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News | Peachtree City

Cops mum on $3M drug bust

Tue, 09/01/2009 - 3:59pm

By: John Munford

A police chase through north Peachtree City Saturday evening is connected to the interception of a large quantity of illegal drugs that were flown into Falcon Field on a private 8-passenger twin-engine aircraft earlier that day, The Citizen has confirmed.

The pursuit, which ended on Ga. Highway 54 just short of the Fayetteville city limits, netted more than $3 million worth of illegal drugs from the getaway car, The Citizen has learned.

Local and federal law enforcement officials have so far declined comment on any aspect of the case except to confirm that the pursuit was related to an operation conducted by the federal Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agency.

ICE officials have said information on the operation will be released later on this week.

An eyewitness has said that at one point during the chase a sheriff’s deputy stood in the road with his weapon drawn, apparently in an attempt to stop the vehicle, and was almost run over by a Ford Expedition as it was being pursued by law enforcement. The deputy had to dive out of the way to avoid being struck by the fleeing SUV.

The chase went south on North Peachtree Parkway past Lake Kedron and then headed east on Ga. Highway 54 going into the unincorporated county. The pursuit ended on Ga. Highway 54 shortly before reaching Piedmont Fayette Hospital.

So-called stop sticks were deployed in at least two locations along the chase route, eyewitnesses reported.

At least one motorist was run off the road and another vehicle was struck during the pursuit. The collision, deemed a minor one, occurred at the intersection of Peachtree Parkway and Hwy. 54.

It is not known if anyone was hurt during the chase or even whether or not the suspects were apprehended at the scene where the chase ended, although no subsequent pursuits occurred. An ICE spokesperson said the details were being withheld pending further investigation.

As early as last Wednesday local law enforcement agents had staked out Falcon Field in hopes of intercepting a private aircraft that is registered to C&B Aviation Inc. out of Plano, Texas, a suburb north of Dallas.

That plane, a Cessna 421C, can carry up to eight passengers and two crewmembers in a pressurized cabin and has an operating ceiling of 27,000 feet and a top speed of 274 mph.

What happened to the plane hasn’t been divulged by officials.

Cops mum on $3M drug bust

Submitted by Gene61 on Thu, 09/03/2009 - 4:04pm.

Investigation is on going, more people will fall and soon like the late Paul Harvey would say, "Now you know the rest of the story" .

"on going"means they know nothin!

Submitted by Bonkers on Thu, 09/03/2009 - 4:30pm.

Otherwise a news cobference would have been called.

Where will the "more people will fall," fall? Has sum fell alredy?

Did paul harvey do sich 'rest of stories' as thisin?
Anyway we "don't know" as you sed we did!

ARNE's --- now open for for business.

Submitted by ptctaxpayer on Thu, 09/03/2009 - 9:57am.

ARNE's --- now open for business.

No, its not that overpriced, underserviced liquor store its the

ATLANTA REGIONAL NARCOTICS ENTRY point....

The PTC Developer/Banker crowd touted the recent drug bust as good exposure for the airfield once known as Falcon Field despite the initial negative press. Chamber President Hackie Hack was quoted as saying "Life gives you a lemon, make lemonade. There's no such thing as bad publicity. We got some publicity and we got on the map. After all, drug dealers use quality equipment and we want to show that Falcon field is a quality aviation facility." Bank of Georgia stands poised to fund airport expansion plans and Congressman Lynn "Porkie" Westmoreland was seen bringing in a wheelbarrow of federal cash. Chants of "Virgil, Virgil, Virgil..." signaled an interest in rehiring Virgil Christian and Tate Godfrey to run this "World Class Aviation Center."

Sorry folks ARNE's doesn't have any Black Jack, Dom or Bud but plenty of blow and reefer (which Bonkie$ has never "experimented" with).

chase "catch me if you can"

Submitted by Road Runner on Thu, 09/03/2009 - 7:48am.

Enough of this crap with these chases in Fayette County! Should have been intercepted at Falcon Field so as not to risk peoples lives in these high speed chases. These past chases have killed people. Great for catching the bad guys but.... "As early as last Wednesday local law enforcement agents had staked out Falcon Field in hopes of intercepting a private aircraft that is registered to C&B Aviation Inc. out of Plano, Texas, a suburb north of Dallas." WOW!

Dangerous scenarios such as this..

Submitted by Spyglass on Thu, 09/03/2009 - 8:23am.

are the reason that some folks want drugs legalized, taxed and regulated..you don't hear of stuff like this involved with a load of LIQUOR.

There will be little proceeds to share.

Submitted by Buck on Tue, 09/01/2009 - 10:34pm.

It was a great bust, probably record breaking, but will net very little for the agencies involved. It was apparently a dope run and not a money run. You will seldom see a combination flight like that. The dope comes in and the money goes out and seldom the two shall meet. However the sale of the plane will net some proceeds if ICE doesn't choose to keep it and put it in service for them.

supid is is supid dos

I Hope PTC PD

Submitted by PTCGOIL on Tue, 09/01/2009 - 4:28pm.

was part of this. Don't they get a portion of the proceeds from the bust? We sure could use it here. Build a new police station with it. Or not.
Don't mess with our Falcon Field.
Los criminales es muy estupido. ?Eh?
Good work, ICE and Sheriff's Dept.!

Drug Bust

Submitted by PTCBernie on Tue, 09/01/2009 - 5:05pm.

