# The Mega Merged Drug Busts Thread



## Banquo

So many pills that will never have a home, unless they are sold by crooked cops.

==========

*$37m ecstasy bust in Sydney*
April 10, 2003

POLICE were today celebrating Australia's second-largest ecstasy haul after seizing tablets with an estimated street value of $37 million from crates imported from Germany. 

Australian Federal Police (AFP) said they had severely dented an international drug trafficking syndicate with the seizure of the drugs, which arrived in Sydney by air freight in early February.

Agents arrested two men and seized about 532,000 tablets during yesterday's bust in Sydney's south.

A 28-year-old Australian man from Bondi and a 29-year-old Greek national from Bass Hill were both charged with attempting to possess a prohibited import.

They were to appear in Sydney's Central Local Court today. 

"This seizure will have severely disrupted the activities of an international drug syndicate ...," said AFP eastern operations general manager Tony Negus.

During a two month operation leading to yesterday's arrests federal police substituted the ecstasy tablets with an inert substance and then monitored the crates' delivery to a freight forwarding agency in Sydney's southern suburbs.

On Tuesday the crates were delivered to a garage in a unit block in the same area, police said.

Federal agents alleged that both the accused men went to the garage yesterday and tried to disassemble the crates.

Both men then left the garage and drove a short distance away where they were arrested by Federal police.

Australia's largest ecstasy bust was made in December last year when 235 kilograms of the drug were seized in Sydney. 

AAP

http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,6264274%5E1702,00.html


----------



## LSP

any chance that we'll hear what these were?
I never heard what pills got busted in the xmas time bust last year...


----------



## goatyoghurt

They were white with a score on the back, but I didn't really see the logo


----------



## Love In Vein

It would have been funnier if the cops had switched the real pills with fake ones and instead of busting the guys, they should have let them all kill each other.

I mean, can you imagine how angry someone would be if they got ripped off for half a million ecstasy pills?  That'd just be hillarious in and of it's own.

Even if the pills were fronted, can you imagine the reaction these guys would have spending all this effort opening the crates and then realizing they had 500,000 worthless pills?


----------



## RustyBickie

with how how corrupt our law enforcers are, some of these pills will still make the streets in a few months!!


----------



## fengtau

*Local link to big Aussie drug bust*

Local link to big Aussie drug bust
(http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2003/4/28/nation/drug1&sec=nation)

MELBOURNE: An Australian syndicate allegedly used a shipment of freezers from Malaysia to smuggle the largest quantity of pure Ecstasy ever intercepted by Australian authorities. 

Five men were arrested in Sydney after 170kg of Ecstasy powder was seized by police in a shipment of 36 domestic freezers imported to Sydney from Port Klang on April 20, the Australian Associated Press reported. 

The Australian federal police arrested the men after the shipment was uncovered. 

The haul contained 85% pure Ecstasy that could be made into more than 440kg of tablets with estimated street value of A$92mil (RM212mil), making it the largest seizure of pure Ecstasy in Australia. 

The alleged ringleader, 38-year-old Dutch national Cheng Wai Kwong, who resides in Malaysia, was arrested on Thursday before he boarded a plane at Sydney International Airport. 

The other four – British national Andrew Philip Riddell, 44, Nicolas James Pollis, 28, Matthew Shane Walsh, 29, and Craig Andrew Small, 31, – all from Sydney, were arrested in the city on Saturday. 

They were charged with aiding and abetting in the importation of a prohibited item and were refused bail at Sydney's Parramatta Bail Court yesterday. 

They are to reappear at Sydney's Central Local Court on April 29. 

Malaysian police arrested another six people believed to be involved in the ring. –Bernama


----------



## goatyoghurt

Thats a lot of MDMA


----------



## Psychadelic_Paisly

*Another Australian Meth Bust!*

AUSTRALIAN Federal Police (AFP) have seized another 105kg of the methamphetamine "ice" in an inner-Sydney unit after an earlier bust netted a record 223kg of the drug.

The latest haul, with an estimated street value of $52 million, was discovered on Friday night in the laundry of a Pyrmont unit, hidden in boxes of brown sugar.
The original haul, shipped in boxes of rice noodles from China, was intercepted earlier this month in a joint operation by AFP and Customs officers.

Australian Anna Zhang, 46, of Ultimo, was charged on Wednesday with two counts of possessing a trafficable quantity of narcotic goods, and importing a prohibited import.

Canadian national Wei-Liang Tu, 40, of Carlingford, was charged with possessing and attempting to possess a prohibited import. 

Both were remanded in custody to appear in Sydney's Central Local Court on July 16.

The latest discovery took the total amount of ice seized this month to 328kg, worth an estimated $164 million, AFP spokesman Steve Simpson said.

"We are concerned about the size of this importation but we also acknowledge that ice is a popular drug in south east Asia," he said.

"It's to be expected that an affluent country like Australia would naturally become a target for drug traffickers in relation to ice.

"Although we've not seen a lot of it before, we're not hugely surprised that ice should now be seen here in Australia."

AFP agents may make further arrests as investigations continue in Sydney and overseas, Mr Simpson said.


----------



## BA

From the guidelines:



> 2. Threads are to be submitted in the sub-forums and must include the following important things: The article in its entirety, the *source*, the *date published*, the *author’s name*, and *a link to the story when possible*.


----------



## goatyoghurt

Thats like 3 busts in the past week, they're going nuts on these poor importers.


----------



## DG

*Pot bust yields $2.4M in cash,Hollywood's biggest raid*

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/6285921.htm


Pot bust yields $2.4M in cash
Hollywood's biggest raid
BY EVAN S. BENN
ebenn@herald.com

GREENS ON THE TABLE: Hollywood police show the money and the marijuana plants the department seized in raids conducted on houses. WALTER MICHOT/HERALD STAFF 


At $2.4 million in cash and more than 700 mature marijuana plants seized, Thursday's eight-house raid was the biggest one-day pot bust in Hollywood's history.

On Friday, Hollywood police laid both greens on a table.

The leafy plants filled the space with a distinct scent, and the stacks of hundred-dollar bills captured everyone's attention.

Police said they believe the four men arrested Thursday ran a pot-growing ring that, with 700 mature plants, could have produced $14 million a year in profits.

On average, each plant produces one pound of street-ready marijuana a month, which sells for about $5,000.

The arrested: Robert James Pelletier, 42, of Hollywood; Michael R. Blood, 40, of Hallandale; and brothers Mark Stephen Bettencourt 33, and Robert M. Bettencourt, 27, both of Hollywood.

They each face charges of marijuana cultivation, marijuana trafficking, conspiracy to traffic drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Police are not sure whether the men will be prosecuted in state or federal court, Hollywood Police Capt. Allen Siegel said.

The Drug Enforcement Administration and the South Broward Drug Enforcement Unit -- a federally funded task force with officers from several departments -- assisted in the busts.

The raids began in Hollywood, Dania Beach and Wilton Manors at 5 a.m. on Thursday.

Police found pot plants and high-tech growing equipment in at least five of the eight homes they searched.

They arrested Mark Bettencourt at an apartment on Tigertail Boulevard in Dania Beach.

When police arrested Pelletier at his Rodman Street home, they found the $2.4 million stashed in safes in his truck, Hollywood Police Lt. Tony Rode said.

Rode said officers had been tracking some of the suspects for two or three years, but the officers intensified the investigation -- making connections between the drug houses and getting probable cause for search warrants -- in the past month.

Often, he said, the officers worked 20-hour days trying to nail down the case.

The confiscated money will stay in Broward, Hollywood Police Chief Jim Scarberry said.

As much as 15 percent may be donated to charitable groups in Hollywood.

The rest, he said, will be used to pay officers the overtime they accrued in this case as well as other police department expenses.


----------



## DG

theres so many better uses for the money but nooo theyll pay police dept expenses! fuckers..


----------



## Thelazer

*Large GHB Bust in Central Florida.*

Link to article.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news...aug05,0,7982865.story?coll=orl-home-headlines

Story:

What's up, G?

That was the code name for an eight-month investigation by Orange County authorities that resulted in the arrests Monday of nine people connected to a drug ring accused of manufacturing and selling gallons of GHB, known as the date-rape drug.

G is one of many street names for the illegal drug, and agents adopted it for their operation. The phrase "What's up, G?" came up frequently during greetings between undercover officers and suspects.

Those arrested include two University of Central Florida students, an Orange County middle school teacher and a bodybuilder. Warrants have been issued for six more suspects, including two UCF students. All are from Orange County.

Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation agents roused the suspects from their homes between 8 and 9 a.m. A special-education teacher was arrested at Liberty Middle School on Chickasaw Trail.

Authorities said they have dismantled a major ring that supplied the drug on the UCF campus and in downtown Orlando nightclubs for at least a year.

"Central Florida is a safer place than it was yesterday," Orange-Osceola State Attorney Lawson Lamar said at a news conference Monday afternoon. Lamar urged parents to be on the lookout for water bottles and eye-drop containers, commonly used to hold GHB.

Monday's arrests follow the dismantling of a clandestine lab July 26 at one of the suspects' homes and the seizure of several gallons of material used to make GHB, authorities said. The undercover drug purchases, the seized drugs and chemicals used to make it had the potential street value of $405,000 and was enough for at least 60,000 doses, authorities said.

"This is just a fraction of what was going on," said an eight-year undercover narcotics agent who infiltrated the group in March.

Lt. Larry Zwieg, an Orlando police officer and bureau narcotics commander, said one of the ringleaders was bodybuilder Giancarlo Forni, 36, whois accused of supplying the industrial-grade stripper and solvent GBL, which is used to produce GHB. Some bodybuilders have used GHB to stimulate muscles.

GHB, or gamma hydroxybutyrate, is a clear odorless drug that causes drowsiness, dizziness and loss of inhibition. It is commonly associated with sex crimes on college campuses and the night-club scene. Last year, 19 deaths in Florida were attributed to GHB, according to medical examiners' reports.

"It's definitely a date-rape drug," Zwieg said. "It's easy to get someone in a four-hour stupor with this stuff."

The ring's main distributor, according to undercover agents, was Danielle Stiles, 25, who faces 31 drug-related charges and is accused of conspiracy and trafficking GHB, cocaine and the prescription drug Xanax. Stiles, who was in Health Central Ocoee hospital Monday, will be arrested when she is discharged. It wasn't clear why she was in the hospital.

Since March, undercover agents bought about six gallons of GHB, 1,000 Ecstasy pills, nearly 6½ ounces of cocaine and unspecified amounts of banned steroids from members of the group, Zwieg said.

A wholesale dose of one ounce of GHB sells for between $20 and $25. At the street level, that ounce can be diluted to make 14 doses, each worth about $5 to $10.

"I think this is one of the biggest organizations that we have come across in Central Florida," Zwieg said.

According to agents, Forni sold GBL -- or gamma butyrlactone -- by the gallon to John Gaspar, 22, a UCF pre-law major, whomixed it with Red Devil Lye -- a household drain cleaner -- to make GHB at his apartment. GBL is an industrial solvent that is available from large-scale chemical distributors.

In a July 26 raid, agents seized five gallons of GBL that would potentially yield more than 14 gallons of GHB.

According to agents, Gaspar took the GBL, "cooked" it at his home and distributed the finished product with girlfriend and Liberty Middle School teacher Kristin Cabrera, 25.

Cabrera on Monday started her first year as a special-learning-disabilities instructor at Liberty Middle, principal Karen Wilson said. Cabrera, a UCF graduate, previously taught at Pinar Elementary School.

Gaspar is the son of a Flagler County deputy sheriff who surrendered his son to authorities Monday morning, Zwieg said. Another UCF student and pre-law major, Kenneth Pugliese, 22, is being sought. Zwieg said Pugliese is the son of an ex-New York law officer and is accused of running the clandestine lab with Gaspar.

"I think we got the core of it. There may be a couple of more [suspects] at the top and a few more across," said Zwieg, in reference to the organization.

Six others were apprehended in early morning raids. They are Alexander Bacogiannis, 27, a hospitality major at UCF; Douglas Baggett, 23; Edward Lunsford, 32; and Ryan Sanders, 29; Robert Hunt, 26; and Wade Mathis, 35. All are being held at the Orange County Jail, and somecould face a mandatory 15-year sentence for trafficking in GHB if convicted.

Still at large are Charles Brown, 20, Trina Lanois, 20, Jason Dennis, 32, and UCF finance student Allan Medina, 23.


[edit: please include the full article next time and not _just_ the link. Links die over time and the story may be lost. Thanks]


----------



## rm-rf

lol G is so easy to make, like these were the only people making it in that area. Its always college students involved in these thigns too. Wonder if theyll come up with the great idea to start a war on college to expand the war on drugs.


----------



## BA

> Since March, undercover agents bought about six gallons of GHB, 1,000 Ecstasy pills, nearly 6½ ounces of cocaine and unspecified amounts of banned steroids from members of the group,



OUCH!

I'm really surprised at all the people's names involved. It sounds like quite an operation.


----------



## E-llusion

*Police bust drug smuggling rings (Canada)*

Police bust drug smuggling rings
Nine arrested in raids and cocaine, heroin, hash oil seized 
Dope hidden in airport cargo and luggage, officer says


CAL MILLAR
STAFF REPORTER

Police have smashed narcotic smuggling networks that used high school buddies as drug mules to carry cocaine and heroin from the Caribbean to Toronto and then employed friendly airport staff to get it through security screening.

Staff Inspector Dan Hayes, head of the Toronto police drug squad, said investigators found that drug criminals were using airport workers in Trinidad to conceal narcotics in cargo containers on commercial flights to Toronto. 

He said the group also had people working for them at Pearson International Airport who would remove the drugs from the aircraft, then deliver them to members of the criminal organization in Toronto."It was an elaborate scheme," Hayes said during a news conference at Toronto police headquarters yesterday where cocaine, heroin and hashish oil with a street value of about $35 million, which had been seized in raids yesterday, was on display and under guard.

Hayes said a joint forces investigation involving undercover officers from Toronto, Peel, the Ontario Provincial Police, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Canada Customs spent the past several months monitoring drug shipments from various parts of the Caribbean.

The investigation culminated with the arrest of nine people yesterday. Warrants have been issued for six others. 

Police also seized $303,000 in Canadian cash and another $520,000 in U.S. currency and will attempt to seize a number of luxury vehicles and homes in Canada and Jamaica under proceeds of crime legislation.

Last April, police in Trinidad arrested a ramp attendant at the island country's international airport as he was putting 10.5 kilograms of cocaine and a kilogram of heroin aboard an aircraft. At the same time, members of the joint forces team in Toronto were able to identify "co-conspirators" involved in drug smuggling between Trinidad and Toronto.

A month later, the team seized a quantity of hash oil from another group set up to smuggle drugs from Montego Bay, Jamaica to Toronto and a short time later learned another 102 kilograms of cocaine was being concealed in cargo containers in Trinidad for shipment here on two different flights.

Hayes said 42 kilograms of cocaine was found hidden in a false compartment of one cargo bin and another 60 kilograms of cocaine was hidden in the false roof of another.

He said investigators found high school buddies of the drug traffickers had been paid $5,000 to take luggage laden with drugs back to Toronto after a holiday in Georgetown, Guyana. 

The drug mules were also provided with cellphones and told to call a special number when they arrived in Toronto to get a code word and the location of a Canada Customs agent who would get them into the country without having their luggage searched.

In May, two young Toronto women were arrested by authorities in Guyana for attempting to smuggle 46 kilograms of cocaine to Canada.

Hayes said three people were initially arrested and some 45 kilograms of cocaine seized in Toronto after flights from destinations in the West Indies.

"Investigation showed the couriers were recruited and dispatched by an internationally organized group of individuals that became the focus of the investigation," he said. 

Police also discovered that quantities of marijuana were being exported to Bermuda from Toronto in small appliances.

The drug probe began, Hayes said, when intelligence units at the airport noticed a dramatic increase in drug smuggling in the spring of last year. They found organized criminals were smuggling drugs from source countries in South America through the Caribbean to Pearson airport.

"Two separate and independent investigations into the importation and distribution of drugs were commenced over a six-month period," he said.

Using 30 undercover police officers, the investigations — code-named Project Lester and Project Gallito — identified a number of people involved in the smuggling operations, including two employees at Pearson and a Canada Customs agent.

Hayes said officers learned kingpins in the smuggling operation were offering $5,000 to people they knew from high school to travel to places in the Caribbean and bring back drugs.

Hayes said the investigation also uncovered evidence of a murder plot in which drug dealers in Antigua were planning to kill the leader of a rival trafficking operation.

"The authorities in the Caribbean were notified and are involved in the continuing investigation," he said. Michael Wayne Streete, 42, of Canlish Rd., Chester Stewart, 39, of White Oaks Dr., Whitby, Steven Forsythe, 44, of Canwith Dr., Whitby, and Dexter Griffith, 31, of Murray Ross Parkway were arrested after police staged a series of raids at homes throughout the Greater Toronto Area. They face charges of conspiracy to import cocaine into Canada and numerous other drug trafficking charges

Andrene Whittaker, 20, of Mississauga Valley Blvd., Mississauga, who had worked as a Canada Customs agent at Pearson International Airport, was charged with breach of trust and conspiracy to import cocaine.

Natalie Morgan, 20, and Jahnoi Beckford, 19, both of Toronto, were charged with importing narcotics.

Warrants have been issued for John Philmore, Brian Charles and Lindon James, all of Trinidad, and Donald Burns Salmon of Toronto and Natasha Lewis of Guyana for conspiracy to import drugs.

Two Mississauga men, Rayon Santo, 33, of Constitution Blvd. and Vinroy Carnakie, 30, of Hurontario St. were charged with conspiracy to import drugs and laundering the proceeds of crime. Santo also faces a charge of conspiracy to commit murder.

Police said a warrant has also been issued for Mark Anthony Allen of Frontier Ridge in Mississauga on charges of conspiracy to import cocaine and possession of the proceeds of crime.

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/Co...957&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968793972154


----------



## Albert Walker

*Durban police ecstatic about huge drug bust*

Durban police ecstatic about huge drug bust

August 25 2003 at 06:06AM

By Xolani Mbanjwa 


Police from the national and provincial crime intelligence units seized 90 000 ecstasy tablets with a street value of more than R7,2-million in Durban at the weekend.

Later, they arrested two Jamaicans and two Britons in connection with drug dealing.

Provincial police spokesperson Vishnu Naidoo said R80 000 in cash, 10 cellphones, a large quantity of dagga seeds and machinery to produce drugs were also seized.

Naidoo said a team comprising police from the national and provincial crime intelligence units and from Durban-based Operation West began gathering information on the "large consignment of ecstasy tablets" three weeks ago.

'We have made a phenomenal dent in the drug market' 
They were expecting to make more arrests. "We are not going to release the identity of the country from which the shipment came," he said.

Police searched a hotel on Durban's Marine Parade late on Saturday night and found two British citizens, both aged 34, in possession of ecstasy tablets.

"On the same night we arrested a 29-year-old Jamaican citizen at a house in Jacquelin Avenue, Ballito."

Another Jamaican man was arrested on Sunday morning.

Naidoo said the four men, who would appear in the Durban magistrate's court on Monday on charges of dealing in drugs, were staying together in the house in Ballito.

Naidoo said the drugs were relatively new on the market and were meant for the Durban market.

The drugs, known as "Safe Sex Durax" and "Barcadi Breezer Bat", were first detected when Operation West members recovered a small consignment in Durban two weeks ago. 

"We believe that we have made a phenomenal dent in the drug market by keeping these drugs off the streets," said Naidoo.

The house in Ballito, where a drug factory was to be set up, together with all the goods seized, would be turned over to the Asset Forfeiture Unit, he said.

http://www.itechnology.co.za/index.php?click_id=13&art_id=vn20030825060643346C828984&set_id=1


----------



## Albert Walker

*Authorities arrest 24 in PCP bust in L.A., Houston*

Authorities arrest 24 in PCP bust in L.A., Houston 




ASSOCIATED PRESS
3:39 a.m. August 27, 2003

LOS ANGELES – Federal agents and police announced the arrests of 24 people in Los Angeles and Houston in a big crackdown on PCP manufacturers and distributors. 

Authorities said they seized enough chemicals and laboratory materials to produce at least $3 million worth of the potent hallucinogen on an ongoing basis. Also confiscated were 10 gallons of finished PCP – worth an estimated $100,000 in Los Angeles – half a dozen guns and rifles, vehicles, and $125,000 in cash and other assets. 

