Meth bust at California border crossing is likely largest in U.S pic.twitter.com/y21yWExTT9. "Because of our great partnerships with other law enforcement agencies, we will continue to disrupt the cartels' flow of drugs into our cities.". Record Drug Bust in Southern California Is Largest in US | NBCLA Click here for more: http://4.nbcla.com/SV3zVBrDont miss an NBCLA video, subscribe here: https://bit.ly/2NnofFFFor more, visit NBCLA.COM here: https://bit.ly/2uB6niEOn Facebook: https://bit.ly/2uFU1pxOn Twitter: https://bit.ly/2JsBm5YAbout NBCLAThe West Coast flagship station of the NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations, serving the vast region since 1949. This is not just powder on the table, said Donald Hamilton, a DEA spokesman in Washington. 2023 FOX Television Stations, This California city named 'happiest' in America for 3rd-straight year, Tory Lanez sentencing postponed in Megan Thee Stallion shooting, In-N-Out has 2nd-healthiest fast-food cheeseburger in America, study says, PHOTOS: Snow makes spectacular sight across Southern California, Disneyland banned Rebel Wilson over selfie, actress says, At least 5 shot at San Pedro beach, suspect on the run, Landslide in Newport Beach damages several homes, Bass: LA to search for new Animal Services GM, Protesters demand new GM of LA Animal Services, Portion of 5 Freeway dedicated to Tommy Lasorda, LASD must eliminate deputy gangs, special counsel says, 6 stabbed in downtown LA, suspect arrested, Tom Sizemore, 'Saving Private Ryan' Actor, Dies at 61 after suffering brain aneurysm, 'We need help': Stranded Lake Arrowhead residents plead for assistance amid food and medication shortages. Ira Reiner said that when the officers entered the warehouse in Sylmar and shined their flashlights about the room, they couldnt believe their eyes.. "This record-breaking bust is the largest seizure of fentanyl pills DEA has made in California," the news release said. Federal authorities on Wednesday showed off results of Southern California raids early this month that. Newsweek previously reported that according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine. Nonetheless, several law enforcement figures, among them Los Angeles Police Chief Daryl F. Gates, said the amount seized was sufficient to affect the cocaine market, at least temporarily. Together, they worked on the five-month investigation they named Operation Black Hawk into NorCal Transportation. Five search warrants were executed on September 9, and four individuals were arrested in Salinas, and another four were arrested in Yuma County, Arizona in connection with the ongoing investigation. The Complicated Reality of Santa Barbara's Biggest Ever Drug Bust Either they feel awfully secure, or this (loss) isnt that significant to them, said John Zienter, special agent in charge of the DEAs Los Angeles office. NBC4 news is delivered across the main broadcast on channel4, at www.nbcla.com, and through multiple interactive social media platforms 24/7. NORCO, Calif. (KABC) -- More than 3,000 pounds of methamphetamine and 66 kilograms of cocaine were found in a massive drug bust in Norco last month, making it the largest seizure of meth for the Drug Enforcement Administration's Los Angeles Division. The raids followed a tip from a neighborhood businessman who saw activities that didnt look quite right at the warehouse where, according to authorities, an import business dealing in inexpensive ceramics, paintings and other bric-a-brac was operated as a front. "During the investigations it was determined that NorCal Transportation was directly connected to the Sinaloa Cartel and transporting narcotics in conjunction with Norteno gang leaders," the post continued. The 10-day sting. ALAMEDA COUNTY, Calif. (KGO) -- In what Alameda County Sheriff's Office is calling the largest pot bust in Bay Area history, more than 37 tons of plants, tens of millions of dollars in. Los Angeles, Newsom, IRS give Californians until October to file tax returns, Calmes: Heres what we should do about Marjorie Taylor Greene, This fabled orchid breeder loves to chat just not about Trader Joes orchids, At least 5 people shot near San Pedro beach, Safety concerns and weather conditions hamper San Bernardino County relief efforts, ICE detainees allege retaliation for speaking about medical conditions at Otay Mesa center, Downtown L.A stabbing sends six to hospital; suspect arrested, San Diego Roman Catholic diocese facing yet another lawsuit from its insurance company. Edgar Alfonso Lamas, 36, and Carlos Raygozaparedes, 53, were arrested March 17 after Buena Park police officers recovered 20.5 pounds of fentanyl pills from inside a minivan, the Orange County district attorneys office announced Wednesday. "Our fight is to keep our community safe, so I will take a moment to thank our community for your support.". Federal authorities on Wednesday showed off results of Southern California raids early this month that led to the biggest domestic seizure of methamphetamine in U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration history. Federal authorities said contents of the seized packages weighed more than 5,000 pounds, an amount they believe constituted at least one of San Diego County's largest methamphetamine busts in history. