Three men were arrested in Raleigh on March 18 after law enforcement agents allegedly found them trafficking eight kilograms of cocaine. According to police reports, the drugs were found during a vehicle stop on Old Wake Forest Road. In addition to the cocaine, officials say more than $43,000 in cash was seized, along with two other vehicles and three firearms, according to Department of Public Safety reports. Two of the men live in Raleigh, while the other resides in Roanoke Rapids.
The three men were charged with conspiracy to traffic in cocaine, and two of them also face actual drug trafficking charges. Additionally, one man was charged with maintaining a vehicle that was used in the trafficking activities. His 1998 Chevrolet Avalanche was among the vehicles seized.
All of the men are under investigation for their immigration status, as well. Officials believe they may be in the U.S. illegally. Two of the men are originally from the Dominican Republic, and the other hails from Mexico.
Bail for each of the men was set at $500,000.
The incident comes in the wake of another massive cocaine bust in Iredell County earlier this month. Police there seized more than $30,000 of cocaine and $4,500 in cash after a group sold a detective about 188 grams of cocaine. Three people were also arrested in connection with that incident. They were charged with felony trafficking in cocaine and are currently in custody. One of the suspects was under electronic monitoring when the bust occurred. That bust was a result of a continued undercover investigation focused on the suspects, who all live in the Charlotte area.
Investigations are still pending in both of these cases, and officials say they expect more arrests.
Sources:
News & Observer, “Three men charged with trafficking 8 kilos of cocaine,” March 19, 2012
Charlotte Observer, “Cocaine bust nets 3 arrests in Iredell,” Cleve R. Wootson Jr., March 12, 2012