Federal agents say a suburban backyard in Brookhaven doubled as a meth conversion lab, complete with a tent over the operation and a hefty stash of liquid methamphetamine. The Feb. 20 search of the Brookhaven-area home ended with three arrests and what authorities describe as a major drug seizure: about 100 pounds of liquid meth mixed into concrete, plus roughly 50 liters of meth solution. The suspects, identified as Sergio Cortes-Nieto, Jose Angel Cortes Raquel and Christian Martinez Larumbe Dominguez, are facing federal possession-with-intent-to-distribute charges.
Federal officials: backyard lab endangered neighbors
According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, DEA agents executed a federal search warrant at the Brookhaven residence on Feb. 20. Agents say they found two people allegedly converting methamphetamine under a tent in the backyard, only steps from neighboring homes.
Prosecutors say agents seized about 100 pounds of liquid meth that had been mixed into and concealed in concrete, along with another 50 liters of liquid meth solution. "This lab was operating in a backyard, in close proximity to families and children," said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg added that his office intends to pursue the case vigorously in federal court.
Where it happened in suburban Atlanta
The operation was uncovered in the 1900 block of Mannville Drive, a property that carries an Atlanta mailing address but actually sits inside Brookhaven city limits, as reported by Atlanta News First. The outlet reports that Jose Angel Cortes Raquel and Christian Martinez Larumbe Dominguez were arrested at the home, while Sergio Cortes-Nieto was taken into custody earlier that same day at a nearby storage facility.
Neighbors and local officials had not issued any further public statements at the time of the initial reports, leaving residents to piece together what happened from the flashing lights and federal agents swarming their normally quiet block.
Linked to a record seizure in 2024
The U.S. Attorney’s Office says this case connects to an August 2024 investigation in which agents seized roughly 2,370 pounds of methamphetamine hidden inside boxes of celery at the Atlanta State Farmers Market. Prosecutors allege that Cortes Raquel coordinated that massive shipment.
That earlier seizure was described as one of the largest handled by DEA Atlanta and led to an indictment and additional federal charges for Cortes Raquel. Authorities say the current case is being prosecuted as part of Operation Take Back America, a broader federal effort to disrupt cartel activity in the region.
Next steps and public safety
All three defendants have appeared before a U.S. magistrate judge on the federal charges. Officials emphasized that the criminal complaint and indictment consist of allegations only and that the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and DEA say the investigation is ongoing and the cases will proceed in federal court. Authorities are urging anyone with information related to the operation or the broader probe to contact the DEA or the U.S. Attorney’s Office as the investigation continues.
