The fourth drug bust, announced on Wednesday, happened in the Sinaloa city of Culiacan where the Mexican Navy seized 10 tons of synthetic drugs, which a source told The Daily Wire was methamphetamine. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Marshal Service, Operation Washout is a national initiative focused on the investigation and arrest of violent fugitives with active arrest warrants, by providing an immediate-impact operational model meant to support partner agencies and provide communities with relief from violent crime. Fox News Flash top headlines for November 24. She said the drug problem contributes to other crime in the area. Know of a story that needs to be covered? "This is a staggering seizure that demonstrates the extent of our current fight against mass production of methamphetamine and fentanyl," acting U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman said, thanking all the agencies involved in the bust. PORTLAND, Ore. U.S. authorities said Wednesday they completed drug-trafficking busts in Oregon that involved an international network of couriers, dealers and stash-house operators who smuggled. Michael Guzman. Authorities discovered the underground drug lab in a mountainous area where they seized a staggering 50 tons of methamphetamine, which has an estimated street value of approximately $4 billion. The maximum penalty on conviction is from 10 years to life in prison. The raids, which also targeted properties in Mexico City and the northern state of Durango, marked the latest large-scale fentanyl bust . Mahoney has more than 20 years experience as a journalist, working for newspapers in Florida, Maryland and Texas. Still, Mace said, anything over two ounces will be a misdemeanor and possessing over eight ounces is considered a felony. John Tavares, 36, was sentenced on Feb. 7, 2023 by U.S. District Court Judge Leo. Sign up for the New Mexico Sun Newsletter, Juniper Basin Recreation Area will offer 'beautiful landscapes' for future bike park. Natalie Mendoza allegedly kept records of drug sales and collected proceeds from drug transactions. Submit Your Story By Sam Jackson Feb 19, 2022 An arrest and seizure of more than $1 million in street drugs in New Mexico resulted in no charges and the suspect being released, authorities said. DRUG CARTELS IN MEXICO BEING TAKEN OVER BY RUTHLESS, BUT CHARMING, WOMEN. The Mexican Army conducted the second and third drug busts on August 17 and 18 in Baja California, seizing approximately 2,700 pounds of methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl in a remote area known as the San Fernando Canyon, according to a report from Breitbart Texas. Jose Mendoza is charged in Counts 1, 2, 9, 10, 11, and 12. The amount of fentanyl seized by U.S. border agents at the southern border has skyrocketed in recent years, from 70 pounds in the fiscal year 2015 to nearly 4,000 pounds from Oct. 1, 2019, to Sept . Gun safe storage bill inches closer to governor's desk Republicans express concern over high-profile measure Republicans express concern over high-profile measure during Fridays two-hour debate. Vigil told Fox News that while on the surface this may not seem like a major drug bust, it does follow a pattern used by major drug traffickers. 1. Between August 2020 and May 2021, agents and officers recovered over 120 pounds of narcotics, over $335,000 in cash, and two guns, as well as drug paraphernalia. window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []}; All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Please visit www.cbp.gov to view additional news releases and other information pertaining to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. 2020 Election Business Tech . The Otay Mesa, California, Commercial Port of Entry is one of three ports of entry in the San Diego-Tijuana metropolitan region in California. Violence has surged in Juarez the past few years as the New Generation Jalisco Cartel is challenging the Sinaloa and Juarez Cartels for the lucrative drug trafficking route into U.S., or plaza, especially in the Juarez Valley southeast of El Paso, Texas, a long-held Sinaloa Cartel stronghold. All six defendants were arrested and remain in custody pending detention hearings. Agents said they were tipped off about Daniels after a seizure of $7 million in Mexico last year. The . Jose Mendoza, 32, and Natalie Mendoza, 35, of Medanales; Ryan Rodriguez, 27, of Chamita; Andrea Rodriguez, 28, and Edvardo Carlson, 39, of Espaola, and Bridget Archuleta, 31, of San Juan Pueblo, appeared in federal court Friday for arraignment on an indictment charging them with various drug trafficking offenses involving crack cocaine (cocaine base) in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, from Oct. 2, 2019, to Feb. 25, 2020. Sergio Ruiz was sentenced to 240 months in prison. