More than three dozen unlicensed contractors have been arrested and charged after a two-day undercover operation by the Pinellas County Sheriffs Office, Clearwater Police Department, and other agencies.According to Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, the arrests were made to protect people from being ripped off and from the dangers of shoddy, unlicensed work.The majority of em theyre not even from here, he said. Theyre coming in from outside the area to exploit our residents and our businesses.Its not even the first time hes locked up unlicensed contractors since the storms. His team arrested dozens more in Madeira Beach two weeks ago.As they would say, unfortunately, its shooting fish in a barrel. Theres so much of it out there, its not hard, the sheriff said.According to Clearwater Police Chief Eric Gandy, one of the unlicensed workers arrested in the most recent bust was preparing to do a $200,000 job.Gualtieri said another was advertising demolition work but actually doing electrical work too.The sheriff said the number of arrests in the Clearwater bust will likely exceed 40. He said six of the 38 arrested so far are undocumented immigrants, and one of the six was in the process of being deported at the time of his arrest.You can verify a license by visiting www.pinellas.gov/contractor. You can also call the countys Consumer Protection department at 727-464-6200.