Detectives dig up septic tank to find drugs

Published 12:00 am Friday, January 14, 2011

A man’s attempt to flush the evidence didn’t work out as planned, authorities said.
Investigators dug up the man’s septic tank.
Rowan County Sheriff’s Office detectives served a search warrant Thursday at 140 Scarlet Road, the home of Edward Alan Rodgers.
As detectives approached the door, a press release said, they saw Rodgers running toward a bathroom inside. Detectives forced their way into the house and found Rodgers in the bathroom, where they handcuffed him.
“It was readily apparent that the toilet had just been flushed,” the press release said.
Searching the house, detectives found drug paraphernalia in Rodgers’ bedroom used to inject heroin.
Detectives then removed the toilet from the bathroom floor and dismantled it in an attempt to locate any drugs that were flushed,
They found no drugs, but that didn’t stop them.
Detectives dug up the septic tank in the yard beside the residence. Once they opened the septic tank, detectives found a plastic bag containing 25 small balloons of heroin.
The detectives then charged Edwards, 32, with possession with intent to sell heroin, maintaining a dwelling for controlled substances, and possession of drug paraphernalia. He remained jailed Friday under $15,000 bond.