Published: 06:09 PM, Mon Apr 15, 2013
By Nancy McCleary
fayobserver.com

RAEFORD - Four illegal immigrants were charged and authorities seized nearly $400,000 after the Hoke County Sheriff's Office searched a home off U.S. 401 near Raeford on Friday.

"This is probably one of the biggest drug busts in the history of the county," Sheriff Hubert Peterkin said Monday.

The house on the 300 block of Purvis Court, about two miles outside Raeford, was searched by the Sheriff's Office Special Operations and Drug Unit, Peterkin said.

Lawmen seized a large amount of cocaine, $397,134 in bills that were pressed and bundled, and five guns - an AK-47, two .45-caliber handguns, a .357 Magnum and a Winchester rifle, Peterkin said.

Searchers seized a money-counting machine and five vehicles, Peterkin said.

A large quantity of cocaine was seized, Peterkin said, but he wouldn't say how much.

"The amount of trafficking this group of suspects were doing was very professional and very organized," he said.

The operation was considered a major source of cocaine for Hoke and surrounding counties, Peterkin said.

"This (investigation) is taking us out of Hoke County and out of North Carolina," he said. "We're calling for all hands on deck and for federal assistance."

The four men arrested are all charged with possession with intent to sell or deliver a controlled substance, maintaining a drug vehicle or dwelling and conspiracy to sell or deliver a controlled substance.

They are Eusebio Ciriaco, 28; Jose Luis Hernandez, 20; Alejandro Pano Fuentes, 35; and Javier Patricio Anecetu, 24.

It wasn't clear if all of the men lived at the Purvis Court address. Peterkin said the residence was used as a base for the drug operation.

Bail for each was set at $1 million, and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency has placed a detainer on all four because they are in the country illegally, Peterkin said.

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