Ray Tripicchio, chief of the Southern California Drug Task Force, said another dozen people were still being sought in connection with the PCP manufacturing. He said those arrested helped distribute the drug nationwide. 

"These individuals are violent career criminals who have extensive criminal records for narcotics trafficking, assault and other violent crimes," Tripicchio told a news conference Tuesday. 

One person arrested in the drug investigation is a suspect in a Los Angeles homicide. It was unclear how many arrests were in Los Angeles and how many in Houston. 

Steven Woodland of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in Los Angeles said the arrests knocked out a third of the 10 to 15 PCP-producing organizations in the region. 

The Southern California Drug Task Force includes about 100 law enforcement officers from 20 agencies. Among those participating in the arrests were the DEA, FBI, LAPD, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, state Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement, and Ontario, Gardena and Inglewood police. 


http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/state/20030827-0339-ca-pcparrests.html


----------



## PlutarianSPACEcowboy

a shortage of PCP.....or darn.


----------



## SilverFeniks

I can't believe this stuff is still profitable; it never makes any news anyhow.  I wouldn't think there'd be a lot of demand.


----------



## Vetco

theres alot more demand than you think. Just goto a drum n bass party in NYC...


----------



## mellow_yellow18

*Police bust UK's biggest ever cocaine ring*

More than 100 police officers swept through 23 addresses in London today, and smashed what Scotland Yard described as the largest cocaine and money laundering ring ever uncovered in the UK.
Police arrested 10 men and two women in connection with the Colombia-based drugs cartel. Searches were ongoing at a number of homes and businesses in east London, Holloway in north London and Brixton in south London. 

Most of those held in London were foreign nationals from south America.

The arrests formed the final phase of a two-year international operation targeting a highly organised cocaine importation and money laundering ring, Scotland Yard said. 

Detective Chief Superintendent Sharon Kerr said the investigation was the first time in the history of policing that Scotland Yard had been able to take out an entire network of individuals from top organisers to people selling drugs on the street. 

The cartel had netted in excess of £100m in the last six months, Det Ch Supt Kerr said. 

Police in Colombia carried out simultaneous raids at up to 25 addresses today and arrested 15 people. Det Ch Supt Kerr said the investigation marked the first time Scotland Yard had coordinated with Colombian authorities. 

The investigation has led to 20 arrests over the last six months, with the majority being charged with money laundering or drugs offences. Scotland Yard said officers had also seized cocaine with a street value of over £20m, and £2m in cash during recent operations. 

Those drugs, police said, were heading straight onto the streets of London. Detectives said the break up of the cartel, which is based near Colombia's third city of Cali, was expected to have a "massive impact" on the price of cocaine in the UK. 8(

Scotland Yard said the 20 people previously arrested had been minor figures in the ring, while today's raids targeted the "big players". 

"No law enforcement agency ever has been able to penetrate this network. Often we have been nibbling around the edges, taking out the patsies, but not going to the heart of the network. It's very sophisticated," Det Ch Supt Kerr said.

Special projects head, Detective Chief Inspector Martin Molloy, said a large amount of the drugs had entered the country through UK ports. 

"This amount is not something you carry in as couriers," he said. 

The cartel was busted by Scotland Yard's elite and secretive special projects unit, the existence of which was only made public last week. The 30-strong team of detectives began tracking the cartel after picking up intelligence related to its operations in the UK. 

Penetrating the cartel is seen as a coup for Scotland Yard after other law enforcement agencies failed to make headway. 

Sarah Left and agencies
Wednesday September 24, 2003 

from: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,1048628,00.html


----------



## craig420

*Police Bust Multicounty Drug Ring*

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ibsys/20031010/lo_wgal/1825677

Police Bust Multicounty Drug Ring


Fri Oct 10,11:03 AM ET


 Officials said 16 people are charged in a drug ring that allegedly sold $2 million worth of cocaine, heroin and other drugs in four central Pennsylvania counties over a three-year period.  

   State Attorney General Mike Fisher, announcing the charges Thursday, said the group brought drugs in from Reading and from New York City. He said they were sold over a three-year period in Montour, Northumberland, Snyder and Union counties.    

 Fisher said the suspected ringleader, Mario Abreu, 40, of Northumberland, distributed at least a pound of cocaine per week.  

 He's currently in federal custody in Florida. The other suspects range in age from 27 to 51.


----------



## craig420

*25 Arrested In Lake Drug-Ring Bust*

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ibsys/20031010/lo_wkmg/1825834

25 Arrested In Lake Drug-Ring Bust


Fri Oct 10, 6:55 PM ET


 Agents arrested 25 people Friday in connection with a year-long investigation into a huge illegal drug ring, according to Local 6 News.  

 The Lake County sheriff's office said the men arrested Friday were responsible for about 50 percent of all drugs distributed in Lake County.  

 The suspects arrested face local and state charges for allegedly selling crack cocaine through the Triangle area, Local 6 News reported.  

 Local 6 News reported that undercover agents were able to buy illegal drugs from the alleged ring numerous times.     

 Friday's sting netted $30,000 worth of illegal drugs, weapons, several cars and cash.  

 "Lake County is very large, and that's a small piece of the pie," Lake Sheriff George Knupp said. Hopefully, we can hold the line not allowing somebody to come into the community and start dealing drugs at that level again.  

 Authorities are still searching for nine more people in connection with the drug ring.


----------



## craig420

*Lake County Drug Bust Nets Dozens*

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ibsys/20031010/lo_wesh/1826167

Lake County Drug Bust Nets Dozens


Fri Oct 10, 4:32 PM ET


 Deputies in Lake County netted several high-level dealers in a drug bust Friday.  

 The search for more suspects is continuing, WESH NewsChannel 2 reported.  

 Officials with the Drug Enforcement Administration joined deputies in a raid on 11 homes during the early morning hours. At least 25 suspects were arrested on state or federal charges of distributing regular or crack cocaine.  

 The raid also confiscated 15 automobiles, $30,000 cash and $30,000 worth of crack cocaine, and officials said 50 percent of those drugs distributed in the triangle area of Lake County came from the ring. The bust completed a year-long operation.


----------



## craig420

*46 In Harlem Drug-ring Bust*

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nypost/20031120/lo_nypost/46inharlemdrugringbust


46 IN HARLEM DRUG-RING BUST


Thu Nov 20, 3:48 AM ET


 Forty-six people were arrested as part of an NYPD probe into a $2 million-a-year Harlem narcotics ring that used legitimate businesses as a cover, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly announced yesterday.  

 "Operation Broadway Blues" also resulted in cops shutting down 10 businesses on Broadway, from 139th to 143rd streets. Drug sales inside the businesses made the neighborhood a magnet for buyers, Kelly said.  

 Customers "from as far away as Virginia and Ohio came to know this area as 'the place to go' for cocaine," the commissioner said.  



 Philip Messing


----------



## missing_one

*China's largest ever Heroin seizure, Beijing*

*Heroin traders given death, life imprisonment*

    BEIJING, Jan. 18 (Xinhuanet) -- Ma Xiuqin, a woman from northwest China's Gansu Province was sentenced to death and her accomplice, a woman also from Gansu, given life imprisonment in Beijing on Sunday on charges of trading in narcotics.

    The ruling was handed down against Ma Xiuqin, a 31-year-old heroin trader, and her accomplice, Zhang Ganiang, 32, by the No.1 Intermediate People's Court of Beijing at the first trial.

    The court was told that Ma came to Beijing in late 2002 and hidplenty of heroin for sale at the apartment she rented in Beijing'sdowntown Xuanwu District. She sold 20 kg of narcotics in June lastyear alone, remitted 3 million yuan (one US dollar equals to 8.3 yuan) from the sale back to the kingpin in Gansu and got 30,000 yuan of bonus in return.

    Zhang, who was previously sentenced to a five-year jail term for narcotics trafficking in Gansu, did the leg work for Ma. Whenever Ma called her, Zhang would go pick up the drugs and deliver them to the buyers at the designated venues.

    Acting on tips, the police detained both Ma and Zhang on July 1,2003, and confiscated 13.2 kg of heroin, the largest amount ever seized in Beijing since New China was founded in 1949, plus more than 120,000 yuan from the flats rented by Ma.

    In accordance with Sunday's ruling, both Ma and Zhang were deprived of their political rights and all their personal properties.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2004-01/18/content_1282704.htm


----------



## missing_one

*Another article (more info)*

*Women drug gang convicted, death, life sentences given*

    Beijing, Jan. 19, (Xinhuanet) -- The Beijing No 1 Intermediate People's Court Sunday respectively sentenced one woman to death and another to life in prison for drug trafficking.

    Police also confiscated 13.2 kilograms of heroin from the two, the largest amount taken in a single case in Beijing history.

    Last June, ironically on the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, Beijing police received a tip from their Gansu colleagues about a drug-trafficking channel between Beijing and the Northwest province of Gansu.

    After a week long investigation,police arrested the suspects Ma Xiuqin, 31, and Zhang Ganiang, 32.

    Authorities said Ma arrived in Beijing in late 2002 with a drug boss, from Gansu. By January, the boss went home, leaving a drug business the two had set up to Ma.

    Her boss promised Ma 100 yuan (US$12) out of each 10,000 yuan (US$1,200) she made.

    Ma excelled, in a single month of last June, selling 20 kilograms of drugs while earning 3 million yuan (US$360,000) for the kingpin and 30,000 yuan (US$361) herself.

    Zhang Ganiang, a former convict who served a 5-year jail term for drug-trafficking, followed Ma to Beijing last March.

    Whenever Ma had customers, she would call Zhang to deliver the drugs after fetching them from a secret place.

    Police found Ma had hidden a large cache of drugs at a rented house in Xuanwu District between April and June of last year.

    When the two women were arrested, police discovered 13.2 kilograms of heroin and 120,000 yuan (US$14,500) in cash from their rental sites.

    The two were found guilty of trafficking in narcotics, the court ruled.

    According to the Criminal Law, people who produce or sell more than 50 grams of heroin may be sentenced to 15 years, life in prison or can be given the death penalty.

    The judge's ruled that Ma will die. Zhang has received a life sentence.

    It is still unknown whether Ma's former boss has been caught,according to the Xinhua news service. 

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2004-01/19/content_1282913.htm


----------



## Morrison's Lament

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I WAS LIVING THREE BLOCKS FROM A HEROIN DEALER SELLING CHEAP HIGH QUALITY HEROIN AT RIDICULOUSLY LOW PRICES?!!!!!!?!?!?! 


And they got busted?!?!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

--- G.


----------



## BA

*Rolling Stones members Keith Richards and Mick Jagger drug bust made into film.*

The notorious drugs bust which resulted in the arrests of Rolling Stones members Keith Richards and Mick Jagger is to be made into a film, say reports.  Actor Nigel Havers will play his real-life father, Lord Havers, who was the defence barrister at the 1967 trial. 

The pair were given prison sentences for possessing drugs, but these were later quashed, with Jagger given a conditional discharge. 

The Independent on Sunday says US network HBO has commissioned the film. 

The newspaper says Nick Fisher, who created the BBC Two male mid-life crisis drama Manchild, is writing the script. 


Nigel Havers thought of the idea for the film 

Havers also starred in Manchild. 

"It's a quirky bit of English history, but it has international appeal - 1967 was just an incredible year and this incident was a very significant turning point in history and the way the media works," Fisher told the Independent on Sunday. 

The arrest and subsequent trial of Jagger and Richards split the establishment, with some commentators questioning the severity of the original sentence. 

Mr Fisher told the newspaper it was Nigel Havers who gave him the idea for the film. 

"It's a bit of family history for him [Havers]. Although Jagger and Richards are central, I'd like a lot of the story not to revolve around just them. The real key to it all is Michael Havers," he told the Independent on Sunday. 

"It was a very life-changing experience for him. He was the most expensive silk in the country and the pinnacle of the establishment," he added. 

Havers' father Michael went on to become the Attorney General. 

The roles of Jagger, Richards and Jagger's then-girlfriend, Marianne Faithfull, will be cast next year. 


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3657385.stm 
4-25-04


----------



## robd

Richards had a ounce of h, right?


----------



## Grep

*Youngest Pointer Sister faces drug charges*

Monday, April 26, 2004 Posted: 9:48 PM EDT (0148 GMT) 

LOS ANGELES, California (Reuters) -- The youngest member of the original hit-making Pointer Sisters was charged Monday with cocaine possession, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office said.

June Pointer Whitmore, 50, was arrested last Thursday with two other people outside the Hollywood apartment of her older sister, Bonnie, but was released on bail.

Bonnie Pointer, who left the group in 1978 to pursue a solo career with Motown, was not charged in the case. Whitmore has not performed with the Pointer Sisters in more than three years, their lawyer, Martin Singer, told Reuters.

The two remaining members of the original lineup, Anita and Ruth Pointer, previously obtained a court order barring their younger sibling from the group and asserting their exclusive rights to the Pointer Sisters name, Singer said.

He said Whitmore was kicked out of the group because of repeated substance abuse problems that prevented her from making several appearances.

Anita and Ruth Pointer, who now perform as a trio with Ruth's daughter, Issa, are currently en route to Belgium for a tour, Singer said. He said they were in Montana last week recording a DVD when Whitmore was arrested.

Details of Whitmore's arrest were sketchy. But a spokeswoman for prosecutors said she and her co-defendants were confronted by police officers who responded to citizen complaints and found them in possession of cocaine and cocaine pipes.

Whitmore is charged with one count of cocaine possession and a lesser charge of possessing an illegal smoking device. Although conviction carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison, Whitmore would be eligible for a California program that allows first-time offenders to have their record expunged if they complete drug rehabilitation.

The original Pointer Sisters trio produced a string of hits in the late 1970s and early '80s, including a cover of Bruce Springsteen's "Fire," "He's So Shy" and "Slow Hand."

Legal representatives for Whitmore were not readily available. No arraignment date has been announced.

link


----------



## Ketamike

I wonder if she parties with George Clinton.


----------



## TheHerojuana

Holy Shit! I Knew Issa from when I went to Nipmuc Regional. She never really hung out with me or my friends but we all knew her. I remember getting all stoned out of my mind at 14 or 15 and we ran in to her in Milford. Steve talked to her for a while and she tooks us to the Golden Bhudda. She is a hell of a singer. I remember her doing the national anthem at the Mendon Country Fair. It was a hell of a performance. It wasn't until a few weeks after this I learned who her mother is. Haven't seen her since the early 90's. Blows that her aunt is facing possesion charges. Only in America.


----------



## E-llusion

*Ecstasy Bust Keeps Chemical Companies Alert*

* Ecstasy Bust Keeps Chemical Companies Alert *

04/29/2004

The ecstasy bust has put chemical companies on alert for other people who may try to illegally round-up ingredients to make the drug. Making ecstasy requires more scientific know-how than cooking-up methamphetamine in a lab. 

Unlike meth, ecstasy is not made from everyday products you find around the house. The recipe for ecstasy reads like a chemical tongue twister. The long scientific names are matched by the lengths ecstasy makers have to go to to get the chemicals.

Lt. Greg Vandekamp, Sioux Falls Police Department: "Most of the chemicals are not things that you would find at a local hardware store, those would be ones you would have to order from a legitimate chemical company." 

Maxim Technologies, an environmental laboratory here in Sioux Falls will get calls from people asking where they can get their hands on certain chemicals. But the chemists here are very tight-lipped about their suppliers.

Dan Hanson, Maxim Technologies: "We don't want to get involved with anybody that could be manufacturing drugs."

There's also little margin for error in making ecstasy. 

Vandekamp: "You can make a mistake with meth and still get a product, with ecstasy, I don't think you can." 

Ecstasy and meth labs are similar in one respect: with so many toxic and flammable chemicals on hand, both drugs are very dangerous to make. While chemicals to make ecstasy are hard to come by, a natural version of the drug can be found in the oil of sassafras and nutmeg.

Link


----------



## SilverFeniks

*UK: Pair guilty of smuggling £55m of cocaine*

A father and son from north Wales have been found guilty of trying to smuggle cocaine worth £55m into the UK. 
Rex Newport, 58, his son Duncan Newport, 36, both of Dyffryn Ardudwy, Gwynedd, were charged along with Mark Reeves, 38, from Kidderminster and Louis Hillard, 57, of no fixed abode. 

The four had denied attempting to import 651kg of the drug. 

Wolverhampton Crown Court heard that the cocaine was found concealed in earth-moving machinery in 2002. 

Rex and Duncan Newport, both directors of a plant and machinery company, and the two other men who were also found guilty, are due to be sentenced in June. 

The convictions came at the end of Operation Elysian, a major drugs investigation by HM Customs. 

Customs officers discovered the cocaine shipment concealed inside a bulldozer blade which had arrived at Felixstowe, Suffolk, from Ecuador, South America, in November 2002. 

The consignment was allowed to continue its journey, under surveillance, to an industrial estate in Wolverhampton. 

'Ingenious methods' 

Customs officers raided the unit, finding Reeves and Hillard in the process of removing the concealed drugs. 

The pair were arrested at the scene and Duncan and Rex Newport were arrested later the same day. 

Two other men have also been arrested and prosecuted in Ecuador for their alleged part in the smuggling attempt. 

Following the guilty verdicts, Customs Minister John Healey MP, said: "Customs have prevented a huge amount of cocaine reaching the streets of the UK. 

"This latest bust shows how sophisticated customs must be to match modern drugs gangs, who use increasingly ingenious methods to smuggle drugs into this country". 

'Painstaking work' 

Customs' Assistant Chief Investigation Officer, Peter Hollier, added: "This was a well-organised and determined attempt to smuggle a huge quantity of cocaine into this country. 

"These men went to great lengths to avoid detection, using false names, a variety of vehicles, public telephones, more than a dozen mobile phones and a complex system of codes to cover their tracks. 

"They were well aware of the scale of their criminality. 

"I would like to pay tribute to the painstaking work of the case team and the many other customs officers involved in stopping these drugs from reaching the streets and ruining countless lives." 


source


----------



## SilverFeniks

*US indicts leaders of $10 billion Colombian cartel*

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- U.S. officials on Thursday unveiled racketeering charges against nine leaders of a powerful Colombian drug trafficking cartel said to be responsible for exporting cocaine worth more than $10 billion to the United States.

Three of the defendants have been designated as among the "most wanted" international drug trafficking targets by U.S. law enforcement authorities. And the FBI said it added one of the defendants to its list of the 10 most wanted fugitives.

The U.S. government also is offering rewards of up to $5 million for information leading to the apprehension of the defendants, a State Department official said.

According to the indictment, the defendants were leaders of the "Norte Valle Cartel," which operates mainly in the Norte Valle del Cauca region. It exported more than 500 tons of cocaine worth more than $10 billion from Colombia via Mexico to the United States since 1990.

"Today, we have ripped out the foundation of the largest and most powerful drug cartel in Colombia," Drug Enforcement Administration chief Karen Tandy said.

"We have indicted the ringleaders of a criminal organization responsible for bringing into the United States one-third to one-half of the cocaine that reaches our shores."

Attorney General John Ashcroft said, "The Norte Valle cartel was as deadly as it was dangerous. ... With today's announcement, we have these defendants running for their lives."

The racketeering indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Washington on April 29 and unsealed today, charges the cartel used violence and brutality to further its goals, including the murder of rivals.

Cartel leaders were accused of bribing and corrupting Colombian law enforcement officials and legislators in an attempt to block the extradition of any Colombian drug dealers to the United States, officials said.

According to the indictment, the cartel even conducted its own wiretaps to intercept the communications of rival drug traffickers, as well as Colombian and U.S. law enforcement officials.

Of the nine defendants, only one -- Arcangel Henao-Montoya -- is in custody in the United States. He was arrested in Panama in January and is in custody in New York, officials said.

They said the cartel took over much of Colombia's drug trafficking after police dismantled the powerful Medellin and Cali cartels in the mid-1990s.

source


----------



## SilverFeniks

*8 get 40 years for shooting Mexican Cardinal (religious figure not bird)*

MEXICO CITY - Eight men have been sentenced to 40 years each in prison for the 1993 killing of Roman Catholic Cardinal Juan Jesus Posadas Ocampo, who died during a shootout between rival drug gangs at a Guadalajara airport, court officials confirmed Friday.

