FBI Makes Substantial Arrests In Georgia Drug-Trafficking Case
Federal authorities carried out a sweeping takedown of a large-scale drug trafficking network operating along Georgia’s coast, arresting 55 suspects Wednesday following coordinated early-morning raids across multiple jurisdictions.
The operation stemmed from a federal indictment naming 56 individuals accused of distributing massive quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, MDMA, crack cocaine, and marijuana throughout Glynn County and St. Simons Island. According to officials, all but one of the defendants were taken into custody as law enforcement executed 56 federal arrest warrants tied to the case.
The FBI’s Atlanta Division spearheaded the operation, deploying more than 150 special agents, deputies, and local officers. Additional support came from FBI field offices in Jacksonville, Dallas, Columbia, and Buffalo, along with numerous state and local law enforcement agencies, the bureau said in a press release.
“This morning, FBI Atlanta, along with our federal, state and local partners, made a significant effort to crush violent crime here in the Glynn County community,” said Brian Ozden, assistant special agent in charge of the FBI’s Atlanta Division, during a press conference in Glynn County. “Our goal is not just to put people in handcuffs for a few days, but to build cases that dismantle criminal enterprises and keep our communities safe for the long term.”
Officials confirmed that the lone remaining defendant is expected to surrender in the coming days.
Investigators revealed that several suspects are also facing firearms charges in addition to narcotics offenses. The trafficking network allegedly sourced drugs from major metropolitan hubs—including Los Angeles, Miami, Atlanta, and Jacksonville—before funneling them into Southeast Georgia. In one particularly alarming detail, authorities said a defendant was allegedly communicating with a supplier in China who shipped multiple kilograms of controlled substances into the region.
Given the violent nature of the organization, multiple SWAT teams were mobilized to execute what officials described as some of the most dangerous arrests. FBI SWAT units from Atlanta, Jacksonville, Columbia, and Dallas participated, alongside teams from the Glynn County Police Department and the Brunswick Police Department. Additional arrests were supported by FBI offices in Texas, South Carolina, and New York.
Local leaders praised the operation as a direct response to community concerns about rising crime.
“Citizens have asked, ‘What are we going to do about crime?'” said Brunswick Police Chief Angela Smith. “This operation is indicative of the work being done. Residents and visitors deserve to feel safe, and we will continue to dismantle criminal elements in our community.”
Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey underscored the importance of coordination across agencies.
“This investigation required time, patience, precision and partnership,” Hosey said. “It reflects what happens when agencies work together with one mission: protecting the people of Georgia and upholding public safety.”
The arrests come amid broader changes at the FBI under Director Kash Patel, who recently highlighted what he described as a record-setting first year leading the bureau during an appearance on Fox News. Patel pointed to significant progress in apprehending fugitives on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list.
Appearing on “Hannity,” Patel responded after host Sean Hannity noted that the FBI has captured six of its Ten Most Wanted fugitives in just one year—a sharp contrast to the previous administration, which apprehended only four over a four-year period.
“The simple juxtaposition is that there was a weaponized bureau, a politicized bureau to go after political targets including President Trump and myself, versus the bureau of today that goes based on law and facts and works with our prosecutors,” Patel said.