3 men arrested after traffic stop in Durham leads to discovery of 17 kilos of cocaine, deputies say

DURHAM, N.C. (WNCN) — Three men are facing drug trafficking charges after a traffic stop in Durham on Monday led to the discovery of 17 kilos of cocaine.

Ismael Velaquez-Garcia, Francisco Altamirana-Pena, and Christian Rafael Velazquez-Garcia are each charged with two counts of trafficking cocaine and one count of maintaining a dwelling/vehicle for a controlled substance, according to the Durham County Sheriff’s Office.

They were arrested as part of a United States Department of Homeland Security Task Force investigation targeting drug activity across North Carolina.

According to the sheriff’s office, federal law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop on Ismael Velaquez-Garcia and Altamirana-Pena, who were the focus of the drug activity investigation. The two suspects were found in possession of four kilos of cocaine.

Since Ismael Velaquez-Garcia and Altamirana-Pena resided in Lexington, according to the sheriff’s office, Lexington police conducted a search at their residence and located Christian Rafael Velazquez-Garcia, who was in possession of 13 kilos of cocaine.

Ismael Velaquez-Garcia and Altamirana-Pena were transported to the Durham County Detention Center, where they are detained pending a $500,000 secured bond, according to the sheriff’s office. Christian Rafael Velazquez-Garcia is being held in the Davidson County Detention Center on a $450,000 bond.

Deputies did not say if Ismael Velaquez-Garcia and Christian Rafael Velazquez-Garcia are related.

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