An appeals court in the western state of Jalisco gave the men the maximum sentences allowable under Mexican law for homicide in a Thursday ruling, said Roberto Aguilar, a spokesman for the court system. The sentences are not subject to any further appeal, according to the Federal Judiciary Council.

Seven of the eight men also received additional sentences ranging from 35 to 240 years for an additional six deaths in the May 24, 1993 airport shootout and for subsequent killings. Such multiple sentences in Mexico are served concurrently.

Five men were acquitted of the cardinal's killing, three of whom were sentenced to terms ranging from 28 to 40 years for other homicides. The two others face separate charges. In past trials, several other suspects were convicted of charges relating to the killing, which shocked Mexico.

The Archdiocese of Guadalajara, which Posadas Ocampo headed and which has been an outspoken advocate of a deeper investigation into his killing, said it had no immediate comment on the sentences.

Posadas Ocampo was riddled with bullets while sitting in his car at the airport. Federal investigators concluded that a gang of gunmen confused his luxury car for that of a rival trafficker, Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, whom they had targeted for assassination.

In 2002, a judge threw out murder charges against one of the main suspects in the slaying, accused drug lord Benjamin Arellano Felix. Arellano Felix, the reputed head of a ruthless drug gang bearing his family's name, was in the border city of Tijuana at the time of Posadas Ocampo's killing.

But current Guadalajara Cardinal Juan Sandoval Iniguez and other church figures have long disagreed with the official version of events, arguing that Posadas Ocampo had been targeted for his knowledge about alleged relationships between drug dealers and government officials.

Arellano Felix's brother, Francisco Rafael Arellano Felix, has already been convicted in connection with the slaying, but church officials insist that others who are responsible remain free.

source


----------



## SilverFeniks

*London - cocaine seizures up, heroin down*

Cocaine seizures have quadrupled in London in the past year while heroin seizures have fallen by 50%, according to figures from Scotland Yard. 

The force confiscated 360kg of cocaine in the financial year 2003 to 2004, compared with 96kg the year before. 

Heroin dealers are thought to be switching to cocaine because it is more profitable, says the National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS). 

Police say figures show a "significant success" in the fight against drugs. 

An NCIS spokeswoman added there was evidence of more cocaine destined for Britain being seized in Europe. 

But she said it was largely due to better co-operation between European police forces. 

'Devastating impact' 

The Metropolitan Police and Customs and Excise are setting up a new pan-London drugs unit which will start work later this year. 

It will target those importing and supplying hard drugs. 

Police say it will provide an "innovative approach" to disrupting dealing on the streets and will help confiscate dealers' money. 

Over the past year police say £4m has been seized from drug dealers - 50% of all money earned by criminal activities seized in London. 

The figures also show crack cocaine seizures rose from 11.3kg in 2002 to 2003 to 17kg the following year. 

Over the same period heroin seizures dropped from 105kg to 43kg. 

Assistant Commissioner Tarique Ghaffur said class A drugs had a "devastating impact" on local communities. 

He said: "The very presence of drugs on the streets of London cause increased levels of crime as addicts turn to robbery, burglary and alike, as a means of feeding their habit."

source


----------



## SilverFeniks

*Cocaine shipped in diplomatic pouches*

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (AP) - Police arrested two men after authorities found cocaine in diplomatic pouches addressed to Trinidad's consulates in New York, Toronto and London, officials said Tuesday. 

A security officer at the Trinidad Consulate in New York found two kilograms of cocaine on May 5 inside a hollowed-out telephone book and addressed to a low-level employee, a government official said on condition of anonymity. After the discovery, police searched other pouches at the Foreign Affairs Ministry before they left the country and discovered similar amounts of cocaine addressed to employees at consulates in Toronto and London, the official said. 

Police arrested two men on Friday, Deputy Police Commissioner Glen Roach said. Micah Smith, a 32-year-old clerk at the Foreign Affairs Ministry in Trinidad, was charged with cocaine trafficking, Roach said. 

Curt Alexis, 26, a former security guard at the ministry, was charged with possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking, he said. 

Both appeared in Magistrate's Court on Monday and bail was set at $100,000 Trinidadian ($23,575 Cdn) each. They didn't post bail and remain in custody. 

The three people to whom the cocaine was addressed were recalled from the consulates and were being questioned, said the government official, who described them as low-level employees. 

It was unclear how long the drug operation had been underway and whether other shipments had been made. 

Smith was responsible for sealing diplomatic pouches to be sent overseas, the official said. The pouches are usually not inspected before they leave the country or by authorities in the receiving countries, but security in the consulates check packages when they arrive. 

Acting Foreign Affairs Minister Eric Williams told the Senate on Tuesday the government intended to move quickly on the investigation because of the damage the allegations could inflict on the Caribbean country's reputation. 

This former British colony of 1.3 million residents is right off Venezuela's coast, making it an advantageous transshipment point for South American cocaine destined for the United States and Europe, according to a U.S. State Department report published in March. 

source


----------



## HighRollin'420*

I dunno where tat is but coke def aint more profitable then heroin where i live heroin is the most valuable drug out there...


----------



## ebeneezer_geeza

crack is the most profit in the UK. Heroin market is flooded from the old Afgans - good ole america liberating those poppy feilds - production is soaring now the talaban have gone.


----------



## SilverFeniks

*UK: Police seize £3.8m of heroin*

A £4m haul of heroin has been found by police in east London and Essex. 
Detectives found 22kg of the drug in a car in Romford and a further 11kg at a house in Chingford. Five people have been arrested. 

Police have reported that while cocaine seizures soared in the past financial year in London, heroin seizures halved. 

Tuesday's 33kg haul compares with the previous year's total haul of 43kg. Scotland Yard says it is one of the largest heroin seizures in London. 

The seizures at 1400 BST on Tuesday were made by officers from the Central Task Force, which tackles organised crime involving drugs. 

Scotland Yard says the heroin had an estimated street value of £3,795,000. 

Assistant Commissioner Tarique Ghaffur said: "This is one of the largest seizures of heroin from the streets of London this year and we are delighted we have taken it out of circulation." 

source


----------



## SilverFeniks

The amount of cocaine seized in London rose by more than 300 per cent last year as smugglers tried to maximise profits by flooding Britain with the class A drug.

Scotland Yard said 360kg (790lb) was confiscated compared to 96kg in 2002 amid evidence that heroin dealers were diversifying to include cocaine.

The trade in cocaine, which has a street price of about £50 a gram, is estimated to be worth £2-3bn a year in Britain, making it one of the most lucrative drugs markets in Europe.

Detectives believe cocaine cartels based in Colombia are attempting to increase supplies along their traditional smuggling routes via the Caribbean and Spain.

The National Criminal Intelligence Service said there was evidence of a rise in seizures across Europe of cocaine bound for Britain. A spokeswoman said: "We know from various sources that there is an increase in the amount of cocaine that is being seized in countries like Spain. This is largely because of better co-operation between European police forces."

Senior detectives described the increase in supply of class A drugs in Britain as "phenomenal". The Yard figures, which showed an increase in seizures of crack cocaine from 11kg to 17kg, support the theory that heroin dealers are now also supplying crack to their clients.

A police source said: "Until recently, heroin dealers had focused on just heroin but they know they can increase their profits by also supplying a rock or two of crack to their clients to help them come off the heroin high."

Between 35 tons and 45 tons of cocaine powder are estimated to be brought into Britain every year. There are no reliable figures to show how much of that is converted into the more addictive version, crack.

Figures produced by the British Crime Survey estimate that there are 622,000 regular cocaine users in the UK.

Yard sources said one of the reasons for the sharp increase in cocaine supplies reaching Europe could be the change of focus by American law enforcement agencies from tackling drug kingpins in Colombia and the Caribbean to counter-terrorism operations.

The rise in cocaine seizures, worth £9m on the street, coincided with a fall in the amount of heroin confiscated from 105kg to 43kg.

The Yard, which announced plans for the formation of a pan-London drugs squad with HM Customs, said it was having success in seizing the assets of dealers. Last year, £4m was recovered, representing half of all the proceeds of crime seized in London. 

source


----------



## SilverFeniks

*Police seize pensioner's cannabis*

BERLIN (Reuters) - German police have arrested a green-fingered pensioner harvesting cannabis plants in her Hamburg home after someone tipped them off to a strong smell, authorities say

In a dawn raid of the 68-year-old's flat, police found marijuana plants in her bathroom, bedroom and living room.

"Police discovered a plantation of approximately 170 cannabis plants as well as a special lighting and ventilation system," said a police spokesman. "It was very professional."

Five kg (11 lb) of cannabis, freshly harvested and already packaged, were also discovered in the woman's home, which she shares with her 39-year-old son.

"The woman was tending to the plants and watering them but said that she was doing it for her son," the spokesman said.

Police confiscated the plants and are investigating.

source


----------



## SilverFeniks

*European Police seize 8,000 litres of ecstasy precursors*

Irish and Dutch police have seized 8,000 litres of chemicals used to make ecstasy tablets and amphetamines. 

Gardai said the chemicals had the potential to make more than £350m worth of the drugs. 

They were found in barrels at a warehouse in the Walkinstown area of Dublin. 

Detectives from the National Drugs Unit raided the premises. 

The raid followed an investigation lasting several months involving the Gardai, Irish Customs and the Dutch police. 

The chemicals had the potential to make more than 50 million ecstasy tablets and more than two tonnes of amphetamines. 

Police said they believed the chemicals were being prepared for shipment to the Netherlands. 

Four men and two women - from China and Afghanistan - were arrested and are being detained at Tallaght, Clondalkin and Terenure police stations in Dublin. 

One of those being questioned was arrested in Drogheda in County Meath. 

The six can be questioned for up to seven days before being charged or released. 

Irish police said the operation was continuing both in Ireland and the Netherlands. 

source


----------



## SilverFeniks

*Over 100 arrested in drugs sweep*

More than 100 people have been arrested during a week-long operation against drugs in two London boroughs. 
Ecstasy tablets and crack cocaine were recovered during the blitz on dealers and users in Westminster and Camden. 

Police have arrested 106 people on suspicion of various offences including conspiracy to supply drugs, criminal damage and possession of stolen goods. 

Suspected "crack dens" were raided and sniffer dogs patrolled Tottenham Court Road Tube station looking for dealers. 

"It's a gateway to the West End, hundreds of thousands of people pass through that junction every week," said Ch Insp Bernie Gravett. 

"We are committed to dealing with crimes and problems that make living in these areas unpleasant for local residents and people visiting the area." 

Police believe dealers and people using Class A drugs have moved into the area from other boroughs. 

The operation, which ends on Thursday, targeted Oxford Street, Tottenham Court Road, Soho, and St Giles. 

It previously ran in February, targeting Soho, Covent Garden, Bloomsbury and Fitzrovia, resulting in 91 arrests. 

source


----------



## Black Hole

*Re: Over 100 arrested in drugs sweep*



			
				SilverFeniks said:
			
		

> *
> Ecstasy tablets and crack cocaine were recovered during the blitz on dealers and users in Westminster and Camden.
> *



Tablets.  Haha.  "Yo man you know where I can score some _tablets_ in this joint?"


----------



## goldenbrown

Holy shit, that is a fucking lot of drugs.  $400 million, goddam someone really fucked up their entire organization.  I mea seriously, that is the fall of an entire drug supplier right there, damn.


----------



## goldenbrown

That sucks.


----------



## ebeneezer_geeza

only thing is, it will probaly help rise the price of the drug and therefore the crime rate will increase too.


----------



## SilverFeniks

*Belfast Police make major cocaine haul*

A sophisticated international drugs smuggling operation has been disrupted, according to the police. 

It follows the seizure of cocaine with a street value of more than £1m in Belfast on Thursday. 

Guns, ammunition and about £10,000 in cash were discovered in a follow-up operation in the Parkhall estate in Antrim, a PSNI spokesman said. 

The weapons recovered with the cocaine were a shotgun, handgun and a handgun which fires blanks. 

The drugs were found in a van which was stopped on the M1 motorway near the Broadway roundabout in Belfast. 

One person was arrested. 

The head of the Drugs Squad, Superintendent John Fintan, said it was a major setback for the smugglers. 

"The seizure speaks for itself - it has been very significant," he said. 

"It confirms what we have said, that cocaine is an emerging problem in Northern Ireland society. 

"It's certainly not out of control, but the police will be focusing our priorities towards it." 

A number of operations in connection with the find, including searches, were carried out. 

The seizure is understood to be the result of months of investigation into the activities of a major criminal gang. 

Security Minister Ian Pearson congratulated the police on the haul which also included a hydraulic press, scales and bags. 

"This is another significant success in our relentless campaign against organised criminals. It follows other major successes including the seizure of £1m worth of cocaine in October 2003," he said. 

"The follow up operation involving international counterparts in Holland resulted in the recovery of 750,000 ecstasy tablets together with chemicals used in the processing of drugs and firearms. 

"I pay tribute to the efforts of the police, and other law enforcement agencies, who are working tirelessly to remove these gangsters from our streets and disrupt their activities," said Mr Pearson, who is also Chair of the Organised Crime Task Force. 

The previous largest cocaine discovery in Northern Ireland was made last October by police during operations in the Lurgan and Lisburn areas. 

source


----------



## toolazy2think

^^which probably means people are going to start getting shot.  Drug kingpins don't typically like it when they lose 400million, which for the majority of kingpins, would take out their entire business


----------



## Skyline_GTR

Nobody lost hundreds of millions - they only lost the potential for that amount, and even that sum will be exagerated by the police. They lost 8000 litres of precursors, which whilst being extremely inconvenient won't have cost them a super huge sum. If they're talking about Safrole or Sassafras Oil (for MDMA anyway, it's not a logical precursor for amphetamines as well, but that's police bullshit for you), then it can be acquired in bulk from China relatively cheaply. Probably around 40 or 50 of these barrels would be the 8000 litres.


----------



## BA

*Smuggling drugs earns 17 1/2 years*

INDIANAPOLIS - A Terre Haute man who was the reputed leader of a methamphetamine-smuggling operation that moved the drug from California to the Midwest was sentenced Friday to 17 1/2 years in prison.
Francis "Pancho" Blair, 35, had pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. He allegedly headed an operation that distributed the drug supplied by a California man to eight dealers in western Indiana and eastern Illinois.

U.S. District Court Judge John Tinder also ordered Blair to three years supervised release after his discharge from prison.

According to federal prosecutors, Blair's operation trafficked about 50 pounds of methamphetamine, with a street value of more than $2 million, from late 2002 to September 2003 from the Terre Haute home where he lived with his wife and children.

On Thursday, Ricardo Linares-Avila, 29, was sentenced to 9 1/2 years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession of meth with intent to distribute.

Linares-Avila, who allegedly served as a drug courier for Blair, will be deported after serving his sentence.


source 
5-15-04


----------



## BA

Man, that's an awful long time. He won't get out until he's 52.


----------



## E-llusion

At least he got off easy , compared to the guy who got LIFE !

8)


----------



## goldenbrown

Why would someone traffick meth so far?  Why not just set-up satellite lab operations?


----------



## SilverFeniks

*UK: Man held in £1.75 million cannabis haul*

A man is due to appear at a County Antrim court in connection with a drugs find. 
The 48-year-old man from Ballymena has been charged with having cannabis with intent to supply. 

It follows the seizure of the drugs, which have an estimated street value of almost £1.75m, in Glarryford on Tuesday. 

Superintendent Terry Shevlin, district commander for Ballymena, said it was a significant find. 


"Certainly within the Ballymena area it would be a very significant find indeed," he said. 

"In terms of the province, this is perhaps the third largest cannabis find in Northern Ireland to date." 

The man is to appear at Ballymena Magistrates Court on Thursday. 

source


----------



## SilverFeniks

*Canadian border patrol officer held in cannbis smuggling*

GRAND FORKS, N.D. (AP) - A Canada Border Services Agency officer and another Canadian citizen have been charged with conspiracy after the officer was arrested while allegedly attempting to smuggle more than 22 kilograms of marijuana into the United States, authorities said. 

"For law enforcement officers on both sides of the border, it's a sad day when someone in a position of authority violates the public's trust," said Michael Mach, agent-in-charge of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in Grand Forks. 

Gary Graboski, 35, who worked as a border inspector for the Canadian agency, was arrested May 13 just south of the Pinecreek, Minn., port of entry. Agents determined he intended to deliver the marijuana hidden in the bed of his pickup to another man. 

The investigation led to the arrest a short time later of Loran Stewart, 37, also a Canadian citizen, in Warroad, Minn. Both Graboski's pickup and Stewart's SUV were seized by authorities. 

Hometowns for the two men were not available. 

State prosecutors in Roseau County in northwestern Minnesota have charged Graboski with conspiracy to commit a controlled substance crime, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and up to $1 million US in fines. 

Stewart was charged with second-degree conspiracy to committee a controlled substance crime, which carries a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison and up to $500,000 US in fines. 

Both men were in the Roseau County jail on Wednesday. 

Sam Jandt, Graboski's public defender, had no comment. A call to Stewart's public defender was not returned. 

A news release from U.S. customs enforcement said the arrests were the result of a bi-national investigation involving several county, state and federal agencies that spanned several months. 

source


----------



## E-llusion

*Former deputy arrested in meth case*

Bill James, who worked for Washington County, faces charges of misconduct and tampering with evidence 

Thursday, May 20, 2004
HOLLY DANKS 

HILLSBORO -- A former Washington County sheriff's deputy was arrested Wednesday on accusations of stealing methamphetamine he seized as a member of the county's drug team. 

Bill James, 38, a deputy for three years, was cited to appear in court June 9 for arraignment on one count of first-degree official misconduct and one count of tampering with evidence. 

Both charges are class A misdemeanors punishable by a fine of up to $5,000 and one year in jail. 

"He's not going to get any kind of offer," said Robert Hull, the senior deputy district attorney on the case. "He's getting the same thing anybody else in this situation would get." 

Hull said the case in which the methamphetamine was missing was not being prosecuted for other reasons, so the theft "did not compromise any ongoing investigation." 

Sandy James, sheriff's spokeswoman and no relation, said Bill James asked to meet with Sheriff Rob Gordon on April 22 and told his boss that he had taken a small amount of meth for his personal use. He said "he had violated the trust of the sheriff's office" and admitted to having a drug problem, Sandy James said. 

After the meeting, Bill James resigned and checked into an in-patient drug treatment program, where he remains today, Hull said. 

"During his interviews with the sheriff and detectives, he was very remorseful," Hull said. "He probably would not have been caught if he had not turned himself in." 

Hull said Bill James took about one-sixteenth of an ounce of meth, enough for one or two uses and valued at between $20 and $40. 

The sheriff's office hired Bill James in 2001 and assigned him to the Westside Interagency Narcotics Team in May 2003. Hull said Bill James admits he had some drug and alcohol problems before he was hired, but was discreet about his use. 

"He was not addicted," Hull said. "If he needed it on a daily basis, he would not be sleeping, not be eating; he would be fidgety. Somebody would have noticed and no one did. He brought this whole thing up himself." 

When Gordon heard Bill James's story, he notified the district attorney's office and asked that an outside agency look into it. Members of the Regional Organized Crime Network conducted an investigation. 




Link


----------



## SilverFeniks

Reminds me of the cops in spun.

I love how this guy just has a 'drug problem' he's getting 'treatment' for, rather than being portrayed as some savage junkie who must be addicted and stealing infants for organ harvesting to feed their habit.

And I don't know much about meth, but from what I've read those prices aren't right.  That must be the police special.


----------



## E-llusion

Cops pay seems not enough for this guy. Good Luck in court "officer" !


----------



## SilverFeniks

*6,000 pounds of pot seized*



> OTAY MESA – A drug-sniffing dog led to the discovery yesterday of three tons of marijuana in a tractor trailer loaded with patio chairs at the Otay Mesa border crossing, authorities said.
> 
> "Anytime you get 6,000 pounds of pot off the street, that's a great day," said Vincent Bond, a spokesman for Customs and Border Protection.
> 
> After the dog alerted officers to the possible presence of drugs, agents found more than 500 packages of pot in a secret compartment inside the 48-foot-long trailer, authorities said.
> 
> The drug's value was estimated at $3 million. The driver, a 30-year-old Tijuana resident, was booked into the federal Metropolitan Correctional Center in San Diego.
> 
> Otay Mesa border inspectors have seized almost 36,000 pounds of marijuana since October, when the latest federal fiscal year began, Bond said. Almost 100,000 pounds were seized last year.
> 
> – Onell R. Soto
> source



that's a lot of pot    probably dirt weed though.


