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Mebane, Orange County

Mebane: Two men charged after about 111 pounds of cocaine seized at Buckhorn Road travel stop

Authorities say a citizen's tip on Monday, Oct. 26, led officers to a travel stop on Buckhorn Road off Interstates 40/85 in Mebane, where they seized about 111 pounds of cocaine, a handgun and cash. Two men are each charged with two counts of trafficking cocaine.

ConfirmedThe main facts are confirmed by official or first-hand sources.

By Triangle Local Staff · Published

The Old Orange County Courthouse in Hillsborough

File photo: Mx. Granger (CC0), via Wikimedia Commons.

What we know

Confirmed

  • On Monday, Oct. 26, officers got information from a concerned citizen about suspicious activity at a travel stop on Buckhorn Road in Mebane, off Interstates 40/85.Confirmed by Alamance County Sheriff's Office release, as reported by ABC45 and WXII (Oct. 28)
  • Local officers responded with investigators from the Alamance Narcotics Enforcement Team and agents from the Greensboro offices of the DEA, FBI and Homeland Security Investigations.Confirmed by Alamance County Sheriff's Office release, as reported by ABC45 (Oct. 28)
  • Officers seized about 111 pounds of cocaine, a SIG Sauer 9mm handgun and U.S. currency. Authorities estimate the cocaine's street value at more than $4 million.Confirmed by Alamance County Sheriff's Office release, as reported by ABC45 and WXII (Oct. 28)
  • The Guilford, Forsyth and Orange County sheriff's offices also assisted.Confirmed by Alamance County Sheriff's Office release, as reported by ABC45 (Oct. 28)

Alleged or reported

  • David Wayne Dawson, 58, of Lake Havasu City, Arizona, and Rafael Valderrama, 33, of Burlington, are each charged with two counts of trafficking cocaine.Alamance County Sheriff's Office, as reported by ABC45 and WXII (Oct. 28). Charges are accusations. Everyone charged is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court

Still unknown

  • Where the cocaine came from or where it was headed
  • When the two men are next due in court
  • Whether either man has a lawyer

What this means for you

Public safety
This story is not an official or emergency notice. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.

Instructions from General guidance

Report suspicious activity to local law enforcement.

What happened

Two men are charged with trafficking cocaine after officers seized about 111 pounds of the drug at a travel stop on Buckhorn Road in Mebane, the Alamance County Sheriff's Office says.

David Wayne Dawson, 58, of Lake Havasu City, Arizona, and Rafael Valderrama, 33, of Burlington, each face two counts of trafficking cocaine, according to the sheriff's office, as reported by ABC45 and WXII.

Charges are accusations. Everyone charged is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. We have not found a public statement from either man or from a lawyer for them.

What investigators say happened

On Monday, Oct. 26, officers got information from a concerned citizen about suspicious activity at a travel stop on Buckhorn Road, just off Interstates 40/85 in Mebane, the sheriff's office said.

Local officers responded, along with investigators from the Alamance Narcotics Enforcement Team and agents from the Greensboro offices of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations. The Guilford County, Forsyth County and Orange County sheriff's offices also helped.

Officers seized about 111 pounds of cocaine, a SIG Sauer 9mm handgun and cash. Authorities estimate the cocaine's street value at more than $4 million.

What we don't know yet

Officials have not said where the cocaine came from or where it was headed. The men's next court dates were not included in the information we reviewed.

Timeline

  • Monday, Oct. 26: A tip from a concerned citizen sends officers to a Buckhorn Road travel stop in Mebane. Officers seize about 111 pounds of cocaine, a handgun and cash, and two men are arrested (Alamance County Sheriff's Office, via ABC45 and WXII).
  • Wednesday, Oct. 28: The sheriff's office announces the seizure and the trafficking charges (Alamance County Sheriff's Office, via ABC45 and WXII).

What happens next

The case will go through the courts. We will update this story when court dates are set or if investigators release more details. This story is not an official or emergency notice. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.

Photos

Text-only. No official agency photo was available to us directly from the agency for this story.

Why it matters

The Buckhorn Road exit sits on Interstates 40/85, the main highway corridor linking the Triangle and the Triad. Investigators say a tip from a member of the public led to the seizure.

Our video on this story

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Updates

  1. Oct 28, 2026, 4:54 PM

    The Alamance County Sheriff's Office announces the seizure and the charges against David Wayne Dawson and Rafael Valderrama, ABC45 and WXII report.

Sources

  1. Multi-agency probe leads to seizure of more than 100 pounds of cocaine in Mebane, NC (ABC45, Oct. 28, 2026, citing the Alamance County Sheriff's Office)

    Official sourcePublished by Alamance County Sheriff's Office, via ABC45 · Checked Oct 29, 2026, 3:55 AM

  2. Over 100 pounds of cocaine seized at travel stop in Mebane, two arrested: Authorities (WXII, Oct. 28, 2026)

    Published by WXII 12 · Checked Oct 29, 2026, 3:55 AM

  3. Tip leads to seizure of 111 pounds of cocaine in Mebane (Greensboro News & Record, Oct. 28, 2026)

    Published by Greensboro News & Record · Checked Oct 29, 2026, 3:55 AM

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