Federal agents recovered approximately 130 pounds of methamphetamine from a vehicle abandoned at a Brookhaven shopping center as part of a trafficking investigation that netted nearly 500 pounds of the drug across metro Atlanta, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia announced Tuesday, July 21, 2026. The office did not detail where the remaining quantity beyond the two known seizure locations was recovered.

Three men now face federal conspiracy charges, according to federal officials: Juan Rueda-Palacios and Lourdes Prudente Blanco, both Mexican nationals without authorization to be in the United States, and Alan Hernandez of Marietta.

The Brookhaven drop

According to federal prosecutors, Rueda-Palacios and Prudente Blanco drove a vehicle from Ellenwood to a shopping center in Brookhaven on April 2, and left it there with approximately 130 pounds of meth inside. Agents observed Hernandez retrieve the drugs from the vehicle later that same day.

The U.S. Attorney's Office did not identify the shopping center by name.

Rueda-Palacios and Prudente Blanco were arrested Wednesday, July 15, after federal agents searched their Sandy Springs apartment. Inside, agents found approximately 250 pounds of methamphetamine and a Mexican passport belonging to Rueda-Palacios, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Federal officials said neither man had authorization to be in the country. The Justice Department said Rueda-Palacios had previously been deported from the United States in 2013.

Federal charges filed

All three defendants appeared in federal court July 21 facing charges of conspiracy to possess and distribute methamphetamine. Rueda-Palacios faces an additional charge of illegally reentering the United States, according to federal officials. The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg.

Multi-agency effort

The investigation involved multiple federal agencies, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and the Barrow County Sheriff's Office, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. The office did not specify what role each agency played.

No next court date has been announced for the three defendants. Anyone with information about drug trafficking activity can contact the DEA's Atlanta Field Division at 404-893-7000.