Federal agents say an undercover drug sting in Norcross ended with two men in handcuffs and a shed loaded with kilogram-level quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl, after a parking lot deal led investigators straight to a nearby stash site. Both suspects remain in federal custody on federal drug trafficking charges; one is a convicted felon and the other is an undocumented immigrant who could also face deportation. Authorities say the seizure is the latest sign that cartel-linked shipments and local distribution cells keep popping up across metro Atlanta.
Undercover sale, shed search yield kilos
According to law enforcement accounts, the operation kicked off when an undercover officer bought two kilograms of methamphetamine in a shopping center parking lot off Buford Highway, then trailed a suspect to a nearby shed where additional meth and roughly nine kilograms of fentanyl were discovered, as reported by WSB-TV. Federal agents say the undercover purchase and follow-up searches were part of a coordinated enforcement action that culminated in the arrests.
Names and seizure totals from court filings
Court filings and local coverage identify the defendants as 27-year-old Benjamin Alberto Lozoya of Chamblee and 45-year-old Arturo Carreno-Rivera, a Mexican national. Reporting indicates agents seized roughly 30 pounds of fentanyl, about 10 pounds of meth across multiple locations, and two loaded firearms during the operation, according to Telemundo Atlanta. Both men have appeared in federal court and continue to be held in federal custody.
Cartel context and federal response
Federal agents told reporters the Norcross bust came weeks after Mexican security forces killed CJNG leader Nemesio “El Mencho” in February, a development widely covered by international media, including Al Jazeera. Investigators and academics caution that taking out a cartel boss does not necessarily slow the flow of drugs into U.S. markets, and El Mencho’s death is seen as no exception. As one researcher noted in local reporting, “The head of the organization is gone, but the operation still has to continue.”
Federal threat assessments underscore that Mexico-based transnational criminal organizations such as the Jalisco New Generation Cartel remain central drivers of the fentanyl crisis, according to the DEA. The Justice Department has also described coordinated multiagency efforts, in some instances labeled Operation Take Back America, which are aimed at disrupting those networks, per the Department of Justice.
Legal notes
According to court summaries cited by local media, Lozoya is charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, while Carreno-Rivera is accused of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Authorities say the undocumented defendant also faces immigration consequences, per Telemundo Atlanta. The investigation was led by the DEA with assistance from ICE-HSI, Gwinnett County law enforcement and the Georgia State Patrol.
Federal prosecutors and investigators say the case remains active and that they have not yet released additional court dates or a broader list of potential suspects. Local and federal agencies continue to emphasize the multiagency structure of the probe as they work to trace the supply chain behind the seized drugs.
