By Rupert Howell

Panola County stands to retain thousands and the public will have an opportunity to purchase several dozen items, mostly surplus and confiscated vehicles, this Saturday morning when an “absolute auction” of surplus vehicles of the Road Department, sheriff’s department, and vehicles confiscated by the Panola County Drug Task Force are put on the “block.”

The event will be held at the Panola County Courthouse in Batesville Saturday, March 3 beginning at 9:30 a.m.

Authorities said earlier that all confiscated vehicles auctioned are running and noting, “ … otherwise it’s ‘as is where is.’”

Prospective buyers can have a visual inspection Friday afternoon at 5 p.m. weather permitting. Plans are to crank vehicles Saturday at 8 a.m. before the 9:30 auction start.

Several vehicles formerly used by the sheriff’s deputies have been added to the sale and Road Manager Lygunnah Bean listed “four or five trucks” from the road department.

Emergency Management Coordinator Daniel Cole also added a large generator, a camper trailer and other items to the sale.

Panola County sheriff Dennis Darby cited the event as a way to raise needed funds without raising taxes and predicted more sales of confiscated vehicles to come as his department cracks down on illegal drug sales and distribution.