Eight people

were arrested by Peachtree City Police Saturday after they executed search

warrants on two apartments at Balmoral Village they believed to be sources

of drug activity.

Two of those

arrested, David DeLorenzo, 32, and Randy Baughcum, 44, both of Peachtree

City, were charged with trafficking methamphetamine and other charges

after officers discovered a large amount of suspected methamphetamine

at the apartments, police said. Six others were arrested on various drug

possession charges.

The bust came

after a two-week undercover surveillance operation as officers observed

a high amount of activity at the apartments in question, said Maj. Mike

DuPree of the Peachtree City Police Department.

"It appeared

they had a system in place" to discern when someone came by the apartments

want to buy drugs, DuPree said.

Police obtained

a special search warrant that allowed them to enter the apartments without

knocking to catch the occupants by surprise, hoping to prevent any possible

injuries to the public or officers, DuPree said.

Officers from

the department's SWAT Special Response Team, led by Sgt. Mark Brown, conducted

the raid. Inside the apartments, they found scales and other items commonly

used in the distribution of narcotics, police said.

Some of the

confiscated paraphernalia led police to believe the methamphetamine may

have been manufactured nearby although there wasn't a "meth lab"

running at either apartment, DuPree said.

In addition

to the meth trafficking charges, DeLorenzo and Baughcum were charged with

possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana (less than one

ounce) and possession of drug related objects. DeLorenzo was also charged

with cruelty to children in the first degree and reckless conduct.

Others arrested

were:

Erick Edwards,

28, of Peachtree City for possession of methamphetamine, possession of

marijuana (less than one ounce) and possession of drug related objects:

Jennifer Edwards,

22, of Peachtree City for possession of methamphetamine and possession

of marijuana (less than one ounce);

James Peek,

48, of Peachtree City for possession of marijuana (less than one ounce);

Joseph Shamrock

Jr., 47, of Peachtree City for possession of marijuana (less than one

ounce);

Julie Clark,

20, of Peachtree City for possession of marijuana (less than one ounce);

and

Mark Edwards,

33, of Peachtree City, for possession of marijuana (less than one ounce).

The investigation

is ongoing and more arrests are anticipated, DuPree said. Some of the

suspects already in custody had significant prior records for controlled

substance violations, he added.

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