I think eventually we can assign some just to work on drugs."

Authorities say without the collaboration of the task force, they believe more than 50 percent of these cases never would have taken place.

Authorities say while you can never rid drugs completely off the street, with the joint efforts, they can definitely make an impact.