GLYNN COUNTY, Ga. — A total of 55 people accused of being involved with a drug trafficking operation based in Glynn County and St. Simons, Georgia were announced Wednesday by federal prosecutors.
48 of those arrests were carried out that same morning.
Video captured that mission, which involved nearly 200 special agents, deputies and police officers across Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, New York and Texas.
US Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia Margaret Heap noted the investigation, dubbed Operation Powder Island, involved collaboration between federal, state and local law enforcement.
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“We’re gonna go after anyone who continues to harm people in this community and it’s through the collaboration of this law enforcement and the US Attorney’s Office that we were able to arrest these people, charge them and indict them for these crimes,” Heap said.
The arrests mark the conclusion of the investigation, which started back in 2023, and include both drug trafficking and gun charges.
“Crush violent crime. Well, this morning FBI Atlanta, along with our federal, state and local partners made a significant effort to do just that,” Assistant Special Agent in Charge Brian Ozden, with FBI Atlanta, said.
Ozden explained the traffickers are alleged to have brought in kilos of drugs including MDMA, meth and fentanyl in from China and distributed them across the country.
The drugs were allegedly distributed across the country in cities like Jacksonville, Atlanta, Miami, and even Los Angeles.
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FBI Director Kash Patel highlighted the operation on social media, describing the takedown as one of the agency’s most significant yet.
“Well done to our teams and partners on the successful op - we are continuing our 24/7 full throttle work to break the drug trafficking orgs in America,” Patel wrote in his post.
Ozden said he expects the arrests to make a notable impact on the illegal drug trade in the region.
“It’s gonna have an effect. I mean, it obviously talks to the ones who were arrested, but it also shows others that are attempting to commit these crimes that this won’t be tolerated,” Ozden said.
While one indicted person has not yet been arrested, investigators said they expect her to turn herself in as soon as Thursday.
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