biggest drug bust in new orleans biggest drug bust in new orleans

So far this year, there have been six. Authorities confirmed Edwards was distributing narcotics throughout the Pointe Coupee area, and on Thursday, Aug. 4, they executed multiple search warrants. The operation involved around 80 investigators from nine . Next: We remain in the 20th century the rest of the way. "When later asked why, (they said) it was to impress the drug dealer to show them that, in fact, they were the NOPD and could produce on their offer of protection.". The drug trafficking organization was responsible for the distribution of heroin and other controlled dangerous substances in St. Tammany Parish, Orleans Parish and in south Mississippi. Pointe Coupee coroner Donald Doucet said the increasing numbers are impacting the health care system. They chose to be drug dealers, they chose to be gun-toters, they chose to put children at risk. I want these indictments to send a message, and that message is to every individual out there who thinks hes going to get into the business of peddling poison, know this: Were going to find you, were going to take you down, were going to take you to trial, and if youre convicted at trial, you will be spending a good portion of your life in either federal or state prison, Strasser said. Major drug bust in local parishes related to Mexican drug cartel, prosecutors say, La. One California raid in 2014 remains one of the biggest drug busts the U.S. has ever seen. Sylmar is something of a sleepy town northwest of Los Angeles, but its the site of what might be the biggest drug bust ever. The seizure happened earlier this month in Inglewood, California, after the DEAs Los Angeles Field Division High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Group 48, along with the DEA New York Division Tactical Diversion Squad and Hawthorne Police Department, had been investigating a Los Angeles-area drug trafficking organization since May that authorities believed was linked to the Sinaloa Cartel. Davis has been in custody since Monday, when he was charged with ordering the murder of Kim Groves near her Alabo Street home. Before him on a table were almost 9 pounds of marijuana, 7.5 grams of crack cocaine, almost $7,500 in cash, a scale used to weigh drugs and plastic bags used to package them. Officials say additional arrests are expected. Doing business as GO GET IT ENTERPRISES, LLC, a Louisiana-based company, WILLIAMS laundered the proceeds of his drug dealing operations in violation of 18 U.S.C. WILLIAMS faces up to life imprisonment, a fine of $10,000,000, at least five years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment and a $200 special assessment fee. - A covert narcotics investigation in New Orleans that took years to develop has paid off for police. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has seized approximately one million pills laced with fentanyl allegedly linked to the Sinaloa Cartel in what authorities say is the biggest. During the search of both locations and Handy's vehicle, Investigators recovered the following: 944 Grams of heroin containing fentanyl $121,785 U.S. currency Ruger handgun, with high-capacity magazine Draco rifle Digital scales High-capacity drum magazine At the time of his arrest, Handy was on federal probation for weapons violations. Watch on. They say the drug dealers had no regard for children in the area or people who lived nearby. ", "We were concerned that he may engage in acts of violence. TORONTO -. We're going to be in a holy war. More than 107,000 Americans have died as a result of fentanyl overdose or poisoning, according to the CDC. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Jefferson Parish Sheriffs Office, Hammond Police Department, New Orleans Police Department, and Slidell Police Department in investigating this matter. An official website of the United States government. In addition, according to court documents, from on or about February 20, 2019 through on or about February 17, 2020, WILLIAMS used approximately $667,500 in proceeds from his cocaine trafficking to purchase seven real estate properties in New Orleans. Liberty County officials were asked to assist in a search warrant led by the DEA out of Houston to seize what they estimated to be $500,000 worth. Len Davis, eight other New Orleans police officers, charged in drug sting. Strasser said the indictments began last November and the investigation started when a man was stopped by a state trooper, who found 24 pounds of meth in his possession. OCDETF is a joint federal, state, and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nations primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets. biggest drug bust in new orleans. . team without incident Tuesday, April 6 in the 1800 block of Andry Street. The city's economy has sputtered over the past generation partly because local and state officials have failed to do the most elementary job of government: to secure the personal safety of citizens. "I will not tolerate it, " Pennington said. lX$S=^C{t49)CBnFr{jmHv\j[-ac~"Wv\nt.