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! We will do a few operations a year, we will look at some of the biggest problems or biggest threats in the area and we will go after those but then afterward were gone, but not this time, said DEA Special Agent Kyle Williamson. googletag.defineSlot('/21776187881/FW_Super_Leaderboard', [[300, 50], [970, 90], [300, 100], [728, 90]], 'div-gpt-ad-1668097889433-0').defineSizeMapping(gptSizeMaps.banner2).addService(googletag.pubads()); The 16-month investigation targeted members of the Sinaloa Cartel, once headed by Joaquin El Chapo Guzman, who is currently in jail awaiting trial in Brooklyn Federal Court. . In an unrelated bust, 39 people were charged as being part of a distribution ring based out of El Paso, Texas and Chaparral, N.M., Gonzales said. To say that defense was optional would imply is was a choice. Edvardo Carlson is charged in Counts 1, 6, 7, and 8. Gonzales said 20 defendants were charged in the Espaola Valley, 15 of which have already been arrested. U.S. Customs and Border Protection's San Diego field office announced this week that the total amount of narcotics seized at Southern . Click for more FreightWaves articles by Noi Mahoney. Since 2016, fentanyl abuse has been a primary driver of overdose deaths across the nation. Photo Courtesy ICE. window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []}; Count 1 charges all six defendants with conspiracy to distribute cocaine base. February 21, 2023. New Mexico State Police say they found more than a dozen guns some of them stolen thousands in cash, a fair amount of fentanyl and a Los Lunas Police badge when they raided the home of 35-year-old Army veteran Claudio Chavez on Jan. 30. googletag.pubads().enableSingleRequest(); The maximum penalty on conviction is from five to 40 years in prison. The drugs had an estimated street value of at least $181,000, according to the office. Border Patrol Agents In New Mexico Make Drug Bust and Arrest Aggravated Felon Release Date Tue, 08/11/2020 - 12:00 ALAMOGORDO, N.M. - In separate incidents over the weekend, U.S. Border Patrol Agents arrested a wanted aggravated felon and a narcotics smuggler. U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between official ports of entry. 'EL CHAPO' GUZMAN'S FEARED SUCCESSOR CAPTURED OUTSIDE MEXICO CITY. googletag.enableServices(); The maximum penalty on conviction is up to 20 years in prison. The drugs found included 8,810 pounds of fentanyl and 13,216 pounds of heroin. Edvardo Carlson allegedly conducted drug transactions at Ryan Rodriguezs direction. of narcotics that have an estimated street value of approximately $5 billion. Some are suspected to have returned to Mexico. U.S. Attorney Kenneth J. Gonzales on Thursday announced federal Were going to make sure that youre always looking over your shoulder, Vigil said about dangerous Mexican drug cartels making their way into Texas. Police also seized 24 firearms, $102,000 in cash and three vehicles. Counts 2, 5, 7, 9, and 11 charge certain defendants with use of a telephone to facilitate a drug trafficking offense. $37M in meth discovered in fresh tomato shipment. Citizens are encouraged to report suspicious activity to the U.S. Border Patrol while remaining anonymous by calling 1-800-635-2509. His detention hearing is set for Friday. . Legal Statement. U.S. Customs and Border Protection welcomes assistance from the community. They targeted violent criminals and drug organizations in Roswell. As a former U.S. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Gonzales said the dealers arrested were mostly longtime Espaola Valley residents. There were 438 killings in 2014 and 312 in 2015. Will there be a brighter ending to this legislative session? Main Office: Agents from Southwest Border Group 2 began investigating a large scale . These types of narcotic seizures and arrests demonstrate the value of our border security mission everyday.. El Diario de Juarez reports that there have been 25 murders, including three people killed this past Wednesday and Thursday. (CNSNews.com) - President Biden on Wednesday evening hit back at Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) for blaming his administration for two fentanyl deaths that occurred before he took office. DEA has seized enough fentanyl this year to kill every American Drug bust uncovers enough fentanyl to kill 800K people 28 lbs. Five additional suspects were also charged and remain at large. Market data provided by Factset. The maximum penalty on conviction is up to four years in prison. P.O. Were going to clean up our communities.. Dona Ana . Further, that Ryan Rodriguez acted as a mid-level cocaine distributor, receiving supplies of cocaine from Jose and Natalie Mendoza, converting it to crack cocaine, and distributing it to customers, including an undercover agent posing as a lower-level drug trafficker. They were charged with offenses such as distributing cocaine, methamphetamine, prescription drugs and heroin. Everything from shipments of tomatoes, avocados, jalapenos and broccoli, to loads of cobblestones, lighting fixtures and electronic equipment were used in attempted smuggling cases at the border. Officials believe the drugs were brought into the U.S. from nearby Ciudad Juarez, which is across the border from El Paso. 3. googletag.defineSlot('/21776187881/fw-responsive-main_content-slot2', [[468, 60], [728, 90], [300, 100], [320, 50]], 'div-gpt-ad-1665767472470-0').defineSizeMapping(gptSizeMaps.banner1).addService(googletag.pubads()); (Photos: Hall County Sheriff's Office) (Photos: Hall County Sheriff's Office) For now, I can tell you that the goal with this operation is to reduce the availability of heroin and other drugs in the Valley before they and the people who dispense them wreak havoc in the lives