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Officers with the Lexington County Multi-Agency Narcotics Enforcement Team (NET) seized 7.4 kilograms of cocaine, which has a street value of $739,878, 2.5 pounds of marijuana, which has a street value of $5,670, firearms and equipment that is used to grow marijuana indoors after executing a search warrant at a home on Happy Town Road near Swansea.

It was one of the largest cocaine seizures ever conducted in Lexington County.

Lexington County Sheriff James R. Metts said NET officers and Lexington County Sheriff's Department deputies arrested John Brantley Barnes, 23, of 178 Happy Town Road, Swansea, at about 7:15 p.m. on Saturday, December 20 after officers executed a search warrant at Barnes' home.

Officers arrested Barnes on charges of trafficking in cocaine, manufacturing marijuana, distributing marijuana, possessing marijuana with the intent to distribute it, possessing a stolen firearm, possessing a firearm during the commission of a violent crime and unlawfully possessing body armor.

Barnes was being held on Monday, December 22 at the Lexington County Detention Center on bail totaling $210,000, Metts said.

Deputy Robert Snuffer encountered Barnes while Snuffer was responding to an unrelated call on Saturday afternoon, Metts said. Snuffer contacted NET officers because Snuffer knew that Barnes was wanted on an arrest warrant on a charge of distributing marijuana in connection with an on-going investigation of cocaine and marijuana trafficking in the Swansea community.

The arrest warrant for distributing marijuana was issued for Barnes on October 22.

After they executed a search warrant at Barnes' home, officers seized 7.4 kilograms of cocaine and 2.5 pounds of marijuana, Metts said.

Officers found four kilograms of cocaine in a safe at Barnes' home, while the remaining 3.4 kilograms of cocaine were hidden in areas where Barnes was remodeling, Metts said.

Officers also seized one .380-caliber handgun that had been reported stolen, one .32-caliber handgun, one Norinco Uzi 9-mm carbine rifle, one .22-caliber rifle, one Safariland body armor and about 10 lights that were set up to grow marijuana.

The lighting equipment was worth $5,000.

The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms is investigating how Barnes acquired the firearms and body armor that officers seized at Barnes' home, Metts said. Barnes also might face federal criminal charges.

Citizens who want to anonymously report illegal drug activity can call CrimeStoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC or call the NET Hotline at (803) 785-8411, Metts said.

NET is comprised of officers from the Lexington County Sheriff's Department, Batesburg-Leesville Police Department, Cayce Department of Public Safety, Irmo Police Department and Lexington Police Department, Metts said. The sheriff and municipal police chiefs implemented NET in 2001 in order to enhance drug enforcement across Lexington County.