----------



## vicodelicious

Yeah, that much weed together, it's gotta be compressed poopy dirt weed...


----------



## subdefy

> "Anytime you get 6,000 pounds of pot off the street, that's a great day," said Vincent Bond, a spokesman for Customs and Border Protection.



a great day, hardly  prolly shitty bud as everyone else said


----------



## nees*E420

yeah, prob. that dirty ass stink bud. but still buds bud, and that was bud, and they should give it to me...ill find something to do with all of it....


----------



## xbnmx

*Agreed*

Alot of hash could have been made from all of that bricked weed...


----------



## BA

*Man arrested after allegedly trading drugs for sex with students*

TX - A 41-year-old information technology manager is the center of a nine-month police investigation after more than a dozen allegations surfaced claiming he filmed at least three McKinney high school students engaged in sexual acts in exchange for drugs, alcohol and money.

Richard Dean Campbell, of McKinney, faces charges of sexually assaulting a child and seven counts of furnishing minors with alcohol. However, the scope of the investigation may widen to include additional suspects and charges, officials said Tuesday.

"We're still collecting evidence the items that we seized," McKinney police Capt. Robert Dean said. "We haven't ruled out the possibility of others, but I can't elaborate on that anymore."

Police arrested Campbell for the sexual assault charge on April 20 when he was released on $25,000 bond. On Thursday, he was arrested and released again from the Collin County Detention Center on $2,500 bond for each of the seven counts of providing alcohol to minors.

Fourteen students from McKinney North and McKinney High School gave statements to investigators detailing parties with open drug and alcohol use at Campell's two-story house at xxxxxxx in between August and November 2002.

here


----------



## SilverFeniks

*City official busted for making meth*

ESCONDIDO – The chairman of Escondido's Planning Commission was jailed yesterday on suspicion of manufacturing methamphetamine and seven other counts, stunning city officials who had nothing but praise for the civic leader. 

Bruce M. Quick came under suspicion after officers contacted him near a drug lab in February, police said. He was arrested Tuesday after a traffic stop in the city's industrial area, a few blocks from the offices of his landscaping company. 

Police suspected Quick was under the influence of a controlled substance and searched his car. They found numerous bogus identification cards and checks and stolen credit cards, Escondido police said. 

A search early yesterday of Quick's office in Patton Industrial Park on Industrial Avenue yielded boxes containing ingredients and equipment to manufacture methamphetamine, police said. Also found during the search were computers and a printer, stolen credit cards, fraudulent checks and a gun, Escondido police Sgt. Robert Healey said. 

Quick was jailed on eight felony counts; bail was set at $281,000. He was scheduled to appear in court tomorrow. 

"Oh, sweet Jesus," Planning Commission member Barry Newman said. "What a surprise. I guess it just goes to show that when you think you know someone, you really don't." 

Yesterday, a red flier posted on the office door by the Drug Enforcement Administration cautioned that a "clandestine laboratory for the manufacture of illegal drugs and/or hazardous chemicals was seized at this location." 

The flier was the only indication that the unit had been inhabited. There was no business sign on the door and window shades were drawn. 

Nearby business owners said they were surprised to learn of Quick's arrest, though two men said Quick kept odd hours, arriving as most of the businesses in Patton Industrial Park were closing and emerging from the office when others arrived for work. 

A woman at Quick's home on Bahia Lane declined to comment and refused to give her name. 

Yesterday's find was not the first time authorities have uncovered suspected drug labs at the Patton Industrial Park. In 2001 authorities found a lab capable of producing 1.5 million Ecstasy tablets a month. 

Quick, who lost bids for the City Council in 2000 and the school board in 1998, was named to the Planning Commission in 1999. The council reappointed him last year. 

Charles Grimm, city community development director who heads Escondido's Planning Department, said, "Oh, boy. This is a real surprise. 

"He does a good job on the commission," Grimm said. "He's involved, and he does his homework." 

Planning commissioners serve two-year terms. Grimm said the council has the power to replace Quick. 

Escondido Councilman Ed Gallo, who has served on the Planning Commission with Quick for two years, said he was stunned to learn of the arrest. 

"It just blew me away," he said. "He had his own business. He worked hard. He studied everything (going before the commission). That's why this is kind of hard for me to believe, actually. For me, the two just don't go together. To me, it was kind of a stretch, but hey, facts are facts." 

By Brian Hazle, John Berhman and Elizabeth Fitzsimons
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITERS
May 27, 2004 
source


----------



## SilverFeniks

"It just blew me away," he said. "He had his own business. He worked hard. He studied everything (going before the commission). That's why this is kind of hard for me to believe, actually. For me, the two just don't go together.." 

Does this guy not realize his friend was making _meth_? :D

*"Oh, sweet Jesus"*   too funny.


----------



## -=ReD-hAzE=-

Looks like it's starting to climb the social ladder.  No longer just the trailer park special...


----------



## Acidfiend

He sounded like really busy man.  I doubt he would have been that productive had he not been twacked out on meth all the time.


----------



## Synapse999

They all had bullshit, lame responses.  There so, overused and typical pre-formated saying.

i say there all in on it lol


----------



## Brian Oblivion

> A search early yesterday of Quick's office in Patton Industrial Park on Industrial Avenue yielded boxes containing ingredients and equipment to manufacture methamphetamine, police said. Also found during the search were computers and a printer, stolen credit cards, fraudulent checks and a gun, Escondido police Sgt. Robert Healey said.


This guy appearently thought he had to follow a laundry list from from a bunko report to make meth.

"OK, hummm, let's see now...

equipment? CHECK
stolen credit cards? CHECK
fraudulent checks? CHECK
gun? CHECK

OK, now I can start making meth."

:D


----------



## fruitfly

*Frenches Plead Guilty to Federal Drug Charges*

*Frenches Plead Guilty To Federal Drug Charges*
By Ron Wood, The Morning News (AK)
Saturday, May 29, 2004

FAYETTEVILLE -- Two Lincoln men pleaded guilty in federal court Friday to trying to buy a large amount of pseudoephredrine, which is used to make methamphetamine, from undercover drug agents.

Teddy French, 42, and Chris French, 21, changed their initial pleas to guilty in a hearing before U.S. District Judge Jimm Larry Hendren.

Sentencing is pending the completion of a report to determine any relevent facts. It also includes formal sentencing recommendations. That should take about 45 days. Both men face up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, according to federal sentencing guidelines. Parole is not an option in federal sentencing.

The Frenches, along with Clifford Johnson, 39, of Stillwell, Okla., were arrested at a Fayetteville motel last November after allegedly paying undercover drug agents more than $106,000 for 30 cases of pseudoephedrine. 

All three were all charged with conspiracy to possess pseudoephedrine.

Johnson has already pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.

Federal prosecutors began civil forfeiture proceedings in February in an effort to take French's home and business.

The Frenches were not chaged in federal court in connection with fleeing or a methamphetamine lab discovered by police during a search of their property.

The two Frenches ran from the law last Dec. 10, after drug agents served a search warrant at their place of business, French's Heating and Air, near Lincoln. Both were free on $100,000 bond at the time and awaiting trial on the pseudoephedrine charges. A methamphetamine lab was confiscated in the raid. They were to turn themselves in the following day but did not.

Federal Marshals tracked the men using telephone and computer records and the help of the State Department, Diplomatic Security Agents and the DEA, across the northwestern United States, Canada and then through Mexico by car to Belize and finally by boat to Honduras where they managed to obtain false names with supporting documentation and secured a place to live.

DEA agents in Honduras then located the Frenches with the help of Honduran police. At the time of their arrest, the Frenches had false Honduran driver's licenses and passports, an illegal weapon and about $10,000 in U.S. cash.

The men's wives and a young child were with them in Honduras. They have not been charged with any crime.

The Washington County Prosecuting Attorney's Office has not yet determined whether to file state charges in connection with the lab discovered on the Frenches property.

Link


----------



## fruitfly

*Sheriff seizes110 plants from medical marijuana group*

*Sheriff seizes110 plants from medical marijuana group*
The Associated Press 
5/29/2004

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Clackamas County Sheriff's deputies seized 110 marijuana plants this week from a greenhouse in Woodburn, despite the growers' objection that the plants were authorized under Oregon's medical marijuana law.

Shawn Flury of Oregon Green Cross said he is certain of his right to grow marijuana, and plans to replant his crop. He said he is collecting plants from other medical marijuana groups around the state and hopes to have plants in the ground as quickly as possible.

He said the group serves about 35 patients who depend on a free ounce of marijuana twice a month to ease their ailments.

However, sheriff's officials say they seized the plants from the group's rented greenhouse on South Elliott Prairie Road because the operation lacked the documentation needed to grow that many plants.

There have been other raids of people suspected of violating the state's medical marijuana law, but this week's raid involved an unusually large number of plants, officials said.

Flury insists he had the documents that show the seized plants were legal. He thinks a paperwork backlog prevented police from verifying the records with the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program, which registers growers and issues medical marijuana cards to patients.

Oregon's 5-year-old medical marijuana law allows people with "debilitating medical conditions" to grow no more than seven plants at a time with a doctor's endorsement. Only three of the seven can be mature plants.

Cardholders must register the growing site with the state. Cardholders also can designate a caregiver to grow marijuana for them.

The rules allow 30 working days after a grower takes over a cardholder's plants before the state must be notified. So even if there's nothing in the state's files on the day of a police raid, a large collection of plants can turn out to be legal if the paperwork comes in later.

Deputy Angela Brandenburg, a sheriff's spokeswoman, said most of the growing operations her department investigates involve a person growing a crop at home for one or two cardholders. Large growing operations also are less common statewide.

Link


----------



## E-llusion

*Clubbers caught with Class A drugs with new Swab Tester*

Jun 2 2004

Three clubbers were found carrying Class A drugs in a Redditch nightclub after police deployed new detection equipment for the first time.

West Mercia Constabulary tested 103 revellers at the Time venue with special swabs capable of detecting if a person has been in contact with illegal substances such as heroin, cocaine and ecstasy.

In total 13 clubbers tested positive, three of whom were found to be in possession of drugs.

Two men were cautioned and a woman was bailed pending further inquiries.

Speaking after the operation on Saturday evening, Constable Doug Turland said: "This was the first operation of its kind in Redditch and following its success, one we will be repeating at other venues in the town.

"This drug analysing equipment has proved a useful tool in detecting the presence of drugs and will send out a clear message that drugs are not welcome in and around the pubs and nightclubs in the Redditch area."

Link


----------



## fruitfly

*Pilot gets 15 years on drug charges*

*Pilot gets 15 years on drug charges*
His family and lawyers think the marijuana found on his plane belonged to a passenger, who was arrested but cleared of all charges in the 2001 incident.
By COLLEEN JENKINS, St Petersburg Times Staff Writer
Published June 3, 2004

INVERNESS - Pilot Vernon Williams first caught authorities' attention when the U.S. Air Force spied his plane off course and headed toward the Crystal River Nuclear Power Plant just weeks after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

But it was his cargo that really drew notice: 65 pounds of professionally packed marijuana.

On Wednesday, Circuit Judge Ric A. Howard said, despite Williams' previously clean record, the drugs couldn't go ignored. He sentenced the 55-year-old Melbourne man to 15 years in prison for drug trafficking.

Williams' lawyers already are appealing his April conviction by a Citrus County jury.

Williams' family and lawyers think the drugs belonged to his passenger, Brian Hagen, 26. The two men were flying from Pensacola to Louisiana on Oct. 23, 2001, when they ventured over the Gulf of Mexico in Williams' Piper Arrow.

After the Air Force ordered the plane to land in Crystal River, Williams allowed authorities to search it. They found a loaded .40-caliber handgun in Williams' bag and large shrink-wrapped bags of marijuana in the back of the plane.

Hagen also was arrested but the charges against him were soon dropped, court records show. He has a history of drug arrests, according to Florida Department of Law Enforcement records, and is currently serving a 10-year prison term for an unrelated case.

During the hearing Wednesday, California defense attorney Mark McBride appealed to Howard for a lenient sentence. He noted the only blemish on Williams' record was a 1992 misdemeanor battery charge in St. Lucie, which never was prosecuted.

Howard promised he wouldn't consider that old arrest in his deliberation.

Williams' family and friends, including his mother, ex-wife and former in-laws, traveled from around Florida to vouch for the man they said could be described in one word: honest.

They said Williams had built a pool business from scratch, overseeing 30 to 50 pool projects at a time. When he borrowed money, he paid it back. When he asked for a favor, he always returned the courtesy.

The man they knew was dependable and decent, they said.

"He hates drug dealers," said Diana Williams, his ex-wife. "He always has."

Of greatest concern to those close to Williams is his poor health. They told the judge Williams suffered from severe diabetes, which has weakened his sight and balance.

In jail, McBride said, his blood sugar has fluctuated to the point that it could cause brain damage.

"That's a serious issue," he said.

Assistant State Attorney Richard Buxman reminded the judge that the crime required Williams to spend at least three years in prison.

Howard went further. Williams will serve the mandatory three-year minimum sentence, plus at least 85 percent of the remaining 12 years.

The judge also denied McBride's motion to set a bond, which would have allowed Williams to be released from jail while his attorneys appeal the case.

Link


----------



## E-llusion

*Grandfather Arrested after Baby Found with Cocaine in System*

* Grandfather Arrested after Baby Found with Cocaine in System *

6/3/2004 
by: Walker Robinson

A grandfather accused in the death of his baby grandson was brought back to South Texas after he is extradited from Houston. 

An autopsy found cocaine in that 15-month-old Brandon Robbins' body last December. From the minute paramedics arrived at his New Braunfels home, the baby's death was a mystery. They say there was nothing that they could find that would have been the cause of death. 

But court documents obtained only by News 4 WOAI, reveal plenty of things that made police suspicious. A lot drug paraphernalia and prescription drugs were in the house, court documents state. 

Traces of cocaine and methodone, a drug commonly used by heroin addicts, was found in little Brandon's system according to court documents. 

"Unbelieveable," Lt. Mike Rust of New Braunfels Police said,"I've never heard of such a thing, and it's great cause for concern as to how that baby would have got that in his blood system." 

Police say urine and blood samples taken from Gregory Robbins, Brandon's live-in grandfather, turned up the same results. 

In these reports, investigators say Robbins told them he became addicted to prescription medication in the Air Force with a back injury, but he denied any drug use during the week little Brandon died. 

Detectives say it was not easy getting Brandon's parents to come down to give blood and urine samples. When they did, the baby's mother told police she smoked marijuana two days before brandon died. 

His father admitted smoking marijuana also and said he snorted cocaine with his father one time, reports state. 

"What we're after is the truth," Rust said. "That's what we're gonna strive for, and hopefully at some point in time we will get the truth." 

Detectives say more charges may be pending. 

Brandon's mother tells News 4 WOAI they have not spoken with Gregory Robbins since his arrest, and they would also like to know how those drugs got into her son's body. 

The robbins just got their 8-year-old daughter back from Child Protective Services after the grandfather was arrested. 

Link


----------



## BA

*ABC/LAPD Raid Two East L.A. Bars for Drugs/Illegal Solicitation*

LOS ANGELES, June 5 /PRNewswire/ -- The California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) and the Los Angeles Police Department conducted an investigation of two East Los Angeles bars Friday night, arresting 14 people and seizing quantities of drugs.

The joint operation was the result of an undercover investigation by ABC Investigators who purchased cocaine in the Copas De Oro, **** Caesar Chavez Avenue. The undercover investigators were also solicited by women to purchase them alcohol at inflated prices who then split the profit with the bar, a violation of state law.

Taken into custody at the Copas De Oro on narcotics charges were 35-year-old Juan Carlos Martinez, 20-year-old Fernando Silva, 33-year-old Daniel Ayala, and 37-year-old Martin Rodriguez. Four women were arrested for the illegal solicitation of alcohol.

Arrested for possession for sale of illegal drugs at El Jirasol Bar, 3105 Wabash Avenue, was 26-year-old Oswaldo Quiroz. Five women were also cited for illegal solicitation of alcohol.

The undercover operation began after area residents complained to city and state officials about the rising amount of crime emanating from East Los Angeles Bars, and the problems they were causing for the local community.

ABC licensed businesses where drug activities occur face possible suspension or even revocation of their liquor license, depending on the seriousness of the situation.

Bars that allow the illegal solicitation of alcohol also face serious penalties because of the inherent crime connected with the solicitation. Businesses that allow the solicitation generally have higher incidents of crime, such as drugs, fights, shootings, stabbings and other illegal activity. Women soliciting for alcohol face a maximum fine of $1,000 and/or six months in the county jail.

Penalties for the bars will be determined after a thorough review of the crime report. 



here


----------



## fruitfly

*Preacher arrested on drug charges*

*Preacher arrested on drug charges*
By Tracie Troha/Selma Times-Journal Writer
June 5, 2004

Officers swarmed Kevin Leon Cockrell's truck as he pulled into the driveway of his mobile home Thursday night

Cockrell, who later told officers he was a preacher in Tyler, was charged with drug trafficking after police seized nine pounds of marijuana from the bed of his red Ford F-350 pickup truck.

Shaped in the form of two large bricks, the marijuana is estimated to have a street value of around $6,500.

Lt. John Brock of the Selma Police Narcotics Division said police also seized about $161 in cash from the 36-year-old suspect, who gave a Sawyerville address as his residence.

A team composed of Selma Police Narcotics Division detectives, the Dallas County Sheriff's Department, and an agent from the Fourth Judicial Circuit Drug Task Force made the drug bust hours after serving a search warrant and making a drug arrest.

Justus Allen Walker, 22, a resident in the xxxx block of Pollard Street, was charged with unlawful possession of marijuana on Thursday after officers served him a search warrant and discovered 55 bags of the drug in his home.

"He had about a quarter pound of marijuana," Brock said. "It was divided into red bags, which he sold for $10 a piece, and green bags, which he sold for $20."

Selma Police Chief Robert Green said police also seized about $743 in cash believed to have come from the sale of drugs, as well as set of scales.

"Despite criticism of this department and the fact that we are under staffed, our officers have done an outstanding job," Green said. "They are doing their best efforts to stop the sale of drugs in Selma."

Green said it is possible that more arrests could be forthcoming in this case, and an investigation is still underway.

"Marijuana is still the drug of choice in this area," Green said. "It's not unusual for us to find this large amount in an arrest."

Cockrell is currently being held in the Parry County Jail under a $100,000 bond, while Walker is in the Dallas County Jail under a $6,500 bond.

Link


----------



## Edge80

*Shock expressed by methadone arrest*

TRYMAINE D. LEE , Staff Writer 
06/03/2004
The Trentonian 2004 

Shock expressed by methadone arrest 

Clients of the New Horizon Treatment Services, where an employee was arrested Tuesday after allegedly stealing nearly $400,000 worth of methadone, remained shocked yesterday as news of the arrest spread. 

George S. Williams, 50, of the xxxx Ingham Avenue, was held on $500,000 bail at his arraignment in Trenton Municipal Court Tuesday on charges of second-degree theft and possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, Lt. Joe Juniak, of the Trenton Police Department said.

Yesterday, as a summer’s slow drizzle began to fall upon a small group of addicts clustered outside the center on xxxx Perry Street, workers inside said they have been told not to comment.

Outside though, those combating addiction by way of the center’s massive resource of methadone, were in disbelief of Williams’ arrest.

"I can’t believe he would do that," one man said. "Unless he was framed."

The stream of those in need flowed steadily into a gathering outside the centers doors.

"He was a problem solver," said one petite woman.

"He really helped us out when we needed. He did his job good," she added.

A man, in his early to mid-20s, said Williams had been clean for close to 20 years, and encouraged each of them to take their fight for sobriety one day at a time.

Williams was a five-year New Horizon employee, and worked as a program aide. He was responsible for the safekeeping and security of the methadone stockpile at the treatment facility, police said.

Cops reported that Williams stole two gallons of liquid methadone hydrochloride -- the costly drug used to wean drug addicts from heroin use -- as well as four bottles of the drug, each containing 100 tablets.

Each gallon is worth $180,000. And each bottle of pills is worth about $1,000. The total for the stolen narcotics is about $360,000, police said.

Around 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, employees at New Horizon called police when a routine inventory of the locked room where themethadone is stored revealed the two one-gallon containers of liquid methadone and the bottles of methadone pills were missing.

