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Agents raid Burke County home in nationwide drug investigation

By Blake Hanson
By Blake Hanson

BURKE COUNTY, N.C. — Federal agents searched a Morganton home earlier this month owned by the suspected head of a national drug smuggling operation, according to federal court records.

A search warrant unsealed this week involves two homes in Morganton. One on Emory Road is owned by Kou Chue, according to an affidavit.

Federal agents said the investigation started on Halloween. A trooper pulled over a car driven by Chue in Rock Springs, Wyoming.

The trooper noticed Chue's "carotid artery pulsing rapidly" and eventually asked to search the rental vehicle Chue and others were traveling in, the affidavit says. The trooper found packages wrapped in Christmas wrapping paper in the spare-tire compartment that contained around $138,000 cash.

Local news report indicate Chue's wife, Tong Xiong, was arrested for possessing a small amount of drugs.

A few weeks later, narcotics agents began executing search warrants at various properties connected to the drug organizations and found around 2,000 pounds of marijuana.

A judge signed off on a search warrant for two Burke County properties on May 31. The DEA special agent seeking the warrant said they believed the house on Emory Road and another on Piney Road might contain evidence related to the investigation.

Wayne and Sylvia Neal live down the street and saw the flurry of law enforcement activity.

"I could tell he was an undercover agent and he said 'stay away,'" Wayne Neal said.

"I kept thinking in my mind 'what's going on?'" Sylvia Neal said.

A search of federal records does not show that Chue is currently facing any federal charges.

The Piney Road home is owned by a "Kou Chue." However records indicate it is a different person who is also an alleged member of the organization.

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