HAZARD – Three people are facing drug trafficking charges following two separate busts at different hotels in Hazard.

The first bust came early Thursday afternoon as detectives with Operation UNITE and deputies with the Perry County Sheriff’s Office responded to a tip reporting possible drug activity inside a room at the Super 8 motel in Hazard.

Upon arrival at the scene, authorities attempted to make contact with individuals inside the room, said Deputy Joey McKenney. Once the occupants looked out the window and saw police, McKenney said they attempted to flush prescription pills down the toilet before opening the door.

After about a minute or so, he continued, the door opened and police at the scene made entrance and located several pills still in the toilet that had failed to flush and others on the floor around the bowl. McKenney said authorities recovered 35 pills and a small bag of marijuana, including 34 OxyContin tablets.

Authorities arrested three people inside the room, two of whom are from out of state and are facing trafficking charges.

Tammy Sweet, 44, and Kimmie Swangim, 48, both of Fort Wayne, In., were charged with first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance and tampering with physical evidence.

A third person, Randy Watts, 24, of Combs, was charged with misdemeanor possession of marijuana.

The second arrest came at Hazard Hotels on Dawahare Drive when officers with the Hazard Police Department responded to a theft complaint made by a woman staying at the hotel.

Responding to the call were Captain James East and Patrolman Mike Napier. According to Capt. East, upon arrival at the scene Napier observed the female who made the initial theft complaint to be under the influence. While Napier was interviewing the woman, 34-year-old Christy Pennington of Maces Creek, her husband showed up in the parking lot in a black Ford Mustang, East said, adding that Napier stopped the car and charged the driver, Killis Jones, 31, of Scuddy, with operating a motor vehicle under the influence.

Meanwhile, following a search East said they found the painkiller Lorcet and cash on Pennington, and charged her with second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance and third-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.