The investigation wrapped up late last week with a 28-hour operation that netted eight arrests and the seizure of one kilogram of cocaine, $320,000 in cash, 1 handgun, and 3 vehicles.
Authorities had set up a meeting where a kilo of cocaine was being sold. While the meeting and sale were going on, authorities had several simultaneous traffic stops and a take down where four people were arrested.
Deputies continued the investigation, setting up surveillance on several group member's residences. From it they learned that a vehicle had a large amount of money in a hidden compartment.
Authorities said the vehicle, a GMC Arcadia, left a residence on River Run Road, near Rocky Mount. They stopped the driver, Adan Espino of Alto Texas, and found over $150,000 in cash with some of it wrapped in duct tape. He was arrested and the vehicle was seized.
Authorities searched a residence on Deer Run and found $8,000 in cash and a money counting machine. They arrested Rosa Maria Hernandez and Gloria Lizabeth Solano.
In total, over $320,000 in cash was seized as a result of this investigation along with three vehicles.
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Edgecombe County Sheriff James Knight said that this is a major arrest involving the trafficking of cocaine in Eastern North Carolina.
According to the sheriff's office, this group has been responsible for hundreds of kilos of cocaine being put on the streets in communities.
Nash County Sheriff Keith Stone said that working together as a group is key to investigating drug crimes and investigations like this would not occur without the cooperation between agencies.
Rocky Mount Police Chief James Moore said it shows more about the demand for the drug than anything else. They made a 5 kilo bust in August and another 1 kilo bust in March. The drugs keep coming but Moore said they're "fighting a good fight."
More charges are possible as the investigation goes forward.
These were the people arrested and the charges:
- Guillermo Monge Espinosa, 44, 3 counts of trafficking cocaine, conspiracy to traffic cocaine
- Jorge Espinosa, 22, conspiracy to traffic cocaine
- Rosa Maria Hernandez, 50, conspiracy to traffic cocaine
- Gloria Lizabeth Solano, 21, conspiracy to traffic cocaine
- Adan Espino II, 25, conspiracy to traffic cocaine
- Derrick Jermaine Pittman, 32, trafficking cocaine, conspiracy to traffic cocaine
- Ramiro Calixtro, 44, conspiracy to traffic cocaine
- Alexis Calixtro-Casas, 21, conspiracy to traffic cocaine
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