ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – Authorities said four people have been arrested in what’s believed by the Georgia Department of Agriculture to be one of the largest thefts of hemp oil in the state.
The alleged crime, Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper said, could be one of the most significant of its kind in the entire country.
The theft itself occurred in January 2025 – the state agriculture department only released details about the crime this week.
Harper says four people – possibly more – robbed Second Century Ag in Irwin County, loading 3,000 liters of hemp oil into a U-Haul and taking off. The estimated street value of the oil is around $3.6 million.
“We believe this is probably one of the largest hemp oil or CBD distillate theft cases that we’re aware of in Georgia or even in America,” said Harper. “And who knows what it’s being utilized for? We don’t know that.”
While the suspects were eventually arrested out of state, they were able to offload the allegedly stolen hemp oil before being apprehended by the Department of Agriculture’s law enforcement division as well as the Texas Rangers and Texas state troopers.
Maurice Cornelius Williams, Deandre Meshack, LaShayla Jones and Aaron Wayne Smith are all facing charges ranging from burglary to possession of a controlled substance.
Harper said the group allegedly rented a U-Haul in Atlanta, drove south to the facility, carried out the theft then returned to Texas, where they were later arrested.
Georgia’s hemp and CBD products are regulated by the Department of Agriculture and Harper says packaging will notate the product’s approval and safety with a label or QR code.
“If you’re purchasing those products, we want you to look for those things,” he said.
When Harper became agriculture commissioner in 2023, one of his first decisions was to reinstate the department’s law enforcement division and bolster the work they do investigation ag-related crimes from animal abuse and theft to human trafficking.
“It’s important work that we do,” he said. “We have a job to do in ensuring that those who want to use agriculture as a means to an end to perpetrate their criminal activity, that they’re brought to justice.”
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Authorities said four people have been arrested in what’s believed by the Georgia Department of Agriculture to be one of the largest thefts of hemp oil in the state. Read More
