DOUGLASVILLE, Ga. - Federal authorities have charged four men following a series of drug trafficking raids that uncovered massive quantities of methamphetamine across several metro Atlanta counties, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Feds seize 44 pounds of meth
What we know:
Law enforcement officers seized approximately 44 pounds of methamphetamine and two firearms during operations in Douglasville and Fayetteville this week. Authorities say Pablo Soria-Porras and Eduardo Benitez-Jacinto allegedly sold two pounds of the drug to an undercover DEA agent in Lithia Springs on Feb. 25. Then, a search of a home in Douglasville on March 24 led to the arrest of Jacinto and Sergio Solano-Sanchez after agents found 33 pounds of meth.
In a separate incident, Jesus Diaz Iniguez was caught with 11 pounds of meth during a traffic stop in Fayetteville.
A fourth suspect, Pablo Soria-Porras, is 23 years old and still on the run.
'Illegal aliens arrested
What they're saying:
"The swift prosecutions of these illegal aliens send the strong message that we will work together with law enforcement partners to take deadly drugs off the street," said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division, added that the arrests were "aimed at disrupting the flow of methamphetamine and illegal firearms."
Search for fourth suspect
What's next:
Solano-Sanchez, Benitez-Jacinto, and Iniguez remain in federal custody following their initial court appearances this week.
Soria-Porras remains a fugitive, and authorities are asking anyone with information on his location to contact local law enforcement. These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Johnny Baer and Daniel Grill.
‘Operation Take Back America’
Big picture view:
These arrests are part of "Operation Take Back America" and the "Homeland Security Task Force." These national initiatives use the full resources of the Department of Justice to target transnational criminal organizations and cartels. The Atlanta-based task force includes a massive collaboration between the DEA, FBI, ICE, and local Georgia agencies.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia.