PANAMA CITY — Out-of-state authorities have halted a methamphetamine supply-line into Bay County allegedly from sources within the Mexican Cartel, according to officials.
Harris County Sheriff’s deputies, based in Hamilton, Ga., pulled over 29-year-old Angela Crystal Nash in late-June after their tag readers returned her vehicle’s status as stolen. Nash told officers she had picked the car up from a friend and was asked to transport it to Panama City. Before she could make it, Nash was arrested with about a pound of methamphetamine, scales and baggies in a padlocked book bag, allegedly originating from the Mexican Cartel.
After being arrested and turning in Hungarian-native Andrea Mcinally, 31, of Southport, the lookout driver traveling in a separate car on the trip, Nash told deputies the delivery details. Over the past month, she revealed, she transported as much as 36 pounds of methamphetamine into Bay County.
Nash said she and a boyfriend, whose name was not released, went to Florida on vacation last year when they ran into some of his friends from Panama City. She said the boyfriend started to talk about Nash’s previous drug connections in Georgia.
After breaking up with the boyfriend, Nash said his friends in Panama City continued to contact her, which led to eight runs from her source in Newnan, Ga., to Panama City within the month of June. Each trip she carried as much as 4.5 pounds of methamphetamine, valued at about $225,000.
Bay County Sheriff’s officials verified they have been in contact with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, but declined to comment on the ongoing investigation.
During a press conference Saturday, Harris County officials indicated they believe Nash was acting as a drug mule as part of the Mexican Cartel. Nash has been charged with theft by receiving stolen property, trafficking methamphetamine and possession of a firearm by a felon.
Nash and Mcinally, who was charged with criminal conspiracy, have been released on bond.