The Georgia National Guard conducted aerial sweeps across all 159 counties this summer to identify illegal outdoor marijuana grows, a process the Guard calls "probable cause generation." Civilian police rode aboard UH-72 and UH-60 helicopters to visually confirm grows from the air and provide evidence for search warrants, reducing unnecessary ground deployments. Operations led to 343 plants seized statewide, most from a single Polk County operation, and are part of the nationwide National Guard Counterdrug Program.
Georgia National Guard Helicopters Scan All 159 Counties to Spot Marijuana, Help Police Secure Search Warrants
A Georgia National Guard helicopter assigned to the counter drug task force flies over the state.
This summer, Georgia National Guard helicopter crews flew systematic aerial searches across all 159 counties to spot outdoor marijuana grows on private land — a practice the Guard calls "probable cause generation." Civilian law enforcement officers rode aboard Guard helicopters to visually confirm suspected grows from the air and use those observations as the basis for search-warrant applications.
How The Operations Worked
Depending on aircraft availability and police requests, the Guard deployed either UH-72 Lakota or UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters with three-person military aircrews. The missions were carried out under Title 32 federal counterdrug authority, with a civilian officer on board to scan wide areas and identify potential grows. Once a grow was sighted and verified from the air, ground teams were dispatched to obtain warrants and conduct seizures, saving time, fuel and manpower by avoiding blind ground searches.
Notable Results
Statewide operations this summer contributed to the seizure of 343 marijuana plants. Most of those — 326 plants — were seized in a single operation in Polk County; a separate Dalton operation yielded 17 plants and approximately two pounds of processed marijuana, which the Guard valued at more than $40,000.
"The success of this ERAD season highlights that the Georgia National Guard is not an afterthought or secondary request, but an indispensable partner," Capt. Jimmy Williams, deputy director of the Georgia National Guard Counterdrug Task Force, said in a release.
Background And Context
The Guard has flown marijuana-eradication missions in Georgia for decades. In prior years, crews often conducted aerial searches over suspected locations provided by local sheriff's offices. In contrast, this summer the Guard broadened its approach by scanning general areas across every county rather than limiting flights to previously identified properties.
These state operations are part of the larger National Guard Counterdrug Program that operates in every U.S. state and several territories. According to the Government Accountability Office, Congress appropriated roughly $1.33 billion for the program between fiscal years 2019 and 2024. The task force's peak year was 2012, when more than 71,000 plants were seized across Georgia, including large grows on public land in the Chattahoochee National Forest.
Role Beyond Aerial Patrols
Helicopter patrols are only one component of the Georgia Guard's counterdrug mission. Guard personnel also provide criminal case analysis to civilian agencies, offering information on drug-trafficking organizations and illicit financial networks to support investigations beyond eradication missions.
The Guard says the broader, statewide flights allow ground teams to deploy more efficiently by confirming grows from the air first and thereby concentrating resources where they are most needed.
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