Authorities have seized nearly 200 pounds of drugs valued at more than $1.6 million following three separate searches at the Laredo Port of Entry in Texas. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration said its Dallas division made the biggest methamphetamine seizure in North Texas history after finding the drugs in a hidden compartment of an 18-wheeler off Interstate 35 in Denton County. An apartment complex with twin buildings in one of Dallas' most crime-infested neighborhoods served as a major drug distribution hub that was both ruinous to the . Oliphint, who was arrested Thursday, faces as much as 20 years in prison if convicted. "At this point, we want to not give up those opportunities because when we come, we'd like for it to be a surprise.". If convicted, Beck, Penaloza-Calderon, Neely, Hale, Peterson, Loza and Thomas could face from 10 years to life in federal prison based on the amount of methamphetamine involved. 51.79.248.208 Aleah Freitag, age 29 of Rockdale; "It's a staggering amount to be seized at one time," Eduardo Chavez, the special agent in charge for DEA Dallas, told local TV station WFAA. 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. If convicted, Lewis faces up to 10 years in federal prison. Guthrie is accused of being in possession of a Colt .45 caliber handgun on May 21, 2020. Volusia County Sheriff's Office (WKMG 2021) VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. - Sixteen people were arrested over a couple of days in a series of drug busts that resulted in fentanyl, heroin, crack cocaine . Jose . Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. Drug Trends in Texas 2021: A Report to the National Drug Early Warning System Jane Carlisle Maxwell, Ph.D., Research Professor Emeritus Highlights Texas has 254 counties and, as of 2020, a population of 28,995,881 with 42% White, 40% Hispanic, 12% Black, and 5% Asian. Members of the ring tried to trade drugs for firearms ones they could transport to Mexico contributing to terrible violence south of the border. BOSTON - Two members of a Cape Cod heroin trafficking ring have been sentenced to 10 years and nine years in prison for their roles in a violent kidnapping captured on video. 5:18 PM on Jun 11, 2021 CDT. Updated: Jun 22, 2021 / 11:41 AM . Seattle A series of arrests over the last ten days has disrupted a multi-state methamphetamine and fentanyl distribution ring. I dont remember this amount of meth being taken before, its a huge amount.. 2023 Banyan Treatment Centers. That's more than 16 tons of chronic. . AMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) - Eleven alleged drug traffickers have been arrested and charged in Amarillo, announced U.S. attorney for the . These indictments are an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. Press contact for the U.S. Attorneys Office is Communications Director Emily Langlie at (206) 553-4110 or [email protected]. Lock According to the indictment, Guthrie was convicted on March 27, 2020, in Bell County, for possession of a controlled substance less than one gram and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. Lewis is accused of possessing a .380 caliber pistol on December 21, 2021. Deputies confiscate $1.3 million worth of heroin and other narcotics in major drug bust. They are buying a death sentence, Abbott said. If convicted, he faces between 10 years and life in federal prison. OTAY MESA, Calif. - Clay pots, jicama, and furniture all had one thing in common for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at Otay Mesa's cargo. (KWTX) - Federal agents swept through Central Texas on Thursday and Friday and arrested 15 area residents named in sealed drug trafficking and firearms indictments, the U.S. Attorney's Office . An additional four guns were recovered at other search locations. "[This] city-wide, cooperative law enforcement efforts to disrupt the methamphetamine and cocaine trafficking in our city was a tremendous success," Chavez said at the time. While meth and cocaine are central nervous system (CNS) stimulants that increase activity in the brain, opioids like heroin reduce nerve activity in the brain, producing a euphoric and calming high. A total of 50 people were arrested following one of the largest drug busts in south Texas in recent years, according to Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery and Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux of . During the stop, a search of the vehicle was conducted. Timothy Neal Nyquist, age 36 of Temple; and According to new data provided by the Texas DPS on Thursday, Operation Lone Star has seized 160 pounds of fentanyl within its targeted area. Sign up below to receive 10% OFF your entire order! Mass grave with 215 Indigenous kids found on former school Canadian teacher with size-Z prosthetic breasts placed on paid leave, What's next for Buster Murdaugh after dad's murder conviction, life sentence, Sick trolls leak gruesome Maggie Murdaugh autopsy photo after it was accidentally shown on livestream, Saving Private Ryan actor Tom Sizemore dead at 61 after brain aneurysm, How Ariana Madix discovered Tom Sandoval was cheating on her with Raquel Leviss, Raquel Leviss, Tom Sandoval affair allegedly pre-dated Tom Schwartz hookup, Max Scherzer's first look at the new pitch clock, Chris Rock Jokes About Watching Emancipation to See Will Smith Getting Whipped In Advance of Netflix Special: Report, Kellyanne Conway and George Conway to divorce. On Tuesday, January 26, CBP officers assigned to the cargo facility encountered a tractor hauling a shipment of toilet paper arriving from Mexico. SAN ANTONIO - Three people are in custody and are expected to face federal charges following a drug bust on the North Side, according to the Bexar County Sheriff's Office. 