CATAWA, N.C. – Narcotics investigators in North Carolina say they came across a firearm disguised as a toy while executing a search warrant at a home Wednesday.
The Catawba County Sheriff’s Office says it worked with the Newton Police Department to search the residence in Catawba after gathering evidence of narcotics possession at the location.
During their search, investigators say they seized quantities of cocaine, psilocybin mushrooms and marijuana, as well as $2,300 in cash and 20 guns.
The firearms included pistols, rifles and shotguns. The sheriff’s office says one of the weapons, a converted Glock model 19 pistol with a 50 round drum magazine, “had been altered to resemble a toy Nerf gun.”
The sheriff’s office noted that it’s not illegal to possess these types of firearms, but officers said the guns “are concerning to law enforcement.”
As a result of the search, 35-year-old Damien Alonzo Burch was arrested and charged with felonious possession of cocaine, felonious possession of mushrooms and misdemeanor possession of marijuana.
“Another success resulting from our area narcotics teams working together. Our agencies pooling their resources allows for a greater impact to be felt county wide,” said Sheriff Don Brown in a statement.