MONCKS CORNER, S.C. — A traffic stop in Berkeley County escalated into a significant drug arrest after deputies say they discovered more than 70 grams of suspected fentanyl inside a vehicle.
According to the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office, 27-year-old Tyriq Ontario Towensend, of Moncks Corner, is facing a charge of trafficking fentanyl 28 grams or more following the Feb. 19 stop.
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Deputies say the incident began when a patrol deputy pulled over a blue Jeep near the intersection of South Live Oak Drive and Cypress Gardens Road for defective equipment and an expired license plate decal. The vehicle pulled into a BP gas station, where the situation quickly drew further attention.
Authorities said Towensend began opening his door before the vehicle came to a complete stop, prompting the deputy to instruct him to remain inside.
During the encounter, deputies reported detecting the odor of marijuana. Towensend admitted there was a small amount of marijuana inside the vehicle, according to the sheriff’s office.
A subsequent probable cause search led deputies to a partially burned marijuana cigar beneath the radio and a small bag of what appeared to be marijuana on the passenger seat.
But investigators say the most significant discovery came from the center console, where deputies located a clear bag containing a brown, crystal-like substance. The material later tested presumptively positive for fentanyl and weighed approximately 71.15 grams — well above the threshold for a trafficking charge under South Carolina law.
Towensend was taken into custody and booked into the Hill-Finklea Detention Center.
Fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid, has been linked to a surge in overdose deaths nationwide. Law enforcement officials say seizures like this underscore ongoing efforts to combat the spread of dangerous narcotics in local communities.
The Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office says it will continue proactive enforcement targeting illegal drug activity across the county.
