‘Operation JAWbreaker’ disbands drug ring

RABUN COUNTY — According to local law enforcement, a multi-state drug ring was disbanded in the early hours of Thursday morning.

Rabun County Sheriff Chad Nichols said the Macon County, Jackson County and the Rabun County Sheriff’s offices worked together with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Also to assist was the Franklin Police Department, the Federal Drug Enforcement Administration and the 30th Judicial District Attorney’s Office.

He said collectively the departments executed search warrants and served arrest warrants on nearly a dozen people for involvement in a heroin and methamphetamine distribution ring.

According to Macon County, North Carolina Sheriff Robert L. Holland the operation was named “Operation JAWbreaker,” which he later revealed was an acronym created from the first names of three alleged co-conspirators who were said to be the main source of Macon County’s heroin and meth supply.

The investigation, which began in January 2017, uncovered more than two dozen individuals who had involvement in the distribution ring.

He said three of the 25 suspects were identified as co-conspirators and suppliers living in the Highlands and Franklin, North Carolina, area.

Three additional sources of suppliers living in the Atlanta area also were identified during the investigation as supplying Macon County according to officials.

Warrants for the Atlanta suspects will be issued and those individuals will be extradited to Macon County, North Carolina, upon their arrest.

 

Authorities said names and information about those arrested and those at large will be released in the coming days.