Police from the Criminal Investigation Bureau locked down the facility to secure it and did not allow anyone to leave the building, Juniak said.

Detectives soon found the four bottles of methadone pills inside Williams’ white Buick, which remained yesterday in the clinic’s parking lot. 

Williams was arrested shortly after the pills were discovered. 

Police then called in officer Pete Szpakowsky and Roy, a police drug-sniffing dog. 

The dog sniffed out the two containers of liquid methadone concealed in a filing cabinet, Juniak said.

"Apparently, [Williams] had taken the bottles from the saferoom and was going to remove the two gallons of methadone from the premises in a cooler bag," Juniak said.

New Horizon began as a state-run operation in 1970 and was taken over by a private group of volunteers in 1984. 

The center is a last chance for many of the city’s addicts.

"Without this place we wouldn’t be able to function," a woman said yesterday.

"And all of us would be back on the street copping (buying drugs)," another chimed in. 

READ IT

[edit- address]


----------



## fruitfly

*Man in suicide case faces drug charges*

*Man in suicide case faces drug charges*
Authorities suspect he may have helped wife kill herself
By DAVID DOEGE, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
June 7, 2004

Waukesha - Drug charges were issued Monday against a man under investigation in the death of his wife in a possible assisted suicide.

Records filed in Waukesha County Circuit Court, meanwhile, indicate that authorities also are probing a report that the husband was suspended from his job as a pharmacist at a Milwaukee hospital after an internal investigation revealed that he had stolen morphine from the facility.

Police also have subpoenaed all "notes and reports" from "any staff, physician or other health care professional" who treated the husband at Waukesha Memorial Hospital, where he was taken after he and his dead wife were found by his brother, who was sent by their parents to check on the couple's welfare.

Kurt E. Kiesling, 32, of New Berlin was charged Monday with felony counts of possession of narcotic drugs and possession of marijuana and misdemeanor counts of possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. The criminal complaint bases the charges on items seized from the Kiesling home during the early stages of the investigation.

His wife, Tina Kiesling, 31, was pronounced dead in their home from an apparent drug overdose on May 18, according to Circuit Court records.

According to a police affidavit filed last month for search warrants in the investigation, an apparent joint suicide note penned by the husband and wife was received by Kurt Kiesling's parents, and his mother subsequently sent the brother to the apartment. The brother got into the apartment with the aid of the building manager, and they found the husband naked, groggy and bleeding, according to the affidavit.

The woman was dead, according to the affidavit, and the husband said he wished he were, too. He subsequently said that he had taken morphine the night before, and that his wife took "pills" with his help, according to the affidavit.

The warrants to obtain samples of blood and urine from the husband and to seize evidence from the couple's apartment indicate that police were investigating the woman's death as a possible illegal assisted suicide.

"Several vials of morphine, both full and empty, were found in the apartment," according to an affidavit police filed last week to subpoena records from St. Luke's Medical Center in Milwaukee, where Kurt Kiesling was employed. "During an autopsy of Tina Kiesling, the autopsy revealed an injection site in her right arm."

A subpoena for medical records at Waukesha Memorial Hospital indicates that Kurt Kiesling was suspended from St. Luke's on May 17 for taking morphine "for his own use."

The subpoena covers treatment records and the results of any blood or urine tests medical personnel conducted on Kurt Kiesling.

Waukesha County District Attorney Paul Bucher said Monday that if authorities are able to determine that Kurt Kiesling was sincere in his reported desire to kill himself, it will not affect the decision on whether he should be charged with illegally assisting his wife in her death.

"It's an ongoing investigation, and he is still presumed innocent, so there is not a lot I can say at this point," Bucher said. "But just because he might not have been successful in attempting to kill himself, I don't see why we couldn't pursue it if we're able to determine that he played a role in her death."

Bucher said he will not make a decision in the case until after the results of toxicological tests of the couple are known. He said it would be a matter of weeks before the results are available.

Waukesha County Court Commissioner Martin Binn set bail for Kiesling $1,500 Monday and scheduled a preliminary hearing for July 2.

Link


----------



## fruitfly

*Mother of 7 gets 3-year sentence for dealing weed*

*Mother's drug dealing funded gambling addiction*
The Press (NZ)
09 June 2004 

A mother of seven is behind bars after running tinny houses in Christchurch for six years to fund a gambling addiction. 

Jacqueline Margaret Tapine, 42, was yesterday jailed for three years by Justice Chisholm in the High Court at Christchurch after admitting charges of selling cannabis and two of money laundering. Police estimated she had banked more than $200,000 from cannabis dealing. 

Police noted multiple short-term visitors to Tapine's home, and when a visitor was found leaving with cannabis, they found cannabis foils and money inside. The selling charge covered dealing from April 1998 to March this year. 

Analysis by police showed $205,000 had been paid into her bank accounts, some of the money being used for gambling. 

*The judge said Tapine had claimed to be against hard drugs and supplied cannabis to family and friends with the aim of keeping them off hard drugs. *

She was previously jailed for cannabis dealing in 1997, but as soon as she was released she had returned to offending. 

"You have displayed an arrogant disregard for court orders. I hope that you will come right, but let me warn you if you don't, the sentence you get in the future is likely to be a good deal higher than the sentence today. 

"It is over to you to make something of your life, and you might give some thought to the young people who are dependent on you," he said. 

Defence counsel Alister James said Tapine operated only through her various homes, which were not tinny houses in the sense of only being used for selling cannabis. 

There was no evidence of accumulated wealth or assets, the money largely accounted for by a gambling addiction, especially to gaming machines. 

Prosecutor Kerryn Beaton said aggravating factors included the length of time and sheer scale of the offending, the previous related conviction and offending while on bail. 

It was not accepted Tapine did not run a tinny house and only sold to family and friends: "If it was only done with friends and whanau, she must have had an extremely large circle of close friends." 

Tapine explained away the multiple visitors by saying she was selling Lotto tickets. With responsibility for young children her family situation was unfortunate, but Tapine was prepared to sell drugs from home when children were present, Ms Beaton said. 

The judge acknowledged Tapine was a victim of abuse, and clearly had a major gambling problem. 

He ordered forfeiture of $1050 found by police at her home. 

Link


----------



## BA

*Firefighters find $3.4-million worth of drugs in house*

Chicago - June 12, 2004 — Firefighters responding to a house fire in the 5-thousand block of S. Maplewood in the Gage Park neighborhood found a huge surprise. 
Investigators say someone left $3-million dollars worth of marijuana in the basement. 

They also found $4-thousand dollars worth of cocaine. The drugs did not catch on fire. 

The fire started when a cigarette was left on a mattress. No one was home when firefighters arrived on the scene. 

Police have no one in custody. 


here


----------



## BA

*Banned ephedra found - State inspectors crack down*

(FL) State inspectors are cracking down on stores still selling ephedra products, banned by the federal government in early April.

The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has issued "stop-sales orders" to more than 180 stores in Florida still stocking the products, department spokesman Terence McElroy said.

In the Big Bend, records show the orders went to six convenience stores - four in Marianna, one in Wewahitchka and one in Tallahassee. Another went to ************.com, a sports and fitness nutrition store in Tallahassee's Lake Ella Plaza.

Ellik Hawkins, that shop's assistant manager, disputed the department's order: "As far as we're concerned, there were no ephedra products on our shelves."

Statewide cases

McElroy couldn't comment on specific cases but said inspectors found ephedra products statewide in late April and May, after the April 12 ban, during routine inspections. 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced the ban last year on products containing ephedra. In February, a medical examiner linked the death of Baltimore Orioles pitcher Steve Bechler to his use of an ephedra supplement, according to reports.

Ephedra is a naturally occurring substance; its active ingredient is ephedrine, claimed to aid in weight loss and heighten athletic performance, according to reports.

But, according to the FDA's Web site, "the use of ephedrine ... is associated with two to three times the risk of nausea, vomiting, psychiatric symptoms such as anxiety and change in mood, hyperactivity, and (heart) palpitations."



here


----------



## E-llusion

*Authorities take 1-year-old child into custody during meth lab bust*

* Authorities take 1-year-old child into custody during meth lab bust *

Saturday, June 12, 2004 5:19 PM CDT



D'IBERVILLE (AP) - Authorities have taken a 1-year-old child into custody and arrested five people after a narcotics enforcement squad found a methamphetamine lab at a home.

The lab allegedly used the red phosphorus method of manufacturing meth, a process that could have blown up a couple of surrounding blocks if anything had gone wrong, said Capt. Pat Pope of the Coastal Narcotics Enforcement Team. 

It also was the second time in a week that CNET has called the state Department of Human Services to remove a child from the presence of a methamphetamine lab. The other child was a 10-month-old, Pope said.

Arrested Thursday on charges of manufacturing and possessing meth are D'Iberville residents Andrew Tavis Smith, 26, and Darren Beau Cox, 21; Biloxi residents Dennis Vincent Walker, 26, and Glyn Forest Harbin, 26; and Sarah Jean Coffman, 21, of Saucier. 


They were being held at the Harrison County jail on bonds of $100,000 each for Smith and Cox and $20,000 each for the others.

Sheriff George H. Payne Jr. said officers received a tip about the lab from information developed by the Jackson County Narcotics Task Force. 

Authorities said they seized meth ingredients and an ounce of meth but said the lab was capable of producing one pound of meth, worth about $14,000 on the street.

Conviction of making meth in the presence of children younger than 18 is punishable by an enhanced penalty of up to 60 years in prison. 

Link


----------



## Witch Doctor

The lab allegedly used the red phosphorus method of manufacturing meth, a process that could have blown up a couple of surrounding blocks if anything had gone wrong, said Capt. Pat Pope of the Coastal Narcotics Enforcement Team. 

haha are they making meth or atomic bombs?


----------



## E-llusion

*Justice of the peace charged in drug case*

* Justice of the peace charged in drug case *

06/17/2004 

Associated Press 


The justice of the peace in Gold Hill has been charged with marijuana possession after he allegedly bought the drug from a police informant. 

Robert H. "Bob" King was cited by police and released late last week after he was caught with an eighth of an ounce of marijuana, said Mike Winters, the Jackson County sheriff. 

A woman who answered the telephone at King's house told the (Medford) Mail Tribune that King was on vacation. 

Winters said the investigation started when an informant told Jackson County authorities about previous drug sales made to King. 

On Friday, the informant wore an electronic recording device during a a sale, Winters said. 

Police allowed King to leave the home before pulling over his vehicle a short time later. Winters said deputies confronted King about the drugs, at which point he "relinquished" the marijuana. 

Winters said his department's use of the body wire was necessary to prove King was involved in drugs on a misdemeanor level. 

"This is a judge we're dealing with," Winters said. "We do use a lot of body wire, and felt it was necessary (because King is) a public official." 

King has been Gold Hill's justice of the peace since 1978. In 2002, he easily won a fifth six-year term on the bench. 

Dave Kanner, Jackson County's deputy administrator, said there is "no administrative way" to remove King from office because of criminal allegations. 

"He's elected, so there's not a whole heck of a lot we can do," Kanner said. 

King also serves as the appointed municipal court judge for the city of Butte Falls. Mayor Steve Harvey said Wednesday that city officials were unaware of the citation, but would discuss the matter. 

___ 

Information from: Mail Tribune 

Link


----------



## Edge80

*$75m Coke Bust*

By MURRAY WEISS
NY POST

$75M COKE BUST 


June 17, 2004 -- Cops swooped down on a Queens warehouse yesterday and grabbed more than 1,000 pounds of cocaine worth nearly $75 million as the drugs were about to be loaded into a van and sold on the streets. 
The lightning-swift action occurred early yesterday when a team of NYPD's narcotics cops picked up confidential information that one of the city's largest stashes of cocaine was being loaded into a small truck in Maspeth, authorities said. 

Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said the probe began in January when Queens narcotics investigators identified a Colombian drug ring that was importing cocaine and heroin for sale in the borough. 

The detectives decided to move in on the warehouse at 56-32 59th St. in an industrial enclave after they received word Tuesday night that the ring was about to move the cache. 

Cops charged Ivan Milano, 32, of Elmhurst, with criminal possession of narcotics, money laundering and weapons possession. 

In addition to finding cocaine, officers recovered two fully loaded weapons, a 9 mm Glock handgun and EA-15 rifle, and $190,000 in cash. 

"The drugs were on their way out the doors when we acted," said Kelly as he stood with Mayor Bloomberg and Queens DA Richard Brown behind tables covered with the seized drugs at police headquarters. 



"This seizure represents a huge hit to the underground narcotics economy," the commissioner added, saying the investigation was continuing. 

Brown said the raid "should serve as a warning" to drug traffickers that cops and prosecutors remain vigilant against them despite earmarking resources to the war on terrorism and "protecting the city." 

"We will continue to aggressively track them down and seek to put them in jail for long periods of time," Brown declared. 

The seizure was announced at a press conference held moments after the NYPD honored hero cops outside Police Headquarters. 

"It's fitting that on a day we honor hero police officers, we announce that outstanding police work has resulted in the biggest drug bust in two years," Bloomberg said. 

NY POST


----------



## E-llusion

*€4m damage chef to start drug rehab course*

online.ie 
2004-06-18 

A young chef, who caused almost €4m damage when he burned Grainger's public house and 'Bed and Breakfast' establishment in Baldoyle to the ground, will start a drug rehabilitation course next week. 

Gaven Kinsella will begin residential treatment in Coolmine Lodge next Tuesday after Judge Joseph Matthews said his urine analysis report was clean and adjourned the case until July 28 for mention to see how Kinsella was getting on in his course.

Mr Cormac Quinn BL, for Kinsella, said he had given up his job and he was now ready to go for treatment.

Judge Matthews told Kinsella that he deserved a chance because he was a first-time offender and there was a "fine" probation report before him. He had previously expressed concern that Kinsella had been abusing cannabis, ecstasy and cocaine since he last appeared in court.

He told Kinsella that he was prepared to allow him to take up a place in the Coolmine Lodge drug rehabilitation centre but added that if there was no improvement the next time he came before the court, he would have no alternative but to jail him for some years.

Kinsella, aged 20, from Templeview Way, Clare Hall, Baldoyle, a former lounge boy at Grainger's, pleaded guilty to recklessly damaging it by fire on January 10, 2002. 

The court previously heard that Kinsella put a match to a black plastic bag in a wheelie bin outside in Baldoyle when he was on his way home drunk 

He told gardaí he did it "for a laugh" and because he was "locked and being a fool". 

The lounge area, the 'B&B' and the adjacent shop, all the property of Mark Grainger, was completely destroyed as a result but seven people who were staying there managed to escape after they were alerted by the fire alarm.

Det Gda Paul O'Donohue said the damage totalled €3,809,214. Kinsella, who went home after lighting the match, went to the gardaí the following evening after he heard about the fire from a friend and read about it in an evening newspaper.

Mr Peter Thompson, who employed Kinsella as a chef in the Clontarf Court Hotel after the offence, said he was given a promotion after three months working for him and that he had the potential to become a "junior Conrad Gallagher".

He said: "There was no intent to burn down any premises. He was reckless, without any thought for the consequences. That's the bottom line. But it had a very traumatic effect, not just on a property, but on the lives of people, because of the stupid actions of a drunk youth."

Mr Grainger, who went through a similar arson on his public house in 1992, told the court he had been "to hell and back in the last 18 months" but his biggest concern when he arrived at the scene was the welfare of the seven people who were staying in the 'B&B'.

He said: "When I arrived, there was panic on the streets but the biggest heart attack I got was when I was asked to identify the people staying there because the premises was completely destroyed. Thank God they were all safe.

"I stood there in the street, seeing my business, that took me over 40 years to build, burn to the ground. I cannot describe in words the feelings of despair and lost hope I experienced that night."

Mr Grainger added that he suffered a personal financial loss of €1m and for the first year after the fire he was unable to get insurance. However, this year was insured for €70,000 when he previously was paying €23,000. He said this would take years to get over.

Judge Matthews offered Mr Grainger his utmost sympathy and wished him the best of luck in the future. He described him as a man of "great substance and integrity". 

Mr Martin Giblin SC, for Kinsella, said his client was now a light drinker but hadn't given up alcohol completely. He pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and gave himself up to the gardaí voluntarily.  

LInk


----------



## Tongue

i betcha theres a pissed off dealers(s) in NY right now..id like to see how they react to these types of situations..1000 pds of cocaine, my god thats a huge amount to just LOSE to the feds..


----------



## BA

A thousand fuckin pounds!!  

Holy shit, I'd OD for sure.


----------



## E-llusion

*Doctor Charged With Selling OxyContin Pills*

* Blue Bell Doctor Charged With Selling OxyContin Pills *

Doctor Allegedly Sold 300 Pills To Undercover Detective
June 18, 2004

A Blue Bell, Pa., physician was arrested and charged with selling more than 300 OxyContin tablets to a police informant and an undercover detective, authorities said.

Dr. Frank A. DeLia, 51, of Whitpain, Pa., was arraigned Thursday, several hours after his arrest. His bail was set at $1 million, District Justice Paul Leo said.

DeLia is accused of selling 280 tablets of OxyContin -- a powerful prescription painkiller -- to an undercover officer in exchange for $10,000 and 100 tabs of Ecstasy, according to court records. A week earlier, authorities said, he sold 60 Oxycontin pills to the informant for $2,100. 

DeLia faces multiple counts of possession and delivery of a controlled substance and related charges. He was being held in Montgomery County Prison and couldn't be reached for comment. It was not immediately clear if he had an attorney.

In 1995, DeLia was sentenced to 10 months in prison in connection with an insurance fraud scheme, authorities said. 

Link


----------



## sexualhealing

haha he deserves to go to jail with prices like those! lol...

wonder what size pills they were....

its almost entrapment paying someone that much money to do something so easy.  fuckin 10k for 280 pills and 100 e pills!!  damn!

he shoulda known something was fishy cuz of the high prices the guy paid...


----------



## Edge80

*Massive drugs haul in South Wales swoop*

Massive drugs haul in South Wales swoop 

Jun 19 2004







MORE than 250 people were arrested and thousands of pounds worth of illegal drugs were seized in crime-cracking raids across South Wales.

The biggest haul came in Cardiff, where £80,000 was discovered in one raid carried out as part of Operation Arrowhead, a cross-border crackdown on crime throughout the South Wales Police force area.

Police squads also busted a drugs factory in North Cornelly containing £10,000 of cannabis which they say was run by organised criminals, and arrested a local man in his 20s.

The raids began on Wednesday morning and carried on into the early hours of Thursday, with 258 people being arrested – including 73 for drug offences, 16 for burglary and 25 for assault and violent crimes.

It was the seventh sweep since Operation Arrowhead was launched in May last year and took the arrest total past the 1,000 mark.

Here


----------



## Edge80

*Busts net 40 pounds of drugs*

Busts net 40 pounds of drugs

Saturday, June 19, 2004
By SEAN C. McCULLEN
Staff Writer 


BRIDGETON -- Police recovered a total of more than 40 pounds of marijuana in separate busts at Church Street and Manheim Avenue homes Friday. 

Three city residents were charged in connection with the marijuana busts, which ironically came about while police were not even looking for narcotics. 


"I would be thrilled to say this was the result of a long, detailed narcotics investigation," Det. Lt. Michael Gaimari said, "but I'm just happy that it was the result of good police work by Sgt. James Battavio and his men and the (Anti-Crime Team)." 

Gaimari said late Friday that police had "nothing firm" to indicate the marijuana distribution operations were connected. 

Police recovered slightly more than 15 pounds of marijuana from a 100-block Church Street home Friday morning after responding there to search for a weapon pertaining to an unrelated case, according to Lt. Dan Mourning. 

Police found themselves in a similar situation later Friday when they responded to a Manheim Avenue home for a report of a burglar alarm, and spotted a substantial amount of marijuana lying in a clothes basket. 

"It's funny, you don't come here looking for that when you first get here. But then you see a little bit of paraphernalia or the drugs, and it turns the investigation in a completely different direction," said Battavio, whose shift was on duty at the time marijuana was discovered at both homes. 

Battavio, who along with other officers had to wait outside the Manheim Avenue home for roughly five hours while awaiting a search warrant, later reported that approximately 25 pounds of marijuana was recovered there. 

Police initially noticed a smaller amount of marijuana -- what Battavio described as roughly 20 small bags, packaged for distribution, inside a Christmas-style bag -- at the 400-block Manheim Avenue home when they initially entered around 2:45 p.m. after finding someone had kicked in a door at the rear of the residence. 

