Clayton County police burned more than $12 million worth of drugs that had accumulated in the departments crowded evidence room, authorities said.

Police received a court order from a Superior Court judge to allow them to burn nearly 10,000 pounds of marijuana, crystal meth and other assorted narcotics, Clayton County police spokeswoman Lt. Tina Daniel said.

"This is in response to the audit of the police department," Daniel said.

As part of a scathing indictment of former Police Chief Jeff Turner's management of the department, county Chief of Staff Alex Cohilas cited a narcotics evidence room that was "in shambles."

The burns happened on two different occasions, last week and Tuesday, in an undisclosed, secure location, Daniel said.

"This is just a small part of the police department's aggressive efforts to fight illegal drug use and sales in Clayton County," police chief Timothy Robinson said.

The burn was done with the aid of the Clayton Fire and Emergency Services, the Clayton County Sheriff's Office and the Clayton County District Attorney's Office.

About the Author

Featured

The renovation of Jekyll Island's Great Dunes golf course includes nine holes designed by Walter Travis in the 1920s for the members of the Jekyll Island Club. Several holes that were part of the original layout where located along the beach and were bulldozed in the 1950s.(Photo by Austin Kaseman)

Credit: Photo by Austin Kaseman