Major prison contraband operation stopped by Johnson County authorities
Deputies said the incident happened around 7:11 p.m. on October 25 near Georgia Highway 57 East outside the Wrightsville city limits.
WRIGHTSVILLE, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A coordinated law enforcement effort stopped a major prison contraband drop involving drones over the weekend, according to the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies said the incident happened around 7:11 p.m. on October 25 near Georgia Highway 57 East outside the Wrightsville city limits. Johnson County deputies and Wrightsville police officers, along with a Georgia Department of Corrections K-9 team, responded to reports of a possible drone delivery in progress.
When officers entered the wooded area, they tracked a suspect believed to be operating the drones. The suspect fled on foot, abandoning a large aerial drone, several drone batteries, a machete, illegal narcotics, and other contraband items, the sheriff’s office said.
Recovered evidence included about 1.25 pounds of marijuana, 2 pounds of methamphetamine, 1 pound of MDMA or ecstasy, 17 pounds of loose-leaf tobacco, and additional staging equipment.
Authorities tracked the suspect to Georgia Highway 15 near Industrial Boulevard before losing the trail. The seized contraband is now in the custody of narcotics investigators.
Sheriff Greg Rowland released the following statement:
“I commend the excellent team effort between my deputies and the police department officers in this incident. This was a highly organized and intentional criminal act — and thanks to quick coordination between multiple agencies, we stopped a major narcotics and contraband operation before it reached the prison. We will continue aggressively pursuing those responsible. If you know something — say something.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office or submit tips anonymously through its Facebook page.