Ptl. Shawn Reed, while awaiting the arrival of a forensics officer to process the scene for fingerprints or other evidence related to the burglary, observed the clothes basket full of marijuana when he glanced into a mirror that was on the ground. 

"Once we found the larger quantity of drugs, we went outside and secured the house," Battavio said around 4:45 p.m. as officers continued to wait for the search warrant. 

Battavio noted during the afternoon that it appeared as if the individual(s) who burglarized the home had stolen some marijuana. 

The residents of the Manheim Avenue home -- 22-year-old Antwon McGriff and 20-year-old Ivy Phillips -- were taken into police custody upon arriving home. Both were later charged with first-degree possession of marijuana and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, according to Gaimari. 

Both McGriff and Phillips were lodged in the county jail in lieu of $100,000 cash bail. 

Gaimari estimated the street value of the marijuana found in McGriff and Phillips' home at $20,000. He also noted police seized $1,300 from their home. 

One man was charged in connection with the marijuana bust on Church Street earlier Friday. 

Desmond H. Donaldson, 39, was charged with first-degree possession of marijuana, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and possession of drug paraphernalia for the 15 pounds of marijuana recovered in his 100-block Church Street home. 

Donaldson was lodged in the county jail in lieu of $100,000 cash bail, according to Lt. Bobby Sawyers. 

Gaimari estimated the street value of the marijuana recovered at Donaldson's home at $12,000. 

Marijuana packaging materials, a scale and a small amount of currency were also recovered from Donaldson's home. 

Battavio, Reed, patrolmen Brian Murphy, Luis Santiago and Joseph Lopez, and sheriff's department K-9 Officer John Butsky contributed to the Church Street investigation and search, according to Mourning. 

Battavio, Reed, patrolmen Thomas Gramp and Keristen Lowe, ACT Det. Sgt. David Saul and ACT Det. Mike Phillips worked on the Manheim Avenue search. 

Police Chief Jeffrey Wentz commended all of the work of all officers involved Friday night. 

"Their quick response and attentiveness led to a substantial amount of marijuana being recovered and three dealers being arrested and taken off the streets," he said. 



LINK


----------



## Edge80

*Former nurse charged in OxyContin scheme*

Former nurse charged in OxyContin scheme

The Associated Press
BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) - A former nurse in Fletcher Allen Health Care's oncology department has been charged with writing fraudulent prescriptions for painkillers and selling the drugs. 

Christy Dolbey, 35, of Milton is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Burlington on 44 counts of conspiracy to illegally distribute and dispense more than 3,000 prescription painkillers. 

Thomas Erickson, 40, Dolbey's husband and one of several individuals to whom she allegedly wrote prescriptions, also faces the same 44 charges. 

The indictment alleges that Dolbey used her prescription-writing authority at Fletcher Allen to write Erickson and another individual about 50 prescriptions for opiate-based drugs from September 2003 to May. After they returned the filled prescriptions to Dolbey, she and Erickson sold a portion of the pills, prosecutors said. 

The list of prescribed drugs includes more than 3,000 OxyContin pills. Also known as oxycodone hydrochloride, OxyContin is prescribed as a moderate- to high-level pain reliever. When crushed, however, the addictive drug can deliver a heroin-like high. 

Police executed search warrants at Dolbey's Milton home and work space at Fletcher Allen on May 18, according to court documents. 

Fletcher Allen spokesman Mike Noble said patients in the oncology department were not affected by Dolbey's actions. 

If convicted, Dolbey and Erickson could face up to 20 years in prison and fines of up to $1 million on each of the 44 counts.




Link


----------



## Edge80

*Cops Bust Panthers For Guns, Pot*

June 19, 2004 -- A group of Black Panthers was busted in Harlem last night when cops found guns and drugs in their rental car, police sources said. 
The group was pulled over at the corner of West 134 and Seventh Avenue after plainclothes Manhattan North Borough Crime cops spotted them smoking pot as they drove by in a rented Ford Taurus, sources said. 

Cops found two loaded guns — a .38 caliber revolver and a .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol — along with a small amount of marijuana in the car. There was also a large amount of Black Panther literature, including recruitment material found in the rental car, police said. 

Cops arrested all four men: Lamont Melton, 29, of East Orange, N.J.; Jamarle Jones, 32, of White Haven, Penn.; Vernon Robinson, 36, and Jamarhi Crawford, 33, both of Massachusetts. 

They were charged with criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of marijuana. 

It was unclear what the group was doing in Harlem, but according to sources, they said they were heading to the National Hip-Hop Political Convention being held in Newark, N.J. 

Zach Haberman 


here


----------



## Edge80

Kind of stupid same thing happened to someone i know they got caught selling K to an undercover.  The undercover was willing to pay alot for 1 case of k.  Next thing you know after the deal the kid got arrested.


----------



## Dr. McBudstoke

i wish my doctor was that cool. i could just pop in for a check-up and pop out with a smile on my face.


----------



## Edge80

*China deals harshly with drug-related crimes*

YUNNAN, June 20 (Xinhuanet) -- 

 China cracked a total of 546,900 drug-related criminal cases in five years from 1998 to 2003, seizing 51.03 tons of heroin and uprooted 427 hectares of opium poppy, according to the Ministry of Public Security Sunday. 

    Statistics available show that 235,600 crime suspects were arrested for producing, trafficking and selling drugs over the past five year period, and 52.43 tons of "ice", or methamphetamine hydrochloride, 14.73 tons of opium and 1,412.5 tons of chemicals that could be used to make drugs were confiscated in the same period. 

    A source with the ministry owned the achievements to the strike-hard policies of China's narcotics control units in combating drug-related crimes and highly-effective measures and substantial efforts the related units and localities across China have made inthe war on the drug-related criminal cases. 

    The building of drug-free villages and communities, as well as active involvement in the international narcotics control efforts,acknowledged the source, were all contributed to the victory over drug-related crimes in the country. 

    Despite the achievements, Zhou Yongkang, head of the National Narcotics Control Commission, on Sunday called for governments and narcotics control departments at all levels to attach still greater importance to the work of narcotics control. 

    Efforts are urgently required to curb production and sales of drugs and stem the increase in the number of drug addicts to reduce the harmful effects of drugs, Zhou told a national meeting on drug control, which was being held in Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan province. 

    Zhou, a state councilor as well as a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, noted that situation remain stark though remarkable success had been attained in China's work to combat drug-related crimes. 

    "A harsh blow has to be dealt to drug-related criminal cases incompliance with law, and greater efforts must be made to spread knowledge on drugs among the general public so as to improve theirawareness of drug control," he underscored. 

    China now boasts an anti-drug police force of about 17,000 members, and its central government has input more than 600 million yuan (72.55 million US dollars) for drug control efforts over the past five years. 



link


----------



## Edge80

*Interpreter charged with cocaine trafficking*

Interpreter charged with cocaine trafficking

A federal judge denies bail to Juan A. Giraldo, who has an office in the law firm run by the father and brother of Providence Mayor David N. Cicilline.


01:00 AM EDT on Tuesday, June 22, 2004


BY W. ZACHARY MALINOWSKI
Journal Staff Writer


PROVIDENCE -- An interpreter and investigator for several prominent defense lawyers in Providence was arrested at Logan International Airport in Boston last week on cocaine-trafficking charges.

Agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration stopped Juan A. Giraldo, 39, of East Greenwich, eight days ago as he, his girlfriend and two companions were about to board a flight for Colombia with more than $40,000 in their possession, the authorities said.

In recent years, Giraldo has worked for lawyers John F. "Jack" Cicilline and John M. Cicilline. They are the father and brother of Mayor David N. Cicilline.

The Cicillines said that Giraldo has an office in their law firm at 387 Atwells Ave., and he had previously worked with them in their offices on Dorrance Street and in Puerto Rico. They said that Giraldo also has provided services for lawyers Joseph A. Bevilacqua and Matthew B. Smith.

The Cicillines said Giraldo served as a Spanish interpreter and also did investigative work for them.

"This guy is a good guy," said John M. Cicilline, the mayor's brother. "He's a friend."

Cicilline also said that he had been helping Giraldo and others try to market an energy drink in South America, but he said they are not business partners.

"I'm hoping if they make it big they will remember me," he said.

On June 14, DEA agents got a signed arrest warrant for Giraldo in U.S. District Court, Providence, that charged him with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. The next day, June 15, Giraldo's sister, Clara Vasquez, 40, of Providence, was arrested at her home and charged with the same offenses.

If convicted, Giraldo and Vasquez face a minimum of 5 years and a maximum of 40 years in prison.

According to an affidavit attached to the arrest warrant, DEA Special Agent James J. McCormack received information last November from an unnamed paid informant that Giraldo was "selling multikilogram quantities of cocaine."

From March 4 through March 25, the informant, under the supervision of the DEA, began an undercover drug investigation into the activities of Giraldo and Vasquez.

During the course of the probe, the affidavit says, the informant secretly recorded several phone conversations in which he arranged to buy a kilogram of cocaine from Giraldo for $23,000.

On March 14, the informant arranged a meeting to buy the cocaine.

The affidavit says that DEA agents set up surveillance outside Vasquez's home at 25 Lubec St., in Providence's Wanskuck section. The informant was in the house.

At 9 a.m., the agents saw Louis Giraldo, Juan's brother, enter the house. At 12:38 p.m., Juan Giraldo arrived, stayed for about five minutes and left, the affidavit says.

The informant later told the DEA agents that, during that time, the Giraldo brothers had agreed to sell him the kilogram of cocaine. At about 1:45 p.m., the informant left the house to buy food for Vasquez at a neighborhood market. DEA agents met him there.

The informant returned to the house, and the kilogram of cocaine was "sitting on the kitchen table," according to the affidavit.

"Vasquez later told [the informant] that after she sent [the informant] out to buy food, Louis Giraldo had gotten the kilogram and dropped it off in the kitchen," the affidavit says.

Louis Giraldo has not been charged in the case.

The informant left with the cocaine and turned it over to the DEA agents.

A few hours later, DEA agents gave him $24,500 to pay Juan Giraldo for the drugs. (The affidavit says the informant had negotiated a price of $23,000 and agreed to give Vasquez $1,500 for arranging the deal.)

He delivered the money to Vasquez, the affidavit says. Later, Juan Giraldo arrived at the house, went to the bedroom with Vasquez and emerged to tell the informant that he was satisfied all the money was there, the affidavit says.

LAST FRIDAY, Giraldo and Vasquez were escorted in handcuffs and prison uniforms into the federal courthouse in Providence for a lively hearing to determine whether they would be released on bail.

Jack Cicilline, Giraldo's lawyer, argued for his release, saying that Giraldo has permanent-residence status and had no previous arrests since arriving in this country from Colombia 17 years ago.

"This is a single incident that the government is alleging in this case," Cicilline said. "If he is involved at all, it's simply at arm's length."

John M. Cicilline also made a pitch for Vasquez's release. He noted that she has no prior criminal history and has lived in Rhode Island for almost 20 years.

Cicilline identified the DEA informant as Vasquez's former husband, whom he said she recently divorced.

William Weinreb, an assistant U.S. Attorney in Boston, countered that Giraldo and Vasquez were not novices in the drug trade. He argued that evidence gathered by the DEA shows that they had worked with large quantities of cocaine and money. He also accused Giraldo of engaging in "counter-surveillance efforts."

Weinreb also told the court that, on April 5, Vasquez and a companion were stopped at Miami International Airport with about $173,000 in cash. He said that Vasquez had about $105,000 hidden in her girdle, while the companion was carrying the rest of the money. During questioning, Weinreb said that Vasquez told agents that the money belonged to her brother, Juan Giraldo, and she was going to Colombia to buy a house.

Weinreb also told the court that a "drug dog" detected cocaine on the wrapping that sealed the money and that Juan Giraldo's fingerprint had been lifted from the wrapping.

Judge Magistrate Robert W. Lovegreen was troubled by the defense arguments that Giraldo and Vasquez were novices in the drug trade. He questioned how an interpreter could accumulate large amounts of cash and live in a pricey home in East Greenwich.

Records from the East Greenwich tax assessor's office show that, in January 2001, Giraldo paid $401,270 for a condominium at 25 Field Stone Drive.

Lovegreen, who reviewed DEA transcripts in his chamber, concluded that Giraldo was a "major player in the drug trade."

"These transcripts," Lovegreen said, "are, in my opinion, devastating." He ordered Giraldo and Vasquez held without bail.

After the hearing, John F. Cicilline was asked how Giraldo accounted for the large sums of cash and his lifestyle. He said that Giraldo worked hard as an interpreter and had plenty of success at the blackjack tables at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut.

"He was a pretty good gambler," Cicilline said. "He was pretty successful."


link


----------



## Edge80

*Police Seize Two Large Loads of Marijuana*

Police Seize Two Large Loads of Marijuana  

Tuesday June 22, 2004 12:35pm  

Hope (AP) - State officials have confiscated about one and a half tons of marijuana on two separate busts in the past week.

U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration officials are investigating whether there's a link between the two busts.

Saturday evening, the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department's police found more than two thousand pounds of the drug inside a tractor-trailer near Hope on Interstate 30.

The truck's driver, 25-year-old Jose Trevino of Roma, Texas, is in the Hempstead County Jail Tuesday awaiting arraignment.

On Friday, state police found 970 pounds of marijuana in a horse trailer on Interstate 40 in Forrest City. The driver, 22-year-old Jason Bradley Boykin of Avalon, Texas, is in St. Francis County Jail Tuesday on a $100,00 bond

Original Article


----------



## Edge80

*Police Bust Suspected Meth Lab*

Anderson Police Bust Suspected Meth Lab
June 23, 2004


An Anderson father and his son are suspected of running a meth lab out of the father's Madison County home. Police say the methamphetamine lab is the first-ever found in their city.

"I just wish I never picked that stuff up and brought it here," said suspect Henry Watson.

That “stuff” is ingredients to make methamphetamine. Watson says he's innocent, but he and his 19-year old son, Anthony, are accused of running one of the largest meth labs in the county.

"It was in my garage and I had it here 14 hours, if that," continued Watson.

His Anderson home is the center of a meth lab investigation. Police say they found the set-up in Watson's garage after a police officer smelled ether.

"For him to smell that odor -- the officer -- they had to be in the process of cooking something or preparing it. Ether is very strong," said Sgt. William Casey of the Anderson Police Department.

Watson -- who is out of jail on bond -- told News 8 that he was looking for property to buy and that's when he got the supplies from a farm. 

"I thought it was worth some money. I didn't know what it was."

Police were tipped off from by Wal-mart employee who said Anthony Watson and a 17-year old female bought an excessive amount of Sudafed, which police say is a key ingredient in making meth. Police say people are only allowed to buy three boxes of Sudafed or cold medicine with ephedrine in it during a certain period of time.

"My son has allergies. We do yard work. He went to Wal-mart and got some cold pills," argued Watson.

“They put us all on the kitchen floor. They come on in through about 3 o'clock in the morning and said they could smell a strong odor,” explained Watson of their arrest.

"You had the propane, different types of gases, stuff that you could use when you're in the process of making meth,” countered Casey. “You take a meth lab in the city [and] you take a big risk as far as explosions of ether and the ammonia. So folks in rural areas have places, little buildings they can put their stuff in and make their drugs away from their home and other people."

Police say it was an elaborate set-up, including instructions on how to make the drug.

"It had a bunch of stuff in these tubs, these tanks. I didn't know what was in it. You know, I guess I was just curious to what it was and what was in it. I didn't even know what meth was," argued Watson

Police say both father and son have no prior police record. They are out of jail on $20,000 bond each.

Police say their charges include dealing meth and operating an illegal drug lab. If convicted, they each could face up to 20 years in prison.

Link


----------



## Schizomanic

I concur


----------



## fruitfly

*Navy pilot gets four years for smuggling ecstasy*

*Navy pilot gets four years for smuggling ecstasy*
BY ELAINE WILSON, Anacortes American 
June 23, 2004 

A former Navy lieutenant and resident of Anacortes who used his position as a pilot with an elite air unit to smuggle the party drug ecstasy into the United States was sentenced last week to four years in prison.

"This case is a shame," said Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald J. Friedman in a sentencing memorandum.

"Alan Vaughn, 29 years old, had a promising career in the Navy as an officer and a pilot, for which he had worked long and hard to achieve, and has now lost due to his involvement with drugs."

Vaughn was given an "other than honorable" discharge from the Navy and ordered to forfeit a 1997 Honda Accord and a 2004 Mercedes Benz that he used to transport the drugs, according to Emily Langlie, public affairs officer for the U.S. Attorney's office.

Vaughn was arrested on Feb. 21, when Customs officials at the Blaine Peach Arch border crossing found a bag containing about half a pound of white powder concealed under his shirt, according to court documents filed by the U.S. Attorney on Feb. 23.

"There was enough for well over 1,000 doses," Langlie said. The street value of the ecstasy was about $20 per dose, according to the charging document.

"He presented his military credentials at the border, believing his status would facilitate his entry. Unbeknownst to him, border inspectors had already received a tip that he would be crossing with drugs," Friedman said.  
Vaughn's arrest followed a two-month investigation by agents of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency and the Navy Criminal Investigative Service, officials said.

After a Miranda warning, Vaughn admitted that he was smuggling ecstasy into the United States and that he had successfully smuggled it from Canada on at least one prior occasion, according to the charging document. He later pleaded guilty to a felony count of importation of ecstasy, Langlie said.

Friedman said that Vaughn started as an ecstasy user and then began trafficking in the drug to earn quick extra money.

Vaughn had been assigned to administrative duties with Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 10 at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island since May 2002, according to Lt. Anne Cossitt, public affairs officer for the U.S. Navy's Western Command.

Prior to that, Vaughn flew P3-C Orion reconnaissance planes with one of the wing's operations units, she said.  

Friedman said it was hard to understand why someone with so much would risk it all for so little.

"Even after meeting with Mr. Vaughn at the Federal Detention Center and hearing his explanations, it is still difficult to understand," he said. 

Link


----------



## ElaStiK Clouds

*Re: Police Bust Suspected Meth Lab*



			
				Edge80 said:
			
		

> [ Police say people are only allowed to buy three boxes of Sudafed or cold medicine with ephedrine in it during a certain period of time.



wtf? i never knew this.  Does anyone know whats the maximun amout your allowed to buy? or how long you have to wait untill you buy more?


----------



## toolazy2think

I was with my mom while she was buiing a bunch of shit for us and to give to my bro to take to college, and wallmart hassled her about buying all the cold medicine, she didn't understand why, when we were leaving I explained to her that the stuff could be used to make meth...believe it or not this was before I was really into drugs, I just had alot of knowledge


----------



## Edge80

*Agent may have let drugs into U.S. for year, FBI says*

Agent may have let drugs into U.S. for year, FBI says
Area crime: inspector formally charged

Friday, June 25, 2004 
Louie Gilot
El Paso Times

Victor Calzada / El Paso Times 

Federal officers walked customs inspector Gerardo Diaz, center, to the federal courthouse Thursday.

Gerardo Diaz, the customs inspector who was arrested Wednesday for allegedly turning a blind eye to a shipment of cocaine passing through his lane at the Zaragoza Bridge on June 11, might have been waving drug cargos through for at least a year and a half, FBI officials said. 

Diaz, 43, appeared before U.S. District Judge Richard P. Mesa on Thursday afternoon to hear his charges read to him -- conspiracy to import over 5 kilograms of cocaine and bribery, which could send him to prison from 10 years to life. 

Diaz started as a customs agent about eight years ago, officials of Customs and Border Protection said. He was paid about $37,500 a year, plus overtime. He allegedly received $6,000 for his illegal work June 11. 

FBI officials said that they had been investigating Diaz since early last year on suspicion of corruption but that he was "extremely savvy and careful in dealing with intermediaries and avoiding surveillance," FBI spokesman Art Werge said. 

Corrupt agents who operate at international crossings usually meet with drug dealers in advance and tell them which lane to cross in, what time to cross and how to mark their vehicle, Werge said. 

In March, another inspector at the Zaragoza Bridge was arrested for allegedly allowing undocumented women into the United States in exchange for sexual favors. 

Anyone with information on Diaz may call the FBI at 832-5000. 
Link


----------



## E-llusion

*Ex-police chief held for allegedly trafficking cocaine*

* Ex-police chief held for allegedly trafficking cocaine *

June 23.2004

MIAMI (AP) — The former director general of Haiti's national police was ordered held until trial on charges he took bribes to protect Colombian cocaine heading to the United States. 

