Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. In Denver alone, there were 350 drug overdose deaths between Jan. 1, 2020, and Nov. 30, said Deanne Reuter, special agent in charge with the DEA, at the news conference. On Oct. 9, U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized more than 3,000 pounds of meth, plus heroin and fentanyl, in a semi-trailer at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. It is important to note that an arrest or criminal complaint is merely a charge and should not be considered evidence of guilt. The raids, which also targeted properties in Mexico City and the northern state of Durango, marked the latest large-scale fentanyl bust . googletag.enableServices(); Ryan Rodriguezs girlfriend, Bridget Archuleta, is alleged to have participated in drug sales with Rodriguez. New Mexico Supreme Court: Juveniles who plead can appeal Ruling stems from the case of Christopher Rodriguez, who was sentenced as an adult to 14 years in prison for his role in the Universal Hydrogens test plane takes flight. It sounds like a lot but thats just a drop in the bucket, as far as the amount of narcotics that are moving across our state, Mace said in the KRQE article. Gonzales said the dealers arrested were mostly longtime Espaola Valley residents. A lot of that is drug smuggling, a lot of those drugs end up here and end up on the streets in these communities, we have an obligation to help, said Eric, the Special Agent in charge of the Homeland Security New Mexico and West Texas Division. Friday, June 11th, 2010 at 1:10AM. He said as part of the operation, 15 people were arrested on federal drug charges and 14 others were arrested on state drug charges. Click Share This Page button to display social media links. April has been a relatively peaceful month so far in Juarez. It really gives off a strong odor.. The driver, a 28-year-old U.S. citizen male was placed under arrest and turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration pending criminal prosecution. WASHINGTON (AP) The Treasury Department on Wednesday sanctioned a group of people and companies connected to Mexico's powerful Sinaloa drug cartel, including a sibling involved in the family-run Valenzuela drug trafficking organization. All six defendants were arrested and remain in custody pending detention hearings. Counts 2, 5, 7, 9 and 11 charge certain defendants with use of a telephone to facilitate a drug trafficking offense. The drugs found included 8,810 pounds of fentanyl and 13,216 pounds of heroin. googletag.pubads().enableSingleRequest(); googletag.defineSlot('/21776187881/fw-responsive-main_content-slot3', [[728, 90], [468, 60], [320, 50], [300, 100]], 'div-gpt-ad-1665767553440-0').defineSizeMapping(gptSizeMaps.banner1).addService(googletag.pubads()); The arrests this week was the culmination of a year-long investigation. 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. More Info. 0:04. During the course of the investigation, law enforcement authorities seized or documented approximately 1.39 kilograms of cocaine, 567 grams of cocaine base, 160 grams of heroin, 2.68 kilograms of methamphetamine, and 2,000 fentanyl pills. Overwhelming most illegal drugs get through. 40,000 Fentanyl Pills, 20 Lbs. We are a perfect spot since our county borders Mexico, he said. Chavez was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center and charged with four counts of drug trafficking and three counts of possession of stolen property. Photo Courtesy ICE ICE-HSI NEWS U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents arrested six defendants Feb. 17, charged with various drug trafficking offenses involving crack cocaine. The meth was concealed in the roof of a tractor-trailer carrying imported fresh onions from Mexico. Some are suspected to have returned to Mexico. Man who tried to smuggle drugs into medi-hotel asks to be spared prison. Investigators seized 602 pounds of cocaine, 136 pounds of crystal meth, heroin, $3.7 million and 22 firearms as part of the drug bust. CBP finds $61M worth of drugs in loads of cactus and limes. The 2nd Judicial District Attorney dismissed the case in January 2017, declaring it to be in the interests of justice.. Have a question about Government Services? Showing 1 - 10 of 10919 results. googletag.enableServices(); The bust comes as several states have legalized recreational marijuana; New Mexico is set to decriminalize it in April. They were charged with offenses such as distributing cocaine, methamphetamine, prescription drugs and heroin. 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. The Otay Mesa, California, Commercial Port of Entry is one of three ports of entry in the San Diego-Tijuana metropolitan region in California. Manuel Varela. Main Office: The following agencies assisted with the investigation . Email addresses are used solely for verification and to speed the verification process for repeat questioners. Charges unknown. Sessions visited border towns and Long Island, New York, the past two weeks to announce that the administration will clamp down on MS-13, a violent street gang with Central American roots that is terrorizing many parts of the country. Authorities discovered the underground drug lab in a mountainous area where they seized a staggering 50 tons of methamphetamine, which has an estimated street value of approximately $4 billion. Mahoney has more than 20 years experience as a journalist, working for newspapers in Florida, Maryland and Texas. He allegedly received supplies of cocaine from Jose and Natalie Mendoza, converted it to crack cocaine, and distributed it by the ounce to customers, including an undercover agent posing as a lower level drug trafficker. Were going to clean up our communities.. And the worst thing about prohibition is that USA tax payers pays to kill its own citizens and to create crime while they make drug lords extraordinarily wealthy and increases the corruption of politicians and law enforcement in Mexico and the USA. