GAINESVILLE, Ga. -- An investigation by law enforcement from several agencies led them to discover a bunker full of weapons in Gainesville.
The Hall County Sheriff's Office told 11Alive a joint ATF and DEA investigation into opioids near Roswell was underway on Old Cornelia Highway. The operation led authorities to obtain a search warrant for the 42-acre property in Hall County.
Authorities thought they were going to find a drug lab, but while officers were conducting their search, they discovered much more: an underground bunker full of boxes of ammunition, 51 guns - including a Gatling gun - 20 handguns, silencers, and 50 pounds of marijuana and fentanyl that was being pressed into pills. Investigators also found 500 Xanax pills, unidentifiable white powder and unidentifiable blue pills.
Ammunition, weapons found in bunker in Gainesville
The DEA told 11Alive they've been working on a months-long investigation into a large organization that deals drugs and untraceable guns in several states. Authorities believe the organization had been buying incomplete gun lowers - a piece of aluminum that can be used to turn into guns - from Amazon, then manufacturing the weapons.
The DEA said the guns, none of which had serial numbers, were basically ready for war.
"That concerns us as law enforcement when you encounter these sort of people. Not only as law enforcement but the public is at risk as well," explained Associate Special Agent with the DEA, Chad Cook.
So far, no arrests have been made, but Cook said they're still investigating more locations that could be involved.
"This is just one area that we were able to secure a search warrant," Cook said.
The investigation is ongoing.
