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. A second mate and a crew member have been arrested in the massive bust. 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. However, when authorities showed up at the home in question, they found more than they were anticipating. Heroin is one of the many opioids that have contributed to the increasing rate of drug overdose deaths in the U.S. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Office of Field Operations (OFO) officers carried out three unrelated seizures last week, two of which occurred in the same day. Angela Loy, age 32 of Temple; The first indictment charges 16 Central Texans with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. In a recent drug bust in Texas, federal and local law enforcement recovered more than a . Jose Gutierrez, Crigger and Lewis were already in custody prior to yesterday. Carlos Avila, age 38 of Buckholts; 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. If you know someone whos addicted to this drug, we offer heroin detox and addiction treatment at Banyan Treatment Centers Texas that can help. The FBI, Temple Police Department, Killeen Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety Narcotics Division and Drug Enforcement Administration conducted this investigation. We are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to stop the widespread harm these illicit substances cause our friends, families, and neighbors.. "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.". The remaining defendants face between five years and 40 years in federal prison upon conviction because the quantity level charged is at least 50 grams. The indictments also named Anthony Gutierrez, aka Cuzzo, 34 of San Juan in Hidalgo County. Lewis has a 2011 federal conviction for manufacturing counterfeit currency. Published: May 5, 2021, 5:21 AM Updated: May 5, 2021, 6:28 AM Tags: Drug Bust , Crime , Liberty County LIBERTY, Texas - A tip led to the largest drug bust in Liberty County Tuesday, the Liberty . Otay Mesa CBP Officers Intercept Deadly Drugs Worth More Than $15 Million. 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"As these three seizures illustrate, our frontline officers at World Trade Bridge continue to maintain their vigilance, supporting the CBP mission by disrupting the flow of illegal narcotics entering our borders," Acting Port Director Eugene Crawford, Laredo Port of Entry said in a statement. 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. "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. Packages containing 114 pounds of cocaine seized by CBP officers at World Trade Bridge. All Rights Reserved. Indictment #4 U.S. v. Kayli Marie Guthrie If youve heard of heroin but dont know what it is, its a powerful opioid that works differently from meth or cocaine. February 21, 2023. U.S. Fentanyl is a highly addictive synthetic opioid. 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. This federal grand jury indictment charges 21-year-old Kayli Marie Guthrie of Temple with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The 18-month investigation revealed the drug trafficking organization was also distributing drugs to locations in the Southeastern United States including Florida, Arkansas and Tennessee. The DEA has been contacted for further comment. During the January 5 bust led by the DEA Amarillo office, more than 25 guns were also seized. This undated photo provided by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection shows seized drug bundles containing 132 pounds of methamphetamine on display from Feb. 25, 2021, at the Laredo port of entry. Teams from the Tarrant County Sheriff's Office, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), and Dallas, Fort Worth, Mansfield and River Oaks police departments were a part of the joint operation. The home was being used as a conversion lab where meth is turned into the raw, liquid form, making it more difficult for agents to detect. Showing 1 - 10 of 10953 results. Homeland Security said the bust was part of a joint operation that included the DEA, ATF, Houston police and fire, Texas DPS and Harris County Pct. Drug Bust. It was at that location where officials say they found more than 190 kilograms of liquid methamphetamine, and nearly 60 kilograms of crystal meth. Chavez is charged with manufacture or delivery of a controlled substance (penalty group 1) over 400 grams, a first-degree felony. Both were charged with engaging in organized criminal activity, a first-degree felony. Posted: Jun 21, 2021 / 04:36 PM MDT. 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. While the problem began to emerge in 2020, during which the states Department of Public Safety seized 11 pounds of fentanyl, it exploded in the first four months of 2021, Abbott explained. This is the real deal, with big guns and a large amount of cash and ammunition seized. The haul was so big that other agencies like the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Houston; Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Houston; Harris County Constables Office Precinct 1; Harris County Constables Office Precinct 3; Texas Department of Public Safety; Houston Fire Department; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; and the Houston Police Department participated in the operation.5. The female driver was identified as Shauna Madrid, 36, from Roswell, New Mexico. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP . Approximately four kilograms of cocaine, roughly seven kilograms of methamphetamine and half a dozen firearms were seized during the investigation. Federal agents arrest more than a dozen local residents named in drug trafficking and firearms indictments, Assistant district attorney from Williamson County suspended after DWI wreck in Hewitt, New non-profit coming to Bell County in fight against homelessness, Change was like night and day: Mother testifies in retrial of ex-Waco day care owner charged in childs overdose death, Impacts of four-day week on school support staff. SAN ANTONIO - Three people are in custody and are expected to face federal charges following a drug bust on the North Side, according to the Bexar County Sheriff's Office. Traffic stop leads to major drug bust in Cibola County by: KRQE Staff. And while they were at it, they grabbed 65 vehicles, nearly 200 animals, and close to . During the initial roundup, the Drug Enforcement Agency were able to arrest over 15 people for . WICHITA FALLS ( KFDX/KJTL) A traffic stop by Texas Department of Public Safety lead to a major drug seizure last week near Amarillo. 