biggest drug bust 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. h{oFJ'Sn. They even sold drugs in the rain, every day from early morning till night. 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. 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. "Concerned citizens" passed on the tip about Reynolds and Coronado, who were the only people living in the single-story house on Connecticut Avenue. June 1, 2021, 11:02 PM. 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. 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. Well, the Drug Enforcement Agency aided the Edmonton police force as it made itslargest cash seizure to that point. Nebraska might not be among the states with the most opioid abuse, but apparently, its a way station along the route to those places. When will this end? Other questions:subscriberservices@theadvocate.com. endstream endobj 1098 0 obj <>stream If you factor in the two pounds of methamphetamines, cash, and guns, the DEA bust was probably closer to $7 million. Largest Settlements: Place Population; Le Pont-de-Claix: 11,963 (2016) Other Languages: View 78 more. Neel left the building without police officers speaking with her, according to the arrest report. "This is a sizeable arrest for us," Caraway said. Another 2018 haul is one of the biggest drug busts in U.S. history. Lock }N|Q ~#'~B# ~CY0t:_=SuLGk*|"-3]$SfwrAgm* L 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. U.S. Attorney Peter Strasser said the defendants are charged with trafficking meth, heroin, cocaine and firearms. Handy was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation S.W.A.T. Davis has been in custody since Monday, when he was charged with ordering the murder of Kim Groves near her Alabo Street home. "We were able to intercept some conversations among the police officers who were on the protection detail . "For continued safety of the FBI undercover agents and because of the need to allow the New Orleans Police Department to remove from its ranks a criminal element, I ordered an end to the FBI undercover operation, " he said. In cooperation with Panamas government, a Coast Guard ship stopped and searched a container ship, and discovered more than 42,000 pounds of cocaine worth $350 million. Meth continues to be a problem in the state at large. Read more: Which Politicians Had Terrible Diseases Like John McCain? Authorities confirmed Edwards was distributing narcotics throughout the Pointe Coupee area, and on Thursday, Aug. 4, they executed multiple search warrants. Appointed in October, he acknowledged that he inherited a department riddled with corruption and vowed to weed out bad officers through aggressive internal investigations. 9P!r=zi4/`Xh\rI|v-tsu3I|P34X{}/u4Cj)*JSM(^cuYB/MC|YC2y~%EY2b s0 \?V&!qk/.pC2DP3qpwEN/Qo=I;.[kKo,Il_3J>rg\%k6{8O?bw),!l|E3DxgP 6{tEG`3>@dO!Zh{gv~E?F?6;6g.*VGj(O/xq_G?ru$~vfs!TwT}{6Wmi{)f7Z$Jwq7YMb&Y$:gGq6}x3HJf=.}h4gc)jC[]!65koPJVQWjf v(Io j2> Ff More than 107,000 Americans have died as a result of fentanyl overdose or poisoning, according to the CDC. A month of surveillance and a coordinated law enforcement effort produced one of the biggest drug busts weve ever seen. endstream endobj 1099 0 obj <>stream New Orleans, La. Next: The biggest bust this city has ever seen. that they were contemplating ripping off the couriers. 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. Michael Perlstein and Walt Philbin wrote this report. Continue reporting this criminal activity. . For all of the caution exercised by Davis and the other suspects, the officers sometimes acted with a bravado that shocked federal authorities. 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. So far this year, there have been six. 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. 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. 14 tons of. 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. "Unfortunately, we were not provided on Oct. 13 with enough information to allow us to prevent it, " he said. "This arrest was very sizeable.". 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. There's no question that perhaps as many as 15 to 20 more officers could have been apprehended, " Jordan said. In the world of drug enforcement, it pays to be patient. There were seven overdose deaths last year in Pointe Coupee Parish. Minutes before the slaying, Davis was heard giving Hardy a description of Groves' clothing, prosecutors said. We're going to be in a holy war. Then, authorities discovered how the suspect got all those drugs via a 600-foot tunnel that crossed the border to Mexico. 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. Just last week, the District Attorney's office issued indictments against 20 people in the "3NG" gang on charges including racketeering and murder. Two men described as violent drug traffickers - Paul "Cool" Hardy and Damon Causey - have been charged in the Oct. 13 murder. New York man busted 3 times in 1 day on different drug charges, state police say. 