MARIETTA, Ga. – This Summer, the Georgia Army National Guard Counter Drug Program (GaNG CDP) partnered with a list of various state agencies to remove 343 illegal marijuana plants in Georgia communities.
Detect, identify, and extract illegally cultivated marijuana and gather information relating to whom manufactured the product alongside partnered agencies is the primary mission of the Governor’s Task Force (GTF) Eradication (ERAD) operations.
“GaNG CDP serves as a force multiplier for law enforcement by mitigating resource gaps, providing air-to-ground coordination, and probable cause generation,” said Deputy Director of the Georgia National Guard Counterdrug Task Force, U.S. Army Captain Jimmy Williams.
When it comes to probable cause generation, depending on the location of illegally cultivated marijuana, GaNG CDP’s aviation team can provide the capability of aerial observation and assist in obtaining evidence needed to secure a rapid search warrant.
Aviation assets transform the speed and scope of eradication efforts by allowing ground teams to save fuel, man-hours, and physical wear-and-tear by only deploying to precise coordinates once a marijuana grow site is positively identified from the air. Utilizing GaNG CDP’s assets allows for other resources to be conserved throughout the mission, allowing the GTF to search other areas during the grow season.
“In Dalton, Georgia, the GaNG CDP’s UH-72 crew spotted a growth behind a private residence, which directly enabled law enforcement personnel to secure a search warrant signed by a local judge, leading to the seizure of the outdoor plantsandprocessed marijuana hidden inside the residence,” stated Williams.
Thousands of dollars’ worth of marijuana is confiscated with street value ranging from approximately $10 per gram up to $4,500 per pound. Typically, one marijuana plant is worth $2,000.
“In Polk County, Georgia approximately 326 marijuana plants were seized [equating to] $650,000,” exclaimed Williams. “In Dalton, Georgia, 17 marijuana plants were seized [$34,000] along with two pounds of processed marijuana [$9,000].”
Outside of eradication operations, the GaNG CDP also brings to the table a holistic, multi-tiered approach to drug prevention that positively affects the community and provides additional assistance for law enforcement. The GaNG CDP conducts Drug Demand Reduction Outreach (DDRO) for the community and offers criminal case analysis support to law enforcement.
DDRO utilizes service members as positive role models in local schools and public safety seminars to deter substance abuse before it begins and assists community coalitions in establishing drug-free youth initiatives and educational outreach. Assisting law enforcement with criminal analysis consists of identifying, disrupting, and dismantling sophisticated drug trafficking organizations (DTOs), transnational criminal enterprises, and illicit finance networks by evaluating, analyzing, and disseminating criminal information.
Partnering with law enforcement, the community and other state agencies for eradication assistance or drug prevention efforts strengthens trust and increases the credibility of the GaNG CDP.
For Williams the accomplishments obtained by the organization are in the power of partnerships. “The success of this ERAD season highlights that the Georgia National Guard is not an afterthought or secondary request, but an indispensable partner; 343 [illegal] plantssuccessfully removed from Georgia communities and a felony search warrant executed.”
Governor’s Task Force Eradication typically includes the following agencies: The Georgia State Patrol (GSP), Motor Carrier Compliance Division, Department of Natural Resources - Law Enforcement Division, Department of Corrections – Community Supervision Division, Georgia Army National Guard Counter Drug Program (GaNG CDP), and the Drug Enforcement Administration.