\qGH,7xHJtM?Ft#sUGgFm~'q|8o?e,K~] &b09*?L.s2=5,-D}@9pR~jf.C These are not situations that just require a short period of time to stabilize, but sometimes theyre in the hospital for days, so you can see the impact of how this is affecting the health care system, Doucet said. However, when authorities showed up at the home in . That dealer turned out to be a federal informant. All rights reserved. A lock ( So, while a 1984 raid in Colombia (with the help of the DEA) seizing 13.8 metric tons of cocaine worth $1.2 billion represents one of the biggest drug busts in U.S. history, that was just a good month for Escobars clan. A 2017 study of death certificate data by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted that the state had suffered 24.5 deaths per 100,000 residents, making it the 33rd most deadly state for drug overdose deaths. From Wall Street to the underworld, if theres one thing weve learned its that crime pays and pays big. Border agents in San Diego arrested an 81-year old woman after they found 34 heroin packages weighing 92 pounds. Copyright 2022 WAFB. A*HABAA$,Ms`i@LH){s$6V$H A:*qh@AA#XE$ Rafael Molina, 43, Gustavo Balderas, 32, and Michael Garza, 34, all from Texas, were charged this February in a six-count indictment by a Federal Grand Jury with several narcotic offenses. . Police believe the drugs were intended for distribution in Europe by various . A brother-sister duo, a quiet suburb, and a false attic wall hiding $24 million in cash made trafficking marijuana. "They don't want to be rehabilitated. Agents seized approximately 66 kilograms of cocaine and about $3.9 million in drug proceeds hidden inside his Gretna stash house and home. Most of the charges from the New Orleans bust were eventually dropped, but the incident went on to make a lasting impact on Grateful Dead lore. This is the second methamphetamine-related arrest to go viral from West Monroe this year. The Mindat Manual Add a New Photo Rate Photos Locality Edit Report Coordinate Completion Report Add Glossary Item. Official websites use .gov There's no question that perhaps as many as 15 to 20 more officers could have been apprehended, " Jordan said. Led by Davis, the officers proceeded cautiously at first, suspecting a possible set-up by authorities, Jordan said. The NOPD says 15 people were . Continue reporting this criminal activity. Attorney Frank DeSalvo, who represents the Police Association of New Orleans, said Wednesday, "I just left three happy officers who didn't get indicted. Chief Serpas says 15 people were using that corner to sell drugs. ORLEANS COUNTY, N.Y. A man from Medina faces numerous drug and weapons charges following a raid at two locations in Orleans County. Friday's announcement is one of several recent efforts to crack down on suspected gang members. Police started investigating back in September of 2012 after receiving a federal grant. "This arrest was very sizeable.". Gallagher said the yearlong investigation involved more than 60 federal agents from across the country and was conducted with utmost secrecy. The deceptive marketing coupled with the ease of accessibility makes these small and seemingly innocuous pills a significant threat to the health and safety of all our communities. (Louisiana State Police). They were contemplating taking an act of violence against the primary undercover agent. Federal agents were monitoring the telephone lines as the killing was discussed, but were powerless to prevent it, Gallagher said. Twenty people are facing rafts of charges each and more than $61 million worth of cocaine, crystal meth and marijuana was seized in what Toronto police are calling the largest drug . LOS ANGELES (AP) The largest illegal marijuana bust in Los Angeles County history which netted 373,000 plants that would ultimately have been worth $1 billion on the street eradicated only a fraction of the illicit grows in the Southern California high desert, authorities said Wednesday. Read more: Which Politicians Had Terrible Diseases Like John McCain? The investigation remains ongoing. - Chief Federal District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl sentenced Arnold Devonne Butler, 54, today in Casper. Another 2018 haul is one of the biggest drug busts in U.S. history. . Australia's biggest ever drug bust made as police reveal how they thwarted a Mexican drug cartel and prevented $1billon worth of cocaine entering the country Twelve arrested as part of. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters, A Louisiana woman has been arrested after a tip led police to her apartment on suspicion of drug possession - and they subsequently found what they believed to be meth in a box in her home labeled "dope. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has seized approximately one million pills laced with fentanyl allegedly linked to the Sinaloa Cartel in what authorities say is the biggest bust for the drug in California history on July, 5, 2022, in Inglewood, California. You can call this one the mole-man drug bust, in a sense. Biggest drug bust in Halton police history announced. 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. . Ronal Serpas says this investigation is the result of good police work and concerned citizens who refused to let drug dealers take over their neighborhood. Meth continues to be a problem in the state at large. by | Jun 5, 2022 | sundowner low pro trailers for sale | philly restaurant week 2022 | Jun 5, 2022 | sundowner low pro trailers for sale | philly restaurant week 2022 A big break in the case came when Davis - described as the ringleader of the nine cops - asked for a cellular telephone to conduct business with the undercover agents. He and his Medellin cartel cohorts made an estimated $420 million each weeksupplying 80% of the cocaine in the United States in the 1980s. Or maybe they didn't do anything.". We're going to clean this department up.". The greater Los Angeles area has many international airports, freeways, and bus and train lines that make it easy for shipments to be smuggled to other destinations. Published Feb 25, 2021 3:23 PM by The Maritime Executive. The China white heroin recovered -- worth approximately $3 billion on the street -- was described, at the time, as the largest heroin bust in U.S. history, according to U.S. Customs. According to LSP, officials seized approximately 18.6 pounds of heroin; approximately 1.2 pounds of cocaine; approximately 1.2 pounds of methamphetamine; approximately 4.4 approximately of marijuana; approximately 25 grams of pressed pills; and approximately 1.4 pounds of synthetic marijuana. After an operation lasting a year, police seized 827,000 Ecstasy pills, 76 kg of amphetamine, 39.5 kg of crystal meth, 310 kg of hashish, 89 kg of marihuana, hashish, 2,000 doses of LSD and 1.65kg . The department also found 248 vials of THC oil during the traffic stop that led to the massive bust. Have a question about Government Services? NEW ORLEANS, La. Forget talking about just drug dealers, Pablo Escobar is one of the richest criminals who ever lived. Two mid-level drug dealers were arrested and a "substantial" amount of drugs seized after Kenner narcotics officers busted the two in their house, Kenner Police Chief Steve Caraway said today. Copyright 2019 WVUE. Special Agent Roberto Bryan, a spokesman for the DEA's New Orleans division, told NOLA.com that the division executed 10 search warrants and seized a "large quantity of synthetic marijuana . LAFAYETTE, La. In what is being called the largest case of police corruption in the city's history, nine New Orleans officers were charged in federal court Wednesday with accepting nearly $100,000 in bribes. She has a long history of prior arrests, with previous charges including possession of stolen goods, driving without a license, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and failure to appear in court. Most recent cases of fentanyl-related harm, overdose, and death in the U.S. are linked to illegally made fentanyl, the CDC warns on their website. Sting Operations - Drug Busts | Cops TV Show COPSTV 645K subscribers Subscribe 2.8K Share 172K views 8 months ago Watch our officers going undercover as drug dealers to clean up the streets. that they were contemplating ripping off the couriers. And were here to tell you that were not sleeping. A DEA surveillance operation tracked two men, which led authorities to a Bronx apartment with $8 million worth of heroin and other drug paraphernalia inside. When will this end? New Orleans Man Found Guilty of Drug and Weapons Violations NEW ORLEANS, LA - United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that DERRICK ESTES, age 42, of New Orleans, was found guilty as charged on September 21, 2022 after a two-day jury trial before U.S. District Judge Jay C. Zainey. Among their charges were conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and 500 grams or more of a mixture containing meth. . In 1989, authorities seized more than 21 tons of cocaine worth roughly $6.9 billion on the street sitting in a nondescript warehouse. The investigation was initiated in 2004 by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI . 1097 0 obj <>stream Chief Serpas says, though this investigation is not over, he does believe that the NOPD busted every member of the 89er's gang. Lafourche Parish Special Narcotics Prosecutor Heather Hendrix explained these parishes were used as a thoroughfare both because of their proximity to major cities and their small size. Agents spent the following weeks investigating the murder, U.S. Attorney Eddie Jordan Jr. said. Theres no number, and when you look at the number of overdoses when you look at the amount of criminal activity involved with this, you know there is no specific number, but I can tell you its immeasurable and one life is too much, Davis said. )` P:. . New Orleans Police and the FBI announce theyve arrested of a heroin dealer in the Lower Ninth Ward. Maybe there wasn't enough evidence. 1 on the countdown. In what is being called the largest case of police corruption in the city's history, nine New Orleans officers were charged in federal court Wednesday with accepting nearly $100,000 in bribes to protect a large-scale cocaine operation run by undercover FBI agents. In the biggest drug bust in Liberty County's history, the DEA seized $1 million worth of methamphetamine in a home at County Road 2191 off FM 787. Published Nov. 1, 2022 12:46 p.m. PDT. West Monroe, Louisiana police took a woman into custody Saturday afternoon after following up on a report by an unidentified complainant who claimed they had found what they suspected were drugs in her apartment. Next: Proof that you cant hide anything from the authorities. The New Brunswick RCMP has arrested five people and seized "significant quantities" of weapons and drugs in what it says may be the largest fentanyl . "There were a number of other police officers who were ready and prepared to go forward with playing a role in protecting the cocaine in this undercover operation. They don't want to go get training and do something positive in this community. Chief Serpas says all of the people involved in this operation have a lengthy rap sheet. Vickie M. Watson, 61, of Kentucky, was arrested during the stop and charged with possession with intent to distribute Schedule I and Schedule II controlled substances, and a number of traffic violations. Some of the narcotics found stashed on the lorries were hidden in children's juice boxes, police say. "Unfortunately, we were not provided on Oct. 13 with enough information to allow us to prevent it, " he said. 1957(a) by purchasing and then developing these seven real estate properties with profits generated from his cocaine sales. When the main players had their cases go to trial, the