$335,369 worth of drugs seized from Rural Hall home; suspect given $1 million bond

A 35-year-old Rural Hall man is facing a slew of charges after the Forsyth County Drug Task Force (FCDTF) arrested him for drug trafficking. Deputies say they seized narcotics worth over one-third of a million dollars in total.

According to the FCDTF, detectives started investigating Michael Kier Blakley, 35, of Rural Hall, for both the manufacturing and the sale of cocaine. It led to a search warrant, conducted on Friday, Oct. 8, at a home on the 1800 block of Bethania-Rural Hall Road.

Blakely was then arrested and charged with felony trafficking cocaine. Michael Keir Blakley, a 35-year-old Black male of Rural Hall was arrested and charged with:

• three counts of felony trafficking cocaine;
• felony manufacturing a schedule-1 controlled substance;
• felony possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine;
• felony maintaining a dwelling for use, keeping, or selling of a controlled substance;
• felony maintaining a vehicle for use, keeping, or selling of a controlled substance;
• felony possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana;
• felony possession of stolen property;
• and felony possession of a firearm by a convicted felon

Blakley was also served with outstanding warrants for an unrelated investigation. That led to the following charges:

• felony sale and delivery of cocaine;
• felony possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine;
• and felony possession of narcotics within 1,000 feet of a public park.

Blakley appeared before a magistrate and received a $1,000,000.00 secured bond. His next day in court is set for Oct. 29.

As a result of this investigation, the following items were seized by FCDTF detectives at the home in Rural Hall:

• 2.265 kilograms of cocaine with a street value of approximately $226,500.00.
• 965 grams of liquid codeine with a street value of approximately $96,500.00
• 1,730 grams of marijuana with a street value of approximately $12,369.50
• two firearms, one of which was reported stolen;
• “an assortment” of ammunition;
• paraphernalia utilized to manufacture cocaine;
• and $74,849.00 in U.S. currency

“The street value of narcotics seized during the course of this investigation totals $335,369.50,” deputies say.

“Anyone with information related to this investigation or regarding narcotics activity located anywhere in Forsyth County is encouraged to reach out to the FCDTF. Anonymously text information, photos, and video via Text-A-Tip at 336-920-8477; or anonymously call Crimestoppers at 336-727-2800 for English or 336-728-3904 for Spanish,” a news release said.