”It's the largest amount of crack cocaine that I've seen here in Lumberton in my 15 years as a police officer,“ Sgt. Joe Howell said. ”All the arrests we make are important but this one right here was destined for Lumberton.“
Roy Campbell, 22, of Dillon, S.C., and Thomas Howell, 35, of Bladenboro, were arrested after Lumberton police stopped their car for speeding and a search of the vehicle turned up 10 bags of crack cocaine and a bag of powdered cocaine. The 11 bags were in the trunk, but otherwise not concealed, Howell said. Sgt. Howell and Thomas Howell are not related.
The cocaine had an estimated street value of about $95,000.
Sgt. Howell said he attempted to stop Campbell's white 1994 Infinity near exit 17 on Interstate 95 but the car sped away and exited onto West Fifth Street. Police were able to force the car to stop at Hess Wilco gas station. At about 5 p.m. three police cars had the Infinity penned in and officers could be seen searching the car.
Howell said the men were traveling from Dillon.
”Mr. Campbell told me they were going to Martin Luther King Drive to a friend's house,“ Sgt. Howell said. ”After I found the drugs, they wouldn't talk anymore.“
Campbell and Thomas Howell were each charged with eight felony counts of trafficking cocaine. Each was jailed under a $300,000 bond.
The car and an undisclosed amount of cash were seized.
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