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2023 Cable News Network. The coke you can replace.. 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 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. Three additional arrests reportedly occurred in Las Vegas Friday. She called on the district attorney to prosecute those arrested in the operation. 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. "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. 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. But crackdowns off Florida have pushed major importation routes westward, and the Colombian cartels now subcontract some of the smuggling duty to Mexican middlemen. 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 (1,367.1 kilograms) of methamphetamine, the agency said Sunday. 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.". Over 400 Pounds of Meth, Cocaine and Heroin were Discovered in Toolboxes. The investigation into the drug trafficking organization remains ongoing. All Rights Reserved. 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. The DEA's big bust came just a week before another huge meth seizure. Agents from Southwest Border Group 2 began investigating a large scale drug trafficking organization with ties to the Sinaloa Cartel in SD Otay-Mesa area, allegedly involved in the transportation and delivery of large quantities of drugs. The record discovery also makes clear that patterns of international cocaine smuggling have shifted dramatically, Gutensohn said. 6:23 AM EDT, Sat July 9, 2022. 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. More than 5,000 pounds of methamphetamine were seized in National City, California. More than 5,000 pounds of methamphetamine were seized this week after authorities in San Diego County tracked and intercepted a truck that crossed the US border from Mexico, officials said Friday. L.A. Affairs: My divorce isnt contagious. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. NBC4 news is delivered across the main broadcast on channel4, at www.nbcla.com, and through multiple interactive social media platforms 24/7. / CBS News. Its going to bring tears to some peoples eyes, Gates said. The investigation led to search warrants being served at narcotics stash houses in the Riverside County cities of Moreno Valley and Perris, east of Los Angeles. The L.A. plantations also hog water from local alfalfa, carrot, and potato farmers. He said the arrest went according to plan and no injuries were sustained by officers or alleged suspects. Another was arrested at about the same time at the Marriott Hotel in Woodland Hills. Copyright 2023 KABC Television, LLC. 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. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. The search at the Sherman Oaks apartment turned up little, but Dist. Operation Crystal Shield is a nationwide effort involving 70 to 80 investigators in nine cities including Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix and Atlanta. The one-story warehouse is located in an industrial park in Sylmar, a developing district on the northern edge of Los Angeles. Sign up for FOX 11s Fast 5 newsletter. 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. published to the Salinas Police Department Facebook page, Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. 30-year-old Dalton Clayton is charged with possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine and other counts. Angelica Stabile is a lifestyle writer for Fox News Digital. 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. Get your top stories delivered daily! The drugs have an estimated street value of $33 million. Meth is a highly addictive stimulant that usually takes the form of a powder. 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. 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. Market data provided by Factset. "This record-breaking bust is the largest seizure of fentanyl pills DEA has made in California," the news release said. The largest previous seizure in the United states came last Nov. 17, when agents recovered about 4.35 tons of the drug in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Updated 09/21/2021, 5:55 p.m. 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. "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. That seizure carried an estimated street value of $2.56 million, CBP said. 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. "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. Nearly 375,000 marijuana plants and 33,480 pounds of harvested marijuana were seized, along with 65 vehicles, 180 animals and $28,000. These middlemen are responsible for moving drugs through Central America and over the Southwest border into the United States. 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. 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. "We are not talking about mom and pop people selling marijuana that they grew in their backyard. Deaths related to methamphetamine use have been on the rise in San Diego in recent years. A record meth bust part of a national operation was announced Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2020. The cash was deposited by federal officials in a downtown bank Friday afternoon. They seemed to be making an awful lot of money. 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. GILROY, Calif. On August 24, 2010, law enforcement seized what was - at the time- the largest meth bust in the United States. The Riverside Police Department raided Morales' and Ponce's home in Perris, California, on Aug. 17, where they found 46.2 pounds of carfentanil, 8.8 pounds of cocaine, and 2.2 pounds of heroin . 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. 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. Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine Pacioni told Newsweek that the investigation is ongoing to ensure everyone involved has been identified. According to the agency, authorities had been investigating a cocaine and meth drug trafficking organization believed to be linked to the Sinaloa Cartel. 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 reported by KSBW Action News. Authorities in Southern California have seized more than 16 tons of marijuana worth an estimated $1.19 billion, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department officials said Wednesday. With fentanyl driving fatal overdoses to record levels in the United States, state governments are scrambling for solutions. An attorney for the men did not immediately respond to a request for comment. