Police just seized roughly five kilograms of pure cocaine, valued at up to $200,000, during a traffic stop that escalated into a foot chase Wednesday night.
Detectives said officers noticed a Chevrolet Traverse with Texas plates driving erratically and making evasive maneuvers before turning onto Summit Crossing Place. A Gastonia man, later identified as Roberto Azama-Rodriguez, jumped out carrying a weighted box and ran into nearby woods. He was quickly detained after discarding the box in a creek, where officers recovered about 11 pounds of cocaine.
The driver, identified as Manuel Gomez-Bustos, was later located on North New Hope Road and taken into custody without incident. Both men face two counts of trafficking in cocaine.
Gaston County Police noted that the volume of drugs seized reflects bulk trafficking, not personal use. Five kilograms of cocaine can be broken down into tens of thousands of doses and is typically worth between $500,000 and $1 million depending on purity.
The investigation remains ongoing.
