CLEVELAND, Ga. – While completing a routine security check Friday, an alert White County deputy noticed a storage unit door was open and feared it had been burglarized. What he discovered, however, was not a burglary, but a cache of illegal narcotics, including about eight pounds of crystal meth and a stolen handgun.

The Appalachian Regional Drug Enforcement Office (ARDEO) was called to assist with the investigation. Authorities then executed search warrants on the storage unit along with a neighboring storage unit and discovered $12,000.00, which led to the execution of a warrant at 55 Driskell Road in Cleveland where they found additional evidence. The street value of the illegal narcotics seized is $395,000.

Jason Scott Hawkins, 43, was arrested at the residence and charged with trafficking methamphetamine. Hawkins was transported to the White County Detention Center. This investigation continues and additional arrests are expected.

For additional information about ARDEO or to provide tips on criminal activity, look for ARDEO@appalachiandtf on twitter or follow on facebook@appalachianrdeo and/or Instagram. The Appalachian Regional Drug Enforcement Office is a multi-agency unit that consists of the following Sheriff’s Offices: White County, Lumpkin County, Towns County, Banks County, Jackson County, Habersham County, Stephens County, Rabun County, Franklin County, the Cleveland Police Department, the Lavonia Police Department, the Toccoa Police Department, along with the Georgia National Guard Counter Drug Task Force, the Department of Public Safety, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

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