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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. The Medellin cartel has been blamed for a recent wave of violence against officials in Colombia. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. 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 material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Despite these staggering figures, a law enforcement source in Mexico said the loss of the cash could hurt the drug ring more than the loss of cocaine. They said they were dealing in paintings, velvet paintings, said David Barron, owner of the construction business. / CBS News. They worked with authorities in Arizona and it started to grow. Read the original article below and watch our original report from . Why are people treating me this way? It paid off for the agencies, and Cabrera said the "outcome was excellent. 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. Large quantities of the drug have been discovered in trucks that entered the country through the Otay Mesa commercial point of entry before. An international drug ring was busted following a joint operation between the US and . 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. Kathy Vara reports for the NBC4 News at 4 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 7, 2020. Investigators saw someone carry out three boxes from the home and put them in a vehicle, according to authorities. California Two men arrested in largest drug bust in O.C. A Warner Bros. 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. Reach her at tori.powell@viacomcbs.com, First published on July 7, 2021 / 8:12 PM. 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 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. Officers also seized 821 pounds of methamphetamine and 189.7 pounds of cocaine after pulling over the minivan leaving a Buena Park home. 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.. San Diego Roman Catholic diocese facing yet another lawsuit from its insurance company, K-Pop isnt the only hot ticket in Koreatown how trot is captivating immigrants, Los Angeles is suddenly awash in waterfalls, Officials unprepared for epic mountain blizzard, leaving many trapped and desperate, The Week in Photos: California exits pandemic emergency amid a winter landscape. Federal authorities on Wednesday showed off results of Southern California raids early this month that. July 11, 2022 / 9:03 AM 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. 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.. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. They also found $966,000 in cash and seized five tractor-trailers. Hayley Smith covers breaking news in California with a focus on wildfires, drought and climate change. 2021 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. Teachers learn to administer Narcan amid opioid crisis. During the investigation, DEA agents and officers, along with the Fontana Police Department, identified a house in Norco where drugs were being stored. The drug is often mixed with cocaine and methamphetamine, and many victims do not know they are ingesting fentanyl. The fate of NorCal Transportation remains unknown for now, but Cabrera hopes it is shut down. Los Angeles authorities said further arrests were expected. "Because of our great partnerships with other law enforcement agencies, we will continue to disrupt the cartels' flow of drugs into our cities.". 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. All rights reserved, Authorities: 37 Pounds of Meth Found in Driver's Spare Tire, Second-Largest Border Meth Bust in History Announced, CBP Finds $3.9 Million Worth of Meth, Cocaine in Boulders at Tecate Crossing, Check Your Pockets: These Coins Can Be Worth Up To $24,000, Glendale Neighborhood Frustrated After an Illegal Hostel Moves In, NASA Images Show Southern California Mountains Before and After Winter Storm, Tax Deadlines Extended to October for Most Californians Due to Storms. "The origins of the sheriffs department date back to 1850 when this was the Wild West," the sheriff said. You need money and you need it to be liquid to pay for your infrastructure. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! The post stated that there was specific intent to distribute the drugs between Yuma, Arizona and Salinas, California. They have pleaded not guilty and remain in custody on $5-million bail, the D.A.s office said. Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department documented the biggest drug bust in its history on Tuesday and officials expect Mexican cartels are to blame. Operation Sudden Fall was a 2008 joint operation between the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and San Diego State University (SDSU) campus police investigating drug abuse in the College Area of San Diego, California.It was the largest campus drug bust in San Diego County history and one of the largest college drug busts in U.S. history. Hazell theorized Friday that when the car was stopped, an alert probably went through the system, and they left. He said the suspects all carried beepers and they all moved on a tight, rigidly controlled schedule. 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 record meth bust part of a national operation was announced Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2020. 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 2,224 pounds (1,008.7 kilograms) of methamphetamine was seized Oct. 2 during an investigation of a drug-trafficking organization with ties to the Sinaloa cartel, the DEA said in a statement. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. 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. Opioid crisis settlements total over $50 billion. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. This is not just powder on the table, said Donald Hamilton, a DEA spokesman in Washington. 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. Biggest drug bust goes down in LA sheriff department history. One tented location was alone appraised at approximately $50 million worth of product. 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. 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.