Moncks Corner, S.C. – A Pineville traffic stop led to a drug trafficking arrest and firearm seizure, authorities said.
According to the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office, deputies arrested 53-year-old Thomas Anthony Giza following a Feb. 16 traffic stop on Edgewater Road.
Sheriff Duane Lewis said a deputy observed a white Toyota Tundra speeding and failing to maintain its lane on Highway 45 before initiating the stop. During the investigation, a K9 unit conducted a free-air sniff around the vehicle. The dog alerted to the presence of narcotics, deputies said.
Authorities reported locating approximately 60 grams of a substance that field-tested positive for methamphetamine and 104 pink pressed pills that field-tested positive for MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy. Deputies also allegedly found a loaded black Beretta semi-automatic handgun inside a green bag beneath the narcotics.
According to investigators, Giza allegedly admitted the drugs belonged to him and acknowledged awareness of the firearm inside the vehicle.
He was charged with trafficking methamphetamine between 28 and 100 grams, trafficking MDMA in quantities of 100 dosage units or more, and possession of a weapon during commission of a violent crime.
The case remains under review. The arrest may draw attention among commuters who frequently travel Highway 45 in the Pineville area.
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