In a shocking turn of events, two people have been arrested in South Carolina after police discovered 1,500 grams of cocaine inside a fake pregnancy belly.
Sheriff’s deputies in Anderson County pulled over Anthony Miller and Cemeka Mitchem on April 12 as part of a “proactive patrol” on Interstate 85. During the stop, police became suspicious when Mitchem, who was wearing a fake rubber stomach, gave conflicting information about her “due date.”
When Mitchem realized the deputies were becoming suspicious, she fled from the car with drug paraphernalia and cocaine spilling from her fake belly. Sheriff’s deputies recovered more than 1,500 grams of cocaine at the scene.
Miller and Mitchem face charges of trafficking cocaine and have been denied bond.
The incident comes as the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control’s annual report on drug overdose deaths in the Palmetto State revealed a “continued significant increase” over the past several years.
“From 2020 to 2021, the total number of drug overdose deaths in South Carolina increased by more than 430 individuals, from 1,734 deaths to 2,168: an increase of more than 25%,” the state said in a press release for the report. “By comparison, there were only 573 drug overdose deaths in the state in 2012. Opioids continue to be the primary cause of overdose deaths in recent years, contributing to 1,733 of the 2,168 fatal overdoses in 2021.”
Fentanyl is largely responsible for the increase, with drug overdose deaths involving fentanyl increasing by more than 35% in South Carolina between 2020 to 2021.
“Other drugs are being laced with fentanyl – without the user’s knowledge – which can cause a fatal overdose even in a small quantity,” said Sara Goldsby, Director of the South Carolina Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services (DAODAS). “If there is a possibility of coming into contact with an unsafe drug, it’s important to have naloxone on hand in case of an overdose.”
South Carolina authorities are taking the situation seriously and are doing their best to make sure people stay safe. In the meantime, the arrest of Miller and Mitchem serves as a reminder of the dangers of drug trafficking and possession in the state. It also serves as a reminder that no one is above the law and that law enforcement will continue to crack down on those who are found with illegal drugs.
