ATLANTA (WJBF) – Georgia is ramping up efforts to stop illegal drugs from being smuggled through produce shipments.
The Georgia Department of Agriculture has teamed up with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to make sure meth, cocaine and fentanyl aren’t slipping through the border and ending up in grocery stores.
Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper says his agency’s law enforcement division, which was reinstated two years ago, has uncovered drugs hidden inside everyday food items.
“We have found drugs smuggled in through produce. Everything from cocaine in peppers, to meth in celery and cucumbers. You name it, we’ve found it,” Harper said.
The division also handles issues like livestock theft, but Harper says protecting consumers and farmers from drug cartels has become a growing priority.
Last year, Georgia agents seized more than 1,000 kilograms of meth hidden in celery at a farmers market in Atlanta and $24 million worth of marijuana run by Chinese nationals.
Harper said Mexican cartels are increasingly using agriculture as a cover for drug trafficking.
“The cartels see agriculture as a way to move their product. We will stand as a roadblock in their way,” Harper said.
The Department of Agriculture said it responds to all threats to the food supply, from drugs to pathogens and toxins.
Harper emphasized the mission is two-fold, including protecting Georgia’s farmers and families and keeping food safe before it reaches grocery store shelves.
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