A simple tip led Kinston police to an enormous heroin bust.
At about 4:50 p.m. Monday, officers with the Kinston Department of Public Safety conducted what KDPS Director Bill Johnson said was a “knock and talk” at room 107 of the Hampton Inn on U.S. 258.
Granted permission to search the room, officers found and seized 132 grams of heroin with a street value exceeding $10,000. They also recovered $11,479 in cash.
Officials believe the narcotics came by way of Cornelius Crews of Elizabeth, N.J. He was arrested at the scene, along with Sarah Harper of Kinston. Both received $500,500 bonds, and are charged with trafficking a Schedule I controlled substance, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Johnson said investigators aren’t sure if Kinston is being used as part of a drug pipeline, but officers will be paying attention if other narcotics activity points in that direction.
“I don’t know if it’s a pipeline (operation), but I can tell you it was a significant amount of heroin, obviously,” Johnson said. “This person, apparently, was traveling for the purpose of sale and distribution.”
Check Wednesday’s edition of The Free Press for more information.
Wes Wolfe can be reached at 252-559-1075. Follow him on Twitter @WolfeReports.