Eleven people are behind bars after a months-long investigation that started with monitored jail calls led to one of the biggest drug busts in recent Bibb County history.
🔍 What’s Happening: Bibb County Sheriff’s Office investigators seized 17 pounds of marijuana, over a pound of cocaine, three assault rifles, and $110,000 in cash during coordinated raids on May 23.
The investigation began in January when deputies started monitoring jail calls from Akbar Harclerode Sr. after his arrest. Those calls revealed he was working with his girlfriend and brother to get synthetic drugs into the Bibb County jail.
🚨 Why It Matters: The operation removed dangerous drugs and weapons from Macon streets while stopping a scheme to smuggle drugs into the county jail where inmates were waiting for their cases.
🎯 Between the Lines: This was the first major wiretapping investigation led by the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office in over 10 years, showing how far authorities went to crack this case.
The probe expanded when investigators discovered connections to the Macon Mafia Gang and a larger cocaine trafficking operation. Federal agencies including the FBI, DEA, and ATF joined the investigation they called “Operation Westside Wakeup.”
📞 Catch Up Quick: The breakthrough came from listening to phone calls made by inmates at the county jail, which led investigators to a much bigger drug network operating in Middle Georgia.
Hassan Harclerode Sr., identified as the main target, was arrested during a traffic stop. Investigators say he distributed over 1,000 grams of cocaine and crack cocaine.
The raids also uncovered three ounces of ecstasy, digital scales, packaging materials, and three firearms including two AR-15 style rifles.
“This operation illustrates how the illicit drug trade reaches from the cell block to the city street,” said Sheriff David Davis. “We can be very grateful for the dedicated work of the local, state, and federal investigators in bringing to justice those individuals who work to bring poison into our community.”
Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr said his office expanded to Macon specifically to target these types of criminal networks. “We’re working each day to disrupt and dismantle the growing gang networks that are terrorizing our communities,” Carr said.
The 11 people arrested face charges ranging from drug trafficking to weapons violations. The Harclerode family members face multiple charges, with Hassan Harclerode Sr. charged with trafficking cocaine, ecstasy, and marijuana along with conspiracy charges.
⚠️ Reminder: Crime articles contain only charges and information from police reports and law enforcement statements. Suspects and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Before You Dismiss This Article…
We live in a time when information feels overwhelming, but here’s what hasn’t changed: facts exist whether they comfort us or not.
When A&W launched their third-pound burger to compete with McDonald’s Quarter Pounder in the 1980s, it failed spectacularly. Not because it tasted worse, but because customers thought 1/3 was smaller than 1/4. If basic math can trip us up, imagine how easily we can misread complex news.
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Next time a story makes you angry, pause. Ask yourself: What evidence backs this up? Am I reacting with my brain or my gut? What would actually change my mind? And most importantly, am I assuming bias just because the story doesn’t match what I hoped to hear.
Smart readers choose verified information over their own comfort zone.
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
