Posted on: March 20, 2026, 09:39h.
Last updated on: March 20, 2026, 09:39h.
- A North Carolina man has been charged with running an illegal gambling house
- The raid additionally turned up illegal moonshine and a bounty of street drugs, including crystal meth and cocaine
- The suspect has a lengthy criminal record
Law enforcement in North Carolina, raiding a suspected underground gambling den, found much more than cash and illegal gambling machines.
The Johnston County Sheriff’s Office carried out a sting on Wednesday along Dragstrip Rd. near Benson after numerous complaints were received from the community about suspicious activity going on at the address. The targeted property was in the 800 block of Dragstrip near Highway 242.
Sheriff’s detectives said the executed warrant turned up gambling machines and bricks of cash totaling approximately $200,000. The gambling terminals and alleged illicit money weren’t the only seized items.
Law enforcement reported that the raid additionally confiscated 58 gallons of moonshine, 160 grams of crystal methamphetamine, 197 grams of cocaine, and 52 grams of oxycodone.
The Johnston County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Division was assisted by North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement in carrying out the bust.
Illegal Gambling Often Mixed With Drugs
It’s not uncommon for an illegal gambling den to be accompanied by other unsavory activities.
Illicit narcotics are often found to be associated with such unlawful gambling businesses. The Johnston County Sheriff’s Office release showed at least four illegal gambling machines.
The joint law enforcement effort was successful in dismantling a significant source of illegal substances and activity within the community. During the execution of the search warrant, one individual attempted to evade capture by fleeing through the rear of the building, carrying a substantial quantity of illegal substances. Deputies and agents quickly apprehended the subject and secured the premises and located multiple illegal gaming machines,” a statement from the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office read.
Danny Bruce Allen, of Benson, was arrested for running an underground gambling and narcotics operation. Allen has been charged with trafficking in cocaine, methamphetamine, possession of a non-taxed liquor, maintaining a dwelling for controlled substances, and trafficking oxycodone. He faces years in prison if convicted of all the charges.
Law enforcement said the sting helps address and eradicate “illegal drug and gambling operations that threaten the safety and well-being of the community.”
Moonshine remains a popular liquor in the rural Carolinas. The alcoholic beverage is typically high-proof, unaged, and made from distilled corn whiskey produced in makeshift stills to evade taxes.
Lengthy Rap Sheet
This certainly isn’t Allen’s first run-in with the law. North Carolina court records show Allen has faced over a dozen cases in Johnston County alone.
In 1991, Allen failed to pay property taxes, which resulted in the NC Dept. of Revenue suing him and placing a lien on his property. A year later, Allen was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of moonshine. In 2001, Allen was found guilty of driving while impaired.
Other charges over the years against Allen include the possession of illegal fireworks, possession of marijuana, possession of a stolen firearm, felony possession of cannabis, maintaining a property for the illegal sale of controlled substances, and simple assault.
