Bridal collection seized by Feds hits the auction block in Atlanta

Maggie McElhannon sports a Casablanca bridal dress at Wedding Angels Bridal Boutique in Roswell.

Maggie McElhannon sports a Casablanca bridal dress at Wedding Angels Bridal Boutique in Roswell.

The drug proceeds from an FBI seizure in Alaska have found their way into the shopping carts of Atlanta brides-to-be, according to a story published Monday by the New York Times.

The Down the Aisle wedding collection, valued at nearly $500,000 and offering everything from dresses to cake toppers to cufflinks, was part of the FBI's attempt to auction off merchandise seized two years ago from an Alaskan bridal shop owner. According to the Times, the woman, who was convicted of smuggling heroin and methamphetamine, used drug proceeds to finance operations of her Juneau bridal shop.

Unable to find enough buyers for the seized inventory, the U.S. Marshals Service sent the items to the Atlanta branch of the U.S. General Services Administration to manage and dispose.

Government auctions of items seized after a crime are fairly common. However, this auction is different.

“I called to share it with some friends who used to work in the program,” Dave Robbins, director of the Personal Property Management Office at the General Services Administration told the Times, “and they said: ‘Wow. I never heard of anything like this before.’ So this is definitely one of the more interesting and unusual sales offerings and events.”

The agency posted items from the collection online for shoppers to browse, but then took extra measures to make the federal government's inaugural bridal sale special.

Organizers outfitted the non-descript government building with a series of wedding studios filled with racks of clothing and accessories. Tables were swathed in white cloth, and walls were adorned with photographs of employees posing as bride and groom.

Despite the presence of federal security guards checking customers for firearms, knives and explosives upon entering, shoppers enjoyed a heartwarming experience.

“There’s always a sunny side to something,” said Kristy Tubbs, a marriage and financial counselor who traveled from Fredericksburg, Va., for the show. “When you walk in, you don’t see a crime or a victim. You see hope and joy and future and restoration.”

Money from the auction funds the Asset Forfeiture Program of the United States Marshals Service, and will be used to compensate victims or will be shared with agencies that conduct investigations leading to seizures.

The Down the Aisle bridal show ends July 9 at noon. Click here for more information.