$500k worth of black tar heroin seized during I-85 traffic stop in Gastonia

GASTONIA, N.C. – Police in Gastonia seized over 12 pounds of black tar heroin during a traffic stop on Interstate 85 on Tuesday, according to the Gastonia Police Department.

Police conducted the traffic stop on I-85 north near Exit 14. During the stop, officers found five individually wrapped packages of suspected narcotics.

The driver, 34-year-old Avimael Perez, was detained while the Gaston County Police Special Investigations Unit responded to assist. Investigators determined that the packages contained approximately $500,000 worth of black tar heroin, police said.

Perez was arrested and transported to the Gaston County Jail. He is being held without bond.