PLEASANT POINT — It takes a community effort to stamp out drug dealers, according to authorities, and that’s exactly what led to one of the biggest drug sweeps in the history of the Passamaquoddy Tribe’s two reservations Tuesday and Wednesday.

Dubbed ‘‘Operation Apothecary’’ by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, the investigation began last October with a tip from an informant. It culminated this week with state and local police arresting 17 people at Pleasant Point, Indian Township, Eastport and Princeton. A warrant to arrest an 18th individual has been issued.

Known on the streets as Washington County heroin, the prescription drugs seized during the arrests included Dilaudid, OxyContin and morphine. The estimated street value is several thousand dollars, according to police, who believe the drugs were sold primarily in Washington County.

‘‘All of these drugs are narcotics and can be highly addictive. A large number of the abusers in this area are inhaling the crushed tablets, as well as intravenously injecting them,’’ said Darrell O. Crandall, MDEA task force supervisor.

‘The operation was planned to address the growing problem of synthetic narcotics abuse in Washington County,’’ said Crandall. ‘‘Undercover operatives collected evidence and information for four months, and on Tuesday, arrest warrants were requested.’’

The arrests took place over a two-day period, but Crandall said the investigation is continuing. He said more people may be arrested in connection with the sweep.

Pleasant Point Police Chief Joseph Barnes had a message Wednesday for any others who think they can sell drugs on the reservation, which has a population of 1,931, while Indian Township has 645 inhabitants. ‘‘I’m not going to stop until I get them all,’’ he vowed.

Barnes said he owed such vigilance to the youngsters on his reservation who risk being exposed to drug dealers. ‘‘We are going to be watching them [the dealers], we are going to be coming after them. Sooner or later we will catch them. ... If they are dealing drugs we don’t want them on the reservation,’’ he said.

Barnes said he is determined to arrest even those who live off the reservation but are furnishing drugs. ‘‘I don’t care if they are living in Eastport or Bangor. Wherever they are living, if they are providing drugs to our community, if I can get them, I’m going after them,’’ he said.

MDEA agents and tribal police from Pleasant Point and Indian Township joined by tribal wardens, the Eastport Police Department, the U.S. Border Patrol, Washington County sheriff’s deputies and the Maine State Police arrested the following people at Pleasant Point:

Peter Gabriel, 38; Roger Brown, 18; Kateri Longfellow-Barnes, 21; Patrick Newell, 31; Wilfred Neptune, 34; Tammy Bailey, 19; Ryan Newell Jr., 22; and Brian Altvater 23, all of Pleasant Point. They all were charged with unlawful trafficking in scheduled drugs which carries a maximum prison term of 10 years.

Arrested in Eastport and charged with trafficking in scheduled drugs were: Charles Pottle, 45; Margaret Chambers, 36; and Earl Marsh, 48, of Eastport.

Arrested at Indian Township and charged with trafficking in scheduled drugs were: Robert Socobasin, 33; Paul Tomah, 42; and Yolanda Tomah; 26. Christopher Harvey, 26, of Princeton also was arrested and charged with trafficking.

During the arrests, a search was conducted at the Indian Township residence of Donald Socobasin. Synthetic narcotics and paraphernalia were seized, and Socobasin was arrested and charged with possession of scheduled drugs.

Police also arrested Walter Socobasin, 29, of Indian Township, who was charged with unlawful trafficking in marijuana, and Richard Mitchell, 29, also of Indian Township, who was arrested for hindering apprehension and interfering with police officers who were attempting to make an arrest.

A felony warrant was issued for Carolyn Bonness, 51, of Grand Lake Stream. Bonness is in the Lewiston area and will be arrested eventually, Crandall said.

Thirteen of the 18 men and women accused in the bust appeared Wednesday in 4th District Court in Machias. Their bails ranged from $10,000 to $25,000. The rest are expected to be arraigned this week.

Barnes said most of those arrested either had prescriptions or were buying them from other people. He said the Pleasant Point Police Department had the full support of tribal leaders.

Pleasant Point Lt. Gov. Edward Bassett said in a telephone interview Wednesday that tribal members made it clear two years ago when a new administration was elected that they wanted drugs off the reservation. This is the second time in the past year that the tribe has supported the effort to stop drug trafficking on the reservation. In May 1999, three people were arrested in a similar drug sweep. What makes this one different, Bassett said, is the number of people involved.

The tribal leader said the battle with drugs is real. He said that throughout history, the tribe had distinguished itself, from when the tribe fought alongside the colonists to defeat the British in the Revolutionary War, to all wars after that. He said tribal members have distinguished themselves in both World Wars, the Korean War and Vietnam, but now, he said, the tribe is faced with the most serious battle of its life, the battle against drugs.

‘‘This is not an issue just on the reservation, this is a countywide issue,’’ Bassett said.