Stimulant abuse involving cocaine and meth has also remained high. 25 kilograms of meth seized in Cloverleaf area, Texas DPS says. "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. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration said its Dallas division made the biggest . During this investigation authorities seized approximately four kilograms of cocaine, approximately seven kilograms of methamphetaine and a half a dozen firearms. Earlier this month, the DEA arrested 11 alleged traffickers in Amarillo, Texas, on suspicion of conspiring to deal hundreds of grams of meth and cocaine. In the biggest drug bust in Liberty Countys history, the DEA seized $1 million worth of methamphetamine in a home at County Road 2191 off FM 787. Carlos Avila, age 38 of Buckholts; Additionally, on August 17, 2021, law enforcement seized 22 pounds of methamphetamine that conspirators attempted to mail to Fiji. The operation was conducted by members of the McLennan County Sheriffs Office Organized Crime Unit, the sheriffs offices SWAT, and the Waco Police Departments Drug Enforcement Unit, along with the Texas Dept. Chavezs bond was set at $50,000 and and he bonded out on June 9, 2022. Thirteen of the defendants were arrested over the past two days. The investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Seattle Field Division (SFD) Tacoma Resident Office (TRO) and Bremerton Police Department (BPD), with assistance from Tahoma Narcotics Enforcement (TNET); the Seattle, Puyallup, Auburn, Federal Way, Kent, Bonney Lake, Tacoma, and Lakewood Police Departments; the Pierce County Sheriffs Office; Washington State Department of Corrections; Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team (JNET): Centralia and Chehalis Police Departments; Valley Narcotics Enforcement Team (VNET); and Washington State Patrol; Thurston Narcotics Team (TNT), Kitsap County Sheriffs Office, and Mason County Sheriffs Office; United States Postal Inspections Service (USPIS), Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) with support from Northwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas ( HIDTA). Jose Gutierrez, Crigger and Lewis were already in custody prior to yesterday. The east lane of FM 2271 was closed for several hours, and authorities funneled traffic into the west lane of FM 2271 on both sides of the Lake Belton Dam. This afternoon he was taken into custody at his Port Orchard residence without incident. Your IP: Major Susan Cotter (@HCSO_Patrol) September 1, 2021 This is no Tenaha PD joke-of-a-bust . Published: Aug. 26, 2022 at 6:40 . Marshals returned to Brady on Tuesday morning in an attempt to stop the gigantic drug ring that is supplying narcotics across Texas according to sources with the federal court system. Nhan Thanh Vo, 38, was charged with one federal count of . If convicted, Lewis faces up to 10 years in federal prison. 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 . As of 15 December 2021 the Drug Seizures dashboard now includes seizures of all drug types. The Drug Enforcement Administration led the multi-agency investigation of this case, which also included the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland . 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. CBS News Texas: Free 24/7 News . All the suspects were charged with drug crimes, with most in connection to a wide-scale trafficking ring in Leon and Gadsden counties. The Delhi Police on Wednesday destroyed over 2,800 kgs of . Drug ledgers were also found, which contained customer and payment information, in addition to 14 firearms, some of them loaded. Traffic stop leads to major drug bust in Cibola County by: KRQE Staff. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a27ab7d5bde3e31 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. Drug Seizure Statistics FY2023. Lewis is accused of possessing a .380 caliber pistol on December 21, 2021. This story has been shared 154,083 times. Authorities arrested Lewis earlier today. Kimberly Lee, age 26 of Gatesville; New Zealand police find 3.5 tons of cocaine in Pacific Ocean. The separate but related investigations were conducted by the FBI, Temple Police Department, Killeen Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety Narcotics Division and Drug Enforcement Agency. 2023 Banyan Treatment Centers. The giant haul had been divided into 633 packages that were stashed in a hidden compartment, each of which would have been repackaged for distribution in Texas, Chicago, St. Louis, and Atlanta. Members of the ring tried to trade drugs for firearms ones they could transport to Mexico contributing to terrible violence south of the border. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Corporate Headquarters: Sheriff's say after an investigation and surveillance they located a lab where liquid meth was being converted into crystal meth. Please enter valid email address to continue. This story has been shared 168,313 times. Tulare County Sheriff's Office via AP, File. Aware of some of the groups trafficking, law enforcement seized 10 pounds of methamphetamine in a traffic stop on May 16, 2020. 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. "They were like sausage links.". The DEA has been contacted for further comment. If you or a loved one are struggling with drugs or alcohol, call us now! U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seized nearly 200 pounds of illegal drugs and arrested 23 fugitives last week. 950 N Federal Highway 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. Our nation-wide commitment to reducing gun crime in America, Report Waste, Fraud, Abuse or Misconduct to the Inspector General, Find Help and Information for Crime Victims, Register, Apply for Permits, or Request Records, Monitor Selection for Corporate Criminal Enforcement, USAO/WDTX Media Relations While officials would not confirm how many people were arrested, they did say they believe the narcotics are from a cartel. 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. For overdose and related medical emergencies please dial 911. The drugs were coming up from California and were being distributed in King, Pierce, Thurston, Lewis, Mason and Kitsap counties. Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. 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. The 2012 Freightliner tractor and shipment was also referred for a canine and non-intrusive imaging system inspection, where one package containing 17.85 pounds of methamphetamine worth an estimated $357,145 was found. It was at that location where officials say they found more than 190 kilograms of liquid methamphetamine, and nearly 60 kilograms of crystal meth. Law enforcement officials say the drug investigations are ongoing. The distribution of drugs like heroin, cocaine, meth, and fentanyl into the state is an ongoing problem, and it seems like authorities are constantly the biggest drug busts in Texas. We've received your submission. Official websites use .govA .