The arrests include a Littleton area man who already has pending court dates in two previous cocaine trafficking arrests and the arrest of a man who was allegedly operating a trap house on Zoo Road.

Summit Road arrest

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City County Drug Task Force agents and deputies with the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office arrived at Summit Road around 12:30 p.m. with a search warrant for Franklin Emanuel Phipps, who already faces cocaine trafficking counts from raids in October of last year and again in January.

Task force Captain A.M. Harris said Phipps, 46, is reputedly one of the major suppliers of cocaine in the Littleton area. Harris declined to discuss the structure of Phipps’ alleged trafficking business.

The task force, Harris said, is in the process of seeking federal adoption of the case after agents seized 29.3 grams of cocaine, $10,710 in cash and items of paraphernalia.

During execution of the search warrant, based on more than a year of investigation by Agent D.W. Mckeel, Phipps resisted agents by refusing to be handcuffed and throwing two plastic bags of cocaine on the roof of a shed.

Mckeel arrested and charged Phipps with trafficking in cocaine, possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine, felony possession of cocaine, maintaining a vehicle or dwelling for a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and resisting a public officer.  

He received a $100,000 bond and November 15 court date. He has a December 20 court date on the previous charges.

Trap house

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Around 3:30 p.m., agents deputies and investigators with the sheriff’s office went to the 800 block of Zoo Road North with a search warrant which was based on the operation of a reputed trap house at the residence.

Harris explained the maintenance of a trap house is common among drug dealers, who will either rent or a buy a house to sell drugs from instead of selling from their own residence. Some dealers will allow addicts to use in the trap houses.

In a statement Harris said agents received several intelligence reports from deputies working the area because of recent drug complaints from citizens.  

Deputies of B Squad under the supervision of Lieutenant Randy Keeton have made traffic stops of vehicles leaving this home and made drug seizures and arrests.

The search warrant was based on these reports and investigation by Mckeel.

During the search of the home, agents located 38 bags of heroin; 10 bags of powdered cocaine and 12 bags of marijuana.

Several items of drug paraphernalia which included a small mechanical press were seized.

Harris said these presses are often used in the manufacturing process after large amounts of cocaine are mixed with cutting agents. “We don’t know if they using it for heroin or cocaine but we believe it was being used in the manufacturing process,” Harris said.

The press was the only item found in a bedroom closet and furnishings in the rest of the house were sparse — a couch, television and kitchen table. There was no clothing or personal items in the residence.

Mckeel arrested and charged Jerod Boone, 29, of Church Street, with possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana, felony possession of marijuana, felony possession of cocaine, possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine, trafficking heroin, possession with intent to sell and deliver heroin and possession of heroin.  

Boone received a $100,000 bond and November 15 court date.

Harris said several drug dealers are known to run the house and Mckeel is trying to determine who they are.