Meth found hidden at busy Paulding County produce stand

Meth bust at Paulding County fruit stand

Paulding County deputies say they uncovered a lot more than fresh produce at a roadside stand on the corner of Highway 92 and Georgia 120.

PAULDING COUNTY, Ga. - Paulding County deputies say they uncovered a lot more than fresh produce at a roadside stand on the corner of Highway 92 and Georgia 120.

Massive meth bust in Paulding County

What we know:

Investigators with the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office and the Northwest Georgia Drug Task Force say they found 270 grams of methamphetamine hidden among everyday items at the stand, including some of the drugs tucked inside a Krispy Kreme bag.

Sheriff’s officials say the bust followed a community tip that suggested something suspicious was happening behind the fruit and vegetable sales.

‘A little drugs on the side’

What they're saying:

"You're going to buy your tomatoes or your fruit or whatever and while you're buying that, you're getting a little drugs on the side," said Jordan Yuodis with the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office.

Yuodis said the suspects likely used the location to blend in. "It blends in, it doesn't stand out, you're not just in a gas station parking lot making a hand-to-hand transaction so they thought people wouldn't catch on, or they wouldn't notice," he said.

After a months-long investigation, deputies arrested 49-year-old Athena Alloway at the stand and 37-year-old Melvin Stevens about two miles away. Both face charges of trafficking and possession of methamphetamine.

Authorities are still searching for 39-year-old Crystal Ballweg, who they say was also involved.

"That amount is trafficking. They're getting it they're distributing it, and they're selling it," Yuodis said.

Evidence collected from a Paulding County produce stand is processed by investigators after deputies say they uncovered methamphetamine hidden among everyday items. (Paulding County Sheriff's Office)