Trio Convicted Of Trafficking 26 Kilos Of Meth In South Cobb

MARIETTA, GA -- Three men have been convicted of trafficking more than 26 kilos of methamphetamine, Cobb County District Attorney Vic Reynolds announced Friday.

Gustavo Bustos, 32; his nephew, Luis Antonio Bustos, 22; and Rogelio Garcia Portillo, 25, were all sentneced to 30 years in prison, Reynolds said. (SIGN UP: Get Patch's Daily Newsletter and Real Time News Alerts. Or, if you have an iPhone, download the free Patch app.)

The case was busted open in April 2016 when federal agents with the Drug Enforcement Agency received a tip that a huge drug deal involving 10 kilograms of methamphetamine was going to happen in Tramore Park, off the East-West Connector. Agents using aerial and land surveillance observed a black Mercedes and a blue Honda. People inside the vehicles exchanged a blue duffel bag, the DA said.

The Benz was pulled over by Georgia State Patrol and the blue bag, which had 10 kilograms of methamphetamine, was recovered by law enforcement.

Authorities then followed the Honda to a nearby home, where arrests were made and they found an additional 16 kilos of meth.

“The first step was getting this product off of the street and away from people's struggling with addiction,” said Assistant Districit Attorney Drew Healy, who prosecuted the case. “The second step is holding these defendants accountable when they choose to make a profit on that addiction, as well as removing these men as players in a highly sophisticated, multinational drug trafficking organization.”

Cobb Superior Court Judge Stephen Schuster sentenced the trio, telling them they “preyed on those addicted to drugs.”

In addition to being sentenced to serve 30 years in prison, the defendants were also fined $1 million.

“Justice demands that we help those struggling with addiction,” Judge Schuster said. “To do this, we must punish these purveyors of poison.”

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