COCAINE DISCOVERED DURING SEARCH OF HOME

VIRGINIA BEACH -- Federal agents who busted a suspected counterfeiter this
week made a surprise discovery during a search of the man's home: nearly 9
pounds of cocaine worth more than a half-million dollars.

Curtis A. Young, 28, of the 600 block of Orangewood Drive, was arraigned in
General District Court on Wednesday on multiple charges of counterfeiting
and drug and weapons possession.

Agents discovered about $7,000 worth of counterfeit currency during the
Monday night search of Young's home as well as the cocaine, some marijuana
and guns, authorities said.

A second person, Endrice Franklin, 25, of the 600 block of Crows Nest
Court, was charged Wednesday with conspiracy. Both men remain jailed.

The investigation began in December when two women passed $2,000 worth of
phony $20 bills at a Norfolk 7-Eleven, according to a search warrant filed
in Virginia Beach Circuit Court. Authorities said the women exchanged the
counterfeit cash for money orders. The women have not been charged.

Store employees suspected the cash was counterfeit and called authorities.
The U.S. Secret Service, which investigates counterfeiting, sent the money
to a federal lab. Test results showed Young's fingerprints on the money,
the search warrant said.

The case was turned over to the Financial Crimes Task Force, a group of
federal, state and local investigators.

On April 4, agents interviewed one of the women, who identified herself as
``Curt's'' girlfriend. However, she refused to cooperate, agents said.

On Monday, Franklin was questioned by Virginia Beach police after trying to
pass a counterfeit $20 bill at a gas station on South Independence
Boulevard, according to the search warrant. He told police he got the bill
from Young, his cousin, who printed the bill on a color copier, the warrant
said.

That night, task force members raided Young's home, located two blocks from
Green Run High School.

The agents seized a garbage bag full of counterfeit bills, Hewlett Packard
inkjet printers, scanners, two 9 mm guns, ammunition and handcuffs,
according to the warrant.

But when agents saw the drugs inside, they had to obtain a second search
warrant. They also called in Virginia Beach narcotics detectives and the
federal Drug Enforcement Administration.

The 4 kilograms, or 8.8 pounds, of cocaine was pure and uncut, according to
Don Lincoln, head of the local DEA office. He said one of the biggest
cocaine finds in the area was 39 kilos.

Cocaine can retail on the street for roughly $100,000 a kilo, but in this
case, if the pure cocaine were mixed with cutting agents, the value could
double or triple, according to drug detectives.

Lawrence V. Kumjian, head of the local Secret Service office, said it was
too early in the investigation to know the extent of the counterfeiting
operation.

He described the quality of the counterfeit $20 bills as ``fair to average.''

Most store clerks likely would not notice the difference unless they were
trained, Kumjian said. These counterfeit $20 bills lacked the fibers that
run through the paper, watermarks and the number 20 on the lower right
corner that changes from green to black when the bill is turned, he said.

Young likely will face federal charges as well, Kumjian said.