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Federal officials make meth bust likely largest in U.S. history at Record DEA bust could "provide a dose of meth for every man, woman and But crackdowns off Florida have pushed major importation routes westward, and the Colombian cartels now subcontract some of the smuggling duty to Mexican middlemen. / CBS News. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Deaths related to methamphetamine use have been on the rise in San Diego in recent years. We have to continue to do everything we can to combat this deadly drug epidemic and save lives.. California Two men arrested in largest drug bust in O.C. "This massive seizure likely saved lives and prevented the Sinaloa Cartel from doing business and profiting on the lives of people in our communities.". The nation last year surpassed 100,000 overdoses in a 12-month period for the first time largely due to the drug, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Moving swiftly, the investigative team obtained search warrants for the warehouse and for a luxurious penthouse apartment in the 4700 block of Sepulveda Boulevard in Sherman Oaks, but by the time the officers arrived at each location, all the occupants were gone. We are very very close to driving down the freeway and seeing bodies hanging from the overpasses. The article reported that synthetic opioids are the most common substances involved in drug overdose deaths in the United States. "The origins of the sheriffs department date back to 1850 when this was the Wild West," the sheriff said. DEA announces biggest meth bust in U.S. history in Southern California Federal authorities said contents of the seized packages weighed more than 5,000 pounds, an amount they believe constituted at least one of San Diego County's largest methamphetamine busts in. Atty. Bill Bodner, special agent in charge of the DEA's Los Angeles Field Division, said Los Angeles is a major transshipment hub for Mexican cartels trafficking illegal drugs across the southwest border. A tip from an informant led to a record drug bust. Kathy Vara reports for the NBC4 News at 4 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 7, 2020. ATM thieves use glue and 'tap' function to drain accounts at Chase, Alpine Village in Torrance closes after more than five decades, Gas prices rise for 31st consecutive day in LA County. 2. Villanueva said that he will share the district attorney's prosecution decision publicly once it's made available. California Drug Bust Found Enough Opioids To 'Kill More Than 50 - MSN The Las Vegas Sun newspaper said that three Los Angeles men, one of them a former Mexican customs official, were arrested by DEA agents at an expensive Las Vegas hotel in connection with the seizure. The NBC Owned Television Stations, a division of NBCUniversal, also operates COZI TV (www.cozitv.com), a national network that brings viewers some of Americas most beloved and iconic television shows and movies.#NBC #NBCLA The fate of NorCal Transportation remains unknown for now, but Cabrera hopes it is shut down. 2.4 tonnes of cocaine worth $677 mn, bound for Australia, intercepted 2021 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Reach her at tori.powell@viacomcbs.com, First published on July 7, 2021 / 8:12 PM. ET: This story has been updated with statements from Salinas Police Departmen press information officer Miguel Cabrera and Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine Pacioni. Sign up for FOX 11s Fast 5 newsletter. The pair were also charged with two felony enhancements that the controlled substances exceeded 80 kilograms by weight and two felony enhancements that the controlled substances exceeded 20 kilograms by weight or 400 liters by liquid volume. "This monumental seizure represents another win against drug cartels that fuel addiction in the United States," said Shelly S. Howe, DEA Special Agent in Charge, in a statement issued with the U.S. Attorney's press release. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. Click here for mor. Over 400 Pounds of Meth, Cocaine and Heroin were Discovered in Toolboxes. March 4 (UPI) --Australian police on Saturday revealed the details of an operation that intercepted $1 billion worth of cocaine in the country's biggest-ever drug bust. Western Australia Police . The cocaine was to be held as evidence and then burned, officials said. