WHA: Gang heroin bust a sign of residents helping fight crime

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office says six gang members are in jail charged in a heroin ring. The head of the Wilmington Housing Authority says it’s part of an effort to make the community safer.

NHSO spokesman Sgt. Jerry Brewer says in a news release the investigation intro heroin trafficking by validated members of the Blood gang started in November in partnership with Wilmington Police and the FBI Safe Streets Task Force. The operation focused on Bloods and their associates getting large quantities of heroin from other states and later transporting, manufacturing and distributing this heroin in the Creekwood Housing Community and adjacent neighborhoods.

Brewer says Tuesday officers arrested the six men and executed a search warrant at 314 North 30th Street. Investigators found approximately 2,600 wax bindles of heroin, a small amount of cocaine and several thousand dollars.

Wilmington Housing Authority Board Chair Jeff Hovis says busts like this are directly linked to resident involvement.

“More police presence is great, but the residents are getting involved,” Hovis said. “Residents are reporting illegal activity, and the thing is the amount of illegal activity is dissipating out of our area.”

In an effort to continue to cleaning up WHA properties Hovis says the agency has evicted 20 residents with criminal ties with dozens more potentially on the way.

Jermaine Rogers, 35, was arrested for Trafficking Heroin by Possession, Trafficking Heroin by Transportation, Trafficking Heroin by Sale, Trafficking Heroin by Delivery, Possession with Intent to Sell/Deliver Heroin, Maintaining a Dwelling/Vehicle and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Rogers received a $50,000 secured bond.

Kwintell McLucas, 22, was arrested for Trafficking Heroin by Possession (2 Counts), Trafficking Heroin by Transportation, Trafficking Heroin by Sale, Trafficking Heroin by Delivery, Conspiracy to Traffic Heroin, Possession with Intent to Sell/Deliver Heroin (2 Counts), Maintaining a Dwelling/Vehicle and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (2 Counts). McLucas received a $1 million secured bond.

Desmond Hines, 25, was arrested for Trafficking Heroin by Possession, Trafficking Heroin by Transportation, Trafficking Heroin by Sale, Trafficking Heroin by Delivery, Conspiracy to Traffic Heroin, Possession with Intent to Sell/Deliver Heroin and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Hines received a $1 million secured bond.

Keyshaun Flowers, 21, was arrested for Trafficking Heroin by Possession, Trafficking Heroin by Transportation, Trafficking Heroin by Sale, Trafficking Heroin by Delivery, Conspiracy to Traffic Heroin, Possession with Intent to Sell/Deliver Heroin and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Flowers received a $1 million secured bond.

Rakeem Wilson, a one-time basketball standout at New Hanover High School, 25, was arrested for Trafficking Heroin by Possession, Trafficking Heroin by Transportation, Trafficking Heroin by Sale, Trafficking Heroin by Delivery, Conspiracy to Traffic Heroin, Possession with Intent to Sell/Deliver Heroin and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Wilson received a $1 million secured bond.

Darren Zanders Sr. was arrested for Possession with Intent to Sell/Deliver Cocaine, Manufacture Cocaine, Maintaining a Dwelling/Vehicle and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Zanders Sr. received a $2,000 secured bond.

Rogers and Zanders bonded out of jail.

In an unrelated investigation, deputies charged Abdul Ramont McKoy Wednesday with trafficking heroin. Investigators executed a search warrant at 115 South 9th St. Apt A. They found 120 bags of heroin. McKoy is charged with seven felony drug charges. He is in jail under $500,000 secure bond.