Five arrested after largest fentanyl seizure in the history of the county
the Buncombe County Sheriff's Office executed three search warrants
By Kristy Kepley-Steward
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BUNCOMBE COUNTY, North Carolina (WLOS) — Buncombe County authorities have arrested five people, charging them with 59 different crimes, after the largest fentanyl seizure in the history of the county.
On Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023, following a months-long investigation, the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office executed search warrants at three different locations: number 60 Eastview Circle, Apartment 1; 1680 Hendersonville Road Apartment A-12; and 311 Sardis Road (AAA Storage).
During the operations, officers seized 2282.4 grams (5.03 pounds) of fentanyl, 667.1 grams (1.47 pounds) of methamphetamine, 977.5 grams (2.15 pounds) of heroin (black tar), approximately 2500 miscellaneous pills, 31.6 grams of cocaine, 88 dosage units of suboxone, a Taurus semi-automatic handgun, numerous cellular devices and numerous items of drug paraphernalia.
“Thank you to all the large enforcement agencies that provided assistance with this investigation. The Sheriff’s Office and our IGRANT unit will continue to work to dismantle high-level drug trafficking operations in our community,” says Buncombe County Sheriff Quentin Miller.
Five people were taken into custody and are facing numerous charges:
Shabazz Nygel Tucker is charged with trafficking fentanyl (X2), conspiracy to traffick fentanyl (x2), trafficking heroin/opium (x2), conspiracy to traffick heroin/opium (x2), trafficking methamphetamine (x2), conspiracy to traffick methamphetamine (x2), trafficking cocaine, conspiracy to traffick cocaine and PWIMSD schedule III (X2).
Sophia Hope Ridener is charged with trafficking fentanyl, conspiracy to traffick fentanyl, trafficking heroin/opium, conspiracy to traffick heroin/opium, trafficking methamphetamine, conspiracy to traffick methamphetamine, trafficking cocaine, conspiracy to traffick cocaine and PWIMSD schedule III.
Sequoyah Lashay Burt is charged with trafficking fentanyl (x2), conspiracy to traffick fentanyl (x2), trafficking heroin/opium (x2), conspiracy to traffick heroin/opium (x2), trafficking methamphetamine (x2), conspiracy to traffick methamphetamine (x2), trafficking cocaine, conspiracy to traffick cocaine and PWIMSD schedule III (X2).
Terry Anthony Graham Jr. is charged with trafficking fentanyl, conspiracy to traffick fentanyl, trafficking heroin/opium, conspiracy to traffick heroin/opium, trafficking methamphetamine, conspiracy to traffick methamphetamine, trafficking cocaine, conspiracy to traffick cocaine and PWIMSD schedule III.
Keiana Taliyah Webber is charged with trafficking fentanyl, conspiracy to traffick fentanyl, trafficking heroin/opium, conspiracy to traffick heroin/opium, trafficking methamphetamine, conspiracy to traffick methamphetamine, trafficking cocaine, conspiracy to traffick cocaine and PWIMSD Schedule III.
The investigation was led by the Sheriff’s Office Illegal Gun Reduction and Narcotics Task Force (IGRANT) unit with the assistance of the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit (HSNU), the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF), NC Probation and Parole, the Asheville Police Department, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) and numerous other divisions and units from the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office.
According to the DEA, a two-milligram dose of Fentanyl could be lethal. The seizure of 5.03 pounds of Fentanyl equates to 1,141,200 lethal doses.
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