On Tuesday, February 4, 2014 Agents with the Bartow-Cartersville Drug Task Force, Dalton Police Department, Homeland Security Investigation (HIS), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and Georgia Bureau of Investigation arrested four individuals for various drug charges and gambling charges.
According to Sheriff Clark Millsap and Chief Tommy Culpepper, in a joint operation, law enforcement officials executed four search warrants, seized banking accounts and safe deposit boxes, and conducted three consent searches in Bartow and Whitfield County.
Sheriff Millsap said this investigation was initiated as a result of information received alleging the production and sale of “Synthetic Marijuana”. Agents purchased the suspected illegal substances and forwarded it to the GBI crime lab for analysis. The results confirmed that it contained a schedule I controlled substance.
Bartow-Cartersville Drug Task Force Commander Mark Mayton said that three of the search warrants were located in Bartow County. The first two were located at 1160 Burnt Hickory Road “Burnt Hickory Grocery and Deli” suite A and “Tobacco Mart” suite B. Agents arrested two individuals inside of the “Tobacco Mart”. From these two locations agents recovered US Currency believed to be proceeds from illegal gambling and the sale of “Synthetic Marijuana”. While executing the search warrant agents located and seized methamphetamine on a person who was gambling inside of the Tobacco Mart. Captain Mayton said while these two search warrants were on going other agents conducted a consent search at 31 Springmont Drive, Cartersville Georgia. At this location agents seized a large amount of US Currency also believed to be the proceeds of criminal activity and arrested one individual.
Captain Mayton said as enforcement actions were taking place in Bartow County other agents were at the same time executing a search warrant at a business in Whitfield County the “Discount Tobacco and Food Mart” located at 516 MLK Jr. Blvd, Dalton Georgia. At this location agents recovered a large amount of “Synthetic Marijuana”, 208 packs with a gross weight of 1778.9 grams and US Currency believed to be proceeds from the sale of the “Synthetic Marijuana”. One person was arrested at this location as a result of the search warrant.
During the primary operation agents executed seizure warrants at a local bank freezing business account(s). Captain Mayton said that information gathered led agents to two safe deposit boxes that result in the seizure of a large amount of US Currency and foreign passports.
An additional search warrant was executed at 50 Stone Mill Drive Apartment 1106, Cartersville Georgia. During the execution of this search warrant agent gathered information that led to the seizure of 1118 packs of “Synthetic Marijuana” with a gross weight of 13,191.2 grams.
Sheriff Millsap and Chief Culpepper said that drug task force agents are still following information gathered during this investigation and more arrest expected in the near future.
The following individuals were arrested and jailed at the Bartow County Jail pending a bond hearing:
Sanjayakumar Balden Patel, 40 years old of 31 Springmont Drive, Cartersville Ga. Charged with Sell of a Schedule I Controlled Substance and pending Immigrations charges. Jinendra Prabhdas Patel, 51 Years old of 710 Stone Mill Drive, Cartersville Ga. Charged with Keeping a Gambling Place and Commercial Gambling.
Phillip Duane Barnette, 41 years old of 25 Sherwood lane, Cartersville Ga. Charged with Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute and Probation Violation.
The following person was booked into the Whitfield County Jail pending a bond hearing.
1. Dhansukh Bhika, of 50 Stone Mill Drive Apartment 1106, Cartersville Ga. Charged with Possession of a Schedule I Controlled Substance.