Tip leads police to storage unit filled with guns, pills, and cash
COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) - A tip to the Columbia Police Department led to the discovery of a cache of illegal pills, drugs, high-powered firearms, and thousands of dollars inside a storage facility in South Columbia.
Officers arrested Matthew Garnett, 23, on Oct. 21 and slammed him with various drug charges including intent to distribute and possession.
RELATED: See photos of the drugs and weapons seized in this case.
Officers say the investigation initially began in May after investigators received information about drugs inside a Whaley Street storage facility. Warrants were issued for Garnett's arrest, but they were unable to locate him since the spring.
Investigators obtained a search warrant and found 100 grams of hashish, 10,421 marijuana pills with a chemical version of THC, and 29,139 Xanax pills. All totaled together, the drugs had an estimated street value of $200,000.
Experts at the Richland County Sheriff's Department's drug lab determined that the pills were likely manufactured in a covert environment that is unknown to investigators at this time.
In addition to the narcotics, investigators seized more than $10,000 in cash and firearms such as an AR-15, two Tec-9 submachine guns, and handguns.
Garnett was taken to Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center.
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