Bad Links?
Other glitches?
Notify Webmaster

By LEE WILLIAMS
lwilliams@TheCitizenNews.com

Agents of the Fayette County Drug Task Force and the federal Drug Enforcement Administration seized more than $4.15 million in drugs and loot found hidden in a tractor-trailer in Newnan Dec. 2.

All told, agents collected more than $2.35 million in cash and over 90 kilos of cocaine, which has a street value of about $1.8 million, from the big rig, task force officials said. The truck was parked at a gated warehouse at 1924 Millard Farmer Road off exit 41 on I-85, according to U.S. Attorney’s Office spokesman Patrick Crosby.

Byron “Chiquilin” Fernele, 28, Pedro Angel Cortes, 33, Fernando Martinez-Fernandez, 27, Arnoldo Fuentes-Lopez, 34, and Gualberto Chavez Ramos, all of unknown origins, face charges of conspiracy to trafficking and possession of cocaine in connection with the case, officials said.

No one was hurt during the sting operation, which is the culmination of a month-long investigation, Fayette County Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman Lt. Belinda McCastle said Wednesday.

Capt. Mike Pruitt heads up the Fayette County Drug Task Force, McCastle said. Six men from the task force participated in the effort, added Fayette County Sheriff’s Department Criminal Investigations Division Commander Lt. Col. Bruce Jordan.

Jordan said the record drug seizure is a coup for the department.

“It’s great when you get that much drug money and that much drugs off the street,” Jordan said. “That’s always the best case scenario. Usually, you get one or the other.”

Jordan said he and Fayette County Sheriff Randall Johnson applauded the men’s efforts.

“Those people have been doing great work,” Jordan said. “This is the third year in a row that they have had a multi-million dollar drug deal go down in one time.”

The streets are much safer thanks to their work, Jordan said. The men will be rewarded.

“That’s a lot of cocaine that won’t be in Atlanta during the Christmas holiday,” Jordan said. “This is possibly the second largest drug bust we’ve had and the sheriff has already approved the men involved to receive a Medal of Merit. That’s the highest meritorious award that we give at the department.”