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. One of the Largest Drug Busts in Monterey County History - Newsweek One million fentanyl pills seized - largest bust of its kind in Andres Jesus Morales, 30, and Christine Ponce, 27, were charged with four drug-related felonies with the intent to sell a controlled substance, the Riverside . Copyright 2023 KABC Television, LLC. Legal Statement. Stacked against one wall, in cardboard boxes and black gymnasium bags, was approximately $10 million in cash, most of it in $20 and $100 bills. Just north of L.A. in Antelope Valley,. Successful seizures like these save lives and reduce the exploitation and victimization of our local communities, Bodner said. It was the coming together of two organizations, a distributor and a buyer, Hazell said, declining to explain further. Agents said the front 15 feet or so had been partitioned off as a secret compartment in which cocaine could be hidden from inspectors, making it appear only bric-a-brac was being hauled. That is what's coming.". Opioid crisis settlements total over $50 billion. These middlemen are responsible for moving drugs through Central America and over the Southwest border into the United States. Large quantities of the drug have been discovered in trucks that entered the country through the Otay Mesa commercial point of entry before. Authorities made one of the largest methamphetamine busts ever in San Diego County, seizing more than 5,000 pounds of the drug and arresting four Tijuana . The officers who raided the warehouse said that despite the enormous value of the drugs and cash inside, no one had been left to guard the place and the door was secured with a single, $6 padlock. In the last two months alone, there have been at least seven confirmed mass overdose events tied to fentanyl across the U.S. resulting in 58 overdoses and 29 deaths, the agency said. Photos supplied by Orange County district attorneys office showing the 821 pounds of methamphetamine, 189.7 pounds of cocaine and 20.5 pounds of fentanyl pills that were seized by officers after they pulled over a minivan leaving a Buena Park home. Market data provided by Factset. SANTA ANA, Calif. (KABC) -- Two alleged drug dealers were behind bars Wednesday after what Orange County authorities described as the largest drug bust in the past 16 years. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. The investigation into the drug trafficking organization remains ongoing. "We're talking about the cartels," Lancaster, California, Mayor Rex Parris said at a Wednesday press conference. NBC4 produces 43 hours each week of local news and weather, and the station features the largest award-winning investigative unit in Southern California. July 9, 2021 / 10:14 AM RIVERSIDE COUNTY, Calif. - Federal agents announced what they called the largest methamphetamine bust in domestic U.S. history Wednesday, displaying a 10- foot high pile of the confiscated. NORCO, Calif. (KABC) -- More than 3,000 pounds of methamphetamine and 66 kilograms of cocaine were found in a massive drug bust in Norco last month, making it the largest seizure of meth for. Another was arrested at about the same time at the Marriott Hotel in Woodland Hills. "It is an indication of what law enforcement agencies can do to take down a drug trafficking organization such as this one if we devote the time necessary to get to the end result.". Eau Claire police release name of meth bust suspect 6:23 AM EDT, Sat July 9, 2022. ", "It was a team effort all the way around," he said. The post stated that there was specific intent to distribute the drugs between Yuma, Arizona and Salinas, California. Discovery Company. Los Angeles-area drug bust nets 1 million fentanyl-laced pills - USA TODAY This may be the biggest meth bust in American. Did you encounter any technical issues? In pure form, the tonnage would hold a retail value of about $2 billion, but since cocaine is usually adulterated to about one-third strength, law enforcement officials estimated the street value at $6 billion. How Alaska became one of fentanyl's deadliest frontiers, FDA panel backs allowing a naloxone spray to be sold over-the-counter, Biden to tout fentanyl smuggling crackdown in State of the Union. A number of law enforcement agencies worked together on a five-month investigation that led to a drug bust. Biggest drug bust goes down in LA sheriff department history. According to a post published to the Salinas Police Department Facebook page on September 16, the department's investigations unit worked with the Monterey County District Attorney's Office, Salinas Violence Suppression Task Force and the Homeland Security Investigations Monterey Office. "This is an issue that is plaguing, and will continue to plague, if we do not make it very uncomfortable and one way to make it uncomfortable is to prosecute," Barger said. Sheriff Alex Villanueva has since launched an operation with up to 500 deputies and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to hunt down and destroy other marijuana plantations. Just north of L.A. in Antelope Valley, California, officials tracked down, identified and destroyed 70 to 80 outhouses filled with illegal marijuana plots in the open desert. The suspects identified as 37-year-old Rafael Alzua, 41-year-old