Duplin drug charges filed
By From staff reports
Published in News on April 2, 2010 1:46 PM
KENANSVILLE -- Some high-power rifles as well as other guns were seized, along with a substantial amount of crack cocaine when Duplin County sheriff's deputies, Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms and Immigration and Customs agents raided a Warsaw area home.
Another drug arrest on I-40 near Warsaw and a raid on a suspected drug dealer's home were also announced by Duplin County Sheriff's Blake Wallace at a news conference Thursday.
Edilver Rojas Gomez, 27 was taken into custody at his home at 127 Plantation Drive, Hidden Valley Mobile Home Park, Warsaw, after a search warrant was executed. He was booked on two counts of possession of stolen firearms and jailed under a $50,000 bond. However, a detainer to keep him in custody was obtained by ICE since he is believed to be an illegal alien, Wallace said.
Among weapons seized was a .50 caliber rifle and a .45 caliber handgun, both stolen, Wallace said.
"Such high-power weapons in the hands of drug dealers troubles me," Wallace said.
A Raleigh man was arrested on drug charges when his SUV was stopped on March 23 by the sheriff's Duplin Interstate Criminal Enforcement (DICE) team on Interstate-40 near Warsaw for a traffic violation. Leonides Cruz Zurita, 27, 7604 Clearwater Ct., Raleigh was charged with three counts of trafficking in cocaine, possession of cocaine with intent to sell and deliver, maintaining a vehicle for a controlled substance, manufacture of cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia.
He was placed under bonds totaling $400,500 at the Duplin County Jail in Kenansville.
Deputies seized 13.5 ounces of powder cocaine with a street value of approximately $38,000 from a hidden compartment in the vehicle, a 2000 Chevrolet Tahoe SUV that was also seized, $137 cash and a cell phone in making the arrest.
DICE Lt. Chris Smith, who heads the DICE team, assisted Deputy Mitchel Henderson at the stop
Charged with cocaine possession in another drug raid were: Reginald Becton, 35, of Rose Hill, Marvin Lee Becton Jr. 38, of Rose Hill and Calvin Devonne Carr, 32, of Magnolia.
Some information from the public led to the three arrests and "we appreciate it," Wallace said. He said that is why it is important for residents to provide tips to the Sheriff's Office.