On March 4, 855 pounds of methamphetamine, known as crystal meth, was seized from a unit at a Public Storage facility in Norcross, Ga., by the Clayton County Police Department. Officials estimated that the meth, which was prepackaged for distribution and stored in numerous Tupperware containers, had a street value of $1.5 million.
Officials believe the meth was intended to be sold all over metro Atlanta and up and down the East Coast.
"It's cheap, has a high that lasts a long time. It's about $1.6 million worth of methamphetamine wholesale, but when it's getting broken down on the street, it's gonna go for a lot more than that," said Special Agent in Charge Robert J Murphy.
DEA agents said they were given a tip, used some good police work to put the clues together, and it led them to the storage facility in Norcross.
"Even the agents were surprised on the quantity when they went to open the door. Number one, the smell was overwhelming, and number two, there was, you know, they weren't anticipating that much," said Agent Murphy.
The DEA believes the drugs originated in a super lab in Mexico and were smuggled to the U.S. In liquid form. Then, at a conversion lab, likely in a home in Atlanta, it was converted to crystal meth. The product was likely then brought to Norcross where most of it was inside Tupperware containers, neatly stacked inside the storage unit.
One man, a Mexican national, who was seen coming and going from the storage unit was arrested.
"We linked it to Cartel Jalisco New Generation. It's one of two major cartels operating in the Atlanta area. Atlanta is an important hub for both cartels and they're fighting here to determine who gets control over Atlanta," said Agent Murphy.
Agent Murphy said manufacturing meth is very profitable for the Mexican cartels.
"They control every end of it: the production, the distribution, the money laundering side of it. So, it's pure profit for them," said Agent Murphy.
Agent Murphy said while none of the almost 900 pounds seized in Norcross will make it to the streets, the battle is far from over.
"We're fighting a cartel that's better resourced than us, better capitalized. They're not constrained by, you know, the law or the constitution. Their only purpose is to make profit from selling poison on our streets," said Agent Murphy.
DEA agents said they're currently looking for that conversion lab in Atlanta. They believe there's at least one, and they have no doubt they'll find it.
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