54 Individuals Indicted for Roles in Distributing Heroin, Fentanyl, Methamphetamine, and Cocaine "Dangerous drugs have devastated too many communities throughout our state and claimed too many lives," said Attorney General James.. "As New Yorkers and Americans across the country witnessed the greatest number of drug overdose deaths in history in 2020, the defendants here were allegedly . The investigation began in June when law enforcement was tipped off about drug dealers operating out of a home in South Acres Drive in Dallas, TX. "Unfortunately, methamphetamine is one of the largest threats in North Texas, so we would anticipate that a lot of it was destined for the market here.". Unfortunately, the impact of drug trafficking is reflected in the high rates of drug use in the U.S., specifically the opioid epidemic. . Jose Gutierrez, Crigger and Lewis were already in custody prior to yesterday. The DEA said the amount seized in Dallas equated to 20 percent of all the meth found in 2020. It was at that location where officials say they found more than 190 kilograms of liquid methamphetamine, and nearly 60 kilograms of crystal meth. In January 2021, the Drug Enforcement Administrations Dallas division reported the largest methamphetamine and heroin seizure in the branchs history. The first big drug bust was July 8 at the Paso del Norte . The DEA has been contacted for further comment. Indictment #3 - U.S. v. Lori Oliphint. LIBERTY COUNTY, Texas There was a major methamphetamine bust in Liberty County overnight, and the sheriff's office there believes it might be the biggest one ever in the county's history . U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP . This afternoon he was taken into custody at his Port Orchard residence without incident. Roberts and Keith are both accused of distributing drugs in the Bellmead area. The home was being used as a conversion lab where meth is turned into the raw, liquid form, making it more difficult for agents to detect. The charges, which include . Barton was previously arrested. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. 4 men arrested after DPS troopers announce fentanyl bust in NW Houston. All complaints and concerns are fully investigated by corporate compliance and corrective actions are implemented based on substantiated allegations. February 27, 2023. The $1.6 million were found in cash stashed in tube socks, shoe boxes, and a large trash bag.2 This is one of the hundreds of cocaine and meth busts that demonstrate how serious drug trafficking is and the role it plays in drug use, addiction, and the increasing need for drug addiction treatment. Aaron Carter's mother has released graphic photos from the scene of his death as a ploy to motivate law enforcement to investigate the incident further. According to records filed in the case, the investigation began in February 2020. To illustrate the impact of drug trafficking on the opioid epidemic and drug addiction in the U.S., were sharing the biggest drug busts in Texas this year. The agencies within the TAG came together and worked together and were able to find these drugs and get them off the street so McLennan County did great here also working in conjunction with the TAG, and so were just thankful for the work that they did to remove these drugs from getting in childrens hands, or anybody elses hands., Sheriff McNamara said the estimated street value of the methamphetamine seized is in excess of $530,000. Greg Abbott said he planned to soon sign a bill that had passed the Texas Senate, as overdose cases on the synthetic opioid spike. The remaining defendants face between five years and 40 years in federal prison if convicted because the quantity level charged is at least 50 grams. Albert Lee, also known as "Mook," 32, of Pawtucket, R.I., was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge. Aug 31, 2021 Updated Dec 7, 2021. Today's takedown marks the latest major drug bust in the OAG's Suburban and Upstate Response to the Growing Epidemic (SURGE) 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. Guthrie was arrested on Thursday, April 15, 2021. This story has been shared 168,313 times. Young, unsuspecting Texans are buying drugs that are laced with fentanyl. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way, Anthony Gutierrez, aka Cuzzo, age 34 of San Juan, Jose Francisco Gutierrez, age 33 of Killeen, Sarah Elizabeth Crigger, age 30 of Nolanville, Lesleigh Arianne Bittner, age 33 of Belton. The six indictments, returned by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on August 24, 2021,were unsealed today (August 31, 2021). "We take one of these seizures and try to expand the network, try to identify perhaps what other ones have gotten through.". The third federal indictment charges 43-year-old Lori Oliphint of Temple with intent to distribute under 50 grams of methamphetamine on August 19, 2020. It is important to note that an indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. Fentanyl is a highly addictive synthetic opioid. For overdose and related medical emergencies please dial 911. The CPS said that the cocaine has an estimated street value of $878,220. