Norcross, GA, has seen a significant crackdown on drug trafficking following a coordinated effort involving multiple law enforcement agencies. According to a report by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), two suspects were arrested after a search warrant was executed in a residential area of the city.
Arturo Perez-Huizache, 40, and Carla Michelle Abarca-Jiminez, 22, both originally from Guerrero, Mexico, have been charged with trafficking methamphetamine. Representing a larger thread in the fabric of the regional drug trade, the GBI teamed up with the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI to dismantle a meth lab found in the home located on the 1500 block of Colony Park Drive, Norcross, GA. Here, it was found that about four kilograms of suspected methamphetamine, cocaine, ecstasy pills, and a firearm were seized, as were the methamphetamine oils being converted into methamphetamine crystals for sale.
This operation is part of the ongoing battle against the criminal drug trafficking organization led by Georgia Department of Corrections inmate Kevin Lee Daniel Mashburn. Law enforcement has been tracking the Mashburn DTO's activities, which include distributing large quantities of methamphetamine through several counties, primarily via the I-515/575 corridor. Over the past year, this investigation has led to the arrest of over a dozen individuals connected to the organization, and more than 35 kilograms of methamphetamine have been confiscated.
The collaborative effort extended across multiple jurisdictions, with contributions from the FBI, various Sheriff’s Offices, and other law enforcement entities. The depth of this multi-agency network was evident, which included the GBI Appalachian Regional Drug Enforcement Office, the FBI Conasauga Safe Streets Task Force, the Georgia Department of Corrections, among others. The seizure and arrests are indicative of a sustained campaign against drug proliferation in this part of Georgia, with a clear message that law enforcement is far from relinquishing its grip on the battle against illegal narcotics operations in the area.
Authorities continue to urge the public to report any drug-related activities. Information can be conveyed to the GBI ARDEO at (706)348-7410 or anonymously through various channels, such as a 1-800 number, an online submission form or a designated mobile app. The broader scope of the drugs enforcement operation encompasses some 30 counties, revealing the formidable expanse of law enforcement's vigilance and dedication to quelling the drug crisis in northern Georgia.
