Guns and money authorities confiscated during raids on 10 residences in Stephens and Habersham Counties. (photo/ARDEO)
(Cleveland)- Authorities say the weekend arrest of 28 people took down a drug trafficking network that had been operating in Stephens, Habersham and surrounding counties including White County.
Special Agent in Charge Mitchell Posey with the Appalachian Regional Drug Enforcement Office in Cleveland said two women – Amber Null and Donna Beard, both of Toccoa – ran the operation. “They were being supplied by Brandon Davidson and Jody Higgins,” Posey said in an interview. “Mostly methamphetamines, occasionally there would be a little bit of marijuana and maybe some pills like oxycodone, but it was almost strictly primarily methamphetamine.”
ARDEO agents, as well as the Stephens County Sheriff’s Office, Habersham County Sheriff’s Office and Toccoa Police Department, raided 10 residences, confiscating more than a pound of meth, a number of firearms and $38,600 cash.
READ: More than two dozen arrested in weekend drug sting
White County Sheriff Neal Walden said there might not have been any arrests in White County, but this bust will have an impact here. “There wasn’t any arrest in White County, however, that’s where our suppliers were coming from, from the east side there, so that’s a shot in the arm to get those drugs off the street,” said Walden.
The sheriff said they will continue to keep the pressure on this type of operation. “That’s about the only way you can maybe control them, keep the pressure on, just keep taking their assets and arresting them,” Walden said. “Sure, they might not stay in jail that long, but we will arrest them again.”
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Posey said the organization distributed several kilograms of methamphetamine in the region during the 8-month investigation. He says, “The hard work of these law enforcement officers and prosecutors has dismantled this destructive organization.”
The investigation continues and additional arrests are expected.
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