39,000 bags of heroin, $250K in cash seized in Wilmington drug bust

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - New Hanover County deputies seized thousands of bags of heroin and hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash following a major drug bust in Wilmington.

According to a news release, vice and narcotics agents with the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office concluded a two-month investigation on Tuesday, Sept. 10 by arresting William Bernard Gethers, 48, in the 5000 block of Market Street.

After his arrest, search warrants were executed at 3917 Prices Lane and 5010 McClelland Drive. Lakedria Shamona LaSalle, 26, was taken into custody at the McClelland Drive home.

Detectives seized 39,000 bags of heroin ready to sale, 200 grams of cocaine, 6 grams of crack cocaine, 6 grams of MDMA (ecstasy), two guns, and over $250,000 in cash.

Lt. Jerry Brewer said, “he is a big drug dealer, you did not come to him and get one bag of heroin or two bags, you came and got a hundred bags. So, to get this large a dealer off the streets was a big, significant bust for us.”

The sheriff’s office says Gethers was part of a multi-state network that was supplying large amounts of heroin to the Wilmington area.

Gethers and LaSalle are both facing numerous drug-related charges including trafficking heroin and cocaine. Gethers is currently jailed on a $15 million bond while LaSalle is being held on a $1 million bond.

The investigation is ongoing and additional arrests are expected.

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