Traffic stop leads to massive drug bust in several metro Atlanta counties, 4 arrested

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — A traffic stop in Forsyth County led to enough fentanyl for more than 400,000 lethal doses being taken off the streets.

Forsyth County deputies saw a car on GA 400 at McGinnis Ferry Rd. not staying in its lane on the Fourth of July and pulled the car for a DUI. While searching the car, deputies found 32 kilograms of methamphetamine and two guns, one of which had been stolen.

The driver, 28-year-old Brian Vasquez, was arrested and charged with trafficking methamphetamine, trafficking cocaine, theft by receiving stolen property, possession of schedule I controlled substance (psilocybin mushrooms), possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and driving under the influence of drugs.

The passenger, 20-yaer-old Maria Romero Vega, was arrested and charged with trafficking methamphetamine, trafficking cocaine, theft by receiving stolen property, possession of schedule I controlled substance (psilocybin mushrooms), possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and obstruction of law enforcement.

Both are being held in the Forsyth County Jail without bond.

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While investigating leads from the traffic stop, they determined there was a warehouse in Alpharetta, a methamphetamine conversion lab in Ellijay and a stash house in Buckhead related to the drugs deputies found in the car.

The next day, Alpharetta police joined officers and agents from several jurisdictions, including the DEA, to search a warehouse in Alpharetta. They found a man with a warrant out for his arrest on a probation violation and took him into custody. His identity has not been released.

Inside the warehouse, a K9 alerted authorities to the presence of drugs. They found:

• 40 grams of fentanyl
• 16 grams of heroin
• 32 grams of cocaine
• 14 ounces of marijuana
• a semi-automatic handgun

The man found in the warehouse is currently being held in the Fulton County Jail on drug trafficking and probation violation charges.

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Drug task force and DEA agents joined Gilmer County sheriff’s deputies and FBI agents to search a meth lab at a house on rural property in Ellijay.

The house was empty, but law enforcement found three pounds of meth, meth processing tools and several hundred empty small square packages with a powder residue testing positive for fentanyl/meth, meaning the packages contained at least one ounce of either fentanyl or meth.

The next day DEA agents, Atlanta police and Sandy Springs police went to an apartment in Buckhead where drugs were believed to be stashed.

A Sandy Springs K9 confirmed drugs were in the apartment. They found:

• 776 grams of fentanyl packaged in 23 bags
• 34 grams of meth
• an AR-10 rifle .308 caliber
• a semi-automatic handgun
• multiple leg chains and handcuffs

A woman was also in the apartment when it was searched. She was arrested and taken to the Fulton County Jail on trafficking fentanyl charges.

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The DEA says that two milligrams of fentanyl is generally considered a lethal dose. The 816 grams of fentanyl seized during these busts would be enough to create 408,000 lethal doses of the drug.

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