A Greenwood County narcotics investigation ended with the seizure of more than five kilograms of cocaine and a felony trafficking charge against a local woman, according to law enforcement.
Jennifer Geraldin Martinez was charged with trafficking in cocaine, 400 grams or more, following a joint operation carried out by the Greenwood County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Division, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and the Greenwood Police Department Drug Unit. The multi-agency approach reflects how county and city investigators have increasingly pooled resources on narcotics cases that cross jurisdictional lines within Greenwood County.
The narcotics investigation that led to Thursday’s seizure was described by deputies as ongoing, with the possibility that additional charges could be filed as the case develops. Investigators have not detailed how the operation was initiated or whether it connects to other cases under review, but the scale of the seizure, more than five kilograms, places it among the larger cocaine busts reported in the area this year.
Trafficking charges at the 400-gram threshold carry mandatory minimum sentences under South Carolina law, a distinction that separates trafficking counts from simple possession or distribution charges. That threshold underscores the seriousness with which prosecutors are expected to pursue the case once it moves through the court system.
Neither the sheriff’s office nor SLED released additional details on the exact location of the seizure or the timeline of the broader investigation. Deputies indicated more information could follow as the case proceeds, and county residents watching the case will likely see it move through Greenwood County’s court docket in the coming months. The case adds to an active year for narcotics enforcement across the Lakelands region, where multiple agencies have coordinated on similar investigations.
