Local
Pineville investigation leads to cocaine and 10 guns seized; three arrested
A multi-agency investigation led to two traffic stops and a search of a Pineville apartment complex, where authorities reported finding about 8.8 pounds of cocaine and 10 firearms. Two of the three people arrested were under ICE holds as of Oct. 20.
Three people were arrested after police seized about 8.8 pounds of cocaine and 10 guns during a narcotics investigation in Pineville, authorities said.
The investigation included two traffic stops on Oct. 16. Pineville police said the vehicles were stopped because of their connection to the case. A police dog, Max, alerted to both vehicles during open-air sniffs, and searches turned up about 4.4 pounds of cocaine and a Glock 17L handgun, police said.
Investigators then went to an apartment complex, where they reported finding another 4.4 pounds of cocaine and nine additional guns. The three people arrested were identified as Ovando Gutierrez-Pacheco, Antonio Santos-Gonzales and Efrain Torres-Mejia.
As of Oct. 20, Gutierrez-Pacheco and Santos-Gonzales were being held under ICE detainers, according to jail records cited in the report. Torres-Mejia had not yet been processed at the Mecklenburg County jail. Authorities did not provide further details about the charges in the information available.