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. hXmo8+"HX1Elk#6QYJT_3K`o"r8/saL'"c?$14"$FLXPBXq#,TZ|! j\6JB1"A ~GD The DEA offices in Los Angeles seized approximately three million fentanyl pills in 2021 -- close to three times the amount seized in 2020. 1097 0 obj <>stream %PDF-1.6 % "It tells us that corruption in the Police Department is pervasive, rampant and systemic.". On Tuesday, the U.S. Attorney's office in Baton Rouge announced half-a-dozen arrests for various . "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.". Cocaine Bust Seizes $77 Million In Biggest New York-Area . As a result of this, we had to increase significantly the security of the FBI undercover agents.". 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. . ORLEANS COUNTY, N.Y. A man from Medina faces numerous drug and weapons charges following a raid at two locations in Orleans County. Next: The U.S. helps with an international drug bust. 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. Police arrested 22 peopleand confiscated more than $700,000 in cash along with the drugs. Mitchel Maddux. One of the biggest drug busts ever in Atlanta happened in 2012, and it remains one of the largest in U.S. history. U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Louisiana, Gretna Resident Pleads Guilty to Possessing 66 Kilograms of Cocaine and $3.9 Million In Drug Proceeds Seized at His Stash House and Home, williams_dorian_factual_basis_redacted.pdf, Santa Rosa Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Possession of Child Pornography and Manufacturing Methamphetamine on Tohono Oodham Nation, Terrebonne Parish Man Pleads Guilty to Violations of the Controlled Substances Act, Mexican drug trafficker sentenced to 14 years in federal prison, Gretna Resident Pleads Guilty To Possessing 66 Kilograms of Cocaine and $3.9 Million In Drug Proceeds Seized At His Stash House and Home. Investigators identified multiple armed subjects who they say were selling narcotics at this intersection. Drug smuggling knows no age, and this August 2018 bust is proof. You have permission to edit this article. Official websites use .gov One happened in Harlingen in southeast Texas in 1989. A staggering number of teens and young adults are unaware that they are ingesting fentanyl in these fake pills and are being poisoned.. The investigation was launched in December 1993 when 5th District officers Len Davis and Sammie Williams began extorting bribes and offering protection to a drug dealer, said New Orleans FBI Commander Neil Gallagher. Among their charges were conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and 500 grams or more of a mixture containing meth. The investigation was initiated in 2004 by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI . Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. Seven of them are believed to be members of the 89er's gang. French: Le Pont-de-Claix, Grenoble, Isre, Auvergne-Rhne-Alpes, France. The telephone also was used to monitor the telephone calls in which Davis allegedly ordered Groves' murder. A warehouse raid in Hayward in the east bay seized 1,200 pounds of heroin worth roughly $3 billion. After the killing was officially logged as a murder by police, Davis and Williams were overheard celebrating the murder with Hardy, they said. 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. 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. "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. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. woman accused of using aunts debit card for 136 DoorDash orders held on preset $18 million bond, Juvenile injured after homemade pipe bomb detonated, police say. heroin dealer in Lower Ninth Ward, Featured Image Photo Credit: Getty Images, First evidence for horseback riding dates back 5,000 years, In Chicago, adapting electric buses to winters challenges, After Murdaugh trial 'circus,' Walterboro welcomes normality, Ohio derailment tests Sen. Brown's push to buck Dem defeats, In Britain, warm hubs emerge to beat soaring energy costs. Next: Another 2018 raid is among the biggest drug busts ever. 650 Poydras Street, Suite 1600 New Orleans, Louisiana 70130. One hour away from New Orleans, and one hour away from Baton Rouge. When questioned by police, Rolland told the officers that the bag didn't belong to her and she didn't know where the drugs came from. LSP and Pointe Coupee Parish Sheriffs Office held a joint news conference about a major drug bust in Pointe Coupee Parish following a 7-month investigation. 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. Next: A bust that saved the equivalent of 26 million lives. 66y% Chief Serpas says 15 people were using that corner to sell drugs. Each faces up to life in prison, while Davis could face the death penalty in connection with Groves' murder. NEW ROADS, La. 