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. "We are not talking about people that simply possess. Fentanyl found stuffed in coconuts in Mexican truck December 3, 2022 | 12:56pm Police in Mexico found 660 pounds of fentanyl stuffed into coconuts and presumably headed to the US, authorities. Ryan Rodriguez allegedly acted as a mid-level cocaine distributor. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Of Cocaine Seized In Adams County Drug Bust . The Southern California seizure occurred on Oct. 2, 2020. Nova Scotia RCMP has arrested 14 people and seized a 'significant quantity of drugs, firearms and money,' after police say they disrupted a drug trafficking ring as the result of an 11-month . The main target of this operation was the transportation infrastructure of the Mexican drug trafficking organizations in the United States, Gonzales said. The maximum penalty on conviction varies for each defendant. googletag.cmd.push(function() { Carlos Martin Quintana-Arias, of Mexico, was driving a 2009 Kenworth Tractor pulling a 1996 Stoug trailer when he applied for entry into the U.S. at the Otay Mesa, California, Commercial Port of Entry on Thursday night, authorities said. She was arrested on Feb. 27 and is in custody pending a detention hearing on Mar. Border Patrol Agents In New Mexico Make Drug Bust and Arrest Aggravated Felon Release Date Tue, 08/11/2020 - 12:00 ALAMOGORDO, N.M. - In separate incidents over the weekend, U.S. Border Patrol Agents arrested a wanted aggravated felon and a narcotics smuggler. Manuel Varela. Anytime we get a bust like that, were ecstatic were able to keep those narcotics from getting into other communities, Mace said. Photo Courtesy ICE. , VIDEO: Giant I-40 light poles sway in strong ABQ, Taxidermy birds used to make drones at New Mexico, PHOTOS: Storm leaves parts of state covered in snow, PHOTOS: Winter storm moves through NM leaving snow, PHOTOS: Storm causes snowy, icy roads across New, Map: New Mexico Veterans Monuments and Memorials, 13 Broadcast Pl SW, Albuquerque, NM, 87104, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Espaola Valley. googletag.pubads().enableSingleRequest(); All rights reserved. Federal agents arrested them Feb. 27 Thursday with assistance from state and local law enforcement. . In total, authorities say they seized 10.5 kilograms of cocaine, 650 grams of suspected fentanyl and more than $200,000 in drug proceeds. Mexican law enforcement officials made four major drug busts in recent days which yielded over 120,000 lbs. Gonzales said the Espaola Valley has a very serious heroin problem and has grappled with it for many years. Bridget Archuleta Counts 1, 4, 11 and 12. (KY3/Gray News) - A teenager in Missouri was charged with murder for a deadly high-speed crash that killed a 9-year-old boy in July 2022. The company flew its test plane for 15 minutes at low elevation above the Grant County International Airport in Moses Lake, Washington, where it Amid debate over transgender rights, New Mexico House OKs New Mexico legislation would prohibit discrimination New Mexico legislation would prohibit discrimination in provision of public services on basis of gender, gender identity. A locked padlock The individual was booked into the Hidalgo County Jail pending criminal prosecution. googletag.pubads().enableSingleRequest(); She was arrested on Feb. 27 and is in custody pending a detention hearing on Mar. A major drug bust occurred in Eastland County. While the truckers manifest indicated the trailer held automotive body parts, an X-Ray machine detected anomalies that required further inspection, authorities said. We were actually looking for the individuals that were involved in the armed robberies, Mace said. Assistant U.S. The maximum penalty on conviction is from five to 40 years in prison. He was arrested on Feb. 27 and is in custody pending a detention hearing on Mar. }); googletag.cmd.push(function() { The Brevard County Sheriff's Office said investigators uncovered 75 firearms, 9 pounds of methamphetamine, 3 pounds of fentanyl and an undisclosed amount of heroin. A lock ( Here are five of the biggest U.S.-Mexico border drug busts this year. According to public court records allegations have been made that, Jose Mendoza, and his wife, Natalie Mendoza, were high-level suppliers of cocaine in the Espaola Valley of New Mexico. An official website of the United States government. However, I think what they show is what a huge failure the entire effort of attempting to prohibit illegal drugs from Mexico from entering the USA is.