Residents may voice their concerns regarding the extreme levels of drug and gang-related crime plaguing our city by emailing Mayor Skip Henderson directly at SkipHenderson@columbusga.org, while cc’ing their respective city council members on the email.

COLUMBUS, Ga. — The Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office just made the second-largest methamphetamine bust in the history of the city, seizing 25.5 pounds of the deadly drug valued at over $1.16 million.

The insanely-large seizure is rivaled only by their bust of $1.5 million in meth and $2.6 million in heroin back in December of 2017, which was the largest in the history of Columbus.

According to a Facebook post made by Muscogee County Sheriff Greg Countryman, the recent meth bust announced on May 9, 2023 had an estimated street value of  $1,163,210.00.

The investigation and subsequent drug bust led to the arrest of two validated gang members, both of whom were already indicted with two counts of murder each.

Though the MCSO did in fact make the bust themselves, several agencies were involved through multiple counties, including:

• MCSO Drug, Gang, and Fugitive Unit
• MCSO Uniform Special Operations Unit
• Federal Bureau of Investigation
• United States Marshal’s Services
• Harris County Sheriff’s Office
• Ft. Benning (Moore) Criminal Investigations Division

The agencies tracked down and arrested two validated gang members, whose names we won’t print here because they aren't worth the ink to give them credit. Both were arrested on outstanding warrants.

The first gang member was apprehended at his residence in Midland, GA, and arrested on the following outstanding warrants:

• 2 counts of Felony Murder
• 5 counts of Violation of Street Gang Terrorism Prevention Act
• 1 count of Tampering with Evidence 
• 1 count of Giving False Statements

After the first arrest was made, the MCSO’s Investigative Bureau obtained a second search warrant which recovered the following:

• 25.5 pounds of Methamphetamine (with an estimated street value of $1,163,210.00)
• 1 firearm
• $4,000 in US Currency

After the bust, the first validated gang member who was originally arrested in Midland was then additionally charged by the MCSO Investigative Bureau with the following: 

• 8 Counts of Participating in Criminal Gang Activity
• 4 Counts of Forgery 3rd Degree
• 3 Counts of Forgery 4th Degree
• 1 Count of Trafficking Methamphetamine
• 1 Count of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Crime
• 1 Count Possession of Drug-Related Object

The investigation also led to the arrest of a second validated gang member at his residence in East Columbus on the following outstanding warrants:

• 2 counts of Felony Murder
• 3 counts of Violation of Street Gang Terrorism Prevention Act

Both criminals were arrested and transported to the Muscogee County Jail without incident.

Sheriff Greg Countryman ended his facebook post with the following message:

“The MCSO will not stop going after gang members and those that commit dangerous crimes in Muscogee County. We will not tire out in this effort.”

Good Job, MCSO. Credit is due where it is due.

Residents may voice their concerns regarding the extreme levels of drug and gang-related crime plaguing our city by emailing Mayor Skip Henderson directly at SkipHenderson@columbusga.org, while cc’ing their respective city council members on the email.

Facts are stubborn things — and we’ll keep publishing them, whether city officials like them or not.

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