A joint sting by area law enforcement in Austin Wednesday resulted in the arrests of three alleged heroin dealers.

Austin Police Chief Brian Krueger said Austin police, Mower County Sheriff’s deputies, members of the Southeast Minnesota Gang Task Force and the county’s Special Incident Response Team executed search warrants on two apartments at the 300 block of Main Street South and one apartment inside City Limits Apartments at the northern end of Austin Wednesday morning.

Krueger said a 35-year-old from Austin and two men, 34 and 35, from Chicago, were arrested at the apartments on Main Street South. Police are still searching for a 19-year-old Albert Lea man in connection with the warrant at City Limits Apartments.

Law enforcement found $2,819, tar used for heroin, marijuana and drug paraphernalia inside one of the Main Street South apartments. More than $1,500, cocaine and pills that were later found to be ecstasy were found in the other Main Street South apartment.

Police found $10,000 inside a Nike track suit as well as various drug paraphernalia inside the City Limits apartment.

Krueger said the three men were arrested for third-degree sale of a controlled substance and are awaiting formal charges inside the Mower County jail.

The men were tied to various heroin sales to a confidential informant earlier this month. It is believed the suspects act as a pipeline for drugs coming into the area from Chicago.