Galdrino Contreras, 41-year-old Mario Contreras, and 44-year-old Ethgar Velazquez are accused of attempting to transport large quantities of meth after police found them unloading a vehicle filled with the illegal substance on Thursday. A furry hero sniffs out one of the largest drug busts in Fontana. Largest Cocaine Bust in California History Announced by LAPD Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Drug bust: $33 million worth of meth found in historic DEA Los Angeles DEA Announces Biggest Meth Bust in US History With 10-Foot-High Pile of Were going to reintroduce this law and order and make sure we drive these people out of business and give this community back to the residents.". The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of California alleges that agents then saw the men removing dozens of cardboard boxes from the truck and into a Dodge van. "Synthetic drugs like methamphetamine are highly addictive, dangerous and killing people at alarming rates," said DEA Los Angeles Special Agent in Charge Bill Bodner. More than 200 locations were served with search warrants. 5,000 pounds of meth seized in San Diego County when truck is - CNN The first man returned to the warehouse, but officers said they stopped the car and arrested the second man, who gave his name, sarcastically, as Ronald Reagan.. Gutensohn said the traffickers maintain control over profitable distribution routes. If convicted of all charges, both face a maximum sentence of 37 years and 4 months, according to the D.A.s office. The drugs have an estimated street value of $33 million. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Get your top stories delivered daily! Employees of a construction business adjacent to the warehouse at 12898 Bradley St. said about four or five Spanish-speaking men--friendly, well-dressed, clean-cut and well mannered--rented the place about two years ago and began doing business. The drugs were intended for distribution in Southern California, including Los Angeles, according to DEA officials, who displayed the haul at the agency's warehouse in an undisclosed location in Los Angeles County. Both vehicles allegedly contained about 148 bundles of a material that tested positive for methamphetamine, according to the statement. You need money and you need it to be liquid to pay for your infrastructure. Record 20 Tons of Cocaine Seized - Los Angeles Times The one-story warehouse is located in an industrial park in Sylmar, a developing district on the northern edge of Los Angeles. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. Colombian drug cartels used to control cocaine shipments from start to finish, employing their own operatives to move the drug from processing plants in the Colombian jungle across the Caribbean and then into the United States. Why are people treating me this way? The 10-day sting is the largest eradication of illegal marijuana cultivations in the history of the department. According to the agency, authorities had been investigating a cocaine and meth drug trafficking organization believed to be linked to the Sinaloa Cartel. We have teamed up with the @usarmy @deahq @vcsheriff @kernsheriff @seblasd to eradicate these illegal Marijuana groves. Investigators saw someone carry out three boxes from the home and put them in a vehicle, according to authorities. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department carried out the largest marijuana bust in its history, after seizing more than 33,000 pounds of the drug with a street value of almost $1.2 billion. The investigation is continuing.. 20 people charged, $61M worth of drugs seized in largest bust in Australian cops announce $1B cocaine seizure, country's biggest bust ever Originally from Miami, she holds a masters degree in journalism from USC. The operation found that NorCal Transportation was directly connected to the Sinaloa Cartel. appreciated. They allegedly seized 444 kilograms of cocaine, 157 kilograms of crystal meth, 427 kilograms of marijuana and 300 oxycodone pills. The trucking company allegedly operated a drug trafficking organization. They seemed to be making an awful lot of money. That seizure carried an estimated street value of $2.56 million, CBP said. Mike Holm, a DEA agent in Los Angeles, said the SWAT team was called in to guard the warehouse because we had a large amount of money and drugs in there., We know the Colombians have made threats against law enforcement agencies, he said. Lamas and Raygozaparedes have each been charged with multiple counts of possession for sale of a controlled substance and multiple counts of the sale or transportation for sale of a controlled substance, all felonies, the D.A.s office said. The DEA's big bust came just a week before another huge meth seizure. $1.19 billion worth of marijuana seized in massive drug bust in California Zienter said the drugs apparently entered the United States at El Paso, Tex., probably in hidden compartments in two tractor-trailer rigs the ring was believed to have been using. The CBP confirmed that the drug seizures were the largest busts in the U.S. for both meth and fentanyl for this year and last year, prosecutors said. Hazell said the surveillance team obtained a warrant and searched the car, finding 20 kilograms of cocaine in the trunk. 