WRIC ABC 8News

About $2.5M in drugs, firearms, cash seized from Newport News pop-up market, 4 charged

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) — About $2.5 million in drugs, along with firearms and cash have been seized from a Newport News pop-up market, with four people charged and 60 people detained in connection to it, Newport News Police said Thursday.

Police seized firearms, cash and several hundred pounds of drugs at a pop-up market in a vacant business in the 10500 block of Jefferson Avenue Wednesday night. Officers were met by two armed security guards outside the market, and once inside the business, the officers executed a search warrant, seizing the following:

The drugs seized have a street value of nearly $2.5 million. Additionally, four adults were charged as a result of the preliminary investigation:

Other than the four people charged, the other people were released pending the outcome of the investigation.

Newport News Police Chief Steve Drew praised the work of detectives while thanking the DEA and Newport News Fire Marshals for their help in shutting down the pop-up, and he thanked the public for sharing a tip mentioning that there was a pop-up.

“We will continue to address the presence of guns and illegal drug activity in our city,” Drew said in a statement. “A tip from a concerned citizen was vital to ending this operation. We encourage the public to continue to share information regarding illegal activity with us.”

Police are continuing the investigation, and said further charges are possible.

Police note that under state code, it is illegal to sell, distribute or possess with intent to sell marijuana, and it is also illegal to possess more than an ounce of marijuana or marijuana product.