Villanueva said that he will share the district attorney's prosecution decision publicly once it's made available. / CBS News. Just north of L.A. in Antelope Valley,. Major Joint-Operation underway in the High Desert to take down Illegal Cartel Operated Marijuana Groves impacting farmers, families, and businesses. 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. The truck also contained 64 pounds (29 kilograms) of heroin, 29 pounds (13.1 kilograms) of fentanyl powder and almost 37 pounds (16.7 kilograms) of fentanyl pills, the agency said. He said the arrest went according to plan and no injuries were sustained by officers or alleged suspects. July 9, 2021 / 10:14 AM DEA Announces Biggest Meth Bust in US History With 10-Foot-High Pile of Legal Statement. 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. These middlemen are responsible for moving drugs through Central America and over the Southwest border into the United States. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. 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.. One bill would make it a felony to possess 2 or more grams of the synthetic opioid. DEA CNN More than 5,000 pounds of methamphetamine were seized this week after authorities in San Diego. A record meth bust part of a national operation was announced Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2020. The record discovery also makes clear that patterns of international cocaine smuggling have shifted dramatically, Gutensohn said. More than 5,000 pounds of methamphetamine found in record-breaking Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine Pacioni told Newsweek that the investigation is ongoing to ensure everyone involved has been identified. A record meth bust part of a national operation was announced Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2020. Record 20 Tons of Cocaine Seized - Los Angeles Times Either they feel awfully secure, or this (loss) isnt that significant to them, said John Zienter, special agent in charge of the DEAs Los Angeles office. "It is an indication of what law enforcement agencies can do to take down a drug trafficking organization such as this one if we devote the time necessary to get to the end result.". They said they were dealing in paintings, velvet paintings, said David Barron, owner of the construction business. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of California alleges that agents then saw the men removing dozens of cardboard boxes from the truck and into a Dodge van. 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. Saying they feared a possible attempt by drug traffickers to recover their contraband by force, Los Angeles police dispatched a SWAT team to the warehouse to provide extra security after the raids. A record meth bust part of a national operation was announced Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2020. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Los Angeles authorities said further arrests were expected. The CBP confirmed that the drug seizures were the largest busts in the U.S. for both meth and fentanyl for this year and last year, prosecutors said. That is what's coming.". 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 of methamphetamine, the agency said Sunday.. Charles P. Gutensohn, chief of the Drug Enforcement Administrations cocaine investigations section in Washington, said Friday that the Sylmar drug bust appeared to have uncovered a major hand-off point used by Mexican smugglers to deliver cocaine to Colombian distributors, whose networks extend across the United States. Contributing to this article were Times staff writers Paul Feldman, Andrea Ford, John Johnson, John Kendall, Patricia Klein Lerner, Amy Pyle and George Ramos in Los Angeles; Douglas Jehl in Washington, and Marjorie Miller in Mexico City. Todd Spitzer said in a statement about the bust. Drug bust: $33 million worth of meth found in historic DEA Los Angeles We have to continue to do everything we can to combat this deadly drug epidemic and save lives.. The DEA told FOX 11s Bill Melugin that the COVID-19 pandemic had actually somewhat slowed down the Mexican drug cartels ability to get drugs into SoCal because of increased security at the US border. 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. If convicted, such charges carry substantial maximum penalties that include a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison along with a $10 million fine. Did you encounter any technical issues? According to a post published to the Salinas Police Department Facebook page on September 16, the department's investigations unit worked with the Monterey County District Attorney's Office, Salinas Violence Suppression Task Force and the Homeland Security Investigations Monterey Office. More than 200 locations were served with search warrants. The nation last year surpassed 100,000 overdoses in a 12-month period for the first time largely due to the drug, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than 5,000 pounds of methamphetamine were seized in National City, California. "We are not talking about mom and pop people selling marijuana that they grew in their backyard. California Drug Bust Found Enough Opioids To 'Kill More Than 50 Million Employees of a construction business adjacent to the warehouse at 12898 Bradley St. said about four or five Spanish-speaking men--friendly, well-dressed, clean-cut and well mannered--rented the place about two years ago and began doing business. "This illegal activity is impacting the quality of life for residents and businesses and if left unaddressed will have long lasting and devastating affects in the region," Barger said. "Synthetic drugs like methamphetamine are highly addictive, dangerous and killing people at alarming rates," said DEA Los Angeles Special Agent in Charge Bill Bodner. Atty. All Rights Reserved. They worked with authorities in Arizona and it started to grow. Together, they worked on the five-month investigation they named Operation Black Hawk into NorCal Transportation. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much 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. Deaths related to methamphetamine use have been on the rise in San Diego in recent years. Colombian drug cartels used to control cocaine shipments from start to finish, employing their own operatives to move the drug from processing plants in the Colombian jungle across the Caribbean and then into the United States. Stranded Lake Arrowhead residents, including Michelle Calkins, are pleading for help on social media as the community continues to run out of food, medication, and deal with gas leak concerns. Three additional arrests reportedly occurred in Las Vegas Friday. