by Cedric ‘BIG CED’ Thornton
April 22, 2026
‘Operation No Smoke’ a substantial amount of illegal narcotics, along with weapons, and more than $30,000 in cash.
The Atlanta Police Department arrested 40 people during “Operation No Smoke,” an investigation targeting a large-scale marijuana pop-up event.
According to Atlanta Police, with help from the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, police officers, acting on an anonymous tip, executed a search warrant at the location on April 18. Cops encountered over 70 people before apprehending 40.
Officers executing the search warrant seized large quantities of drugs, weapons, and cash, including 1,220 pounds of marijuana, 391 pounds of THC edibles, 29 pounds of psilocybin mushrooms, 15 firearms — two belonging to security guards — $32,329 in cash, and nine vehicles.
More than 1,400 people had registered for the event, with additional attendees expected.
According to Rough Draft Atlanta, the organizers of the pop-up were from 11 states, with 24 vendors, and the event was promoted on social media. Lt. Jason Smith said 18 customers were already waiting outside when officers arrived. He said some attendees attempted to flee, with vendors barricading doors while others tried to escape through a back entrance.
“More than 70 people ran from the location – jumping on roofs, running on the railroad tracks, and throwing guns and bags of raw marijuana and gummies,” Smith said. “It was a very chaotic scene.”
According to Atlanta News First, at a press conference announcing the bust, Chief Darin Schierbaum spoke about what the sale of marijuana could do, sometimes leading to violence.
“The wholesale distribution of it leads to violence. People are eventually going to come for the product, or they’re going to come for the proceeds… and there’s going to be a gun attached to either defending it or taking it,” he said.
Police also released video of the operation during the press conference.
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