Berkeley County Traffic Stop Leads to Major Narcotics Seizure and Arrest of Bonneau Resident on Trafficking Charges

A Berkeley County traffic stop led to the arrest of Justin Brown for trafficking meth and MDMA. Read about K9 Gery's alert and the weapons recovery here.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 3, 2026, 7:16 AM EST

Source: The information in this article was sourced from ABC News 4

Proactive Patrol Leads to Roadside Discovery

A deputy with the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office initiated a traffic stop on Monday evening in the vicinity of Pineville. According to official reports, the stop was conducted on Edgewater Road after a vehicle was observed committing a series of traffic violations. Upon making contact with the driver, identified as 38 year old Justin Brown of Bonneau, the deputy noted suspicious behavior and requested additional units to the scene. The initial investigation quickly shifted from a standard traffic enforcement action to a specialized narcotics search as deputies worked to determine the contents of the vehicle.

K9 Deployment and Narcotics Recovery

To assist in the search, K9 Gery was deployed to perform an exterior sniff of the suspect's vehicle. According to the Sheriff's Office, the K9 provided a positive alert for the presence of narcotics, giving deputies the probable cause necessary to conduct a thorough search of the interior. During the subsequent inspection, law enforcement officials recovered approximately 130 grams of methamphetamine and over 100 dosage units of MDMA. The quantity of the substances found far exceeded the thresholds for personal use, prompting the immediate elevation of the case to a trafficking investigation.

Weapon Possession and Formal Charges

In addition to the narcotics, deputies discovered a loaded handgun within the reach of the driver. This discovery led to additional charges regarding the possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime. Justin Brown was arrested without incident and transported to the Hill-Finklea Detention Center. He currently faces charges of trafficking methamphetamine, trafficking MDMA, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. A bond hearing was scheduled for Tuesday morning, where a judge was expected to set the conditions for his release while the case moves toward the grand jury.