LANIER CO., Ga. – On Monday, February 3, 2020, Lanier County Sheriff’s Office investigators acted on information they had developed from another jurisdiction which made them believe that a particular person and vehicle would be traveling to Lakeland from the Tifton, Georgia area to deliver a quantity of “Black Tar” heroin and marijuana.
The investigators were aware that the individual who possessed the heroin had just made a sale in the Tifton area before traveling to Lanier County. They were aware that the heroin being sold was “Black Tar”, so-called for its dark color and thick, sticky consistency and that it was “good” (potent).
Once the vehicle was observed leaving the Tifton area and believed to be heading for Lanier County, they arranged for marked units to stop the vehicle.
A search was conducted of the vehicle and the driver, Derrick Denzele Davis, age 25, of Tifton, Georgia admitted that he possessed the heroin and had hidden it in his crotch area. The heroin was recovered and field-tested positively for the substance. A quantity of marijuana was also recovered from Davis’ person and from his vehicle as well as digital scales commonly used to weigh illegal substances for sale.
Davis’ vehicle was seized and the two persons with him were allowed to leave as Davis admitted the drugs were his.
Derrick Denzele Davis was arrested on six felony charges to include the following: Trafficking in Heroin, Possession With Intent to Distribute Marijuana, Possession of Heroin Within 1000-feet of a Housing Project, Possession of Marijuana Within 1000-feet of a Housing Project, Possession of Tool In Commission of a Crime, Use of a Communications Device to Facilitate a Crime.
“We had a very busy day that day and my Investigative unit had a lot on their plate but they pushed through and worked till after midnight making for a 16-plus hour day,” said Lanier Co. Sheriff Nick Norton. “But, in the end, they wound up stopping this dose of poison from being sold in our county and I couldn’t be prouder of them. That amount of heroin is eight times the amount that results in a heroin trafficking charge so this is a significant bust. What these investigators do for the county is seldom seen, but the results can’t be denied. We have made more than 400 drug cases in the past three years, 131 last year alone. All of our staff are tuned in to detect and arrest anyone violating the law, but they are particularly good at catching drug offenders.”
The investigators on the case reported that heroin is on the increase in the area and while, so far, it is not a big player, it is a lethal drug. They said that a great deal of the heroin sold is laced with Fentanyl and Carfentanyl and can be instantly lethal.
The Carfentanyl can kill with just a touch to an ungloved hand and poses a real risk for the users as well as first responders to overdosing’s and to law enforcement. The Investigators said the best way to combat it is to realize early that if you have a friend or family member that is using heroin they need to get help and if being arrested gets them the help, it is a lot better than dying.
