Iredell Deputies Make Major Drug Bust

A major drug bust has resulted in the arrest of two men and the seizure of nearly $4 million worth of illegal narcotics in Iredell County.

44-year-old Lorenzo Juan Arreola of New Mexico and 33-year-old Lucio Eduardo Chavira-Avila of Mexico were taken into custody on Sunday by the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office. They’re charged the duo with trafficking trafficking opium or heroin.

Deputies stopped a tractor-trailer rig on Interstate 77 for a traffic violation. K-9 Deputy Groot, who is trained in detecting narcotics, gave a positive indication to the presence of narcotics in the vehicle.

Deputies searched the tractor-trailer and found 118 pounds of suspected fentanyl, possibly mixed with cocaine. The also found more than $100,000 cash inside the tractor cab. The total street value of the drugs seized is approximately $3,752,000.

Both suspects were placed in the Iredell County Detention Center where they were each given a $3.5-million secured bond.

According to the Drug Enforcement Administration website, “One kilogram of Fentanyl has the potential to kill 500,000 people”. The drug seized on Sunday could potentially kill 26.8 million people. For reference, North Carolina has a population of 10.7 million, so this could cause death to the entire population of the state 2.5 times over.

According to the North Carolina Office of Chief Medical Examiner, North Carolina has seen a 658% increase in fentanyl-related overdose deaths between 2016 and 2022.

Federal authorities have yet to confirm the suspects’ immigration status.

Photos: Iredell County Sheriff’s Office