BUTTS COUNTY, Ga. — A traffic stop on Interstate 75 uncovered what investigators believe was a shipment of contraband destined for a south Georgia prison.
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A Butts County deputy stopped a vehicle traveling southbound on I-75 for a traffic violation on Tuesday. During the investigation, deputies recovered a large drone, six ounces of suspected MDMA, also known as ecstasy, 15 pounds of cigarette tobacco, five pounds of suspected marijuana, knives, JB Weld adhesive, dozens of cell phones, a PlayStation gaming system, Meta smart glasses, and charging devices.
Investigators believe the items were intended for delivery to Ware State Prison, where authorities say criminal street gangs continue to exert significant influence over the movement of illegal contraband.
Butts County Sheriff Gary Long says it’s an increasingly common tactic involving drones used to smuggle goods into Georgia prisons.
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“This is not an isolated incident,” Long said. “My deputies—and law enforcement officers across Georgia—are encountering drone-related prison smuggling operations on a regular, nearly weekly, basis.”
Long called drone-based prison smuggling one of the state’s most significant public safety threats, arguing that illegal drugs, contraband and gang activity inside correctional facilities undermine rehabilitation efforts and fuel criminal activity beyond prison walls.
The sheriff also used the announcement to call attention to broader issues within Georgia’s prison system, including gang influence, violence, staffing shortages, corruption and drug trafficking.
“When prisons are controlled by violence and criminal enterprises instead of order and rehabilitation, the consequences do not remain behind prison walls,” Long said.
Authorities did not immediately release information about arrests or charges. The investigation remains ongoing.
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