By Nathan Hardin
nhardin@salisburypost.com
Rowan County Sheriff’s Office investigators landed one of the largest drug busts of the year on Wednesday, netting 3.5 kilograms of cocaine.
According to reports, deputies worked with Salisbury Police officers after getting information about a large cocaine shipment coming into Salisbury.
Through the investigation, deputies determined 52-year-old Luis Alberto Valencia as the suspect involved in the delivery.
About 8:30 a.m. authorities stopped Valencia’s red Toyota Camry in a parking lot in the 1700 block of N.C. 52. Inside the vehicle, deputies found 123.46 ounces of cocaine in packaged “bricks,” the report said.
Valencia was charged with two counts of felony trafficking cocaine and felony possession with intent to sell and delivery cocaine.
He was given a $400,000 bond and was in jail Thursday.
After being arrested, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents determined Valencia was in the country illegally.
Valencia gave a 202 Dianne St., Wingate, addresss to authorities when he was arrested. Union County deputies searched the home on Wednesday and found two firearms, one of which had been reported stolen.