$500k worth of drugs and vape pens from California seized in SC bust, cops say

A tip that drugs were being shipped from California to South Carolina led to a recent bust and an arrest, according to the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office.

On Tuesday, deputies “dismantled a major drug operation in Aiken County,” the sheriff’s office said in a news release. Multiple strands of raw marijuana, along with several thousand marijuana THC infused gummies and vape pens — all with an estimated street value of around $500,000 — were seized, according to the release.

George Huntington, a 23-year-old Warrenville man, was arrested on a trafficking in marijuana charge, the sheriff’s office said.

The investigation started after law enforcement got a tip that a large pallet was being shipped from California to the North Augusta area that possibly contained marijuana, according to the release.

Just before midnight Tuesday, Huntington was driving a Penske box truck on a highway in Aiken County when he was found to be transporting marijuana, an arrest warrant said.

During the bust, the sheriff’s office said it seized:

▪ 70 pounds of hybrid marijuana

▪ 5 pounds of marijuana resin

▪ 2,500 THC infused gummies

▪ 5,000 THC vape pens

“This is a significant victory in our ongoing fight against the illegal drug trade and we will continue to work with our community, local, state, and federal partners to keep our streets safe,” the sheriff’s office said in the release.

Both the FBI and the North Augusta Department of Public Safety assisted the sheriff’s office in the investigation.

This story was originally published May 8, 2025 at 8:53 AM.

Noah Feit

The State

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Noah Feit is a Real Time reporter with The State focused on breaking news, public safety and trending news. The award-winning journalist has worked for multiple newspapers since starting his career in 1999. Support my work with a digital subscription