PLAIN VIEW — Despite the end to a campaign that narrowed in on drug-running along U.S. 13 and I-40, local law enforcement are continuing their focus on the two roadways and, on Thursday, seized another pound of marijuana and other items following a traffic stop on U.S. 13.
Canaan Malik Wynder, 25, of Fayetteville, has been charged with felony possession of marijuana, possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana, maintaining a vehicle for the sale and storage of a controlled substance, simple possession of a Schedule III controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. His bond was set at $25,000.
According to reports from Lt. Marcus Smith, officers on U.S. 13 stopped the Hyundai Wynder was driving for speeding and, during that stop, “smelled a strong odor of marijuana.” The stop was conducted near Easy Street, Dunn. A search was conducted and officers located a pound of marijuana, 9 grams of hashish, six Schedule III pills described simply as hydrochloride and various paraphernalia.
Wynder’s arrest comes on the heels of a concerted effort to crack down on drug activity on two of Sampson’s main thoroughfares.
Last week, the Sampson County Sheriff’s Criminal Interdiction Team hosted a multi-agency campaign targeting Interstate-40 and U.S. 13, described by sheriff’s officials as “major corridors for drug trafficking” in the county. Deemed “Operation Interception,” the campaign was conducted from Monday, Sept. 18, through Wednesday, Sept. 20, with the assistance Harnett County, Duplin County and Guilford County sheriff’s offices, as well as Dunn, High Point and Thomasville police departments.
During the operation, there was 5,926 grams (13 pounds) of marijuana seized, as well as 5,000 Xanax pills, 12 Oxycodone and small amounts of cocaine, heroin and meth.
Among the charges doled out were two counts each of trafficking opioids and trafficking marijuana; four counts of felony maintaining a vehicle for storage of a controlled substance; three counts of possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana; and one count each of felony possession of marijuana, possession of cocaine, possession of heroin, possession of methamphetamine and possession with intent to sell and deliver a Schedule IV controlled substance.
Many other charges were served during that campaign, which also saw two stolen firearms recovered, two motor vehicles seized under the state’s Fleeing to Elude law and $4,530 in cash seized.
N.C. Department of Public Safety records indicate that Wynder has been in trouble as a result of drug-related cases before. He was convicted in 2012 of possession/carry BB gun, carrying a concealed weapon and possession of a Schedule VI controlled substance. In 2015, he was convicted of possession with intent to sell a Schedule VI controlled substance.
Both convictions came in Cumberland. Wynder’s probation status is listed as inactive, court records show.