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. SAN DIEGO . The Drug Enforcement Administration said the seizure represents about 5% of the worlds annual production of the drug--more cocaine than growers in Peru, the worlds largest supplier, can produce in a month. This monumental seizure represents another win against drug cartels that fuel addiction in the United States, said Shelly S. Howe, a Special Agent in Charge at the US Drug Enforcement Administration. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. A police dog kneels in front of numerous brown bags allegedly containing methamphetamine in San Diego County, California. 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. The Facebook post noted that police believe the items seized were proceeds from the sale of the narcotics. Newsweek previously reported that according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine. DEA announces biggest meth bust in U.S. history in Southern California 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. "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. The investigation into the drug trafficking organization remains ongoing. 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. "And we introduced law and order back in those days. Agents seized more than 4,800 pounds of meth nationwide and are still working on more arrests, according to the DEA. Largest Cocaine Bust in California History Announced by LAPD By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. 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. Over 400 Pounds of Meth, Cocaine and Heroin were Discovered in Toolboxes. 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. 2 arrested in largest drug bust in O.C. in more than a decade - Los And, get breaking news alerts in the FOX 11 News app. The eight face charges that include conspiracy to transport and distribute narcotics, firearms possession, gang enhancement and conspiracy to commit murder. Agents tracked the group to a spot in San Diego County's National City after noticing that a 20-foot-long commercial box truck had crossed the border between Mexico and the U.S. through an entry point in Otay Mesa, near Tijuana. "This massive seizure likely saved lives and prevented the Sinaloa Cartel from doing business and profiting on the lives of people in our communities.". Market data provided by Factset. The bundles found in the boxes tested positive for methamphetamine, according to the statement. I dont know which, but either gives me the shivers.. Shortly before 2 p.m., a small force of heavily armed DEA agents--accompanied overhead by two police helicopters--blocked traffic on Main Street while depositing the money at a Bank of America branch. One of the trailers was still parked by the warehouse door on Friday. 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. It paid off for the agencies, and Cabrera said the "outcome was excellent. 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. ET: This story has been updated with statements from Salinas Police Departmen press information officer Miguel Cabrera and Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine Pacioni. Officers also seized 821 pounds of methamphetamine and 189.7 pounds of cocaine after pulling over the minivan leaving a Buena Park home. Copyright 2023 KABC Television, LLC. July 9, 2022 6:45 AM PT. "This is enough dope to prove a dose of meth for every man, women and child in the United States and Mexico," DEA Acting Administrator Timothy Shea said. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. 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. 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 . Fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid, is as much as 100 times more potent than morphine, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, which on Wednesday released a letter warning state and federal law enforcement agencies that the drug was driving a nationwide spike of mass overdose events amid the worsening opioid epidemic. The drugs have an estimated street value of $33 million. Authorities seize over 400 pounds of meth, cocaine and heroin in toolboxes at California border crossing. All rights reserved. Agents said the confiscated drugs will be inventoried at the warehouse before being taken to a federal facility for safekeeping. One tented location was alone appraised at approximately $50 million worth of product. Federal authorities on Wednesday showed off results of Southern California raids early this month that led to the biggest domestic seizure of methamphetamine in U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration history. 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. From the Archives: Gilroy meth bust largest In U.S. history - KSBW Detectives found that the average size per cultivation at farms increased to 15 greenhouses, up from eight per farm in the year prior. 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 four men were arrested during the seizure and charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, classified as a schedule II controlled substance due to its high potential for dependency and recreational abuse. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. The Otay Mesa, California, Commercial. The San Diego Union-Tribune OTAY MESA, Calif. Federal authorities made what they called likely the largest methamphetamine bust in United States history, finding more than 5,528 pounds of the. This month the DEA made the biggest meth bust in American history: 2200 pounds of meth, nearly 900 pounds of cocaine, and 13 pounds of heroin. Los Angeles, Calmes: Heres what we should do about Marjorie Taylor Greene, This fabled orchid breeder loves to chat just not about Trader Joes orchids, Randall Emmett, Ambyr Childers settle domestic violence restraining order dispute. Originally from Miami, she holds a masters degree in journalism from USC. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Angelica Stabile is a lifestyle writer for Fox News Digital. 18 Biggest Drug Busts In U.S. History - Yahoo! If convicted of all charges, both face a maximum sentence of 37 years and 4 months, according to the D.A.s office. The investigation led to search warrants at multiple narcotic stash houses in Moreno Valley and Perris in Riverside County, officials said. Eau Claire police release name of meth bust suspect