Nearly 3,000 marijuana plants were seized and close to ten arrests made in what authorities call a major Vietnamese drug trafficking operation.
Raids on a total of 17 homes occurred simultaneously around Gwinnett County early Wednesday morning wrapping up a three-month investigation by the Gwinnett Metro Drug Task Force.
“This one was pretty extensive--all over Gwinnett. It’s pretty widespread throughout the county,” says Lt. Jake Parker with the Lawrenceville Police Department which participated in the operation.
At a home on Arnold Road in Lawrenceville, sheriff’s deputies seized over 200 plants of all sizes.
He says more than 200 officers from every police department in Gwinnett County, the Gwinnett Sheriff’s Office as well as state and federal agencies took part in the raids.
“This was also a processing place where they package it and then someone will come pick it up and deliver it to whoever they’re selling the marijuana to,” says Gwinnett Sheriff Chief Deputy Lou Solis.
He tells WSB’s Sandra Parrish they confiscated guns and cash at a home nearby, one of five “stash” houses.
One of the raids led to an 18th home being searched.
Shaun Ratlin lives across the street from the Arnold Road bust and never suspected it was being used a grow house.
“I can’t believe that would be going on across the street from the house—that’s crazy,” he says.