Over 200 kilograms of drugs, 28 weapons found in major FBI Atlanta operation
ATLANTA () — An Atlanta man was charged with several drug and weapons related crimes after an FBI drug bust uncovers an 'enormous' fentanyl pill pressing lab and weapons stash.
Bartholomew Keeton Harralson, 47, was charged on Tuesday by a federal grand jury with the following:
Possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, and marijuana
Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Harralson allegedly possessed 28 firearms, including a machine gun, and hundreds of thousands of pills containing fentanyl and other illicit drugs.
'This armed felon allegedly ran a massive fentanyl pill pressing operation in our community, producing enough deadly fentanyl to potentially kill millions of people,' said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. 'Due to the quick action and seamless collaboration of our law enforcement partners, Harralson now faces federal drug and firearms charges, his operation has been dismantled, and countless lives have almost certainly been saved.'
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, on June 5, 2025, law enforcement executed a federal search warrant at Harralson's Atlanta-area residence. Once inside, law enforcement located over 56 kilograms of fentanyl, 84 kilograms of methamphetamine, nearly 10 kilograms of heroin, and approximately four kilograms of cocaine – all in the form of powders and hundreds of thousands of pressed pills.
Law enforcement also located nine firearms, including one converted to function as a machine gun, $145,000 in cash, and a book titled 'How to Avoid Federal Drug Conspiracy & Firearms Charges.'
Harralson was arrested at the scene.
Later that same day, law enforcement executed another federal search warrant at Harralson's Douglasville residence. There, law enforcement found two large pill press machines capable of pressing up to 25,000 pills per hour, three hydraulic presses used to form kilogram-sized bricks of narcotics, more than 37 kilograms of fentanyl, approximately 13 kilograms of methamphetamine, just over eight kilograms of heroin, and more than six kilograms of cocaine.
These drugs, like those recovered during the search of Harralson's other residence, were in the form of powder and hundreds of thousands of pressed pills. In addition, in a machine shop located behind the Douglasville residence, law enforcement found approximately 1,375 pounds of binding agent used to press pills, 564 punch dies to mark the pills, 19 firearms, four drum-style magazines, and a significant amount of ammunition.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America and is being investigated by the FBI, DEA , and the United States Postal Inspection Service, with assistance from the South Fulton Police Department and Douglasville Police Department.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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