Kinston’s quiet winter got a jolt on Tuesday when city police, backed by a wall of federal and state muscle, executed 34 search warrants across town in a three-month probe into the illegal distribution of marijuana and illicit THC products, including alleged sales to minors. The crackdown was dubbed Operation Wintergreen, a calm-sounding name for an effort that zeroed in on retail outlets along with locations tied to store owners and employees.
In a press release on the Kinston Police Department’s Facebook page, officials said Operation Wintergreen "resulted in the execution of 34 search warrants — 26 at retail store locations and 8 at the residences of store owners and employees." The release added that investigators coordinated with federal and state partners and that the department will roll out more information later, including arrests, seizure totals and any asset forfeiture.
Multi-agency sweep
According to the department’s release on Facebook, Kinston police did not go it alone. The operation brought in the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service, North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement, the Lenoir County Sheriff’s Office Special Response Team and Narcotics Unit, and the Onslow County Sheriff’s Office.
Multi-jurisdictional raids are becoming something of a local template. A prior Kinston Police Department narcotics operation last year likewise teamed city detectives with county units to focus on retail sellers and street-level dealers, according to earlier reporting by Neuse News.
Probe prompted by community tips
Kinston police say the latest investigation did not start in a vacuum. The department cites repeated citizen complaints about the illegal sale of marijuana and THC products, including allegations that some shops were selling to minors. Those reports were front and center in the department’s preliminary public notice and framed the decision to mount a coordinated enforcement push rather than treating the cases piecemeal.
What police say will come next
The preliminary notice from the department says officials will publish specifics on arrests, seizure totals and any asset forfeiture amounts once investigators finish their documentation. Major B. Turner is listed as the media contact at (252) 939-3204. For now, police have not released the number of arrests or the amount of contraband they say was seized.
Local context and enforcement trends
The Kinston area has seen similar multi-week narcotics probes in recent years that pair municipal detectives with county and state teams, targeting both storefronts and street-level activity. The department’s recent work tracks with other local operations and its annual reporting, which together highlight an ongoing emphasis on removing illegal drugs and unlicensed THC products from retail locations, according to coverage by WITN.
Legal implications
Under North Carolina law, it is unlawful to manufacture, sell or possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and those offenses can carry felony penalties. Sentences can be enhanced when minors are involved or when quantities reach trafficking thresholds. The state’s controlled substances code and recent session law updates spell out the penalties and regulatory changes in detail, as outlined by the North Carolina General Assembly.
Next steps
Kinston police say they will update the public once arrest figures, seizure totals and case files are finalized and ready for court. We will continue to track official releases and local court records as Operation Wintergreen moves from raid to prosecution.
