Plus: Trump extends tariff deadline to August 1, new tax bill includes wins for trucking, and the DEA seizes 700 lbs of meth from a semi in Georgia.
Federal agents seized 700 pounds of methamphetamine hidden in a semi truck of cucumbers at a Georgia warehouse; two individuals face federal drug charges.
Congress approves tax reform boosting trucking investments, but truckers remain excluded from overtime pay protections under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
Federal agents seized 700 pounds of methamphetamine hidden in a semi truck of cucumbers at a Georgia warehouse; two individuals face federal drug charges.
In a massive drug seizure, federal authorities uncovered over 700 pounds of methamphetamine concealed in a semi truck loaded with produce at a warehouse in Gainesville, Georgia, on June 30. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) led the investigation, with assistance from state and federal law enforcement agencies.
“A tremendous amount of meticulously concealed methamphetamine was located, was seized, and will never hit the street,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg.
DEA agents were tipped off that a tractor trailer parked at a Gainesville warehouse might contain narcotics. When investigators arrived, they spotted a sedan next to the trailer with Andres Jasso, Jr., 37, in the driver’s seat and Rufino Pineda-Perez, 59, as the passenger.
Inside the trailer, officials found 20 pallets of cucumber boxes. Hidden among the produce were thousands of methamphetamine packages, individually wrapped and concealed to avoid detection.
“This case represents the continued commitment of the DEA to identify and hold accountable those who engage in the distribution of dangerous drugs,” said Jae W. Chung, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division.
Jasso and Pineda-Perez were arrested at the scene and charged on July 1 with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia. The seizure is among the largest in the region this year.
Pineda-Perez faces an additional charge of illegal reentry by a removed alien. Federal authorities say he has a long criminal history involving drug trafficking and has illegally reentered the U.S. multiple times since his initial deportation in 2001.
The seizure was part of a coordinated effort involving:
Investigators believe the semi truck was intended to serve as a distribution point for methamphetamine across the Southeastern U.S.
U.S. Attorney Hertzberg emphasized that law enforcement will continue targeting individuals who attempt to exploit Georgia’s freight infrastructure for illicit distribution:
“Our office will aggressively prosecute criminals who attempt to use North Georgia as a distribution hub for their deadly poisons.”
Source: CDLLIFE
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