Despite pledges of more than $500,000 in bail money from relatives, U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrea Simonton said Tuesday that Jean Nesly Lucien's wealth and a potential 30 years to life sentence upon conviction were "a powerful incentive for him to flee." 

The drug conspiracy charge filed against Lucien last month was based on information from a convicted drug trafficker and two former Haitian officials who allege Lucien profited by keeping U.S. drug agents from intercepting planes filled with Colombian cocaine. Lucien's lawyer dismissed the reports as sketchy and unreliable. 

Lucien, 33, was arrested May 28 after flying to Boston for his daughter's high school graduation.

He worked for Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide before he was ousted in 1991, and again after Aristide returned to power. He's one of five Aristide loyalists held on U.S. charges since Aristide went into exile Feb. 29.

Lucien's indictment is expected before a scheduled arraignment July 7.

LInk


----------



## Edge80

*93 arrested, drugs grabbed after 4-month probe*

93 arrested, drugs grabbed after 4-month probe


By RITA BAUER The Sunday News Staff Writer June 26, 2004 




Tullahoma police narcotics investigators and the Coffee County District Attorney General's Office Drug Task Force ended a four-month-long undercover drug dealing operation Friday.  

Tullahoma police narcotics investigators and the Coffee County District Attorney General's Office Drug Task Force ended a four-month-long undercover drug dealing operation Friday with the arrests of at least 93 persons and the confiscation of a large variety of illegal drugs.

The seized drugs ranged from crack cocaine and methamphetamine to the prescription pain killer oxycontin.
The drugs, with a street value of more than $23,000, were purchased at various locations in Tullahoma by an undercover police officer certified with the U.S. Department of Justice Drug Task Force, who posed as a drug abuser to make the "buys," Tullahoma Police Narcotics Investigator Brent Perry said.
The alleged drug dealers arrested Friday range in age from 18 to 70, according to Perry. They are expected to be indicted on 187 different drug related offenses with arraignments scheduled for later this month in Coffee County Circuit Court.
"Those arrested were mostly dealing in crack cocaine and meth. Other drugs are involved, but those are the two main ones," Perry said.
"Drugs were being sold all over town, anywhere from residential neighborhoods to housing projects, in bars and at a local restaurant.
"Besides buying drugs, undercover officers also bought guns with dope, and there will be federal charges against some individuals for having guns in their possession while selling drugs," he added.
The undercover officer involved in most of the cases said pre-planning and cooperation between all of the law enforcement officials involved were essential to making the operation successful and safe.
"We had a suspect who had a gun while we were buying the drugs, so we did have some kind of hairy situations," he said. "But the Tullahoma Police Department, and especially Brent Perry and Earl Morse, along with Chad Partin of the 18th Judicial Drug Task Force and all of the surrounding law enforcement agencies involved did an excellent job on the entire operation."
"This is one of the largest undercover operations to take place here in recent times," Tullahoma Police Narcotics Investigator Earl Morse said.
"We'd like to express our appreciation for all the assistance we received from the surrounding law enforcement agencies. The reason we use so many officers to conduct this type of operation and make all of the arrests is so that we can try to do it safely for those being arrested and for us."
Tullahoma police and the Drug Task Force unit were assisted in the "round-up" of the nearly 100 persons arrested Friday by the Coffee, Franklin and Moore County Sheriff's Departments, Manchester and Lavergne Police Departments, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission and the Veteran's Administration.
A total of 56 officers from those law enforcement agencies were involved in arresting the suspects throughout Friday afternoon, Perry said.
All of those arrested were taken to the Tullahoma Police Department for processing, then transported to the Coffee County Jail, resulting in an overload of the jail's 196-inmate capacity. Sheriff Steve Graves reported as many as 250 inmates were being housed at the jail following the arrests Friday.
As Tullahoma Mayor Steve Cope said in a statement, the arrests were "the culmination of more than 4 months of good undercover law enforcement work.
"This was a joint operation" among the agencies mentioned, Cope added, and "several (arrested) were repeat offenders. Defendants involved in the arrests are a broad cross-section of the local population."
Cope cited Detective Brent Perry and Detective Earl Morse, and "a big thank you goes to Officer Nick Watson as well. This is the third time that Nick has worked undercover here and he has been an invaluable asset to the fight against illegal drugs in Tullahoma, Coffee County and the surrounding area.
"Coffee County has a strong support group in law enforcement beginning with District Attorney Mickey Layne, and the Drug Task Force, led by Agent Billy Cook. Sheriff Steve Graves and his staff have been great to support Tullahoma as well. Chief J. C. Ferrell and Captain Ron Cunningham have provided leadership and oversight to the operation.
"Tullahoma wishes to express its appreciation to all of these agencies for their assistance with this critical effort. These men and women put their lives in danger every day to protect and serve our Community. I have personally seen these officers in action and they are dedicated to their work. They not only work here, they live here and are raising their families here," Cope added.
"This is one of the largest round-ups in Tullahoma's history and is a testament to the excellence of the Tullahoma Police Department and their dedication to protecting our Community and making it a safer place to live and raise our families." 



Here


----------



## fruitfly

*Justice cited for marijuana possession*
Jackson County might reassign his staff to a new court
The Associated Press
June 27, 2004

A justice of the peace was cited for possession of a small amount of marijuana, leaving the Gold Hill Justice Court at loose ends.

Justice Robert Henry King faces a noncriminal charge of possession of less than one ounce of marijuana, filed in Jackson County Circuit Court on Thursday.

Although King remains on the county’s payroll, his workload was drastically reduced after Sheriff Mike Winters decided to reroute his department’s citations from the Gold Hill Justice Court to state Circuit Court in Medford. Winters gave no specific reason for taking his noncriminal cases out of King’s court, saying that he felt it was “an integrity issue.”

Even if the court has virtually no caseload, the county still has to pay King, deputy county administrator Dave Kanner said. The 59-year-old justice works part time and is paid about $36,000 per year. His salary is fixed for the next year.

The county likely has no legal authority to close Justice Court but is considering reassigning King’s staff to a court scheduled to open in Central Point next month, Kanner said. The county’s Southern Justice Court was created in March to handle citations written by a group of sheriff’s deputies who deal solely with traffic enforcement. Winters formed the new traffic group after hearing that the county had a high rate of death and injury caused by auto crashes.

King was not available for comment. A voice recording on his answering machine said that King is on vacation, Kanner said.

Link


----------



## Edge80

*Kan. Authorities Find $2 Million Drug Stash*

Kan. Authorities Find $2 Million Drug Stash


Discovery Made After Car Chase, Crash

POSTED: 8:54 pm CDT June 28, 2004
UPDATED: 9:01 pm CDT June 28, 2004

WILSON, Kan. -- Russell County authorities say they've found about $2 million worth of illegal drugs, including 69,000 tablets of Ecstasy.

The drugs were discovered Sunday after a chase that began 10 miles west of the Wilson exit on Interstate 70. The chase ended in a crash that sent two people to area hospitals.

The Russell County Sheriff's Department says a deputy pulled over the car for a minor traffic violation. The driver of the car gave the deputy permission to search the vehicle, but the driver then sped off while the car was being searched, authorities said. 

The deputy pursued the car, which later ran off the highway and rolled several times.

The driver and a passenger were thrown from the car and taken to hospitals.
Link


----------



## Edge80

*Haitian drug cop charged with bribery, conspiracy*

Posted on Mon, Jun. 28, 2004 





Haitian drug cop charged with bribery, conspiracy

BY ANN W. O'NEILL

South Florida Sun-Sentinel


(KRT) - Evintz Brillant, once Haiti's top drug cop, pleaded innocent Monday to charges of scheming with another top Haitian police official to import cocaine into the United States.

Brillant, 33, was a member of the Haitian National Police for nine years and once was seen as a man on the rise. He was being groomed to replace Rudy Therassan, chief of investigations.

Now both men are fighting charges that could send them to prison for the rest of their lives.

Brillant, 33, surrendered last month at the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince in connection with a wide-ranging U.S. probe of drugs, money and corruption. He was among five Haitian government and police officials arrested since President Jean-Bertrand Aristide left the country Feb. 29.

Court documents allege that as Haiti's top drug officer, Brillant was thoroughly corrupted by the cocaine and money that passed through the island between Colombia and the United States.

According to an affidavit filed prior to his indictment, Brillant stopped and arrested drug traffickers to shake them down for bribes. He allegedly participated in a $450,000 seizure at the Port-au-Prince airport; police returned the drug money after skimming off $150,000.

Several former Haitian police and drug traffickers are cooperating with a U.S. investigation of Haitian officials who allegedly took payoffs to protect Colombian cocaine heading to Miami.

According to court affidavits, a convicted Haitian cocaine trafficker later identified in court as Beaudouin "Jacques" Kentant has identified Brillant as a member of his organization, placing him and other police officials at his villa for strategy sessions.

here


----------



## holyfilth88

found about $2 million worth of illegal drugs, including 69,000 tablets of Ecstasy.



*DROOL*



HF


----------



## Edge80

*Customs seize $4.3million in Cocaine*

Customs seize $4.3million in Cocaine

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers working at the El Paso Port of Entry seized 145.5 pounds of cocaine this weekend. Officers seized the drugs in two separate incidents at the Paso del Norte bridge in the span of 24 hours. CBP EL Paso port director said, "The dedication of our officers is being reflected in the huge increase in the amount of cocaine seizures being made at the El Paso port."

The larger of the two seizures occurred Saturday afternoon as a CBP officer selected a 2003 Toyota Camry for further inspection because the driver was extremely nervous. CBP drug sniffing dog "Sandy" searched the car and alerted inspectors to floor. A total of 37 cocaine-filled bundles weighing nearly 90 pounds were removed.

A 55.8 pound seizure was made late Sunday morning, as CBP officer observed "anomalies" in the appearance of the 1989 Dodge Ram and sent the truck to the secondary inspection area. During the secondary inspection, CBP drug sniffing dog "Merlin" alerted officers to the gas tank. Officers removed the tank and found two containers with the cocaine bundles.

The approximate combined value of the seized drugs is $4.5million. Since the beginning of 2004, CBP officers have seized over 2,500 pounds of cocaine in 52 incidents.
Link


----------



## Edge80

*Football leads to drug bust*

Football leads to drug bust
By Craig Boerner, cboerner@nashvillecitypaper.com
June 30, 2004

Drug suspect Tommy Strong was tossing a blue and white Nerf football in the air near Sam Levy Homes on Saturday morning but all indications are that he wasn’t looking for a game of catch. Metro police say hidden inside was 23.1 grams of crack and powder cocaine.

East Precinct officers Chad Holman and Randall Papadinec were doing their routine patrols in separate vehicles when they first noticed Strong, 40, and his football. The suspect saw them and got out of sight, according to police.

“We hang around that area and try to weed everything out and we noticed this guy trolling around,” Holman said. “Every time he would see us he would just stop what he was doing and turn around and walk the other way. It raised our suspicions, obviously.”

Holman said the Sam Levy Homes are pretty much vacant due to impending renovation although “a lot of the crackheads have been breaking in the doors and using them for big party palaces.”

“We are very vigilant about watching public housing, attempting to keep people who don’t belong there out of there,” Metro Police spokesman Don Aaron said. “For a long time we have had problems with persons who don’t belong in public housing causing the problems in public housing.” 

Thirty minutes after the first sighting the officers encountered Strong again, this time crossing Lischey Avenue.

They stopped the suspect to engage him in a conversation, asking his name and whether he was carrying any drugs.

“He dropped the football and I thought he dropped something else in the bushes,” Holman said. “He left the football about 15 feet from where he was standing. I asked his name and he told me and I said ‘have you got anything on you?’ and he pulled a crack pipe out of his right pocket and said ‘that’s it, that’s all I’ve got’ but he started acting real nervous.”

The officers knew they had Strong on paraphernalia charges so they cuffed him because they sensed he was about to take off running. Officer Papadinec ran the suspect for warrants and learned he had a warrant for his arrest on file for trespassing in the same place. 

Holman said, after searching the bushes, it was time to get back to business but admits that he never would have guessed the football he was about to pick up contained the evidence.

“I think I was going to toss it to myself and I just felt something shaking and I thought that doesn’t seem right,” he said.

“[The suspect] had torn it or ripped it so good that you could hardly see where it had been opened. I started prying around and right where the laces on the football are I peeled it apart and inside was 23.1 grams, maybe a little bit bigger than a golf ball.”

Strong was charged with possession of cocaine for resale, criminal trespassing, possession of drug paraphernalia and failure to be booked on a prior trespassing citation. His bond was set at $21,000.

Holman said the street value of the drugs came to $5,000.  

Link


----------



## psychetool

OH HELL YEAH. thanks for the new smuggling method SUCKAS!!!!


----------



## E-llusion

*Doctor gets probation for buying cocaine*

Doctor gets probation for buying cocaine

By Tony Gordon Daily Herald Legal Affairs Writer
Wednesday, June 30, 2004 

A Libertyville podiatrist was sentenced to 30 months of probation Tuesday for buying an ounce of cocaine from an undercover police informant.

Dr. Lee Tisa was sentenced under a provision of the law that will wipe the conviction off his record if he completes the probation and a drug treatment program without violations.

Tisa, 47, of 318 Broadway St. in Libertyville, has practiced medicine for more than 20 years in Waukegan and Antioch.

Assistant State's Attorney Lauren Kalcheim-Rothenberg said Tisa was arrested about 12:30 a.m. Sept. 10 at his offices at 1616 W. Grand Ave. in Waukegan.

A man had contacted Waukegan police about 90 minutes before Tisa's arrest and told them the doctor had asked him to bring Tisa an ounce of cocaine.

The man agreed to wear a hidden recording device when he met Tisa, and authorities obtained a tape of Tisa agreeing to pay $1,200 for the cocaine.

Waukegan police entered Tisa's offices shortly after the informant left, and Tisa showed police where the cocaine was.

Circuit Judge Christopher Starck also ordered Tisa to pay $3,200 in fines and perform 100 hours of community service while on probation.

Tisa's attorney, James Simonian of Waukegan, said Tisa's record will be cleaned if he complies with the rules of probation and completes drug rehabilitation under the state Treatment Alternatives for Safer Communities program.

Tisa was originally charged with possession of cocaine under a law that mandates a minimum six-year prison term upon conviction, but the charge was reduced to allow probation on June 2 in exchange for his guilty plea.

His license to practice medicine is still current, Simonian said, but the imposition of the sentence and formal entry of the felony conviction on Tisa's record may jeopardize his license's status.

Tisa will be a convicted felon for the next 30 months, and convicted felons are generally prohibited from holding medical licenses in the state.

However, Simonian said he is uncertain how the state Department of Professional Regulation will treat Tisa's case because Tisa's sentence provides for the erasure of the felony conviction upon successful completion of the probation.

Department spokesman Chris Ganschaw said the office will review the information in the Lake County criminal case and determine what action it will take on Tisa's license, which is scheduled for renewal Jan. 31.

Tisa also faces a pending complaint before the department, Ganschaw said.

It alleges Tisa has an outstanding state income tax bill of $16,016 for the year 1996 and failed to file returns for the years 1997 through 2001.

Tisa is scheduled to appear before an department board on the complaint Aug. 30, Ganschaw said.

Link


----------



## E-llusion

*Father jailed for trying to steal son's cocaine*

Tue 29 June, 2004

LONDON (Reuters) - A father who arranged for an armed gang to rob his drug-dealer son of cocaine worth 4.5 million pounds has been jailed for 20 years.

Martin Williams, 60, passed information to three underworld figures that his son Shane had 76 kilos of cocaine in a house in Sanderstead, south London.

"Your role was despicable," Judge Stephen Kramer at the Old Bailey told the father on Tuesday. "You are a family man, a carpenter. Your motive was pure greed."

During the robbery in May 2003, a stun gun was used to shock Shane Williams, 36, while his friend, taxi driver Nicholas Smith, was hit over the head with a crowbar.

"You may think it was a perfect robbery, a victimless robbery," the jury heard. "Because what drug dealer is going to complain to the police about being robbed?"

But police were already watching the house and all six were arrested.

Shane Williams and Smith were jailed for 20 years for conspiracy to supply cocaine. The three armed robbers received sentences ranging from 18 years to life imprisonment.

Link


----------



## Edge80

> "You may think it was a perfect robbery, a victimless robbery," the jury heard. "Because what drug dealer is going to complain to the police about being robbed?"





Man I was hoping it was going to say that this guy was dumb enough to call the cops and complain some one stole his blow.


----------



## toolazy2think

thats an asshole of a father, he deserved 20 years.


----------



## BA

*Prison drugs found in shoe, court told*

An attempt to smuggle drugs into Christchurch Women's Prison in a hollowed-out shoe backfired when it was discovered by prison staff, Christchurch District Court was told yesterday. 


Coral Nimo Chernikov, 31, denied three charges of possessing a class B drug, rubifen, for supply. 

Prosecutor Brent Stanaway said Chernikov was one of a number of women alleged to have used a new pair of running shoes in an attempt to smuggle a syringe, cannabis and three rubifen tablets into the prison, the charge against Chernikov relating only to the latter substance. 

The left shoe had its interior pulled out and rubber lining hollowed to make a cavity to conceal the items, with a note for the intended recipient. 

The shoes were inside a badly wrapped shoebox. The Crown alleged Chernikov's fingerprint was found on the box. 

A courier was originally hired to deliver the parcel to the prison, but it could not be accepted because the necessary paperwork had not been completed. 

On July 22, Chernikov took the parcel out to the prison in person, handing it to a Corrections officer. The package was opened as a routine precaution and the shoe lining checked, where the packages were found. 

Chernikov told police she delivered the parcel on behalf of another woman, and denied knowing anything about its contents. She explained the fingerprint on the box by saying she had been told to tidy up the package. 

The Crown alleges Chernikov was effectively in possession of the three tablets of Rubifen. 


link


----------



## BA

*Home Damaged As Cops Raid Grow Op That Wasn't*

HOME DAMAGED AS COPS RAID GROW OP THAT WASN'T 

(CN BC)A rueful Efrin Ramirez surveyed the damage to his front door Monday afternoon, pointing out where a police battering ram had dented the heavy-duty metal and ripped apart the door jamb. 

The North Surrey resident won't be paying for that door, or for three others kicked in during an RCMP raid on the Ramirez home in the 12800 block of 114A St.  Saturday night that found no evidence of any illegal activity. 

The detachment has promised it will cover the cost of repairs and has apologized to the family after officers armed with a drug search warrant forced their way inside while the Ramirez family, Efrin, his wife Rosemarie and their two children, were visiting relatives in Vancouver. 

Ramirez pulled into his driveway about 9 p.m.  to be greeted by an apologetic RCMP officer who showed him the search warrant. 

"There's no indication at all that these people are connected to anything shady," Surrey RCMP Sgt.  Dave Attfield told The Leader Monday. 

Sgt.  Attfield said he cannot disclose the evidence that was used to obtain the search warrant for the Ramirez address, but promised an internal review will be conducted "to determine what lessons, if any, can be learned from this." 

Attfield said even though the Ramirez residence is a well-maintained home with a flower garden in the front yard, many houses that contain indoor grow ops are carefully maintained to fool suspicious neighbours and police. 

Ramirez was philosophical about the raid Monday, shrugging as he showed how he's installed a new lock higher up as a temporary fix for the deadbolt broken by the Mounties. 

"My mother-in-law wants us to move," Ramirez said, but he is reluctant to leave his neighborhood, even though other houses in the area have been identified as grow ops.

here


----------



## paradoxcycle

*Drug bust dents heroin trafficking*

TRENTON, N.J. - State authorities seized an apartment building, a Maserati and more than $400,000 in cash and bank assets while cracking a major heroin distribution ring in the state, the attorney general said Wednesday.

The bust - the largest single seizure in Criminal Justice Division history - accounts for up to 75 percent of heroin trafficking in Trenton and a significant portion of heroin distribution statewide, Attorney General Peter C. Harvey said.

"I've heard the streets have been quieter. There is no product," said Assistant Attorney General Terry Merced.

Twelve people were arrested in coordinated raids in Trenton, Newark, Irvington, East Orange, Elizabeth and Philadelphia after authorities intercepted a Trenton-bound shipment of heroin, the Attorney General's Office said.

