Fayette Officers Net Pot, Xanax in Bust

FAYETTE COUNTY, Ga. (MyFOX ATLANTA) - More than $1 million worth of marijuana and $100,000 worth of Xanax pills were off the streets in Fayette County Monday night.

The Fayette County Tactical Narcotics Team said it had information that a white panel van was driving through the county loaded down with marijuana. Officers stopped the van on Highway 74 in Tyrone for a broken tail light.

A K-9 dog sniffed out the drugs. Officers arrested the driver and two others who were following the van.

"The drugs were destined to be sold somewhere else, probably in the metro area," said Lieutenant Thomas of the Fayette County Sheriff's Department.

Just days before the bust, the same narcotics team said it found 12,700 Xanax pills, which is a Class 4 narcotic, at a package and shipping store.

"Through [the] Immigration Customs Enforcement service, we received info on suspicions package at one of the mailbox shipping locations in Fayetteville," said Lt. Thomas.

While the narcotics team took pride in keeping drugs off the street, they acknowledged that they hadn't seen the last of them.

"Atlanta has been established for a large scale distribution area for all kinds of narcotics. Easy access to the interstates and travel corridors up and down the eastern seaboard," said Lt. Thomas.

Officers said a lot of the drugs they see come in from states bordering Mexico. Of the three men arrested for the marijuana bust, one was from Riverdale and the other two were from California. All three men were taken to the Fayette County jail.