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. Chief Serpas says all of the people involved in this operation have a lengthy rap sheet. At various times, the police officers conducted counter-surveillance of the undercover agents. Attorney Frank DeSalvo, who represents the Police Association of New Orleans, said Wednesday, "I just left three happy officers who didn't get indicted. Pointe Coupee coroner Donald Doucet said the increasing numbers are impacting the health care system. NOPD arrests 15 in undercover drug bust. The biggest drug busts in U.S. history seized billions of dollars worth of narcotics. Drug trafficking is probably the most lucrative illegal money maker, which the richest drug dealers of all time can attest to. This is the second methamphetamine-related arrest to go viral from West Monroe this year. Police tape is shown in Toronto on Tuesday, May 2, 2017. You can call this one the mole-man drug bust, in a sense. Neel has been charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance and is being held in jail on a $3,000 bond. team without incident Tuesday, April 6 in the 1800 block of Andry Street. Jesse Reynolds, 31, and Eddie "Primo" Coronado, 26, were arrested Thursday night at their home, 3813 Connecticut Ave. "The arrest is the result of a two-month undercover operation," Caraway said at a news conference at police headquarters. ", "We were concerned that he may engage in acts of violence. 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. 1957(a) by purchasing and then developing these seven real estate properties with profits generated from his cocaine sales. Gallagher said he was particularly concerned with the possibility of danger to undercover agents. are spent on heroin than any other drug. 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. The NOPD says 15 people were arrested. Gallagher said the yearlong investigation involved more than 60 federal agents from across the country and was conducted with utmost secrecy. (Louisiana State Police). (WVUE) - Federal prosecutors announced a major drug bust and the arrest of people in two parishes that were allegedly connected to a Mexican cartel Monday (July 1). This investigation into the drug trafficking organization is ongoing. April 9, 2021 7:48 am New Orleans Police and the FBI announce they've arrested of a heroin dealer in the Lower Ninth Ward. Len Davis, eight other New Orleans police officers, charged in drug sting. She had been accused of stealing $5,000 from a man she'd been staying with. 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 . Eastern District of Louisiana According to Strasser, Harris Henderson, 43 of Schreiver, Louisiana, was charged last July in a one-count indictment by a Federal Grand Jury with distributing five grams or more of methamphetamine. They estimated the drugs to be worth at least $870,000 on the street. Elie Edwards, 43, of New Roads, is charged with Attempt and Conspiracy-Distribution of Heroin, Methamphetamine, Marijuana/ Synthetic Cannabinoids, Cocaine, Schedule IV, Distribution/ Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin, Distribution/ Possession with Intent to Distribute Schedule II CDS - Methamphetamine, Distribution/Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana, or Synthetic Cannabinoids, Illegal Possession of Stolen Firearms, Possession of Firearm or Carrying Concealed Weapon by a Person Convicted or Certain Felonies, David Hayes, 42, of New Roads, is charged with Attempt and Conspiracy, Distribution/ Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin, Prohibited Acts-Schedule II, and Prohibited Acts-Schedule IV, Shannon Labatut, 43, of New Roads, is charged with Attempt and Conspiracy-Distribution of Methamphetamine, Cocaine, Marijuana/ Synthetic Cannabinoids, Distribution/ Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana, or synthetic cannabinoids, Distribution/ Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin, Jerlanda Foster, 31, of New Roads, is charged with Attempt and Conspiracy, Loretta Dobard, 53, of New Roads, is charged with Attempt and Conspiracy, Malfeasance in Office, Mary Victorian, 36, of New Roads, is charged with Attempt and Conspiracy, Transactions involving proceeds from drug offenses, William Tynes, 61, of Ethel, is charged with Distribution/ Possession with Intent to Distribute Narcotic Drugs Listed in Schedule 1, and Prohibited Acts-Schedule IV, Penalties, Bryan Francois, 32, of New Roads, is charged with Attempt and Conspiracy- Distribution/ Possession with intent to distribute Schedule II CDS, Darrel Harris, 30, of New Roads, is charged with Attempt and Conspiracy- Distribution/ Possession with intent to distribute Schedule 1 and Schedule II, Joshua Gustin, 41, of Ventress, is charged with Attempt and Conspiracy- Distribution/Possession