largest drug bust in california

"Synthetic drugs like methamphetamine are highly addictive, dangerous and killing people at alarming rates," said DEA Los Angeles Special Agent in Charge Bill Bodner. July 9, 2022 6:45 AM PT. 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. "The biggest thanks is going to have to go to my detectives for their hard work," said Acting Salinas Police Chief Roberto Filice. "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. 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.. 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. Contributing to this article were Times staff writers Paul Feldman, Andrea Ford, John Johnson, John Kendall, Patricia Klein Lerner, Amy Pyle and George Ramos in Los Angeles; Douglas Jehl in Washington, and Marjorie Miller in Mexico City. More than $60M in meth, cocaine seized in one of LA County's biggest CULVER CITY, Calif. (KABC) -- Authorities made one of the largest drug busts in Los Angeles County history recently, seizing meth and cocaine with a street value of nearly $60 million, officials say. Tori B. Powell is a breaking news reporter at CBS News. 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. East Bay pot bust likely 'largest in Bay Area history,' more than 37 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. 20 people charged, $61M worth of drugs seized in largest bust in With fentanyl in an estimated 40 percent of street drugs, its not a matter of if but when someone you know and love dies from fentanyl, Spitzer said Wednesday. Read the news release here: https://t.co/BOdi19XyJO #Teamwork @HSISanDiego @DEASANDIEGODiv pic.twitter.com/v68GWLy42O, First published on July 11, 2022 / 9:03 AM. 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 . Record 20 Tons of Cocaine Seized - Los Angeles Times Teachers learn to administer Narcan amid opioid crisis. 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. The operation, which began on June 8, resulted in 22 felony arrests, 109 misdemeanor arrests, and 19 arrests from water theft enforcement teams, officials said. Theres a glut on the coke market, said the source, who requested anonymity. 2.4 tonnes of cocaine worth $677 mn, bound for Australia, intercepted Shortly before 2 p.m., a small force of heavily armed DEA agents--accompanied overhead by two police helicopters--blocked traffic on Main Street while depositing the money at a Bank of America branch. "What we want to do is send a clear and loud message to the cartels and anyone doing an illegal operation in the high desert: Your days are over and we're coming for you," said Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva. 18 Biggest Drug Busts In U.S. History - Yahoo! The 10-day sting is the largest eradication of illegal marijuana cultivations in the history of the department. Atty. The investigation into the drug trafficking organization remains ongoing. 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. Click here for mor. DEA Announces Biggest Meth Bust in US History With 10-Foot-High Pile of LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Police and federal agents seized 1,700 pounds of cocaine with an estimated street value of $500 million, three days after a bust netted up to 2,400 pounds of the drug in Tijuana, Mexico, authorities said Saturday. I dont know which, but either gives me the shivers.. "Study after study shows that where there is meth addiction, there is also an uptick in violent crime, including robberies, assaults and murders.". 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. That seizure carried an estimated street value of $2.56 million, CBP said. 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 Los Angeles-area bust - an estimated $15 million to $20 million in street value - came just days after Mexican authorities seized more than a half a ton of fentanyl in the state of Sinaloa.. 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. Together, they worked on the five-month investigation they named Operation Black Hawk into NorCal Transportation. DEA CNN More than 5,000 pounds of methamphetamine were seized this week after authorities in San Diego. NBC4 produces 43 hours each week of local news and weather, and the station features the largest award-winning investigative unit in Southern California. Millions of unsuspecting people have the grim reaper looking over their shoulder and they have no idea how close they actually are to dying from taking a single pill, Orange County Dist. Law enforcement followed the vehicle to National City, California, where agents saw the accused men unloading dozens of cardboard boxes from the truck into a Dodge van. The next morning, the Santa Barbara Sheriff's Office announced the 34 arrests and the seizure of 3,164 pounds of methamphetamine the biggest drug bust in the county's history, and one of the largest ever in the nation. 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. One bill would make it a felony to possess 2 or more grams of the synthetic opioid. EAU CLAIRE Wis. (WLAX/WEUX) - A Colfax man is charged with what the West Central Drug Task Force says is one of its largest drug seizures ever. 2. While California legalized therecreational use of marijuana in 2018, illegal grows of the crop have been on the rise in the state. The leads here are endless, Reiner said. The article reported that synthetic opioids are the most common substances involved in drug overdose deaths in the United States. 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 drug representing a haul of more than 2,200 pounds seized at stash houses in Riverside County, along with cocaine and heroin. 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 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. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. The search resulted in the seizure of 66 kilograms of cocaine and 3,552 pounds of meth from numerous boxes found the home's garage, the DEA said. DEA announces biggest meth bust in U.S. history in Southern California 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. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Villanueva said that he will share the district attorney's prosecution decision publicly once it's made available. Sept. 30, 1989 12 AM PT Times Staff Writers 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. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. 