Florida trio busted bringing $100K of cocaine into Lexington County, police say
A tip led police to seized a large cocaine stash and arrested a Florida trio, according to the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department.
The tipster told police that “drug activity” was happening in the Country Town Drive area of Lexington County, Sheriff Jay Koon said. Country Town Drive is in an Irmo neighborhood of the same name less than a mile from Irmo High School.
Police staked out the area and raided a house on June 2, arresting two men and a woman, according to jail records.
Police found four “bricks” of cocaine, about 4,000 grams, conservatively estimated to be worth $100,000 on the streets, Capt. Adam Myrick of the sheriff’s department said. Police also confiscated two handguns.
Police charged 44-year-old Juan Arturo Martinez, 35-year-old Rkenneo Augustine Andrews and 37-year-old Carmen Lizeth Zapata Antunez with trafficking cocaine and gun possession during a violent crime.
Drug trafficking is considered a violent crime under South Carolina law.
Martinez and Andrews were also charged with illegally selling a gun.
A judge denied all three bond on the trafficking charges. They are jailed at the Lexington County Detention Center.
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and the Drug Enforcement Administration assisted in the investigation.
Cocaine trafficking is punishable with up to 30 years in prison.
This story was originally published June 10, 2022 at 12:14 PM.