Authorities on Friday morning converged on some 40 stores in Northwest Georgia where employees allegedly knowingly sold large amount of products used in meth production.
Officials said more than 200 federal, state and local law enforcement officials were involved in "Operation Meth Merchant."
Georgia recently passed a new law setting tight restrictions on sales of products used to make meth.
The sweep came after an extensive undercover operation.
The operation that started in early 2004 focused on six counties in Northwest Georgia (Catoosa, Chattooga, Floyd, Whitfield, Walker and Dade).
Those arrested include:
TONYA LAYMAN, 32, of Trenton, Georgia, and JUDY HIGDON, age unknown, of Trenton, Georgia, employees/associates of Hartline's Grocery and Hartline's Deli, 3064 Highway 301, Trenton, Dade County, Georgia;
JIGNESHKUMAR B. PATEL, 27, of Tifton, Georgia, and SATU, Inc., d/b/a TOBACCO OUTLET, 1109 North Main Street, Lafayette, Walker County, Georgia;
BALVEDBHAI PATEL, 41, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, REKHA REMESH, 47, of Nashville, Tennessee, and PBR, Inc, d/b/a FAMOUS MARKET AND TOBACCO STORE, 3721 Chattanooga Valley Road, Flintstone, Walker County, Georgia;
PRADIPKUMAR V. PATEL, age unknown, of Rossville, Georgia, GOVINBHAI PATEL, 72, of Rossville, Georgia, JAYSHREE PATEL, 50, of Rossville, Georgia, and G&P GAS Co., Inc., d/b/a JIFFY MART, 1250 Mission Ridge Road, Rossville, Walker County, Georgia;
BALDWINDER PARMAR, 47, of Marietta, Georgia, JAGWINDER KAUR, 47, of Calhoun, Georgia, PRABHJEET SINGH, age and address unknown, and 41 MARKET, Inc., d/b/a 41 FOOD MART, 4501 South Dixie Road, SE, Resaca, Whitfield County, Georgia;
PRAHLADBHAI H. PATEL, 47, of Dalton, Georgia, and KARUNA NIDHI, Inc., d/b/a MYRA'S GROCERY AND TOBACCO, 2290 Waring Road, NW, Dalton, Whitfield County, Georgia;
HARSHADKUM PATEL, 26, of Shelbyville, Tennessee, RAMESHBHAI PATEL, 54, of Dalton, Georgia, and SHREE DURGA, Inc., d/b/a VARNELL MARKET AND TOBACCO, 300 West Main Street, Varnell, Whitfield County, Georgia;
KAREN FLARITY, 48, of Mentone, Georgia, SHANTILAL PATEL, 50, of Carrollton, Georgia, NIKESH PATEL, 32, of Marietta, Georgia, and PARUL PATEL, 29, of Cloudland, Georgia, associates/employees of BJ's Food Mart, 12510 Highway 48, Cloudland, Chattooga County, Georgia;
BHARATKUMAR PATEL, 52, of Riverdale, Georgia, and NILIMABEN BHART K. PATEL, 45, address unknown, employees/associates of Pop's Country Store, 6465 Highway 48, Menlo, Chattooga County, Georgia;
MANGESH PATEL, 55, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, FALGUN PATEL, 28, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, and ANERI Corp., d/b/a TOBACCO AND BEVERAGE MART, 12062 South Main Street, Trenton, Dade County, Georgia;
VAJRASREE KAMARAJUQDDA, 45, of Ft. Oglethorpe, Georgia, an employee/associate of Rossville Smoke Shop, 512 Chickamauga Avenue, Rossville, Walker County, Georgia;
SAMEENA FATHIMA, 36, of Ft. Oglethorpe, Georgia, ASHRAF BAIG, 45, of Ft. Oglethorpe, Georgia, MOHAMMED AHMED, 49, of Ringgold, Georgia, and NISHA BUSINESS, Inc., d/b/a A&W MINI MART, 141 Highway 41, Ringgold, Catoosa County, Georgia;
MALVIKA CHIRAQ PATEL, 38, of Cleveland, Tennessee, MATTHEW SAMUEL, 23, of Chattanooga, Georgia, and SAISHREE, Inc., d/b/a TOBACCO FOR LESS, 1840 Lafayette Road, Catoosa County, Georgia;
MITESH LAXMANBHAI PATEL, 27, of Ringgold, Georgia, and LAXENMANBHAI PATEL, 55, of Rossville, Georgia, employees/associates of Ross Thriftway, 1119 Lafayette Road, Walker County, Georgia;
VIPUL RAMANBHAI PATEL, 27, of Rising Fawn, Georgia, and SHAKTHI, Inc., d/b/a SUE'S MARKET, 3209 Highway 11 South, Rising Fawn, Dade County, Georgia;
SIDHHARATH PATEL, age and address unknown, SUDHIRKUMAR N. PATEL, 45, of Dalton, Georgia, and KASHIBA, Inc., d/b/a DEEP SPRINGS GROCERY/ SUPERETTE, 1610 Beaverdale Road, NE, Dalton, Whitfield County, Georgia;
NILESH RAMANBHAI PATEL, 23, of Silver Creek, Georgia, an employee/associate of Silver Creek Mini Mart, 5729 Rockmart Road, SE, Silver Creek, Floyd County, Georgia;
PRAVINKUMAR H. PATEL, age and address unknown, and BABUBEN, Inc., d/b/a, COASTAL FOOD MART, 1701 Turner McCall Boulevard, Rome, Floyd County, Georgia;
RUPESH PATEL, 31, of Rome, Georgia, KUMSUMBEN PATEL, 23, of Summerville, Georgia, PAT ALLEN, age unknown, of Gaylesville, Georgia, ASHLEY KNIGHT, 19, of Menlo, Georgia, a/k/a "Ashley Brannon," and DIPESH, Inc., d/b/a MOM & POP's STORE, 10898 Highway 114, Lyerly, Chattooga County, Georgia;
HASMUKH THANKI, 49, of Rossville, Georgia, and GITA HASMUKH THANKI, 42, of Ringgold, Georgia, employees/associates of Quick Stop/Lakeview Superette, 805 Lakeview Drive, Rossville, Catoosa County, Georgia;
SATISHKUMAR PATEL, 27, of Cochran, Georgia, VISAL PATEL, 22, of Dalton, Georgia, and JAI GOPAL, Inc., d/b/a CREEKSIDE GROCERY, 4100 Tibbs Bridge Road, Dalton, Whitfield County, Georgia;
GHANSHYAMBHAI PATEL, 23, of Dalton, Georgia, DAKSHA JANI, 32, of Dalton, Georgia, and BDGK, Inc., d/b/a TIBBS ROAD CONVENIENCE STORE, 813 North Tibbs Road, Dalton, Whitfield County, Georgia;
KAMLESH PATEL, 35, of Summerville, Georgia, VIPUL PATEL, age unknown, of Calhoun, Georgia, and HELLY, Inc., d/b/a REESE'S MINI MART, 1360 Highway 48, Summerville, Chattooga County, Georgia;
ALPESH PATEL, 29, of Rossville, Georgia, and ASHABEN PATEL, 23, of Rossville, Georgia, employees/associates of AP Handy Shop, 1800 Lafayette Road, Ft. Oglethorpe, Catoosa County, Georgia.