North Huntingdon Police find $15K worth of marijuana wax, cocaine in traffic stop

North Huntingdon police stopped a car for driving erratically on Route 30 and arrested two Allegheny County men after finding about $15,000 worth of a powerful marijuana extract known as “Shatter” and a smaller quantity of cocaine, according to court documents.

Dwayne M. Jefferson of Munhall and Darius L. Auston, both 37 of Duquesne, were arraigned Wednesday on multiple drug possession and delivery charges. A judge ordered them held in the Westmoreland County Prison on $50,000 and $100,000 bail, respectively.

Officer Aaron Nutter reported that he was patrolling Route 30 about 9:30 p.m. when he began following a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu that was speeding when it entered the highway westbound from the turnpike.

According to Nutter, he followed the vehicle for more than three miles as it continued to drive more than 10 mph over the posted 40 mph speed limit and abruptly changed lanes without activating a turn signal.

Nutter stopped the car and reported smelling “fresh” marijuana, but the pair denied there was any contraband inside the rental car.

Jefferson, who was driving, claimed he had just returned from visiting a relative in Philadelphia and picked up Auston in New Stanton, Nutter said, adding that Jefferson told officers they were headed to Braddock.

A search uncovered a vacuum-sealed foil package containing 1.3 pounds of THC wax hidden under the front passenger seat, police said.

Shatter is a marijuana extract much more powerful than leaf marijuana. It is typically smoked in a pipe.

The suspected cocaine was inside three plastic bags in the center console. Five suspected Ecstasy pills were also seized, according to Nutter. A small digital scale was found inside a pocket in a car door, police said.

“This vacuum-sealed package was also opened and found to contain seven large sheets of suspected concentrated THC wax paper … no thicker than a thick piece of cardboard … and clipped together,” Nutter wrote in court documents.

Police said they also confiscated a receipt from Auston’s checking account that showed a withdrawal of $4,700 from a bank in Ephrata.

Auston admitted during questioning that Jefferson and he had travelled together and purchased the THC wax in York and were planning to sell it locally, Nutter said. The wax sells for $25 a gram on the street, said Nutter.

District Judge Wayne Gongaware scheduled a preliminary hearing May 22.