Three men have been sentenced to varying years in prison for what authorities are calling the “largest quantity of methamphetamine ever seized” in Smyrna.
Miguel Salazar-Gama, 22, and Arturo Acevedo, 29, were sentenced Wednesday and Alejandro Salazar-Gama, 31, was sentenced in early July after guilty pleas for their roles in drug trafficking involving nearly 40 kilograms of pure meth, acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia Kurt Erskine said in a news release.
“Methamphetamine poses a clear and present danger to our communities,” said Robert J. Murphy, special agent for the DEA Atlanta field division. “Citizens of the Smyrna, Georgia, community can sleep better at night knowing that these defendants will spend well-deserved time in federal prison.”
In April 2019, an undercover agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration arranged to buy 40 kilograms of meth at a business in Smyrna, Erskine said. Alejandro Salazar-Gama met the agent and agreed to return to the parking lot with the drugs to show the agent before selling it, according to the news release. He then left the parking lot and returned about 40 minutes later.
Acevedo and Miguel Salazar-Gama then pulled up in a van. The agent went inside that van and opened one of the boxes, which was filled with meth, Erskine said.
A Smyrna SWAT team quickly surrounded the three men and arrested them.
The drugs seized tested positive for 100% pure methamphetamine, according to Erskine. Officers believe it’s the largest meth seizure in the city.
“Methamphetamine trafficking breeds violent crime and threatens our community,” Erskine said. “We and our law enforcement partners are working hard to combat the trafficking of methamphetamine into and through the Northern District of Georgia, and we will use every tool available to stop it.”
Alejandro Salazar-Gama was sentenced to 11 years and seven months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Acevedo was given a 14-year sentence, followed by five years of supervision. Miguel Salazar-Gama was sentenced to three years in prison.
About the Author