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 . "And we introduced law and order back in those days. One of the largest drug busts in Monterey County, California history was pulled off when nearly $2 million worth of illegal drugs were seized by Salinas police and federal agents, as. But over the last three weeks, they noticed the cartels really starting to make an increased effort to get drugs across the border. The search at the Sherman Oaks apartment turned up little, but Dist. Market data provided by Factset. 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. As some of the officers secured the warehouse and began itemizing its contents, others fanned out to search for missing suspects, at least some of whom had remained under surveillance. The bundles found in the boxes tested positive for methamphetamine, according to the statement. 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. Monterey County Weekly reported that officials seized 60 pounds of methamphetamine, five pounds of heroin, 1.5 pounds of cocaine, 25,000 fentanyl pills and nine firearms. At a small office at the front of the building, agents found records indicating that the drugs had come from the infamous Medellin and Cali cartels in Colombia. 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. Why are people treating me this way? Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. 2021 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Operation Sudden Fall - Wikipedia Just north of L.A. in Antelope Valley,. Federal authorities on Wednesday showed off results of Southern California raids early this month that. "The origins of the sheriffs department date back to 1850 when this was the Wild West," the sheriff said. Discovery Company. But crackdowns off Florida have pushed major importation routes westward, and the Colombian cartels now subcontract some of the smuggling duty to Mexican middlemen. Three additional arrests reportedly occurred in Las Vegas Friday. Did you encounter any technical issues? published to the Salinas Police Department Facebook page, Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. Biggest drug bust goes down in LA sheriff department 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. The DEA's big bust came just a week before another huge meth seizure. "This illegal activity is impacting the quality of life for residents and businesses and if left unaddressed will have long lasting and devastating affects in the region," Barger said. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Authorities seize over 400 pounds of meth, cocaine and heroin in toolboxes at California border crossing. Australian cops announce $1B cocaine seizure, country's biggest bust ever 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. 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. "Because of our great partnerships with other law enforcement agencies, we will continue to disrupt the cartels' flow of drugs into our cities.". 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.. Two Buena Park men are facing felony charges in connection with what prosecutors are calling the largest drug bust in Orange County in 16 years. Officials say they believe international cartels are behind the illegal large-scale marijuana farms. The L.A. plantations also hog water from local alfalfa, carrot, and potato farmers. One of the Largest Drug Busts in Monterey County History - Newsweek The department brought in massive bulldozers to raid the scene, completely leveling the illegal grows and there are reportedly hundreds more to tackle. They allegedly seized 444 kilograms of cocaine, 157 kilograms of crystal meth, 427 kilograms of marijuana and 300 oxycodone pills. 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Over 400 Pounds of Meth, Cocaine and Heroin were Discovered in Toolboxes. Its going to bring tears to some peoples eyes, Gates said. A tip from an informant led to a record drug bust. 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. Marijuana Worth $1.2B Seized in Huge Drug Bust in Los Angeles - Newsweek That is what's coming.". The DEA says the drugs were linked to the Sinaloa drug cartel and would have ended up in the hands of addicts on LA streets. If convicted, such charges carry substantial maximum penalties that include a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison along with a $10 million fine. If convicted of all charges, both face a maximum sentence of 37 years and 4 months, according to the D.A.s office. Both vehicles allegedly contained about 148 bundles of a material that tested positive for methamphetamine, according to the statement. Eau Claire police release name of meth bust suspect 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. There, amid plastic owls, plaster figurines, pinatas and a painting of Christ walking on the water, were boxes containing thousands of one-kilo packages of cocaine, stacked in piles up to eight feet tall. Market data provided by Factset. The Southern California seizure occurred on Oct. 2, 2020 and included 893 pounds of cocaine, 13 pounds of heroin, and 2,224 pounds of methamphetamine. 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. 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. 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 . They were too well-dressed to operate a warehouse business., Federal agents declined to identify the informant who tipped them, but Curt Hazell, a deputy district attorney in Los Angeles, described him as someone with great instincts for business practices, who knows when he is seeing something about a business like this that is not right.. 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 A police dog kneels in front of numerous brown bags allegedly containing methamphetamine in San Diego County, California. It was the coming together of two organizations, a distributor and a buyer, Hazell said, declining to explain further. GILROY, Calif. On August 24, 2010, law enforcement seized what was - at the time- the largest meth bust in the United States. The report also noted that officers seized $90,000 in cash and cashier's checks, two bank accounts and one tractor-trailer belonging to NorCal Transportation. DEA Acting Administrator Timothy J. Shea and other law enforcement officials displayed theevidence during a press conference at a DEA warehouse in Montebello. Get your top stories delivered daily! The one-story warehouse is located in an industrial park in Sylmar, a developing district on the northern edge of Los Angeles. Until the seizure in Sylmar, the largest haul occurred on March 10, 1984, when officials seized 11 tons of cocaine in Tranquilandia, Colombia. $1.19 billion worth of marijuana seized in massive drug bust in California Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger said the impacts of illegal marijuana cultivation by cartels include water theft, human trafficking, pollution and threats to safety and security. