Created: 11/13/2009 4:43:00 PM 
Surry County, NC-- The investigation into illegal narcotics being brought into Surry County for distribution has resulted in the arrests of 12 people at four separate locations. Sheriff Graham Atkinson said the arrests, eight of which involved substantial amounts of drugs manufactured outside the region, indicate a new direction in drug trafficking in the area. "Our narcotics officers are buying in bulk," he said. "They're buying what distributors would be buying. It used to be that officers were buying ounces, now it's hundreds of grams."
The arrests resulted in the seizure of more than 39 ounces of cocaine and methamphetamine and 50 drug trafficking charges, along with other drug violations. "Information from local residents led to extensive surveillance by narcotics officers as well as undercover buys," Atkinson said. "These drugs are probably being brought into the area from the Texas/Mexico region for distribution and several of the subjects charged are Winston-Salem residents who are delivering drugs to Surry County and making deals in parking lots."
He said the investigation spanned about three months and, in addition to Surry County narcotics officers, involved officers from Stokes and Forsyth counties as well as the State Bureau of Investigation.
People arrested and charges:
- Antonio Rodriguez, 33, of Pilot Mountain, charged with 10 counts of trafficking cocaine, three counts of maintaining a drug dwelling, one count possession with intent to manufacture marijuana and three counts possession of drug paraphernalia.
- Octavio Manuel Wong, 40, of Winston-Salem, charged with five counts of trafficking cocaine and one count of maintaining a vehicle for drugs.
- Oswaldo Paredes Sanchez, 22, of Mount Airy, charged with four counts of trafficking methamphetamine and one count of maintaining a drug dwelling.
- Juan Parades Sanchez, 27, of Mt. Airy charged with one count trafficking methamphetamine and one count maintaining a drug dwelling.
- Raul Mejia Trejo, 25, of Mt. Airy, charged with four counts trafficking methamphetamine and one count maintaining a drug dwelling.
- Inigo Martinez Lorenzo, 26, of Winston-Salem, charged with five counts of trafficking methamphetamine and one count maintaining a drug vehicle.
- Carlos Martinez Lopez, 24, of Winston-Salem, charged with 13 counts of trafficking methamphetamine and one count of maintaining a drug vehicle.
- Luciano Rayo Galsana, 33, of Winston-Salem, charged with eight counts of trafficking methamphetamine and two counts of maintaining a drug vehicle.
In addition to the narcotics seized, officers seized $26,000 and five vehicles.
Officers arrested four people who were on their way into Surry County with concealed weapons. Alejandro Santiago Ruiz, 30, Edgar Pastrana, 19, both of Winston-Salem, and Carlos Rojas Banda, 33, and Shayla Danely Lara, 20, both of High Point were in a car stopped in Pilot Mountain. Officers with the sheriff's interdiction team found a hidden compartment in the car containing two semi-automatic handguns. All four were arrested on charges of carrying a concealed weapon and additional federal firearms charges are expected.
All of the suspects are in custody in either the Surry County or Forsyth County jails. Additional arrests are expected out of the ongoing drug investigation.
