Florence County, South Carolina– On January 9, 2025, a routine traffic stop on Interstate 95 turned into a huge drug bust as Florence County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) deputies found a sizable cocaine stash valued at about half a million dollars, FCSO said in a release.
Patrolling a segment of I-95 at the 160-mile marker, FCSO Criminal Enforcement Unit deputies stopped a north-bound car for a moving violation. The officer’s contacts with the driver during the stop aroused the driver’s suspicions about criminal conduct. Acting on this, a narcotics-sniffing canine was brought in to help. The dog immediately detected the presence of illegal narcotics, which set off an extensive car search.
The search revealed five kilograms—around 11 pounds—of cocaine, a significant haul with an estimated street value of $500,000. Authorities claim that the drugs taken were probably meant for distribution well beyond of South Carolina.
The driver, identified as 50-year-old Johnny Bunkley III of Decatur, Georgia, was taken into custody at the scene. Bunkley has been charged with trafficking cocaine under South Carolina law (S.C. Code Ann. 44-53-370(e)(2)(e)). He is currently being held at the Florence County Detention Center, awaiting a bond hearing. If convicted, Bunkley faces a maximum sentence of up to 25 years in prison.
This arrest highlights the need of aggressive highway interdiction operations. Florence County deputies are trained to recognize the signs of criminal activity, and their diligence has led to taking a significant amount of dangerous drugs off the streets.
Well-known for drug trafficking, Interstate 95 is routinely under surveillance by law enforcement officials. This most recent bust emphasizes the continuous fight against drug trafficking and the vital part highly qualified deputies and K-9 teams perform.
For more information on this arrest and other updates, visit the Florence County Sheriff’s Office website.
