North Charleston, S.C. – Two men, Zaquan Tyanthony Way, 33, and Brandon Brown, 30, were arrested in mid-June after a search warrant on a property in North Charleston revealed large quantities of drugs and firearms, according to the North Charleston Police Department.
The Arrest and Discovery
The arrests followed a narcotics and intelligence investigation that led law enforcement to a residence on Florida Avenue in North Charleston on June 16. Upon arrival, police observed Way and Brown standing near a black Chrysler 200 parked in front of a shed on the property.
When the two men saw law enforcement, Way attempted to flee while Brown walked around the car. Police discovered a clear plastic bag containing a white powder substance under the vehicle. A field test revealed that the substance was likely cocaine, weighing approximately 59 grams.
Additionally, Way discarded items from his pants as he tried to flee. One of the items was another clear plastic bag containing 11 grams of crack. Police then moved inside the shed, where they found multiple firearms, ammunition, and more drugs, including cocaine, fentanyl, and Adderall 30 pills.
Weapons and Drugs Seized
According to the incident report, police seized the following from the property:
63.3 grams of crack
72.4 grams of cocaine
1.6 grams of fentanyl
4 boxes of 5.56 ammunition
1 Glock 9mm handgun
1 Sig Sauer P365
2 magazines with ammo
1 rifle magazine
2 boxes of .45 auto ammunition
In his statement to police, Brown admitted that the shed, where the drugs and weapons were found, was his property. He also mentioned that he runs a dog breeding business from the location. After further investigation, police discovered additional drugs near the fence line next to the shed.
Charges and Bonds
Both men were taken into custody and booked into the Charleston County Detention Center. Zaquan Tyanthony Way faces charges of trafficking crack and trafficking cocaine, with a bond set at $80,000. Brandon Brown was charged with trafficking cocaine, trafficking crack, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, two counts of possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime, and felony possession of a firearm. His bond was set at $100,000.
This bust highlights the ongoing efforts by law enforcement to combat drug trafficking and illegal firearms possession in the area. The discovery of large quantities of illicit substances and firearms has raised serious concerns about the operation of illegal activities in the community.
