BELHAVEN – The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office Drug Unit arrested a local man after discovering marijuana during a search of his home Wednesday night.
Leo Gordon Huggins, age 61, of 690 Old Pamlico Beach Road, was charged with Felony Possession of Marijuana, Manufacture Marijuana, Maintaining a Dwelling to Facilitate Drug Activity and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, according to a media release from BCSO.
The sheriff’s office received an anonymous tip that Huggins was growing marijuana.
Lt. Joshua Shiflett of the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office said the drug unit investigates all tips concerning the use or sale of marijuana.
“We’re going to continue to investigating marijuana violations because it is an illegal substance,” he said.
Deputies who knocked on Huggins’ door could smell the marijuana inside his home. They also spotted buckets with holes at the bottom of them and other supplies associated with growing the illegal substance, giving them enough evidence for a search warrant, according to a member of the drug unit.
Once in possession of a search warrant and with the help of K-9 Elza, investigators found an indoor marijuana grow operation where the growing process had been completed.
There was nothing to suspect that he was selling the marijuana, said one investigator.
The search yielded 1,220 grams of marijuana, six firearms, grow lights, timers, buckets, power converters and other items associated with the grow operation.
The firearms were registered to Huggins and seized because he was charged with multiple felonies.
“Also we’ve seen the violence that comes from the combination of drugs and firearms,” Shiflett said.
Huggins was confined under a $5,000 secured bond.