MOULTRIE, Ga. — Over less than three weeks in January, the Moultrie-Colquitt County Drug Enforcement Team and Moultrie Police Department’s Special Operations Division seized more than 5,016 grams of cocaine and methamphetamine through multiple drug investigations.

On Tuesday, Jan. 12, agents conducted a search warrant on the home of Jason Shaw, 31, in the 4000 block of U.S. Hwy. 319 North in Norman Park.  Shaw was found in possession of approximately 800 grams of methamphetamine along with items used to distribute methamphetamine, according to the Moultrie Police Department. This investigation was conducted after agents received complaints of suspected drug distribution at the residence. 

The methamphetamine had an estimated street value of $24,000 if distributed in user amounts, Moultrie Police Chief Sean Ladson told the Moultrie City Council Tuesday night.

Shaw was charged with with trafficking methamphetamine, possession of a drug-related object and three counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, according to a booking report at the Colquitt County Jail.

In the second incident, the Department of Homeland Security intercepted a package of cocaine addressed to an address on Deer Run Road in Colquitt County and contacted federal task force agents who work locally.

Based on this information, federal agents and agents from the Moultrie-Colquitt County Drug Enforcement Team conducted an operation, during which they seized approximately 2,700 grams of cocaine and methamphetamine that were stashed there for future distribution throughout the South Georgia area, the police department said. The cocaine had an estimated street value of $50,000, and the methamphetamine value was estimated at $51,000 if distributed in user amounts. 

Three suspects were taken into custody, but their identities are being withheld pending further investigation, police said.

Two more operations took place on Friday, Jan. 29. In one, agents conducted a search warrant on Son Norman Road near Norman Park. 

Randy Coots, age 33, was found in possession of approximately 1,500 grams of methamphetamine and approximately $9,000 in US currency, believed to be derived from recent drug sales, the police department said. 

This investigation stemmed from intelligence gathered from Lowndes County Special Operations Division and the Thomasville Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit. Those agencies contacted Colquitt County drug agents after making arrests in their area of operations for possession of methamphetamine. The suspects in those cases are believed to have been supplied by Coots, police said.

“The estimated street value for the methamphetamine seized during this operation was $45,000 if distributed in user amounts,” the MPD’s press release said. “This arrest and seizure would not have been possible without the intelligence shared by Lowndes and Thomas counties.”

Coots was charged with trafficking methamphetamine, according to a booking report at the Colquitt County Jail.

Also on Jan. 29, agents conducted a probation search along with the Department of Community Supervision on the 3000 block of U.S. Hwy. 319 North home of Lilliana Salazar, age 29, and Desy Aldridge, age 27, after receiving complaints of drug possession. During this search, agents recovered approximately 16 grams of methamphetamine and approximately $2,000 in US currency believed to be derived from recent drug sales, the police department said. The estimated street value of drugs seized was $400.

According to booking documents at the Colquitt County Jail, both Salazar and Aldridge were charged with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, and Aldridge was also charged with probation violation.

Federal Task Force officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the United States Marshal’s Service participated in these operations, the Moultrie Police Department said. They will be requesting prosecution from the U.S. attorney’s office on all suspects arrested.

At Tuesday’s city council meeting, Police Chief Ladson praised the cooperation among multiple law enforcement agencies.

“All these pops that were made were in the county,” Ladson said, “but the amounts seized, it’s not a county problem, it’s not a city problem, it’s a regional problem. … It’s going to be multi-county, multi-regional, multi-state sometimes.”

16 grams = 1/2 ounce

800 grams = 28.22 ounces = 1 pound 12 ounces

1,500 grams = 52.91 ounces = 3 pounds 5 ounces

2,700 grams = 95.24 ounces = 5 pounds 15 ounces

5,016 grams = 176.93 ounces = 11 pounds 1 ounce