The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) Appalachian Regional Drug Enforcement Office (ARDEO), in coordination with federal and local partners, has executed a drug sting operation across six counties in northeast Georgia this week.
The Operation Silent Hand case targeted a major drug trafficking organization (DTO) distributing methamphetamine, fentanyl, and oxycodone across Hall, Habersham, Franklin, Stephens, White, and Gwinnett counties. This operation followed a high-level, months-long racketeering investigation headed by the GBI’s ARDEO.
The press release from the GBI said on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, law enforcement officers executed nine search warrants and 16 arrest warrants throughout the region. The investigation revealed that the organization maintained contacts in metro Atlanta to facilitate the trafficking of illicit narcotics and pharmaceutical opioids. During the investigation, agents seized a substantial quantity of contraband, including:
• 32 kilograms of methamphetamine • 4 pounds of fentanyl • Numerous diverted pharmaceutical opioids • Multiple firearms…