Police seize more than 220 pounds of meth in Wilkes County

NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C. — The North Wilkesboro Police Department seized more than 220 pounds of methamphetamine Saturday, the Wilkes Journal Patriot reported Tuesday.

“After conferring with the N.C. SBI in Raleigh, it is believed that this is the largest amount of methamphetamine ever seized in the Western District and is one of the largest seizures ever in North Carolina,” said Joe Rankin, police chief at the North Wilkesboro Police Department.

The meth has a street value of over $2 million, Rankin said.

The seizure stemmed from the investigation of a large-scale meth trafficking organization that began in June when North Wilkesboro police arrested 55-year-old Juan Molina Sebastian, according to a North Wilkesboro Police Department news release. Sebastian was arrested with 4.4 pounds of meth at the time.

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The North Wilkesboro Police Department conducted a traffic stop on N.C. 115 as part of the investigation on Aug. 8. The news release said 220 pounds of meth were seized from the vehicle and another 13 pounds of meth and several weapons were seized when a search warrant was served at a home in Wilkes County.

Sebastian was charged with two counts each of trafficking meth, conspiring to traffic meth, maintaining a residence/vehicle for selling meth and possession with intent to sell and deliver meth.

Three other people were also arrested in the investigation.

Lucia Carbajal Avila, 31, and Adriana Gomez, 32, were charged with two counts of trafficking meth and one count each of conspiring to traffic meth and possession with intent to sell and deliver meth.

Avila was also charged with maintaining a residence for selling meth and misdemeanor child abuse. Gomez was also charged with maintaining a vehicle for selling meth.

Jorge Eduardo Gomez, 30, was also charged and identified in the news release as a federal fugitive.

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Authorities are still searching for Gomez. Call police if you have any information.

“These arrests are the result of many hours of investigative work between all of the above listed agencies and would not have been possible without cooperation between every agency,” Rankin said. “It is a perfect example of local, state and federal resources working together to provide safe communities for our residents.”

Read more here.

Cox Media Group