A mid-afternoon search of a house on Martin Nash Road in Lilburn turned what neighbors describe as a quiet street into an active crime scene Wednesday, after officers reported finding drugs and multiple firearms within reach of children. Residents said the road was blocked for hours while detectives executed a warrant and hauled evidence from the home. Two people have been charged in the case.
According to WSB-TV, officers seized cocaine, methamphetamine, ecstasy and marijuana and found seven guns inside the residence. The station reported that Long Tran, 37, and Kim Kien, 30, were charged with drug trafficking and that the operation stemmed from an undercover buy in which Tran allegedly sold cocaine to an officer multiple times since February. Warrants described weapons left casually around the house, including a pistol on top of a refrigerator and a rifle in a closet, and said drugs and firearms were spread across the dining table and other rooms.
“That’s really surprising to even find out that it happened right here in our own neighborhood,” neighbor Brian Chavez told WSB-TV. Chavez said cell phone video shared with Channel 2 shows officers in body armor lining the street and turning cars around as the scene unfolded. For neighbors who walk the block at night, the discovery left people shaken.
Part of a Wider Crackdown in Metro Atlanta
The Lilburn search comes as federal and local task forces ramp up coordinated operations across metro Atlanta this spring, resulting in large drug and gun seizures. U.S. Marshals and partner agencies made dozens of arrests and recovered dozens of firearms and many pounds of narcotics earlier this month, as reported by CBS Atlanta, and South Fulton police recently said they seized a "significant" amount of drugs and weapons, according to FOX 5 Atlanta. Hoodline coverage of a prior Gwinnett County raid last winter shows similar trafficking investigations in the same county.
What the Charges Mean
Tran and Kien face drug-trafficking counts along with additional weapons and reckless conduct charges listed in arrest paperwork. Under Georgia law, trafficking is quantity based and can trigger mandatory minimum sentences depending on the type and weight of the drugs involved. The statute that sets thresholds and penalties is outlined in O.C.G.A. § 16-13-31. Convictions for trafficking can carry multi-year prison terms and substantial fines, with penalties scaled to specific drug quantities.
Gwinnett County detectives say the investigation remains active, and court filings will determine arraignment dates and any additional charges. This report will be updated as official records and court schedules become available.