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. In 2019, DEA fentanyl seizures reached a record high since 2015, with DEA record seizures totaling 3,138 kilograms of fentanyl and fentanyl-related compounds.1 As a result of the opioid epidemic, the use of heroin and fentanyl has significantly increased. The amount of heroin seized by DEA Field Divisions increased by 30% from 2018 to 2019, with the largest amounts of heroin seized in Texas, California, Arizona, and New York. This undated photo provided by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection shows seized drug bundles containing 132 pounds of methamphetamine on display from Feb. 25, 2021, at the Laredo port of entry. As of 15 December 2021 the Drug Seizures dashboard now includes seizures of all drug types. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration said its Dallas division made the biggest . The indictment alleges that on May 21, 2020, Guthrie was in possession of a Colt .45 caliber handgun. 25 kilograms of meth seized in Cloverleaf area, Texas DPS says. In total, nearly 30 pounds of cocaine, half a pound of meth, more than a pound of brown heroin, three ounces of black tar heroin, two ounces of Fentanyl, $330,000 in cash, nine firearms and three . Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. In the fourth federal grand jury indictment, 21-year-old Kayli Marie Guthrie of Temple is charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. So glad to get that off the street.. The U.S. If convicted, Anthony Gutierrez, Jose Gutierrez, Crigger, Gentile, Sutton and Warrick face between 10 years and life in federal prison because the quantity level charged is at least 500 grams. More than $45 million of methamphetamine has been seized in a drug bust in Texas. Let's put the drug bust into perspective. Angela Loy, age 32 of Temple; If convicted, Lewis faces up to 10 years in federal prison. BRADY, TX - Nearly 30 people were arrested in Brady Friday morning during a drug trafficking sting operation led by the Drug Enforcement Agency. The female driver was identified as Shauna Madrid, 36, from Roswell, New Mexico. On Wednesday, January 27, 20 packages containing 51.49 pounds of cocaine discovered were also found in a tractor manifesting a shipment of kitchen cabinets coming in from Mexico. In May 2021, authorities seized 1,789 pounds of meth in north Houston, as well as large quantities of other narcotics, during an investigation near North Shepherd and I-45 in north Houston. The remaining defendants face between five years and 40 years in federal prison upon conviction because the quantity level charged is at least 50 grams. BRADY, TX - U.S. US Customs and Border Protection reported a 1,066% increase in the amount of fentanyl seized in fiscal year 2021 in south Texas, the agency said this week in a press release . They were arrested and charged with drug conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute. Teams from the Tarrant County Sheriff's Office, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), and Dallas, Fort Worth, Mansfield and River Oaks police departments were a part of the joint operation. During the initial roundup, the Drug Enforcement Agency were able to arrest over 15 people for . Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Hopefully, these idiots are going to get some tall sentences, McNamara said. All Rights Reserved. Defendant Healer engaged in an armed stand-off with law enforcement today. Performance & security by Cloudflare. 0:55. Tulare County Sheriff's Office via AP, File. By KXII Staff. Later that evening, officers encountered a daily express consignment truck hauling a shipment of vinyl samples arriving from Mexico. Copyright 2022 KWTX. Please enter valid email address to continue. The Drug Enforcement Administration announced the largest methamphetamine bust in North Texas history last week: 1,900 pounds in big grey bricks stowed in the false . Through strategic marketing campaign concepts, Alyssa has established Banyan as an industry leader and a national household name. Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar says a drug operation at the home in the 100 block of Trudell was first broken up a few weeks ago when Deputies were delivering a warrant. The amount of heroin seized by DEA Field Divisions increased by 30% from 2018 to 2019, with the largest amounts of heroin seized in Texas, California, Arizona, and New York. The Waco Texas Anti-Gang (TAG) Unit has been around for a few years here in McLennan County, and since their existence theyve been constantly working to remove drugs out of the area and remove gang members, and make the city and the county a little bit safer, so this just part of the operation they did, said Sgt. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Office of Field Operations (OFO) officers carried out three unrelated seizures last week, two of which occurred in the same day. The haul was the largest meth bust in North Texas's history. Authorities arrested Guthrie last night. Washington, D.C. Man Convicted After Nine-Day Trial for Use of a Firearm in Connection with a Murder and a Robbery, and for a Drug Distribution Conspiracy.