Newton, N.C. – In February of 2025 the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Division initiated an investigation into several suspected drug traffickers operating in the Catawba Valley region of North Carolina.
As this investigation progressed a CCSO investigator who serves as a task force officer (TFO) with the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF) facilitated several controlled purchases. This work prompted the ATF to adopt this investigation federally.
On October 23rd, 2025 ATF agents and TFO’s executed a federal search warrant at a residence in Granite Falls, NC. Catawba County Sheriff’s narcotics investigators were also present and affected the arrest of Kenneth Travis for narcotics violations previously committed in Catawba County.
A search of the Granite Falls property resulted in following seizures of narcotics and United States
currency.
Quantity of Narcotics Seized Value______________
• 60.6 kilograms of Methamphetamine $454,500.00
• 12.7 kilograms of Cocaine $429,100.00
• 1.3 kilograms of Fentanyl $39,000.00
Total weight of narcotics seizure: 74.6 Kilograms
Amount of Currency Seized: $377,981.00
