ATLANTA, GA – Today, Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler J Harper, in coordination with Pierce County Sheriff Ramsey Bennett, Wayne County Sheriff Robert E. “Chuck” Moseley, and Long County Sheriff Craig Nobles, announced that an 8-month-long, joint investigation into the sale of illegal THC products has resulted in the arrest of several Yemeni Nationals and the seizure of a large quantity of illegal THC products. Officers from the participating agencies, simultaneously served search warrants at 4 different retail smoke shops located in Blackshear, Jesup, and Ludowici. This remains an ongoing investigation and additional information will be released as the case progresses.
“I am incredibly proud of the work our officers did to protect Georgians by getting these illegal, potentially harmful products off the shelf,” said Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler J Harper. “We have zero tolerance for the sale of illegal THC products in Georgia. Whether they’re foreign-born or homegrown, we will continue to hold bad actors accountable to the fullest extent of the law, while supporting the retailers, growers, and processors who maintain full compliance with the rules we established to ensure these products are safe, tested, accurately labeled, and not sold to children.”
Operational Summary:
On September 21, 2026, officers from the Georgia Department of Agriculture, Pierce County Sheriff’s Office, Wayne County Sheriff’s Office, and Long County Sheriff’s Office executed 8 simultaneous search warrants on smoke shops located in Blackshear, Jesup, and Ludowici. Four retail stores were searched, all of which are owned by Yemeni nationals, and were found to be selling illegal products ranging from Marijuana falsely labeled as Hemp flower to THCA products that were outlawed in Georgia by SB494. This case remains ongoing.