Minor correction; A Cessna 421 is a twin engine turbo prop, not a "private jet" as reported in the article. Ya gotta watch stuff like that in a city as aviation oriented as PTC .

Other than that, good catch and kudos to all involved.

Turbo Prop?

Submitted by guitar1 on Tue, 09/01/2009 - 6:20pm.

Come on PTCBernie.......A cessna 421 is NOT a Turbo Prop! You might need a new copy of "Jane's!" A Cessna 421 is a PISTON airplane! Hmmmm.....what was the quote?

"Ya gotta watch stuff like that in a city as aviation oriented as PTC ."

Well guitar1

Submitted by Cyclist on Tue, 09/01/2009 - 6:26pm.

At least there are two of us that know the difference.
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Caution - The Surgeon General has determined that constant blogging is an addiction that can cause a sedentary life style.

cyclist

Submitted by Bonkers on Wed, 09/02/2009 - 5:44am.

Anyone knows the difference who clicks in the name of the plane on google or wickipedia.

It is just that fact checking is not done anymore by FOX, CNN, nor Citizen!

Well Bonker$,

Submitted by Cyclist on Wed, 09/02/2009 - 6:07am.

I didn't have to use the "wiki" thingy as I have actually worked on the earlier models of this series aircraft.
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Caution - The Surgeon General has determined that constant blogging is an addiction that can cause a sedentary life style.

Minor Correction II

Submitted by Cyclist on Tue, 09/01/2009 - 5:11pm.

A Cessna 421C is powered by reciprocating engines - GTSIO 520 Continentals not gas turbines . That was the 441 series. And no, I don't live in the city.
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Caution - The Surgeon General has determined that constant blogging is an addiction that can cause a sedentary life style.

Mea culpa

Submitted by PTCBernie on Tue, 09/01/2009 - 9:58pm.

Sorry, I stand corrected. Good catch guys.
So does that mean that the local authorities will be adding a Cessna 421C (Continental reciprocating engines and all) to their stable?

PTC Bernie

Submitted by Bonkers on Wed, 09/02/2009 - 6:16am.

Are you joking?

That plane doesn't belong to some flunkie who won't appeal.

If you are somebody (maybe like a bank owner) it won't happen.

Yeah. the local cops have all kinds of pilots for it!

If auctioned off, the money would go to ICE.

Drug Bust

Submitted by PTCBernie on Wed, 09/02/2009 - 8:41pm.

Yes, absolutely, I was being sarcastic. Other than auctioning it off there wouldn't be a legitimate use for it. And I'd be surprised if that was the first time we've had that kind of "cargo" come into Falcon Field. Anywhere in Mexico or the Carribean is easily within the range of that plane.

Aircraft Auction

Submitted by Cyclist on Wed, 09/02/2009 - 8:50pm.

If that Cessna is not registered in the US and the airframe and engines are high time it will not attract very many buyers. Oh, and don't forget the logbooks, they could be missing.
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Caution - The Surgeon General has determined that constant blogging is an addiction that can cause a sedentary life style.

Ice would get all the proceeds if

Submitted by Buck on Wed, 09/02/2009 - 11:02am.

Peachtre City did not have a presence during the arrest. If they even showed up they'll get some portion. Cyc is right PTC wouldn't want the hassle of ownership. If the Sheriff's Dept. was there they might have an interest as they probably have a pilot who can fly it.

P.S. A banker wouldn't claim ownership of that aircraft if his life depended on it.

ice

Submitted by bamagirl0216 on Thu, 09/03/2009 - 6:53am.

why do you say ptc didn't have a presence, there is alot of speculation going on here. There were actually several agencies involved, on top of that it is a private plane that has actually been bringing these thugs to ptc every few weeks for quite some time now. Really the only important thing is that they have caught the majority of them, and the drugs, guns, and highspeed chases need to be out ptc.

Buck

Submitted by Bonkers on Wed, 09/02/2009 - 11:32am.

I'm sure they would like to have a Battleship mounted on a trailer!

Well PTCBernie,

Submitted by Cyclist on Wed, 09/02/2009 - 6:13am.

The cost of operating those "turds" is incredibly expensive. At 30+ gallons per hour of 100LL at about $5 at gallon they better not even entertain the idea.
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Caution - The Surgeon General has determined that constant blogging is an addiction that can cause a sedentary life style.

Well Cyclist,

Submitted by ohmygosh on Wed, 09/02/2009 - 6:32am.

They can Entertain that notion all they want, but they better ultimately decide not to (not on MY tax dollar anyway). Seriously though, exactly what would they use it for??? It's not like it will help catch rogue teenagers on the cart paths, it won't help track down a stolen forklift going up 74 in the wee hours of the morning, and it won't maintain a hover above the Red Room to keep watch on their caucasianly challenged clientele.

Take off alone will cost us what? $250?

The plane was likely stollen.

Submitted by Liferfrom65 on Wed, 09/02/2009 - 6:41pm.

They usually are and any C model 400 series Cessna is an excellent drug hauler. They can make it all the way from central America to the U.S. non stop. This whole thing may have been a setup by the feds anyway.

No, lifefrom65, I don't think it was a stollen, they come from

Submitted by MYTMITE on Wed, 09/02/2009 - 7:42pm.

Germany and it is much too early in the year, since they are usually only seen at Christmas.

Oops

Submitted by Liferfrom65 on Wed, 09/02/2009 - 10:06pm.

Had to google stollen. Learned a new word.

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Cops mum on $3M drug bust

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