Four people were arrested this week after authorities seized 895 prescription pills during a drug bust at a Cherokee County storage facility.
The pills, including Percocet, oxycodone and methamphetamine, were found about 3 p.m. Wednesday at Compass Self Storage in the 5400 block of Wade Green Road, authorities said.
“The abuse of these types of prescription painkillers is the root cause of heroin abuse in Cherokee County,” according to the Cherokee Multi-Agency Narcotics Squad, which assisted the sheriff’s office in the investigation.
Sheriff’s deputies went to the facility near Acworth to serve an arrest warrant on George Porter IV and Crystal Hobbs.
When they arrived, the roll up doors to two storage units were open and Porter, Hobbs and two other individuals were inside, officials said. The other individuals were later identified as Robert Tanner IV and Amber Higginbotham.
“Deputies said they saw an open plastic case on a work bench which appeared to contain various types of pills,” the narcotics squad said. “Deputies also smelled the strong odor of marijuana emitting from the unit.”
Tanner had Percocet and a .380-caliber handgun on him and Higginbotham had 21 oxycodone pills on her, authorities said.
Deputies, however, found the bulk of the drugs after they secured search warrants for several cars and the two storage units.
The search yielded a .40-caliber handgun, 4.3 grams of methamphetamine, 55.2 grams of marijuana and 174 oxycodone pills, according to the sheriff’s office.
Authorities also found 548 pills of the sedative alprazolam, 86 pills of the muscle relaxer carisoprodol and dozens of pills used to treat pain and ADHD.
The drugs are valued at $11,500, officials said.
Porter IV and Hobbs face seven counts of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. They also face charges of possessing and intending to distribute methamphetamine and marijuana.
Tanner faces charges of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, possession with intent to distribute oxycodone and possession of less than an ounce of marijuana.
Higginbotham faces two counts of possession of oxycodone and methadone.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to call 678-493-7625 or report the tip anonymously at 770-345-7920.
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