PART OF COCAINE IN BUST NOT REAL

DURHAM -- A portion of the cocaine seized in a record-setting bust in
Durham this month was actually fake cocaine investigators had swapped out
at some point during the transport of the real cocaine from Phoenix to
Durham, according to an affidavit filed in U.S. Federal Court.

An anonymous tip in Phoenix alerted federal authorities to an unregistered
Ford F-150 pickup truck and a tan Nissan Quest minivan that contained about
45 kilograms, or about 99 pounds, of cocaine, according to the Feb. 2
affidavit, written by Durham police Officer K.D. York and signed by U.S.
Magistrate Judge Wallace M. Dixon.

The two vehicles were reportedly being hauled to North Carolina on a
tractor trailer car hauler. Investigators swapped the real cocaine for fake
cocaine during the transport, though the affidavit does not say where or
when the switch occurred.

On Feb. 1, investigators spotted the vehicles on the car hauler at a
Youngsville, N.C., auto auction and began a stakeout of the area, the
affidavit states.

Authorities spotted four men, who were later arrested, in a white Honda
Prelude and a white Ford Explorer. The men were "conducting
countersurveillance" in the auction parking lot.

The two vehicles were taken off the car hauler and picked up by tow trucks
a short time later, the affidavit states. The trucks hauled the cars to
Cheek Road and Harvest Drive, where they were dropped off on the side of
the road.

Authorities said several Hispanic men arrived and met near the vehicles
before a man got into each vehicle and drove them to 2841 Stuart Drive.
Stuart Drive runs parallel to University Drive between Hope Valley and West
Cornwallis roads.

The men drove the vehicles into a garage at the end of the driveway,
according to the affidavit. Four men then went inside the house briefly
before leaving in a tan Honda Accord.

At that point, authorities entered the house and seized 43 kilograms, about
95 pounds, of fake cocaine, a handgun, drug packaging materials, money
ledgers and paperwork containing the names of the four men who were later
arrested.

[Names Redacted] They were charged with attempting to possess 500 grams
(1.1 pounds) or more of cocaine, possession of 500 grams or more of cocaine
and conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.

Police seized the remainder of the record-setting 167 pounds of cocaine
from a vehicle the suspects drove back to the house.