Authorities said they recently made the largest heroin bust in Georgia history, preventing 374 pounds of the illegal substance from making it to Atlanta’s streets.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration told Channel 2 Action News that agents seized about $8 million worth of drugs, which includes the massive amount of heroin, 22 pounds of cocaine and 20 pounds of marijuana. The DEA said agents believe the drugs were headed for “The Bluff,” a section of northwest Atlanta notorious for heroin availability.
“There’s a staggering amount of people that are using heroin still in this area, especially in light of COVID-19 and everything else,” DEA Atlanta Special Agent Robert Murphy told Channel 2.
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Murphy also said the lead suspect arrested in the operation is likely the primary supplier of heroin to “The Bluff.”
“Some of it (was) black tar. Some of it regular brown heroin,” Murphy said, adding that agents were able to track the large amount of drugs to a Mexican cartel.
Neither the prime suspect’s name nor the specific location where the heroin was seized was released Tuesday. The prime suspect has reportedly already served time in federal prison.
Initially, the DEA and U.S. Attorney BJay Pak had a news conference scheduled for Wednesday afternoon to provide more information, but it was delayed to 2 p.m. Monday, DEA spokesman Chuvalo Truesdell told AJC.com.
The cocaine and marijuana, along with 41 guns and $1.5 million in cash, were also seized from a house along Whitehall Street as part of the operation, Channel 2 reported.
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
The investigation was conducted by the DEA, along with assistance from the FBI and Doraville police.
This story was first reported by Channel 2 Action News.
— Please return to AJC.com for updates.
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