Both the Roanoke Rapids Police Department and City County Drug Task Force identify Church and Carter streets as problem areas for drug activity and shots fired calls.
“We’re seeing a fairly significant amount of drug activity on Church and Carter streets,” said Roanoke Rapids Captain Bobby Martin. “It’s gotten pretty bad from citizen complaints of shots fired to drug activity.”
Task force Captain Anzell Harris said, “We’re seeing traffic in and out, just a lot of drug activity.”
Harris said there are complaints “every day of the week. We follow up on the complaints.”
Harris likened Church Street to an open air market or department store. “You can go to the area and get what you want. Undercover agents have purchased cocaine, heroin and marijuana there.”
It was in response to these complaints Thursday Roanoke Rapids officers around 8:15 p.m. encountered several people in front of an abandoned house, Martin said in a statement.
While talking to the people, officers noticed a vehicle near another abandoned house. Officers identified the occupant of the vehicle as Audwin Lamont Parker, 28, of Roanoke Rapids.
Parker was arrested last week on cocaine and marijuana charges following a second raid on a reputed trap house on Zoo Road.
While speaking with Parker, officers located an open container of alcohol, digital scales and other items indicative of drug sales, Martin said.
While checking Parker, blue pills identified as Percocet in a clear plastic bag were located. Master Officer J.L. Hardy cited Parker for possession of schedule II.
Martin said officers continued foot patrols and Lieutenant B. Norton located a box of .40-caliber ammunition under a porch board of the abandoned house where the group gathered.
Scattered around the area was a gray bag discovered by Hardy, which contained a pill bottle with 2.5 grams of cocaine inside. Officer S. Blythe discovered an aluminum salt shaker with 2 grams of cocaine inside.
Martin confirmed the items were scattered to make proof of ownership difficult. No charges have been filed and investigation continues.
Officer C. Hagbourne assisted in the investigation.