warehouse owner received a life sentence, according to the Los Angeles Times. Meanwhile, he said, agents kept a close eye on Davis and were prepared to arrest him at "any time of the day or night. The warehouse protection was run almost like a paid detail - a moonlighting job like the kind many officers hold - except the pay scale was much higher than the usual $15 an hour, authorities said. NOPD, FBI bust major N.O. Carlos Rodriguez, Adam Dees, Christopher Evans of the 5th District; Keith Johnson and Sheldon Polk of the 2nd; Bryant Brown, assigned to public housing; and Larry Smith, assigned to the juvenile division - all face charges of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and use of firearms while drug trafficking. Next: A bust that saved the equivalent of 26 million lives. Federal agents caught two men with 86 pounds of heroin, which was worth roughly $6 million at the time. During a routine traffic stop near Kearney, Neb., state troopers found 118 pounds of fentanyl, which is enough to kill 26 million people when you consider two milligrams is a potentially fatal dose. They estimated the drugs to be worth at least $870,000 on the street. Well, the Drug Enforcement Agency aided the Edmonton police force as it made itslargest cash seizure to that point. The busts occurred after Willie Lee White, Jr., 53, of Houston, was stopped Thursday after he left a home near Slidell, La., a New Orleans suburb in St. Tammany Parish, with $50,000 on him . This prosecution is part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). One of the biggest drug busts ever in Atlanta happened in 2012, and it remains one of the largest in U.S. history. The officers indicted Wednesday - Davis, Williams, Sgt. They even sold drugs in the rain, every day from early morning till night. Appointed in October, he acknowledged that he inherited a department riddled with corruption and vowed to weed out bad officers through aggressive internal investigations. And, in the first four months alone of 2022, DEA Los Angeles have seized an estimated 1.5 million of the pills -- a 64% increase over the same period in 2021. The conversations simply did not alert us to what would occur. WILLIAMS sold six of these seven properties for a profit. According to an NOPD report, the Federal Bureau of Investigation Violent Crime Task Force began receiving information about drug activity at the intersection of Tupelo Street and North Claiborne Avenue. Seven of them are believed to be members of the 89er's gang. ]Rs$%ooED A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has seized approximately one million pills laced with fentanyl allegedly linked to the Sinaloa Cartel in what authorities say is the biggest bust for the drug in California history. Police seized drugs from each of their rooms. Part of Audacy. "Concerned citizens" passed on the tip about Reynolds and Coronado, who were the only people living in the single-story house on Connecticut Avenue. Next: Lets head down the coast for No. Last month, the DA's office announced a 51-count indictment against 15 members of the 110er's. are spent on heroin than any other drug. Through the investigation, officials identified numerous members of a Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) with Edwards as its leader. Ill say to you that this is mid-level cities type of drug drugs. Feds bust 127 in biggest mob sweep in US history (video) By. "The police officers, not the FBI, brought in all of these bad, corrupt cops.". In the following months, the FBI orchestrated an elaborate sting and watched in amazement as Davis and Williams recruited seven other cops to protect drug shipments and guard a cocaine-filled warehouse on Franklin Avenue, sometimes while on-duty and in uniform, Gallagher said. The seizure also helped police shut down business specializing in selling marijuana horticulture supplies. 1.San Francisco is home to the crown of the world largest ever recorded drugs bust. There were seven overdose deaths last year in Pointe Coupee Parish. Next: Where have we heard this one before? "Lennie Davis asked for a cellular telephone, " Gallagher said. "The pertinent conversations were spread out over a 10-hour period and were intermingled with many other discussions concerning their protection activity at the warehouse. A subsequent search of her home uncovered a plastic container containing suspected methamphetamines labeled with the word "dope.". Minutes before the slaying, Davis was heard giving Hardy a description of Groves' clothing, prosecutors said. January 21, 2011 5:00am. Acting on a tip, authorities searched a house and discovered nearly 18,000 pounds of wrapped cocaine estimated to be worth $1 billion. The massive haul included 351kg of cocaine, 92kg of heroin and 250kg of Class-B drug cannabis. 650 Poydras Street, Suite 1600 The biggest raids happened in the 20th century, but check out No. The investigation and bust were carried out on a decree from the Naples public prosecutor, the statement added. Twelve suspected drug dealers believed to be part of a large drug ring are locked up after a joint investigation. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graeme Roy. She later admitted that the suspected dope belonged to her after being read her rights. The Government and WILLIAMS have agreed that WILLIAMS was responsible for possessing with intent to distribute between 50 kilograms and 150 kilograms of cocaine. Reynolds has been booked with possession and distribution of 2,700 grams of marijuana and Coronado was booked with possession and distribution of 7.5 grams of cocaine and 1,300 grams of marijuana.