Pair arrested for drug trafficking

A meth trafficking operation was shut down Monday night after Drug Task Force agents received a tip that a man was delivering drugs to the Blueberry Inn on Hwy 29 North.

When William Octavius Holland, 53, approached the Blueberry Inn, DTF Agent Greg Jackson initiated a traffic stop, and Holland threw an amount of meth from the window of his vehicle.

Holland was taken into custody.

DTF agents executed a search warrant on Holland’s Antioch Road residence, where they found more than 40 grams of ICE methamphetamine, as well as surveillance equipment and items of drug paraphernalia used in the manufacture and sale of methamphetamine.

Arthur Dwight Lucal Jr. was found at the residence.

Lucal, 51, was charged with trafficking in methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia and held on a $520,000 bond.

Holland was charged with trafficking in methamphetamine, conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Holland was held on a $653,000 bond.

DTF Commander Mark Odom said both men had lengthy criminal histories.

“Their past convictions range from drug possession to assault,” he said. “I have been working narcotics crimes for 20 years, and I have seen that drug abuse leads to other, more violent crimes. These two men continue to cook, use and peddle methamphetamine in our county, and as long as they are able, they will continue to commit other crimes. They simply don’t care – about themselves or anyone else – and that makes them dangerous.”