San Diego County Sheriff’s deputies arrested two men in San Marcos Friday on suspicion of possession of an illegal firearm and narcotics.
Just before 6:30 p.m., deputies from the San Marcos Sheriff’s Station noticed what they deemed a suspicious vehicle at 202 South Rancho Santa Fe Road.
During a search of the vehicle, a loaded, privately manufactured weapon, commonly known as a ghost gun, was found, along with 48 rounds of 9mm ammunition, said Sgt. Alex Brust.
Deputies also discovered a variety of illegal substances, which included cocaine, ecstasy, fentanyl pills and psilocybin mushrooms. They arrested the occupants of the vehicle, Justin Gioia, 25, Nathaniel Brown, 36, and a 17-year-old teenage girl on drug and firearms charges, Brust said.
Ghost guns do not have a serial number or other identifiable markings. Unlike weapons made by a licensed manufacturer, they lack a serial number, which makes it challenging for law enforcement agencies to track them to their owners or makers, hindering or delaying investigations and crime-solving efforts.
Gioia and Brown were booked into the Vista Detention Facility, Brust said. The teen was released to her parents.
– City News Service
