Atlanta DEA seizes 2,380 pounds of meth hidden in celery at farmer’s market

The Drug Enforcement Agency in Atlanta has seized 2,380 pounds of methamphetamine smuggled into the state by a Mexican drug cartel in the largest meth bust on record.

It’s the largest-ever seizure of meth made by the DEA in Atlanta, and the third largest nationwide in 2024.

Channel 2′s Tom Regan spoke to DEA agents, who said a cartel recently smuggled the massive load across the border in a 16-wheeler.

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The DEA got information that led to the State Farmer’s Market in Clayton County.

“This was contained in a cover load of celery,” DEA Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Robert Murphy said. “It was hiding in the celery. Obviously, we threw away the celery. That didn’t make it to the store.”

The DEA has not tested the meth yet to see if it’s been tainted with fentanyl, but Murphy said it’s unlikely.

Most meth shipments from Mexico are more or less untainted by other drugs.

Lower-level distributors cut the meth with cheaper fentanyl to make the sale more profitable.

The DEA has not traced the origin of the seizure.

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“The wholesale value of this is over $3 million. The significance is that this is an unbelievable amount of drugs to be shipped at one time. It also shows the confidence of the cartel behind this,” Murphy said.

The DEA said that what is really concerning is that the cost of meth is falling, which means more people will be tempted to use it and become addicted.

The DEA says the Atlanta State Farmers Market in Forest Park has been used as a way station for illegal drug shipments in the metro Atlanta area.

Many drug seizures have been made there.

The Georgia Agriculture Commissioner is working with drug enforcement agents to stop the practice.

“We are going to exert efforts every single day to ensure this type of activity does not take place and they are not able to use places like the state farmers market to purport their criminal activity,” Georgia Department of Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper said.