Alamance County Considered A Hub For Drug Traffickers

Posted by: Kerri Hartsfield Created: 3/16/2009 11:56:48 PM Updated: 3/17/2009 5:00:30 AM

Alamance County -- Mexican drug traffickers are using a rural North Carolina County as a hub, according to an agent with Drug Enforcement Administration.

"What we are seeing is cocaine, marijuana, heroin and meth," explained DEA Agent Wally Serniak. "Most of the drugs seized here are not destined for here." He said the drugs are often transported from Alamance County to New York, Ohio, Chicago and D.C.

According to Serniak, drug traffickers are using Alamance County as a hub because it is rural and has easy access to two interstates.

"We don't have the manpower some of the major cities have," added Sheriff Terry Johnson. "They feel less they're less likely to be detected."

Serniak says often drugs are smuggled across the Mexican border into United States. From there, he says the drugs are transported to Alamance County.

Over the past few years, Serniak says the DEA has confiscated large quantities narcotics, weapons and cash from drug traffickers who are in the county illegally.

Serniak said there are on-going drug stings in Alamance County, but he did not offer details.

WFMY News 2

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