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. The Complicated Reality of Santa Barbara's Biggest Ever Drug Bust In November, Spitzer warned drug dealers and distributors in the county that they could be charged with murder if their drug activities result in someones death. Investigators saw someone carry out three boxes from the home and put them in a vehicle, according to authorities. 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. 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. Major Joint-Operation underway in the High Desert to take down Illegal Cartel Operated Marijuana Groves impacting farmers, families, and businesses. NBC4 news is delivered across the main broadcast on channel4, at www.nbcla.com, and through multiple interactive social media platforms 24/7. Updated 09/21/2021, 5:55 p.m. These middlemen are responsible for moving drugs through Central America and over the Southwest border into the United States. Stranded Lake Arrowhead residents, including Michelle Calkins, are pleading for help on social media as the community continues to run out of food, medication, and deal with gas leak concerns. They seemed to be making an awful lot of money. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. "We are not talking about mom and pop people selling marijuana that they grew in their backyard. 2023 Cable News Network. 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. The operation found that NorCal Transportation was directly connected to the Sinaloa Cartel. Cabrera said there is still information that is being processed. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Detectives from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Narcotic Bureau identified over 500 illegal marijuana cultivations in 2021, increasing from the 150 identified in 2020, according to a June statement. This seizure should put to rest any further speculation that Los Angeles is, in fact, the major pathway for cocaine entering the country, Ralph Lochridge, a local DEA spokesman, said. "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. They also found $966,000 in cash and seized five tractor-trailers. Because of the number of agencies involved in the case, Cabrera said it took a great deal of coordination, long hours, research and collaboration to get on the same page. In April, US Customs and Border Protection officers in California seized more than 400 pounds of meth, cocaine and heroin concealed in toolboxes that were being transported to the country. Miguel Cabrera, the press information officer for the Salinas Police Department, told Newsweek that the department came across some information that kicked off the entire investigation. Operation Crystal Shield is a nationwide effort involving 70 to 80 investigators in nine cities including Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix and Atlanta. At the time, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesperson said it was the second-largest bust ever, behind only a 5,000-pound bust in December 2019 in Laredo, Texas. Kathy Vara reports for the NBC4 News at 4 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 7, 2020. L.A. Affairs: My divorce isnt contagious. The cocaine, believed destined for Los Angeles, was 90 percent pure and of Colombian origin, said Ted Hunter, special agent with the federal Drug Enforcement . Authorities seized . 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. Officers also seized 821 pounds of methamphetamine and 189.7 pounds of cocaine after pulling over the minivan leaving a Buena Park home. The eight face charges that include conspiracy to transport and distribute narcotics, firearms possession, gang enhancement and conspiracy to commit murder. The cocaine was to be held as evidence and then burned, officials said. National correspondent Bill Melugin reports on the major drug raid allegedly tied to Mexican cartels. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. "This record-breaking bust is the largest seizure of fentanyl pills DEA has made in California," the news release said. The Medellin cartel has been blamed for a recent wave of violence against officials in Colombia. An international drug ring was busted following a joint operation between the US and . 30-year-old Dalton Clayton is charged with possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine and other counts. Federal officials make meth bust likely largest in U.S. history at Ira Reiner said that when the officers entered the warehouse in Sylmar and shined their flashlights about the room, they couldnt believe their eyes.. Agents seized more than 4,800 pounds of meth nationwide and are still working on more arrests, according to the DEA. ", "It was a team effort all the way around," he said. Massive federal drug bust, likely the largest in the Bay Area, nets 1,000 pounds of meth, 44 suspects Michael Cabanatuan Feb. 11, 2021 Updated: Feb. 11, 2021 6:45 p.m. Originally from Miami, she holds a masters degree in journalism from USC. It paid off for the agencies, and Cabrera said the "outcome was excellent. Large quantities of the drug have been discovered in trucks that entered the country through the Otay Mesa commercial point of entry before. One was arrested early Friday at the Beverly Hills Hotel. A tip from an informant led to a record drug bust. Hayley Smith covers breaking news in California with a focus on wildfires, drought and climate change. The trucking company allegedly operated a drug trafficking organization. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, 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. Record-breaking drug bust made at Mexico border in California, Mexican All rights reserved. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. "Our fight is to keep our community safe, so I will take a moment to thank our community for your support.". 'Monumental' drug bust: 5,000 pounds of meth seized in National City appreciated. Three men believed to be Mexican nationals were arrested in the Los Angeles area--two of them at luxury hotels--and about $10 million in cash was seized at a warehouse in Sylmar during raids that began about 10 p.m. Thursday, according to DEA agents. 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. "This massive seizure likely saved lives and prevented the Sinaloa Cartel from doing business and profiting on the lives of people in our communities.". An attorney for the men did not immediately respond to a request for comment. More than 170 law enforcement personnel aided in the search warrants and helped in the apprehension of the suspects.