News/Commentary

Illegal alien charged by feds after authorities seize 1,600 pounds of meth stashed in blackberry shipments

December 4, 2025 | | Print Article

A Mexican illegal alien who previously spent nearly two decades in federal prison was indicted for allegedly conspiring to traffic tens of millions of dollars’ worth of methamphetamine in Georgia, drugs that were hidden inside blackberry shipments.

44-year-old Gerardo Solorio-Alvarado of Mexico and his 36-year-old accomplice Nelson Enrique Sorto of Atlanta are likely headed to the big house after they were arrested in the drug distribution scheme before the 1,585 pounds of meth could hit the streets.

Solorio-Alvarado has already served 17 years behind bars after his conviction of felony possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in a drug trafficking crime. Sorto is currently on probation for a 2024 conviction for possession of methamphetamine in Hall County, GA, according to federal authorities.

While on a November 20 stakeout at a cold storage warehouse in Fulton County, law enforcement saw three refrigerated box trucks parked outside. Agents then followed one of the trucks as it “traveled in tandem with an SUV” that Sorto was driving to a southeast Atlanta residence.

According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Georgia, “Sorto then opened the rear door of the truck and examined the storage area and its contents. Shortly after midnight, Sorto departed in the SUV with two passengers. Georgia State Patrol troopers initiated a traffic stop on the SUV and located two firearms and several containers of blackberries in the vehicle. During a subsequent search of the box truck parked outside the Atlanta residence, Georgia Bureau of Investigation agents, assisted by the FBI, recovered approximately 924 pounds of methamphetamine concealed in pallets of blackberries.”

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“At the same time, another team of federal agents and sheriff’s deputies followed a second box truck from the cold storage facility to a gas station in Gainesville. Solorio-Alvarado arrived, picked up the box truck driver, and departed the gas station,” the press release continued. “After a K9 alerted to the odor of narcotics, agents searched the abandoned box truck and recovered approximately 661 pounds of methamphetamine hidden amongst pallets of blackberries.”

(Video Credit: Atlanta News First)

Solorio-Alvarado was later taken into custody as he tried to flee from the back of his home in Gainesville. Deputies found the keys to the abandoned truck inside the residence.

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“These repeat offenders, including an illegal alien, allegedly attempted to conceal and traffic an enormous quantity of deadly methamphetamine in our community,” U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg said. “We are thankful for the quick action of our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners who apprehended these individuals and stopped nearly 1,600 pounds of methamphetamine from hitting the streets.”

“We’ve seen the cartels operate this way before. … We have seen massive methamphetamine seizures of drugs that were smuggled in with cucumbers, celery, or jalapeño peppers. And now … blackberries,” Hertzberg said at a Wednesday news conference, according to Fox News.

“These arrests and the confiscation of this massive amount of methamphetamine represent a major disruption to the criminals who traffic this dangerous poison in our communities,” Hall County Sheriff Gerald Couch said. “Hall County Sheriff’s Office investigators worked tirelessly in this case to hold accountable those who threaten the well-being of people in our county and communities across Georgia. I’m incredibly proud of the teamwork displayed by our investigators and our state and federal partners.”

“The FBI will never waver in our commitment to disrupt traffickers and prevent their dangerous drugs from reaching our streets, no matter where they try to hide them,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown, according to the press release. “Thanks to the quick response and dedicated efforts of our law enforcement partners, these repeat offenders will be held responsible for their crimes.”

Chris Donaldson
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