Covington man named in drug trafficking indictment

Monday, December 20, 2010
© Copyright 2013 Newton Citizen

Photo by Bill Wilson

ATLANTA -- A Covington man has been indicted in connection with a major investigation that led to the arrest of a federal Customs and Border Protection agent and 12 others allegedly involved in a large-scale drug trafficking scheme.

U.S. Attorney Sally Quillian Yates said Thursday authorities seized 700,000 tabs of Ecstasy worth more than $2.8 million at a house in Chamblee as part of the bust.

Customs agent Devon Samuels is charged with laundering drug money, smuggling cash and attempting to bring weapons onto an aircraft.

In an investigation linked to Samuels, Covington resident Damien Aarons, 35, is charged with facilitating a drug operation that trafficked in Ecstasy and marijuana in the metro Atlanta area. Aarons allegedly acted as a distributor, broker or courier in the drug operation and was named in a federal indictment that was unsealed Thursday.

Prosecutors say an officer posing as a drug money launderer gave the 45-year-old Samuels $22,000, which they say he smuggled to Jamaica.

Samuels is also charged with conspiracy to commit marriage fraud. Authorities say he was paid at least $500 to help a couple in a sham marriage deceive customs officials.

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