Executive Summary
- Federal agents seized 21 kilograms of fentanyl and over $380,000 in cash from a Forest Park rental home.
- Rico Deville Buice and David Estevan Montillo Diaz face federal charges of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl.
- The operation involved the FBI, DEA, and Clayton County Police Department targeting transnational criminal organizations.
Two men are in federal custody following a multi-agency operation in Clayton County, Georgia, that resulted in the seizure of 21 kilograms of fentanyl and more than $380,000 in cash, according to officials from the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The raid, which took place at a rental property in Forest Park, is being described by authorities as one of the most significant drug seizures in the region’s recent history.
Rico Deville Buice, 41, of Atlanta, and David Estevan Montillo Diaz, 23, of California, have been charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. Federal prosecutors stated that the arrests followed the execution of a search warrant on November 14 at the Forest Park residence. During the search, investigators reportedly recovered the large quantity of narcotics, suspected drug proceeds, and a firearm.
U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg emphasized the scale of the operation in a statement, noting the potential danger the seized drugs posed to the community. “The collaborative effort of different law enforcement agencies united in the fight to eliminate transnational criminal organizations kept a staggering amount of deadly fentanyl from hitting our streets,” Hertzberg said. He added that the charges are intended to send a message that traffickers will face federal custody and asset seizure.
The ongoing investigation is being conducted jointly by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Clayton County Police Department. Buice and Diaz made their initial appearance in federal court on November 19.
Investigative Impact
This seizure represents a substantial interception within the illicit opioid supply chain in the metro Atlanta area. By targeting residential rental properties utilized as logistical hubs, federal and local task forces are attempting to disrupt the infrastructure of transnational trafficking networks that embed themselves in local communities. The recovery of 21 kilograms of fentanyl indicates a high-volume distribution point, underscoring the magnitude of the synthetic opioid crisis facing the district. It is important to note that all individuals named in this report are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.