SCHENECTADY — Four people have been arrested on high-level drug charges, accused of operating or helping in a large-scale distribution operation in the Schenectady County area, authorities said.

The four are accused of possessing or attempting to possess cocaine in February and this month in Schenectady, according to papers filed in court.

Two of those arrested, Oscar Mora, 30, formerly of Albany, and Kerry Kirkem, 40, formerly of Long Island, are accused of running the operation. They were both arrested Wednesday morning as a result of a police raid at apartments. The investigation included wiretaps.

The location of the raid was not included in papers. The papers are signed by an investigator with the state police Community Narcotics Enforcement Team.

State police C-NET Lt. Michael Tietz declined to comment on the case Wednesday except to say that it was an ongoing investigation and that more arrests are expected.

Schenectady police spokesman Lt. Brian Kilcullen echoed that, also declining to comment further. A federal Drug Enforcement Agency spokeswoman confirmed her agency assisted, but referred questions to the state police.

Mora and Kirkem were charged with one count each of first-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a top-level drug felony.

Also charged were Gary Cherny, 24, formerly of Schenectady. He is accused of working for the distribution operation and of being at the apartment raided Wednesday with more than 8 ounces of cocaine. Cherny also faces one count of first-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

The fourth person arrested was Misty Gallo, 23. She is charged with first-degree attempted criminal possession of a controlled substance and second-degree conspiracy.

Gallo is accused of being a “mule” — a transporter — for the operation and selling drugs. Police seized more than 8 ounces of cocaine from her Feb. 20, drugs destined for Schenectady County, according to papers. She also allegedly participated in numerous intercepted conversations indicating she helped transport drugs and sold them.

All four were arraigned Wednesday in City Court and ordered held at the Schenectady County Jail without bail. They are expected to return to court today.

Three of the four have been to the county jail before.

Mora was arrested last May, accused of possessing 500 small baggies of heroin on Park Avenue in Schenectady. The baggies were each stamped with the words “High Society,” according to papers filed then. He was listed as from Albany then. That charge is still pending, his attorney in that case, Brian Mercy, said.

A federal gun count was also filed against Mora in September. He has since pleaded guilty in that case and is awaiting sentencing, records show.

Kirkem, Mora’s alleged partner, was charged in May 2005 by Scotia police with possession of a stimulant with intent to sell and criminal mischief, records show. He was listed then as from Long Island.

Mercy said he stood in with both Mora and Kirkem for their arraignments Wednesday, but he could offer little on the cases.

Both Kirkem and Mora also served prison time in the late 1990s for separate downstate drug convictions.

Cherny has been booked at the jail several times in recent years, being listed at a number of Schenectady addresses.