CARTELS IN GEORGIA: DEA Atlanta Division seizes 150,000 fake pills, makes nearly 300 arrests
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is announcing the results of a year-long national operation that led to dozens of arrests in Georgia.
“Operation Last Mile” targeted operatives, associates, and distributors affiliated with the Sinaloa and Jalisco Cartels, according to a news release.
The DEA says the two Mexico-based cartels are behind most of the fentanyl and methamphetamine that is killing Americans.
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The operation revealed the Cartels use social media like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat to coordinate logistics and find victims.
“Operation Last Mile” occurred between May 1, 2022 to May 1, 2023 and comprised 1,436 investigations resulting in 3,337 arrests.
Investigators seized nearly 44 million fentanyl pills, 6,500 pounds of fentanyl powder, 91,00 pounds of methamphetamine, 8,497 guns, and more than $100 million.
The Atlanta Division played a part. The division oversees Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.
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The Atlanta Division conducted 76 investigations resulting in 272 arrests and the seizure of nearly 150,000 fake pills, 180 pounds of fentanyl powder, 2,400 pounds of meth, 329 guns, and nearly $12 million in assets, according to a news release.
The fentanyl adds up to nearly 5 million deadly doses, according to the DEA.
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“Operation Last Mile not only removed deadly drugs off our streets, but several dangerous drug dealers who worked with the Cartels to profit from the opioid epidemic our nation is currently facing,” said Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division Robert J. Murphy. “Our agents worked diligently on nearly 100 cases to shut these operations down and to keep our communities safe.”
The DEA says “Operation Last Mile” is an example of a network-based approach to take out Sinaloa and Jalisco cartel members and associates in the United States and across the globe.
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