Dope ... On A Rope

Lt. Frank Farr, an investigator with the Winder Police Department, said he had never seen anything like it in his 20 years of service - a takeout window for drugs. He found it in Winder this week when authorities arrested two alleged drug dealers. Police said customers would notify the dealers by ringing a wireless doorbell attached to a tree in a nearby stand of woods, setting off a chime in the second-story apartment. Police said a bucket was lowered and buyers placed their money in it for the dealers to haul up and count, then the drugs were sent back down in the bucket.
Police charged 30-year-old Antwon Scruggs and his 27-year-old girlfriend Laurnecia Fulton with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.

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Atlanta cop pleads guilty to conspiracy

A former Atlanta police officer pleaded guilty to federal conspiracy charges for his role in a botched drug raid that ended in the shooting death of a 92-year-old woman.

The former officer, Arthur Tesler, faces more than 10 years in prison on a charge of conspiracy to violate civil rights resulting in death. The police originally said officers had gone to the home of the woman, Kathryn Johnston, in northwest Atlanta, in 2006 after an informant said he had bought drugs there. But after finding none, officers tried to cover up the mistake by planting bags of marijuana, prosecutors said.

In May, Mr. Tesler, 42, was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for lying to investigators, but federal prosecutors decided to pursue more charges after reviewing the case.

(AP)

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Dope bust may lead to trafficking ring

Federal and state authorities say they have uncovered a drug smuggling route into western Georgia.

Officials seized 140 pounds of marijuana, 70 thousand dollars in cash, guns and several vehicles at an empty house in Harris County Tuesday. The drugs were packed and ready for shipment.

The Columbus Metro Narcotics Task Force and the Harris County Sheriff's Department say the raid is part of a long-term operation.

Harris County Sheriff Mike Jolley says the find indicates a cross-border drug route:

“We believe the drugs were brought in through a traffic route from the Mexico – Texas area. So DEA is in the process of doing follow-up investigative activity.”

Authorities have put out a warrant for a convicted felon in connection to the case. They believe he is part of a larger drug trafficking ring throughout the southeast.

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Man arrested selling LSD in chocolate bunnies and ducks

Rockdale County sheriff's deputies arrested a 20-year-old man after they caught him allegedly selling chocolate bunnies and ducks that contained hallucinogenic mushrooms.

Sgt. Jodi Shupe said Saturday deputies were tipped off that Matthew Jackson was selling LSD along with candy containing psilocybin mushrooms in Newton and Rockdale Counties.

Deputies caught the suspect after an officer saw Jackson allegedly selling a sheet of LSD and a chocolate duck containing the mushrooms for $650.

"It appears they were using the chocolate to cover up they were selling drugs, and they had been doing it for a while," Shupe said.

Shupe said officers found 74 more of the chocolate psilocybin candy ducks and bunnies in a cooler bag in Jackson's truck, along with $1,200 in cash in his pants pockets.

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(The Associated Press)

Richmond schools to use aerosol spray to detect drugs

A school system in the eastern Georgia city of Augusta plans to use a unique method for identifying students who use illegal drugs. Here's how it works: Coat a desk or a locker with aerosol spray. If the object turns a different color, the student may be using illegal drugs.

Richmond County school officials say using the spray would be less intrusive than bringing in police dogs or conducting urine tests. It can detect marijuana, cocaine, heroin and amphetamines.

"We could actually, rather than testing the student, we may opt to go to their locker," said Dr. Dana Bedden, Richmond County's school superintendent. "It could be a parent who comes to the school and say I may be concerned that my child might be involved, and we can offer a resource to them to say do you have any of their clothing or anything that you may want to have us test."

The spray is part of a research study funded by the federal government.

Delta employees cited in drug ring

Seven Delta Air Lines employees have been named in a New York drug ring. The FBI says the ring sought to smuggle drugs through John F. Kennedy Airport. Agents also intercepted the shipments of more than 100 pounds of cocaine, 55 pounds of heroin and 6.6 pounds of the drug ecstasy. Prosecutors say the Delta group concealed drugs in luggage on jets traveling from the Dominican Republic, then retrieved the bags at JFK before they could be inspected by customs agents.

Rome dog-fighting home demolished after drugs found

Today, the city of Rome demolished an abandoned house that was a site for dog-fighting

The police broke up a live dog fight in the house a few months ago.

And a few months after that, they found drugs hidden in the walls along with two loaded guns. That’s what gave the city the ability to tear down the house.

Neighbor Dwight Chapman says he expected the drugs but not the dog fighting.

“From my understanding they tore it down because of drugs. There are drugs everywhere. You can’t stop it.”

In Rome alone, there are two other dog-fighting cases in court this week, and a third in September.

In two previous cases tried in July, both defendants were found guilty and given a $270 fine.

Some state lawmakers have said Georgia's dog fighting penalties are not strong enough, and have vowed to push tougher punishments during the next legislative session.