of the families who call Espaola and Rio Arriba County home., The operation in the southern part of the state was focused on a family-run drug transporting ring and was part of a larger, national effort called Project Deliverance., Your email is safe with us, we dont spam. A lock ( Mexican police find $62M in drugs in abandoned truck near border Mexican authorities found 25,000 pounds worth of narcotics hidden inside a tractor-trailer that was abandoned just south of the Mexican border on Dec. 6. Declaration began March 11, 2020, and NM is one of five states that still have such orders. Jun 29, 2022. swansea council parking contact number . Subscribe now to access decluttered news, chosen by you. Concord, NH - Attorney General John M. Formella, State Police Colonel Nathan Noyes and United States Drug Enforcement Administration ("DEA") Special Agent-in-Charge Brian D. Boyle announce that ten individuals were arrested as the result of a months-long, multi-agency drug trafficking investigation conducted by DEA, the State Police, and the Attorney General's Drug Task Force. CBP is charged with securing the borders of the United States while enforcing hundreds of laws and facilitating lawful trade and travel. Friday night on, Senate Bill 2 would bring the pay of state Supreme Court justices in line with. Drug bust operation north Georgia These are the mugshots for most of the suspects in a major drug bust in north Georgia. Mexican law enforcement officials made four major drug busts in recent days which yielded over 120,000 lbs. Tijuana-San Diego. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. "Since the seizure didnt meet that weight requirement, the federal government declined to prosecute, simply interviewing the suspect and releasing him.. This may be the biggest meth bust in American history . The Mexican Navy conducted the first drug bust on August 16 in Sinaloa, Mexico, which is home to the . The arrests this week was the culmination of a year-long investigation. googletag.cmd.push(function() { Gonzales said 20 defendants were charged in the Espaola Valley, 15 of which have already been arrested.. An indictment is only an accusation. The following agencies assisted with the investigation: Drug Enforcement Administration, High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Region III Narcotics Task Force, which includes members of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, New Mexico State Police, Santa Fe Police Department, Santa Fe County Sheriff and the Taos Police Department. Initiative, a law enforcement effort that brings together state and local law enforcement to target New York's growing and often violent heroin, opioid, and narcotics trafficking networks. Andrea Rodriguez is charged in Counts 1 and 3. All rights reserved. Seventeen people were arrested apart of the same drug ring on a 66-count indictment. Sessions visited border towns and Long Island, New York, the past two weeks to announce that the administration will clamp down on MS-13, a violent street gang with Central American roots that is terrorizing many parts of the country. Gerardo Rafael Lara-Yanez, 24, of Albuquerque, was charged in federal court with intent to distribute 400 grams and more of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute 50 grams and more District of New Mexico A massive drug bust involved over 25 people being indicted by a federal grand jury April 8 where they were allegedly involved in international money laundering and a meth trafficking scheme. According to a story by news station KRQE, Cibola County Sheriff Tony Mace said authorities were investigating a string of armed robberies in the area; the traffic stop and resulting seizure resulted because deputies were on high alert.. The following agencies assisted with the investigation . Baby wipes seized at Mexico border turns out to be $11.8M in cocaine. Amazon opening three San Antonio facilities. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Friday, February 7th, 2020 at 12:02AM. Mexican Authorities Make Massive Drug Busts Worth Billions. In Denver alone, there were 350 drug overdose deaths between Jan. 1, 2020, and Nov. 30, said Deanne Reuter, special agent in charge with the DEA, at the news conference. However, I think what they show is what a huge failure the entire effort of attempting to prohibit illegal drugs from Mexico from entering the USA is. 1. Police responded to the Mountain Run Shopping Center after Chavezs battered wife ran inside the Smiths grocery to hide from him. February 16, 2023. In an effort to keep CBP.gov current, the archive contains content from a previous administration or is otherwise outdated. }); googletag.cmd.push(function() { It is random, if a shipment is caught. Subjects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The U.S. SAN ANTONIO Nearly $30 million worth of drugs are seized from a Bexar County home. $31M in methamphetamine hidden in trucks roof. 0:04. Espaola Valley. At a press conference in Las Cruces, N.M. on Friday announcing the bust, Doa Ana County Sheriff Enrique Kiki Vigil essentially echoed Attorney General Jeff Sessions mantra on how to deal with criminal enterprises involving illegal immigrants. The special agent in charge of the DEA El Paso Division said operations like this will happen more frequently.