NORTH CAROLINA — Asheville police charged 16 people and seized large quantities of narcotics, a handgun, and nearly $12,000 in cash during a multi-agency operation targeting illegal drug activity in West Asheville.
The weeks-long investigation concluded Dec. 3–4, when detectives with the Asheville Police Department, working alongside the U.S. Marshals Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs, carried out coordinated enforcement actions. Police said the operation was launched in response to numerous complaints from community members about ongoing drug activity in the area.
Authorities reported seizing 54.41 grams of crack cocaine, 195.54 grams of fentanyl, 705.13 grams of water-cut fentanyl, 3.3 grams of methamphetamine, 12.72 grams of marijuana, $11,850 in cash, and a Taurus semi-automatic handgun…