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Hazell said that after the informant called authorities Wednesday, the DEA, the Los Angeles Police Department and an interagency task force that includes representatives of the Treasury Department, the U.S. Customs Service and the Arcadia, Bell, Huntington Park and Maywood police departments, began surveillance of the warehouse. The largest DEA domestic seizure of methamphetamine in history is a significant blow to the cartels, but more importantly it is a gigantic victory for communities throughout Southern California and the United States who have had to deal with the torrent of methamphetamine coming into their neighborhoods, Shea said. He said the arrest went according to plan and no injuries were sustained by officers or alleged suspects. One tented location was alone appraised at approximately $50 million worth of product. Nearly 375,000 marijuana plants and 33,480 pounds of harvested marijuana were seized, along with 65 vehicles, 180 animals and $28,000. "And we introduced law and order back in those days. SAN DIEGO . Four men from Tijuana, Mexico, were arrested and charged with conspiracy to distribute the highly addictive drug in what officials described as one of the largest meth busts in San Diego County. The bundles found in the boxes tested positive for methamphetamine, according to the statement. In what was described as the largest narcotics haul ever, federal agents seized almost 20 tons of cocaine--worth up to $6 billion on the street--at a San Fernando Valley warehouse, officials said Friday. Lochridge said the suspects, who were not identified, will remain in federal custody over the weekend and probably will be arraigned Monday on state smuggling charges. Four residents of Tijuana, Mexico, face federal drug trafficking charges in connection with a Southern California methamphetamine seizure thatauthorities say was "record-breaking" because of its size. "We are not talking about mom and pop people selling marijuana that they grew in their backyard. The men were charged with importation and distribution of narcotics, the Sun said. That is the equivalent of about 90 million rocks--the crystalline, pea-sized chunks of the drug commonly sold on the street. July 9, 2022 6:45 AM PT. Five men at the scene of the raid were taken into department custody who identified themselves as Mexican nationals who just arrived in the U.S. within the last month. Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department documented the biggest drug bust in its history on Tuesday and officials expect Mexican cartels are to blame. On Oct. 9, U.S. Customs and Border Protection stopped a truck crossing from Mexico into the United States at San Diego's Otay Mesa and found 3,014 pounds of methamphetamine, the agency said Sunday.. GILROY, Calif. On August 24, 2010, law enforcement seized what was - at the time- the largest meth bust in the United States. Agents said the confiscated drugs will be inventoried at the warehouse before being taken to a federal facility for safekeeping. Los Angeles, Calmes: Heres what we should do about Marjorie Taylor Greene, This fabled orchid breeder loves to chat just not about Trader Joes orchids, Randall Emmett, Ambyr Childers settle domestic violence restraining order dispute. published to the Salinas Police Department Facebook page, Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. Massive federal drug bust, likely the largest in the Bay Area, nets "This is enough dope to prove a dose of meth for every man, women and child in the United States and Mexico," DEA Acting Administrator Timothy Shea said. The Facebook post noted that police believe the items seized were proceeds from the sale of the narcotics. The Drug Enforcement Administration said the seizure represents about 5% of the worlds annual production of the drug--more cocaine than growers in Peru, the worlds largest supplier, can produce in a month. They have pleaded not guilty and remain in custody on $5-million bail, the D.A.s office said. I dont know which, but either gives me the shivers.. Read the original article below and watch our original report from . Fentanyl is cheap, its easy to get and it is killing our children, our coworkers, and tens of thousands of innocent Americans who dont have to die.. Local authorities charged a California man and woman Thursday in a massive drug bust that found more than 46 pounds of a lethal and potent synthetic opioid, multiple sources reported. This monumental seizure represents another win against drug cartels that fuel addiction in the United States, said Shelly S. Howe, a Special Agent in Charge at the US Drug Enforcement Administration.