North Carolina police seize gun in drug bust altered to look like Nerf toy

March 19, 2021 Updated at 8:00 p.m

North Carolina police say they uncovered numerous firearms while carrying out a drug raid at a local home this week, including one pistol that was altered to look like a toy gun.

The Catawba County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release that investigators found a Glock 19 pistol and a 50-round drum magazine that been painted blue and orange and labeled with the Nerf logo in order to resemble a toy. 

Pictures shared by police on social media showed the disguised weapon and its magazine, with the only part not resembling a toy an attachment at the weapon’s rear.

Authorities said they found a total of 20 firearms, including pistols, rifles and shotguns, as well as approximately $2,300 in cash, the sheriff’s office said. 

Investigators also said they seized “quantities” of cocaine, psilocybin mushrooms and marijuana at the residence located about 36 miles southeast of Charlotte. 

The sheriff’s office said that firearms are often found when conducting searches for large amounts of narcotics and while it is not illegal to have disguised weapons, they are nevertheless “concerning to law enforcement.” 

Authorities charged 35-year-old Catawba resident Damien Alonzo Burch with felonies of possessing cocaine and mushrooms, as well as a misdemeanor of possessing marijuana.

“Another success resulting from our area Narcotics Teams working together,” Sheriff Don Brown said in a statement. “Our agencies pooling their resources allows for a greater impact to be felt county wide.”

The sheriff’s office said Burch appeared in court on Thursday, and was issued a $20,000 bond.