0:00. "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. 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. Anthony Gutierrez, Jose Gutierrez, Crigger, Gentile, Sutton and Warrick face between 10 years and life in federal prison upon conviction because the quantity level charged is at least 500 grams. The indictment alleges that on November 11, 2020, he possessed at least 500 grams of methamphetamine. If convicted, Lewis faces up to 10 years in federal prison. Published: Aug. 26, 2022 at 6:40 . 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. According to the indictment, Guthrie was convicted on March 27, 2020, in Bell County, for possession of a controlled substance less than one gram and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. "One pill one time can kill," Oz said, noting that the US had . Todays successful operation should give members of the community a level of comfort in knowing these violent offenders, who live and walk among us, wont be putting their lives in danger any longer., These warrants represent the continued efforts of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS:CI) to ensure the safety of our communities, said IRS:CI acting Special Agent in Charge Adam Jobes. These arrests are a significant step for community safety.. Twenty Central Texans are facing federal drug trafficking and firearms charges stemming from five separate, but related, federal grand jury indictments. usatxw.mediainquiry@usdoj.gov. 02-23-2023 | Local Media Release. Major Susan Cotter (@HCSO_Patrol) September 1, 2021 This is no Tenaha PD joke-of-a-bust . 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. If you or a loved one are struggling with drugs or alcohol, call us now! (KWTX) - Federal agents swept through Central Texas on Thursday and Friday and arrested 15 area residents named in sealed drug trafficking and firearms indictments, the U.S. Attorneys Office said in a press release Friday. An indictment should not be considered evidence of guilty. Another 44 pounds of meth were seized in a stop on April 2, 2021, and 83 pounds of methamphetamine and 20,000 fentanyl pills were seized in a traffic stop on September 28, 2021. Central Americans looking for refuge from the Northern Triangle countries Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras have taken these policy moves, as well as the overwhelmingly more welcoming tone from Democrats, as a sign that Biden is inviting them to cross the border. The seizure took place on October 8, but the DEA is only now sharing the details. SAN ANTONIO - Six people are in custody, two of which are being held in a federal facility, following a drug bust on the North Side, according to the Bexar County Sheriff's Office. Suite 115 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. Other drugs seized within that area include marijuana . In the home, law enforcement found five gallon-sized plastic bags filled with drugs, which were stashed in the master bedroom along with other smaller-sized plastic baggies of assorted colors. The operations resulted in the confiscation of some 451 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, and 192 kilograms of liquid methamphetamine, or a total of 1,414 pounds. According to this CBS News report, law enforcement officials busted the perps with nearly 375,000 marijuana plants, plus over 30,000 pounds of weed that was already harvested. 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). Unfortunately, the impact of drug trafficking is reflected in the high rates of drug use in the U.S., specifically the opioid epidemic. Speaking to reporters at a presser Thursday, Gov. While meth and cocaine are central nervous system (CNS) stimulants that increase activity in the brain, opioids like heroin reduce nerve activity in the brain, producing a euphoric and calming high. 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. Pompano Beach, FL 33062. First published on November 11, 2021 / 11:37 AM. According to Eastland County Today, Tuesday at 1:30 am - Eastland County Deputy Sheriff Colby Jackson made a traffic stop on a speeding vehicle on Interstate 20. Annie Rose Lewis of Temple, 31, was also named in an indictment charging one count of convicted felon in possession of a firearm that alleges she possessed a .380 caliber pistol on Dec. 21, 2020 after she was convicted in 2011 in federal court of manufacturing counterfeit currency. 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 Lock 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. Law enforcement officers seized nearly 40 pounds of methamphetamine, 26 ounces of marijuana, nearly $18,000 in suspected drug proceeds, a Glock pistol and an AR-15 style weapon. Federal, state and local officials held a news conference in Punxsutawney Tuesday to announce charges against several area residents allegedly connected . Lori Oliphint, 43, of Temple was named in an indictment charging possession with intent to distribute less than 50 grams of methamphetamine. In Bastrop County, fewer than 10 people died from drug overdoses both in 2019 and 2021, according to state health figures. Let's put the drug bust into perspective. More than $45 million of methamphetamine has been seized in a drug bust in Texas. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. The indictment alleges that on December 21, 2020, Lewis possessed a .380 caliber pistol. This afternoon he was taken into custody at his Port Orchard residence without incident. In a recent drug bust in Texas, federal and local law enforcement recovered more than a kilogram of cocaine, half a kilogram of methamphetamine, 14 firearms, and nearly $1.6 million in cash during a drug bust in southeast Dallas, Texas. Albert Lee, also known as "Mook," 32, of Pawtucket, R.I., was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge. Press Release. 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. "We still have more targets in our sights," Chavez said. The first indictment charges 16 Central Texans with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The U.S. Attorney's Office said both amounts would be the largest seizures of either drug in the U.S. in both 2020 or 2021. . Guthrie was arrested on Thursday, April 15, 2021. 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.