Investigators: Drug dealers using local restaurant's address to smuggle drugs

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Investigators say the drug dealers were using a north Charlotte barbeque restaurant’s address to try to slide past authorities.

However, their plan did not work.

Eyewitness News found out how the agents discovered the operation.

Local detectives were working with detectives in Greensboro, where the suspects live.

They knew to expect a significant amount of drugs to be coming through on Monday.

On Monday, local authorities came to Estes Trucking where they had received word from their counterparts in Greensboro that a shipment of drugs was coming through and would be sent to someone named Chris.

Documents say there were nearly 15 pounds of meth and 67 pounds of marijuana.

Authorities say the delivery paperwork said the boxes were supposed to go to Bodericks’ BBQ on Statesville Ave. in Charlotte.

However, when “Chris” was contacted and told the shipment had arrived, he said he would pick it up instead.

The restaurant owner who did not want to go on camera knew nothing of the shipment and had no idea what was inside.

His customers were upset on his behalf.

“That’s sad that somebody would be victimized like that so their name needs to be cleared. Whoever did this needs to be punished,” said one customer.

Detectives say they packaged the boxes back up and allowed the suspects to pick them up.

They trailed three of them back to Greensboro where they made an arrest once the boxes were being unpacked.

Authorities say what happened to that unsuspecting restaurant owner is the same thing that could happen to anyone and that it’s hard to protect yourself against it.

WSOC