Brookside man, two others charged in drug trafficking ring

A Brookside man and two others are facing multiple charges after authorities disrupted a large fentanyl and cocaine trafficking ring.

New Castle County Police, Delaware State Police and the FBI launched simultaneous raids early Wednesday morning at the Brookside Plaza Apartments on Marrows Road and two apartments in Wilmington, according to court documents.

In total, authorities seized more than 9,000 bags of fentanyl, 132 grams of xylazine, more than a pound of crack cocaine, six handguns, one shotgun and various drug paraphernalia.

The defendants were identified as Charles Colburn, 42, of Brookside; Clifford Reeves, 37, of Wilmington; and Marlow Carter, 34, of Wilmington.

According to court documents, police had been investigating Colburn's drug operation since November, and officers conducted multiple controlled drug buys.

Colburn was arrested at the Marrows Road apartment, across the street from Brookside Elementary School. Inside the apartment, police found two guns, crack cocaine and a scale used for measuring out drugs.

Colburn is prohibited from possessing a gun due to a previous felony conviction, court records indicate.

The rest of the drugs and weapons were found in the two Wilmington apartments.

Colburn and Reeves were each charged with more than a dozen felonies related to drugs and weapons. Carter was charged with three felonies. All three were jailed after failing to post bail.