Thanks to the ongoing drug enforcement efforts at the Union County Sheriff’s Office, local deputies assisted in apprehending an out-of-town drug supplier this month, marking a “substantial disruption to an active drug trafficking network operating in the region.”
“On April 17, 2026, a coordinated effort by FBI Safe Streets Task Force officers from Union and Fannin counties resulted in the interception of a significant quantity of narcotics destined for North Georgia and Western North Carolina,” according to the Union County Sheriff’s Office.
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“During the operation, officers conducted a traffic stop in Pickens County, just off Highway 515, involving Daryl Gene Ankney of Norcross, Georgia,” UCSO continued. “The stop led to the seizure of approximately one pound of methamphetamine, multiple Schedule III controlled substances and nearly $2,000 in cash.”
For reference, the street value of a pound of meth, when calculated by the most common sale weight of a gram, is upwards of $20,000, according to the Sheriff’s Office. In addition to meth, Ankney was found to be illegally possessing prescription steroids.
In the leadup to his arrest, a recent joint investigation led by officers from Union and Fannin counties discovered that Ankney, who has personal ties in Fannin, had been making drug deliveries in Fannin and Union in Georgia, and Cherokee County in North Carolina, per UCSO.
Ankney came under scrutiny of local law enforcement earlier this month during an investigation into another alleged trafficker wanted out of Clay and Cherokee counties in North Carolina. The separate subject was also found to be in possession of approximately one pound of meth and was part of the same drug trafficking network.
UCSO Staff Sgt. Jay McCarter and Staff Sgt. Josh Bergen were members of the team that took Ankney into custody without incident. McCarter said Ankney was on parole for a prior drug trafficking conviction at the time of his arrest.
For making the bust, McCarter credits strong interagency cooperation as well as involvement with the FBI Task Force, which provides greater investigatory tools at the local level.
This remains an active and ongoing investigation involving multiple agencies, showcasing the law enforcement partnerships that are coming together to combat drugs in the region.
Those agencies include Union County Sheriff’s Office, Fannin County Sheriff’s Office, the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office in North Carolina, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, Gilmer County Sheriff’s Office Crime Suppression Unit, Pickens County Sheriff’s Office, and the CMAN Unit.
Each agency contributed critical resources and personnel to ensure the success of the operation, and Union County Sheriff Shawn Dyer is grateful for the collaborative efforts.
“Continued interagency cooperation is essential in preventing illegal narcotics from reaching local communities,” Sheriff Dyer said. “Authorities remain committed to proactively targeting drug trafficking operations and enhancing public safety across the region.”
Of course, the drug problem is something every community faces, but here in Union County, Sheriff Dyer is happy about being able to expand his enforcement net to stop drugs “before they even get here.”
The bottom line for drug traffickers is that they should not attempt to deliver or sell drugs in Union County, because they will be caught – no matter where they are.
All individuals are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law.
