Assault report leads to discovery of 900 pounds of marijuana in western NC

MURPHY, NC (AP) — Two men from Tennessee are facing charges in North Carolina after a report of domestic assault at a casino led to a $3 million marijuana bust, according to police.

Officers from the Cherokee Indian Police Department responded to Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino in Murphy on Thursday morning. Officers arrested a man from Ten Mile, Tennessee, and charged him with assault and possession of methamphetamine and paraphernalia, according to WLOS-TV.

Police say a woman called for a ride and a short time later, a U-haul arrived bearing a North Carolina license plate for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Offers spoke with the driver who consented to a search of the vehicle.

In the vehicle, they found multiple loaded syringes, two firearms and more than 900 pounds (408 kilograms) of marijuana, police said in a statement on Facebook. The marijuana has an estimated street value of $3 million.

Officers arrested another man from Ten Mile, Tennessee, and charged him with drug trafficking and displaying fictitious tags.

According to WLOS-TV, more charges are pending.