A routine traffic stop in Whiteville, N.C., on June 17 turned into a full-blown criminal investigation after officers say a simple turn-signal violation uncovered drugs in a car and, later, a sizable stash of untaxed liquor at the driver’s home. The 62-year-old motorist, initially pulled over for the faulty signal, now faces a slate of state liquor and drug charges.
According to The Charlotte Observer, officers stopped the 62-year-old driver over the turn-signal issue and reported finding 2.4 grams of methamphetamine inside the vehicle. Detectives then obtained a search warrant for the man’s Whiteville residence, where they seized more methamphetamine, psilocybin mushrooms, marijuana and about 18 gallons of what police described as “non-tax-paid spiritous liquor.”
In a police news release quoted by The Charlotte Observer, investigators wrote that “Detectives obtained and executed a search warrant for (his) residence.” The release notes that officials have not said where or how the liquor was produced and that the investigation is still active.
How State Law Treats Unlicensed Distilling
Per North Carolina General Statutes, it is unlawful to manufacture spirituous liquor without the required ABC permit and revenue licenses. The statutes authorize law enforcement to seize and eventually destroy non-tax-paid liquor, and unlawful manufacturing and related offenses carry criminal penalties that range from misdemeanors to felonies, depending on the violation and any prior convictions.
Whiteville Has Stepped Up Narcotics Enforcement
Local reporting shows Whiteville police and county narcotics teams have been busy in recent months. An April search-warrant operation in the city turned up firearms and controlled substances, and the department said a federal grant has helped expand its investigative capacity, according to WECT. That ramp-up helps explain how a routine traffic stop in town could quickly grow into a broader search and seizure.
Police records show the driver faces charges including manufacture of liquor without a permit; possession or sale of non-tax-paid liquor; possession or sale of alcoholic beverages without a permit; possession with intent to sell or deliver a Schedule I controlled substance; and possession of marijuana with intent to sell or deliver. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities have not released additional details about where the liquor was produced or whether other suspects are involved.
