CATAWBA COUNTY, N.C. — On Wednesday, investigators arrested a Catawba County 31-year-old after they found cocaine and firearms in his vehicle during a traffic stop.
Narcotics investigators with the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office stopped Ta’Shawn Thomas Byrd’s vehicle as part of an ongoing cocaine trafficking investigation. The search of the vehicle revealed approximately 291 grams of cocaine, two Draco firearms, and one pistol, investigators said.
Following the vehicle stop, investigators executed a search warrant at an apartment in Hickory, where they seized approximately 4.83 grams of cocaine, one Draco firearm, and one pistol.
Byrd was charged with multiple offenses, including trafficking in cocaine by possession and transport, maintaining a dwelling for a controlled substance, carrying a concealed weapon, and possessing a weapon of mass destruction, according to the sheriff’s office.
He is currently held in the Catawba County Detention Facility under a $400,000 secured bond, with his next court appearance scheduled for Nov. 24.
The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are encouraging anyone with information about drug-related activity to contact their confidential tipline at 828-466-2847 or use the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office mobile application.
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