with intent to distribute Schedule 1 and Schedule II (CDS) Felony, Leighann Kirby, 34, of Jarreau, is charged with Attempt and Conspiracy- Prohibited Acts-Schedule II, and Obstruction of Justice-Evidence Tampering, Michael A Edwards, 40, of New Roads, is charged with Attempt and Conspiracy to Distribution of Schedule II CDS, LSU WR Malik Nabers arrested in New Orleans; prosecutors refuse to charge with condition, Charges upgraded for suspect arrested in deadly shooting, police say, Health experts, former athletes respond to NCAAs proposal to reduce game time and plays. It is often mixed with heroin and/or cocaine as a combination product -- with or without the users knowledge -- to increase its euphoric effects.. NEW ORLEANS, La. DEA Special Agent in Charge Brad Byerly said the investigation started over a year ago. Authorities seized nearly 500 pounds of methamphetamines worth roughly $18 million. Authorities subsequently obtained a federal search warrant and executed the drug bust on July 5 at a residence in Inglewood which resulted in the seizure of approximately one million fake pills laced with fentanyl that were intended for retail distribution with an estimated street value of between $15 to $20 million. 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. The officers indicted Wednesday - Davis, Williams, Sgt. These are situations that put the staff potentially at risk because some of them are very violent. Its going to take all of us for us to rip these drugs out of our communities, Davis said. 1.San Francisco is home to the crown of the world largest ever recorded drugs bust. 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. Any defense by officers that they didn't know what was stored at the site will be countered with hours of taped conversations, they said. Officials say additional arrests are expected. "One in law enforcement may consider that a gift from heaven. That cellular telephone was used to monitor a lot of the details associated with protection of the warehouse.". 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Lafourche is conveniently [located] for a drug dealer," Hendrix said. In April, the officers agreed to protect a drug shipment, then stunned an agent posing as a big-time cocaine dealer by showing up in uniform, Gallagher said. Ill say to you that this is mid-level cities type of drug drugs. You will see that in every parish were dealing with the harmful effects of these drugs, Pointe Coupee Sheriff Rene Thibodeaux said. NEW ORLEANS, 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 to protect a large-scale cocaine operation run by undercover FBI agents. 1 on the countdown. 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. (WVUE) - Federal prosecutors announced a major drug bust and the arrest of people in two parishes that were allegedly connected to a Mexican cartel Monday (July 1). . 5 on the list to read about the U.S. Coast Guards big bust in 2007. Nearly a quarter 22% . The estimated street value of the pills is between $15 to $20 million. 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. And were here to tell you that were not sleeping. He and his Medellin cartel cohorts made an estimated $420 million each weeksupplying 80% of the cocaine in the United States in the 1980s. Neel, when arrested on the possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute charge in 2016, told officers at the time that she sold the drug for a profit. The investigation remains ongoing. Two people are still wanted. They don't want to go get training and do something positive in this community. "asked Serpas at a news conference Friday. THE GANG'S ALL HERE: Suspects busted in yesterday's sweep are booked by FBI agents at the Army . At times, he said, the lives of undercover agents posing as drug traffickers were in danger. . The bulk shipments of drugs are usually broken down into smaller quantities and transported to other states or distributed to local dealers, the DEA said. Meanwhile, he said, agents kept a close eye on Davis and were prepared to arrest him at "any time of the day or night. Part of Audacy. Real cocaine - more than 130 kilos - was used throughout the sting, as was real money, $97,000 of which was distributed to officers in payments as large as $6,000. Officials also reportedly seized one AR-15 rifle, and two semiautomatic handguns, one of which was stolen out of Pointe Coupee. Police are looking for Gerald Chambers Sr. and Eddie Dokes. Through the investigation, officials identified numerous members of a Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) with Edwards as its leader. 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. Friday's announcement is one of several recent efforts to crack down on suspected gang members. The Georgia State Patrol pulled over a car that contained drugs.

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