OPERATION LAST STAND DISMANTLES DRUG PIPELINE

(August 25, 2026) This afternoon, Sheriff Carter Weaver joined Attorney General Alan Wilson and representatives of other state and federal law enforcement agencies to announce Grand Jury indictments against 31 defendants tied to a massive drug-trafficking pipeline stretching from Mexican cartels to the Lowcountry, including Georgetown County.

The indictments were the result of a multi-jurisdictional effort called Operation Last Stand, which dismantled criminal networks connected to foreign terrorist organizations and violent gangs. The operation resulted in the seizure of kilograms of cocaine, fentanyl, and methamphetamine.

Operation Last Stand grew out of investigations into unsanctioned Charleston area night clubs known for drawing large crowds, which became hubs for narcotics trafficking, prostitution and gang violence. Months of surveillance, intelligence gathering, enforcement actions, and a State Grand Jury investigation led to a February raid in North Charleston that began to dismantle a trafficking pipeline bringing drugs from Mexico through Southern border states into South Carolina. Dozens of raids and localized investigations followed, including those conducted by the Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office. In addition to the illicit substances seized, over 30 firearms, many of them machine guns, were taken off the streets. Trafficking victims were identified, including a juvenile who was reunited with relatives.

“I have always pledged to do everything within my power to rid our communities of drug dealers and the death that they dispense,” said Sheriff Weaver. “I am proud of what we have been able to accomplish with our local, state and federal partners and we are far from finished with this fight in Georgetown County and the State of South Carolina.”

This is an active investigation. For further details, click here: https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1615908893236370&set=pcb.1615914043235855 See less