Full Notification

(Etowah County, Alabama) Two individuals have been arrested and charged with trafficking a new narcotic in Alabama, according to Sheriff Todd Entrekin.

Ricky Lee Laxton, 26, and Samantha Mary Mooney, 20, both of Boaz, are each charged with one count of trafficking, two counts of unlawful possession of a controlled substance, one count of first degree unlawful possession of marijuana and one count of first degree salvia.

Etowah County Drug Task Force agents executed a search warrant, August 1, 2014, at a residence on Liberty Hill Road, Smith Institute community, and found two kilos of AB-Pinaca, a synthetic narcotic, along with two handguns.

The discovery of this type of synthetic narcotic is the first in the State of Alabama and has a street value in excess of $100,000.

Highly dangerous, AB-Pinaca is known to cause renal, lung and circulatory failure after using the drug just one time.

The two kilos that arrived at the residence on Liberty Hill Road was ordered from China and would eventually be sprayed with an acetone mixture. Individuals who used the narcotic experience a high that includes paranoia and hallucinations.

Agencies involved in the investigation include the Etowah County Drug Task Force, FBI Safe Streets Task Force and the Alabama Beverage Control Division of Narcotics. The investigation was also worked in cooperation of the United States Postal Service and Homeland Security Investigations.

Laxton and Mooney are both being detained in the Etowah County Detention Center.
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