Columbia drug bust: 41 arrested, 8 charged with dealing near schools
For Columbia parents who watch their children walk to school each morning, a recent two-week police operation offers some reassurance — and a sobering look at what officers say was happening in neighborhoods across the city.
Forty-one people were arrested in a citywide drug operation that pulled five different types of narcotics off Columbia streets, according to the Columbia Police Department. Eight of the people taken into custody face charges specifically tied to selling or possessing drugs near a school.
That detail matters most to families living near campuses. Under South Carolina law, distributing drugs near a school carries enhanced penalties — a recognition that drug activity in those zones puts children directly at risk.
FULL STORY: Over 40 arrests made in city-wide drug bust, Columbia police say
What officers seized
The Columbia Police Department’s Organized Crime and Narcotics Unit ran the operation alongside local, state and federal partners. Officers used a “buy-bust” strategy in multiple parts of the city, targeting what police described as narcotics distribution networks.
The drugs seized reflect what investigators say is moving through Columbia neighborhoods:
Crack cocaine, powder cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana and hash oil.
Police also recovered six firearms during the operation. Two of those guns stand out: one was fully automatic, and another had been reported stolen. A felon was among those charged with illegally possessing a firearm.
In addition to the drugs and guns, officers seized more than $2,300 in cash, with additional money still being counted. Investigators also took multiple pieces of jewelry they believe are connected to criminal activity.
How the arrests unfolded
Of the 41 people arrested, nine were taken into custody as a direct result of the buy-bust itself. The other 32 were served with arrest warrants tied to the investigation.
The nine people arrested directly during the operation were booked into the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center. Police did not release the specific neighborhoods or schools where the buys took place, but court records show charges that repeatedly cite proximity to a school.
Here is how police identified the nine individuals and the charges they face:
Laroyia Nicole Missouri — charged with manufacturing and possession of schedule I, II or III substances with intent to distribute, and distribution and possession of drugs with intent to distribute near a school.
Tyrell Maurice Warren — charged with manufacturing and distributing cocaine, and possession with intent to distribute drugs near a school.
Marquell Lamont Bannister — charged with manufacturing and distributing cocaine, two counts of possession with intent to distribute drugs near a school, manufacturing and possessing methamphetamine, possession of 28 grams or less of marijuana and 10 grams or less of hash.
Eugene Jamal James — charged with manufacturing and distributing cocaine, and possession with intent to distribute drugs near a school.
Michael Alexander Bates — charged with manufacturing and possession of schedule I, II or III substances with intent to distribute; manufacture or possession of drugs with intent to distribute near a school; and manufacturing and possessing another substance.
Howard Timmy Jordan — charged with two counts of manufacturing and possessing schedule I, II or III substances with intent to distribute; four counts of manufacturing or possession of drugs with intent to distribute near a school; manufacture and distribution of methamphetamine; fraudulent check more than $1,000; and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Antwan Lamont Burgess — charged with manufacturing and possession of schedule I, II or III substances with intent to distribute, and distribution and possession with intent to distribute near a school.
Dayan Alexander Woodard — charged with manufacturing and possessing schedule I, II or III substances with intent to distribute; possession with intent to distribute drugs near a school; possession of 28 grams or less of marijuana and 10 grams or less of hash.
Traques Deon Davis — charged with two counts of manufacturing and possession of schedule I, II or III substances with intent to distribute, and manufacture or possession of drugs with intent to distribute near a school.
What it means for neighborhoods
The phrase “near a school” appears in nearly every set of charges from the buy-bust — a pattern that gives parents a clearer picture of where police believe dealing was taking place.
Columbia police say the operation was aimed at disrupting distribution networks, not just making isolated arrests. By coordinating with state and federal partners and serving 32 additional warrants, investigators went after people they say have been operating in the city for some time.
The presence of a fully automatic weapon and a stolen firearm among the guns recovered also speaks to the level of risk officers say accompanies these operations. Automatic weapons are heavily restricted under federal law, and their appearance in a local drug case is unusual.
Staying informed
Parents who want to keep up with crime activity in their neighborhood can follow updates from the Columbia Police Department, which regularly posts information about arrests, community meetings and safety initiatives. Anyone with information about drug activity near a school or in a neighborhood is encouraged to contact police directly.
For families in the Midlands, the takeaway from this operation is straightforward: the work is ongoing, the school-zone protections in state law are being enforced and the next phase of the investigation may still be developing.
Based on reporting by Javon Harris and compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. It includes links to full stories that were reported, written and edited entirely by journalists.
