Cocaine valued near $50K seized from Auburn man

Charles J. Edwards

Auburn, Al.

An Auburn man has been arrested and more than a pound of cocaine has been confiscated by police after a traffic stop by Auburn police Wednesday.

Charles J. Edwards, 45, is charged with drug trafficking and fleeing or attempting to elude after Auburn police stopped the Nissan Altima he was driving in the 600 block of Shug Jordan Parkway for following too close at approximately 11:30 p.m., according to an APD release.

When an officer approached the vehicle, he detected the odor of marijuana and asked Edwards to step to the rear of the car with another officer, APD Chief Tommy Dawson said.

“When the officer started to search the vehicle, Edwards shoved the officer and fled the area,” Dawson said.

Edwards, the sole occupant of the vehicle, was apprehended a short time later, Dawson said.

A search of the vehicle’s trunk and Edward’s person yielded more than a pound of cocaine, Dawson said. The cocaine has an estimated street value of between $40,000 and $50,000.

Police also found a number of partially smoked marijuana cigarettes in Edwards’ vehicle, which was later reported stolen out of Tuskegee, Dawson said.

“We’re very proud of the officers for taking that amount of cocaine off the streets,” Dawson said.

Edwards is being held at the Lee County Detention Facility on a $26,000.