North Carolina Authorities Make Record Fentanyl Seizure

Police in North Carolina have reported that 13 pounds of fentanyl worth about $2 million was discovered during the search of a Wilmington residence on July 11. New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office detectives assigned to the Gang Task Force are said to have performed the search of the Kornegay Avenue home. Reports indicate that three individuals have been taken into custody in connection with the seized narcotics and face charges including drug possession and drug trafficking.

A senior NHCSO representative said that detectives became involved after receiving a number of tips about heroin allegedly being sold at the residence. During the ensuing investigation, undercover officers are said to have visited the home on several occasions to purchase illegal drugs. This is said to have provided them with the evidence needed to obtain a search warrant. According to reports, detectives also found unspecified quantities of heroin and marijuana during the search.

The fentanyl seizure is one of the largest in the state’s history and would have been enough to yield hundreds or even thousands of individual doses according to police. The previous record fentanyl seizure in New Hanover County was made when officers allegedly found 3.3 pounds of the deadly opioid during the search of another Wilmington residence earlier in the year.

When presented with facts like these, experienced criminal defense attorneys may read search warrants carefully. The Fourth Amendment protects Americans against unreasonable search and seizure, and it requires search warrants to be specific in their scope. Defense attorneys may seek to have seized drugs excluded from evidence and drug trafficking charges reduced or dismissed when police may have strayed beyond the boundaries established by the judges involved.

Source: CBS News 17, “13 pounds of fentanyl worth $2M seized in Wilmington drug bust, officials say”, July 13, 2018