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. One operation began with a street level narcotics seizure. Mexican suppliers are especially responsible for most heroin and methamphetamine production, while cocaine is more often made in Colombia than transported to the U.S. via Mexican criminal organizations. 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. 02-23-2023 | Local Media Release. Lesleigh Arianne Bittner, age 33 of Belton; When drug overdose deaths are nine or fewer per year, the state does not . The seizure totaled out to $3.4 million of meth. Anthony Gutierrez, Jose Gutierrez, Crigger, Gentile, Sutton and Warrick would each face 10 years to life in federal prison if convicted because the quantity level charged is at least 500 grams, authorities said. Indictment #4 U.S. v. Kayli Marie Guthrie Wesley Warrick, age 50 of Cameron; Jose Gutierrez, Crigger and Lewis were already in custody. During a search of the residence where Iris Amador-Garcia was living with her brother and co-conspirator, Mario Amador-Garcia, 31, and co-conspirator, Bayron Eberto Garcia-Perez, 33, agents seized a kilogram of fentanyl or heroin, 80,000 pills of suspected fentanyl, and 2 firearms. Well, in addition to the people coming across the border, there is something else crossing the border. The alleged leaders of the drug distribution ring, Jose Maldonado-Ramirez, 33, and his fianc, Iris Amador-Garcia, 30, of Bellflower, California, were arrested October 28, 2021. "I see a lot of lives saved when we can stack up kilograms of drugs like this on a table," Chavez said. March 27, 2021 3:10 PM in News. of Public Safety. Drug and alcohol addiction is a nationwide epidemic, please reach out if you or a loved one is suffering. On Feb. 16 around 2:15 p.m. a DPS trooper stopped a 2021 . 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. The female driver was identified as Shauna Madrid, 36, from Roswell, New Mexico. Texas couple accused of dealing fentanyl to minors, causing 3 deaths. Defendant Healer engaged in an armed stand-off with law enforcement today. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The FBI, Temple Police Department, Killeen Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety Narcotics Division and Drug Enforcement Administration conducted this investigation. So glad to get that off the street.. Agents swarmed a house at around 7 a.m. Thursday on FM 2271 just north of the Miller Springs Nature Center on the edge of Lake Belton in Temple, as part of the enforcement action. Aug 31, 2021 Updated Dec 7, 2021. We knew there was a possibility there would be quite a bit of dope there, but that is a huge quantity of methamphetamine, said McNamara. Unfortunately, the impact of drug trafficking is reflected in the high rates of drug use in the U.S., specifically the opioid epidemic. We are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to stop the widespread harm these illicit substances cause our friends, families, and neighbors.. And while they were at it, they grabbed 65 vehicles, nearly 200 animals, and close to . Joe David Beck, age 50 of Temple; This federal grand jury indictment charges 43-year-old Lori Oliphint of Temple with possession with intent to distribute under 50 grams of methamphetamine on August 19, 2020. Drugs Worth Rs 1,500 Crore Destroyed In Delhi Over 8 Years, 154 Arrested. The charges, which include . Jose Francisco Gutierrez, age 33 of Killeen; On Tuesday, January 26, CBP officers assigned to the cargo facility encountered a tractor hauling a shipment of toilet paper arriving from Mexico. "The Yellow Rose of Texas is safer today as we bring justice to those drug traffickers who want to poison our communities and profit from those who struggle with addiction. Denison police make largest drug bust ever. "But we also want to send a clear signal to the bad guys that we are standing shoulder-to-shoulder in this fight and we will continue to do that.". 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 . 24-year-old Jacob Winters is facing numerous drug charges to The amount of drugs seized was so large, a hazmat crew from the Houston Police Department were called in to assist.4, Investigators with Homeland Security Investigations conducted what they claimed to be the largest meth seizure in Houstons history. 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This federal grand jury indictment charges 31-year-old Annie Rose Lewis of Temple with one count of convicted felon in possession of a firearm. BRADY, TX - Nearly 30 people were arrested in Brady Friday morning during a drug trafficking sting operation led by the Drug Enforcement Agency. This federal grand jury indictment charges 43-year-old Lori Oliphint of Temple with possession with intent to distribute under 50 grams of methamphetamine on August 19, 2020. Drugs Texas DEA Crime. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. By Tamlyn Cochran. Ryan Howard, spokesman for DPS. Last week, it was revealed that the the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's Dallas division had made a major drug bust in October, resulting in more than $45 million worth of methamphetamine being seized. Operation No Warning began in June 2020, according to FDLE . 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. A locked padlock Barton was already in custody when the indictment came down. The DEA said more than 1,930 pounds of meth were found stuffed into 663 packages in a hidden compartment of an 18-wheeler off Interstate 35 in Denton County. Thirteen people were arrested Thursday and more than $1 million were seized in a major drug bust that stretched from Athens to Atlanta. 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. To access the data used to build this dashboard, please visit the CBP Data Portal. 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. Its the largest, that Im aware of, methamphetamine bust, McNamara said during a press conference Monday. Deputies confiscate $1.3 million worth of heroin and other narcotics in major drug bust. A seizure like this, he most likely got a phone call," Chavez said. Agents at eight . Federal authorities arrested 21 individuals yesterday, including several Central Texans, on federal drug trafficking charges, announced U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff, Drug Enforcement . JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - A major drug bust at a home in Northwest Jacksonville led to the arrests of six people and the seizure of 9 kilograms of cocaine, authorities said. Sarah Elizabeth Crigger, age 30 of Nolanville; The Texas-Mexico border has been a hub for drug trafficking for years. "We still have more targets in our sights," Chavez said. AMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) - Eleven alleged drug traffickers have been arrested and charged in Amarillo, announced U.S. attorney for the . The 34-year-old singer was found dead in his bathtub in November 2022.