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Cornelius police make arrests in high-priced drug investigation

CORNELIUS, N.C. — Police in Cornelius expect to release more information Wednesday about what appears to be a major drug investigation that could reach to several states.

Officers searched two upscale homes near Lake Norman Tuesday night, hours after their case kicked into high gear with a brief high speed chase on Interstate 77.

Police Channel 9 that arrests have been made and drug paraphernalia was found at the homes they searched.

Police followed a black Dodge Challenger until it reached speeds of more than 100 mph, and they backed off.

But they did stop a second car, a BMW, and seized what appeared to be stacks of cash and other possible evidence.

They then locked down a house on Rio Oro Drive where they found a fleet of luxury cars including a Mercedes Benz, a Jaguar and a Maserati.

They found a new Bentley at a home on Harken Drive where Brett Portaro, a neighbor, said he'd seen several expensive cars over the last six months that made him wonder what was going on.

"They had a Bentley there and several BMWs. It's pretty wild," Portaro said.