MARIETTA, Ga. — A Georgia man and Mexican nationals in the country without authorization were charged with federal crimes after a massive methamphetamine bust in the metro Atlanta area.
The U.S. Department of Justice said Juan Rueda-Palacios and Lourdes Prudente Blanco, both of Mexico, and Alan Hernandez of Marietta were charged for a seizure of 500 pounds of methamphetamine.
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The drugs were taken from a vehicle in Brookhaven and a Sandy Springs apartment, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
“These charges reflect the commitment of my office and our law enforcement partners to dismantle large‑scale drug trafficking operations that endanger our community,” U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg said in a statement. “If you choose to traffic dangerous drugs in our community, we will investigate, arrest, and prosecute you.”
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Hertzberg said Rueda-Palacios and Prudente are accused of driving rom Ellenwood to a Brookhaven shopping center to abandon their vehicle there with 130 pounds of meth inside.
The two men left and agents saw Hernandez retrieve the drugs from the vehicle later the same day.
Rueda-Palacios and Prudente were arrested on July 15 after a search of their Sandy Springs apartment, USAO said.
During the search of their apartment, agents found about 250 pounds of meth, plus a Mexican passport for Rueda-Palacios. Neither man from Mexico had authorization to be in the United States.
The Justice Department said Rueda-Palacios had previously been deported in 2013.
All three men appeared in federal court on Monday facing charges for engaging in a conspiracy to possess and distribute methamphetamine.
Rueda-Palacios was also charged with illegally reentering the U.S., according to federal officials.
Multiple federal agencies, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Barrow County Sheriff’s Office worked on the case, the USAO said.
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