IED event in Washington, Centralia area, United States of America on Tue 21st November 2023

CENTRALIA, Wash. — Eight people were arrested as a result of a lengthy Lewis County investigation for their involvement in the possession of bombs and stolen property, the selling of drugs and the illegal possession of firearms.

As a result of the arrests, the Centralia Police Department's Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team (JNET) said it recovered more than 2 pounds of methamphetamine, nine firearms, four pipe bombs, four firearm suppressors, 55 grams of fentanyl powder and 1 ounce of heroin. The investigation is ongoing, and Centralia police (CPD) ask anyone with information to call 360-330-7680 or call Lewis County Communications at 360-740-1105. The JNET is a multi-jurisdictional task force made up of detectives from the CPD, the Chehalis Police Department, Washington Department of Corrections and the DEA.

In the morning of Nov. 21, the CPD's critical response unit served related search warrants on the 3100 block of Zenkner Valley Road and the 800 block of Cousins Road, according to a JNET press release. The former warrant led to the arrest of a 40-year-old man who's accused of numerous felony-level controlled substance charges and firearms, the JNET said. The homeowner, a 59-year-old man, was out on bail for charges of selling drugs in 2021 and was arrested again for new drug-related charges, the JNET added.

On the search warrant at 800 block of Cousins Road, a 46-year-old man and a 27-year-old woman were arrested on multiple felony drug charges, according to the JNET, which said detectives at the scene also located a stolen 2019 camper trailer the aforementioned 40-year-old was living in. A search of the trailer showed evidence of manufacturing bombs and printing counterfeit money, the JNET said.