Charges include conspiracy, leading a narcotics network, racketeering and distribution of a controlled dangerous substance.

Five other people being sought by authorities remain at large, including the alleged ringleader, Charles Hamilton, 34, of Irvington.

Harvey said the yearlong, multi-agency probe targeted several levels of heroin dealers, most with ties to the Bloods street gang.

"We view ourselves as big-game hunters," Harvey said. "Our goal is to take out organizations."

Harvey said the goal of his ongoing "Gangs, Guns & Drugs" initiative is to penetrate the increasingly sophisticated financial structure of drug distribution networks, including seizing mutual funds, real estate and luxury cars.

In the latest operation, which began on June 25, authorities seized a quarter-million dollars worth of heroin; the apartment building in East Orange; 12 weapons, including an Uzi submachine gun; 15 late-model vehicles, and three motorcycles. They also froze bank accounts totaling $132,600 and $271,000 in cash.

A social club in Hudson County believed to be part of the cartel's assets is pending seizure, authorities said.

Authorities say Hamilton was responsible for bringing regular shipments of street-packaged heroin from northern New Jersey to Trenton. Merced said it would be processed in Trenton into individual doses, which sell for $10-$20 on the street. An estimated 20,000 doses were distributed weekly on Trenton's streets.



Published date: 6/30/04
Author: ANGELA DELLI SANTI, associated Press
link


----------



## Edge80

*150,000 painkillers and anti-anxiety pills found*

Hays painkiller cache biggest ever

By ANITA MILLER - News Editor
Posted: Wednesday, Jun 30, 2004 - 04:12:34 pm CDT


Sixteen crates full of pharmaceuticals were seized June 22 by the Hays County Narcotics Task Force.  

Authorities say the more than 150,000 painkillers and anti-anxiety pills found in a Dripping Springs storage unit last week not only represent the largest pharmaceutical seizure in the history of the Hays County Narcotics Task Force but also the largest in the history of the Austin office of the DEA.

That's according to Task Force Commander Chase Stapp, who said the street value of the pharmaceuticals would top $1 million.

The task force and DEA held a press conference Tuesday morning at the Hays County Law Enforcement Center to announce the seizure and arrest of a 55-year-old former pharmacist. Donald Eugene Cook of Austin was arrested on June 23, one day after the task force executed a search warrant at the Best Storage complex. Cook is currently in federal custody without bail.

The pills were in 16 crates in large, pharmacy-sized bottles. Stapp said there were approximately 145,000 tablets of Hydrocodone, a painkiller known as Vicodin and Lortab, and about 6,000 tablets of Alprazolam, which is commonly known as Xanax.



He said they had apparently been diverted from a warehouser, wholesaler or transporter, but the investigation hasn't yet narrowed down the exact source. "I wish we could say we'd discovered it but we haven't," said Stapp, adding that both the Texas Pharmacy Board and the DEA's Diversion Unit are aiding the investigation.

The break in the case came on June 22, when a task force investigator identified as Eric Spriegel received information that a large quantity of the drugs were being stored in a Dripping Springs area mini storage unit.

By that evening, investigators had zeroed in on the Best Storage and obtained a search warrant.

Stapp said the owners and operators of the storage units were not involved. He did say more arrests are expected.

Federal charges were filed in the case "primarily because of the amount of the drugs involved," Stapp said, because there was the potential for them to be distributed to so many people.

"This was uncommon for our task force," he said. "Our most common seizures with pharmaceuticals are one bottle or two bottles or someone forges a prescription to obtain this stuff."

He said Cook was working at a glass company at the time of his arrest but was licensed as a pharmacist until 1989.

Here


----------



## Edge80

*Kenner detectives overhear setup for drug deal, make arrest*

Kenner detectives overhear setup for drug deal, make arrest 

The Associated Press 
6/30/2004, 10:29 a.m. CT 


KENNER, La. (AP) — Two Kenner police detectives, stopped at a traffic light, overheard a man arranging a drug deal on his cell phone, police Capt. Steve Caraway said.

The detectives were in an unmarked police car on Airline Drive on Monday afternoon when they heard the suspect's conversation, Caraway said Tuesday.

"He was discussing Vicodin tablets he could sell for $5 a pill and was setting up a meeting location," Caraway said.

The detectives pulled over the man's car, advised him of his rights and asked him about the conversation, Caraway said.

"He told them he was getting ready to meet a friend to sell him some pills," Caraway said. The suspect handed over a bag containing 31 tablets of hydrocodone, a painkiller, Caraway said.

Brook Pitre, 31, of New Sarpy was booked with possession and distribution of the tablets, Caraway said. He was released from the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center in Gretna on $15,000 bond

Link


----------



## Edge80

I hate it when people are in public and they are practically yelling into the cell phone.  This should be a lesson to people who talk loud on cell phones in public.  You never know who is around.


----------



## Reverend_Lust

yeah pretty retarded thing to do. I would at least have my windows up. and shit if the other dude is buying 31 pills at 5$ each he is getting fucked.  Be carful when on cell phones


----------



## RyanM

Hmm is text save? ahem here is a word of advice DO not text and drive at the same time I almost got in so many wrecks doing that lol Especially on the highway I almost went in the ditch Lol not good


----------



## Partykid12

I bet he feels like a really big moron.  Stupid people always get caught... this is just like those drug dealers that get caught for going 100mph in a 30mph zone while carrying 200 kilos of cocaine.... stupidity gets you caught.


----------



## RyanM

YES Why people would speed with drugs in their car is way beyond me that's for sure

They are probably like "well if I go 40 over the speed limit I won't look odd like I only went 4 over" RIiight


----------



## dopeybeaneater

i would agree about havin' my windows up if i'm on a cell phone...and where i live i know 99.9% of the cops unmarked units....even the Grand Prix and Explorer...but Kenner is a lot bigger than where i live although it's about 1 1/2 hours away from me...so i guess it would be hard to figure out all the unmarked units


----------



## Methadone

He should not have admitted guilt....first of all...second of all undercover cops are still easy to spot..
 Never ever give a confession ..he could have gotten posession now , due to his own statement, hes going to get distribution charge, which is federal on Rx  stuff.

 These are the kind of idiots that give chemical users a bad name.


----------



## Methadone

Damn I know this sounds sick...but from the point of view of an ex addict and someone still on methadone... I hate yto think of how many addicts are dopesick over that..thats alot of suffering people even if they did "do it to themselves"


----------



## paradoxcycle

Methadone said:
			
		

> *Damn I know this sounds sick...but from the point of view of an ex addict and someone still on methadone... I hate yto think of how many addicts are dopesick over that..thats alot of suffering people even if they did "do it to themselves" *



Yeah, I agree


----------



## groovee

*North Shore busts net oxy ring*

North Shore busts net oxy ring
By J.M. Lawrence and Tom Farmer
Thursday, July 1, 2004

Undercover agents pretending to live in Gloucester public housing uncovered a web of North Shore oxycodone dealers, including a Gloucester High baseball coach arrested yesterday along with 35 others. 

     ``It's a shame to see someone from the schools involved with it,'' lamented long-time City Councilor Gus Foote, who chairs the Gloucester Housing Authority. 

     Jared Knowlton, a 29-year-old assistant varsity baseball coach who also worked as a Manchester-Essex Regional High School substitute teacher, appeared before a federal magistrate yesterday and was held without bail. 

     Coaching associates were shocked by the charges. One described Knowlton as a ``rah rah kind of guy'' who was very knowledgeable about the sport and had been under consideration for the head coaching spot. 

     Yesterday, Knowlton was suspended until further notice. 

     The eight-month investigation by Drug Enforcement Administration agents, Essex sheriff's deputies and Cape Ann law enforcement resulted in federal charges against 23 people and state charges against 13. 

     Knowlton and 11 others accused of selling oxycodone, also known as OxyContin, were one of three drug organizations uncovered, according to federal prosecutors. The others sold heroin and crack. 

     Agents claim the ring's supplier for oxycodone was Carlos Espinola, 27, of Peabody, who funneled drugs to University of Massachusetts at Lowell student Joseph Baldassano, 23, of Gloucester. 

     Baldassano and Knowlton were secretly taped meeting undercover agents at a Peabody restaurant on Dec. 2. Baldassano sold the agents 100 pills for $5,500, and Knowlton put the cash in his pocket, according to an affidavit filed in court. 

     Knowlton allegedly called himself ``Ghost'' during the meeting and revealed that he was a ``high school history teacher and baseball coach.'' 

     Other undercover buys from members of the ring involved as many as 500 pills sold for prices ranging from $50 to $80 per pill, according to the government. 

     Also charged in federal court yesterday with dealing oxycodone were Keith Behsman, 26, of Lowell; Jose Melo, 28, of Peabody; and Gloucester residents Matthew Cream, 22; Jason Matthews, 24; Joseph Allen, 26; Jonathan Mitchell, 24; James Gardner, 25; Philip Albert Jr., 26; Archibald Macleod, 21; and Giuseppe Torrente, 23. 

http://news.bostonherald.com/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=34016


----------



## sexualhealing

who the hell in there right mind would pay 50+ for 100 pills....


i wouldnt pay more than 40 for one!!



sniff out the cops by the high prices dumbasses.....greed took out another group of people


----------



## groovee

True but who in Law Enforcement is going to give a rats ass about people withdrawing.

Increase in pharmacy robberies in 3...2...1...


----------



## Edge80

*Dangerous Synthetic Drug Lab Found*

Dangerous Synthetic Drug Lab Found

Hazmat, police, and fire crews spent the night on the scene of a dangerous synthetic drug lab in a Williamsburg home.

Police say they now have suspects in the case. 


Neighbors say some new people had just moved in the house a couple of days ago to find what old tenants had left behind.

It was a scary night if you were a resident on Sixth Street in Williamsburg. Hazmat Task Force 11 spent nine hours breaking down a lab capable of producing heroin and pcp. 

Officials say chemicals they found Wednesday night were so dangerous that if the situation was not handled properly someone could have been killed.

Brian Ream is with the Division of Publice Safety and said, "When you start dealing with chemicals that take grams, we're talking 10 grams to be very lethal and very deadly then it's a lot worse situation than we deal with on a meth production laboratory."

Police say meth labs are becoming more popular in eastern Kentucky and although meth labs and these synthetic drug labs have a lot of the same characteristics, synthetic labs have a few more dangerous chemicals.

There was 12 different chemicals that were discovered and the difference in some of these chemicals than what we have in meth labs is they're a lot more lethal and it takes very little of them on your skin to really cause a problem.

Neighbors say meth lab or chemical lab last night was still a scary situation.

When you start smelling chemical and you start smelling scent that shouldn't be there it's time to retreat from the area. Go to your local law enforcement or emergency management team. 

Reams says the situation was handled properly and nobody was injured. Arrests are still pending in the case.

Link


----------



## E-llusion

*Controversy swirls in major pot bust*

Jul,02/04

Stories now differ as to how 4,000 marijuana plants were discovered by authorities 

By Paul T. Rosynsky and Robert Gammon 

OAKLAND -- Controversy and confusion surrounding the largest pot bust in city history continued Thursday as federal agents filed criminal complaints against four Bay Area residents while the defendants' relatives and medical marijuana advocates insisted the arrests were bogus. 

Conflicts between the California Highway Patrol and the federal Drug Enforcement Administration also surfaced as each agency gave differing accounts of how almost 4,000 marijuana plants were discovered in a West Oakland warehouse. 

CHP officials insisted the huge marijuana bust was the result of a routine traffic stop that led them to the nearby warehouse. But in a sworn federal complaint filed Thursday, the Drug Enforcement Administration said the raid was made during a CHP stakeout/canine training exercise in the same block as the growing operation. 



Regardless, the bust brought the arrests of four people: Jesse Nieblas, 31, of Alameda; Jacek Mroz, 26, of San Leandro; Heleno Araujo, 32, of Concord; and Celeste Angello, 28, of Santa Clara. 

Because the CHP called in federal agents instead of other local law enforcement agencies to investigate the case, the four defendants face federal minimum prison sentences of 10 years, along with $4 million fines. 

Also being investigated is Thomas Grossi, 59, owner of the warehouse at 2638 Market St. CHP investigators searched Grossi's Pleasant Hill pawnbroker business and his Lafayette home. 

Grossi, who once owned a pawn shop next door to medical marijuana clubs in Oakland's "Oaksterdam" neighborhood, said in the past he supports both the clubs and medical marijuana laws. 

He was convicted nine years ago of selling an ounce of cocaine to an undercover informant and offering to sell marijuana, court records show. He served three years of probation. 

CHP Lt. Rob Patrick said investigators found legal pistols and long shotguns in the Pleasant Hill and Lafayette searches. Another search at Nieblas' house found "a small amount of pot," he said. 

Although Patrick said "there is no indication whatsoever (the marijuana) was going to be used for medical purposes," advocates for its medical use, those arrested and their relatives said otherwise. 

According to the Drug Enforcement Administration complaint, Nieblas said during an interrogation "he had a legal right" to distribute the pot. And Angello told agents "she was previously employed by the Compassionate Caregivers Club," a medical marijuana dispensary. 

In addition, Elizabeth Mroz, sister of Jacek Mroz, told the Tribune her brother was working with medical marijuana and was "authorized" to do so. 

"... If CHP would have done a little bit more investigation, they could have worked this out," said Angel McClary Raich, a medical marijuana advocate who is now battling U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft and the Bush administration in the U.S. Supreme Court over the federal government's campaign against medical marijuana. "I think the CHP made some errors by jumping the gun and calling the DEA right away." 

Oakland Police Chief Richard Word, whose officers played only a minor role in the raid, said his department's protocol requires a measured approach when officers find a marijuana-growing operation. 

"We basically take a go-slow, call a commander and investigate," Word said. "I'm not quite sure why (the CHP) called the DEA." 

Word, however, acknowledged the magnitude of the West Oakland growing operation raises suspicions that not all of the cannabis may have been intended for medicinal purposes. 

City Council President Ignacio De La Fuente (Fruitvale-Glenview), who has made no secret of his distaste for the growth of medical marijuana clubs in Oakland, said he is "happy the Highway Patrol and the DEA" were involved in the case. 

De La Fuente disputed claims the warehouse had the blessings of the city, as some medical marijuana advocates contend. The growers, according to De La Fuente and the CHP, did not have the proper documents as required by city law. 

Under Oakland's medical marijuana ordinance, a growing collective may have up to 72 indoor plants for every patient it supplies and must have documentation to prove it. The law is silent, however, on where that marijuana can be grown. 

But in this case, Oakland's ordinance is meaningless because the CHP called in the federal government, which contends marijuana is illegal regardless of its intended use. 

Raich said she believes the Drug Enforcement Administration targeted the West Oakland operation as part of its campaign against medicinal marijuana. Administration spokesman Richard Meyer said he "could neither confirm nor deny" allegations the agency knew of the grow before Wednesday's bust. 

According to the agency's version of events laid out in a seven-page affidavit by special agent Adam Zirkelbach, the CHP told him it had received "numerous complaints from neighborhood residents of a strong odor of marijuana" from the warehouse in the weeks before the bust. 

The CHP then decided to conduct a canine training operation in the same block as the warehouse Wednesday, the affidavit said. After a CHP sergeant smelled pot coming from the building during the exercise, officers set up surveillance. 

That's when the CHP saw a white truck leave the warehouse and make an "unsafe lane change," the affidavit said. Nieblas was driving the truck and told officers he was delivering "cafe supplies." He allowed officers to search the back, where they later discovered 503 small marijuana plants, according to the affidavit. 

CHP Lt. Rob Patrick, however, disputed the Drug Enforcement Agency's version of events, calling it "not accurate." 

"Apparently, somewhere there was a miscommunication," he said. 

Patrick maintained the bust was serendipitous -- a result of a simple traffic stop by an alert patrol officer. "We had no prior knowledge," Patrick said. 

According to the Drug Enforcement Administration affidavit, CHP officers nabbed Mroz as he was driving his Ford Mustang from the warehouse. Officers said they caught Araujo and Angello running from the scene. 

Patrick said the fact they ran away was a tell-tale sign the operation was illegal. While admitting running away may not have been a smart move, Raich argued the growers were probably scared they were being chased by the CHP, not Oakland police, who must abide by the city's medical pot law. 

tag: Staff writers Kristin Bender, Laura Counts and Sean Holstege contributed to this report. 

Link


----------



## E-llusion

*'I hope you rot in hell' son tells father*

'I hope you rot in hell' son tells father
Jul 2 2004

By Court Reporter

A FATHER was told to "rot in hell" by the son he betrayed as they were both jailed for 20 years for their roles in a massive cocaine dealing plot.

Martin Williams, 60, tipped off his underworld contacts to rob son Shane, 36, of £4.5m worth of the drug so they could sell it themselves.

Father and son sat together in the dock of the Old Bailey as they and four associates were given a total of 126 years in jail.

And the son spat out the insult as he was led from the dock.

Martin Williams told his underworld associates about the stash of nearly 79 kilos for a cut of the proceeds.

Shane Williams was zapped with 100,000 volts from a stun gun and then trussed up with cable ties during the "perfect robbery" of 79 kilos of top-quality cocaine in Sanderstead on May 29 last year.

But Flying Squad officers had been watching the gang for days and arrested them as they fled with the drugs.

Along with members of elite firearms unit S019, the officers moved in to apprehend the gang as they sped away.

Special Hatton rounds - large wax and metal powder bullets that disinte-grate on impact - were fired into the wheels of a Mitsubishi Gallant to puncture the tyres.

Other armed detectives entered the house of drug dealer Nicholas Smith in Clyde Avenue, Sanderstead.

They found Shane Williams standing in the conservatory.

Williams was arrested for drugs offences and told officers: "What are you on about? 

"I have only just turned up here to see my mate. He is the godfather of my new-born kid."

Sallie Bennett-Jenkins, prosecuting, had told the jury on Tuesday: "You may think this was a perfect robbery, a victimless robbery, because would drugs dealers complain to police of being robbed of a large quantity of drugs? You may think not."

She said Martin Williams, of Thornhill Road, Warden Bay, Isle of Sheppey, was motivated by greed when he acted as the link man to tip off the gang about the drugs haul.

Of the other robbers, William Parker, 45, of Green Wrythe Lane, Carshalton, got 23 years.

His father-in-law Raymond Dyson, 57 of Shrublands Avenue, Shirley, was given 18 years after being found guilty of conspiracy to rob and conspiracy to supply cocaine.

John Walton, 47, of Maxwell Close, Valley Park, Croydon, was found guilty of conspiracy to rob and conspiracy to supply cocaine and given a life sentence.

He was on parole from a 13-year sentence for the armed robbery of a Coulsdon post office when the offence happened, the court heard.

Dyson and Walton were also found guilty of possession of a firearm, the 100,000 volt stun gun, but Parker was found not guilty.

Smith, 36, of Clyde Avenue, who was battered over the head with a crowbar during the robbery, was found guilty of conspiracy to supply cocaine and was jailed for 20 years.

Shane Williams of Thornhill Road, Warden Bay, Isle of Sheppey, Kent, was also found guilty of conspiracy to supply cocaine.

As the men were led away their families in the public gallery hurled obscenities at the judge and the jurors who had come to court to see them sentenced.

One woman screamed: "You have given a family a life sentence. I've got to go back to my five kids now."

LInk


----------



## Edge80

*Man caught trafficking 15 pounds of cocaine*

Man caught trafficking 15 pounds of cocaine

By Royal M Hopper III The Orange Leader


Leader photo by Sally Hamilton Orange County Sheriff's Office John Tarver stands next to the 15 pounds of cocaine and the three gallons of liquid codeine seized by deputies with the office's special services division Wednesday. The drugs had a total value of around $350,000.  

A man Orange County deputies caught with 15 pounds of high-grade cocaine and more than three gallons of liquid codeine is in federal custody today. If convicted, the man could face 20 years to life in prison.

"I would like to say we are making an impact with this arrest today," said Orange County Chief Deputy John Tarver.

Henry Michael Jefferson, 27, of Jonesville, La., was arrested Wednesday on charges of aggravated possession of controlled substances and fleeing the police in a vehicle, a third-degree felony.

Orange County Sheriff's Sgt. Joel Stinnet and Tracey Sorge with the office's special services division stopped a 2004 Ford pick up truck on Interstate 10 near mile marker 873 at 12:02 p.m. Wednesday. The truck had no license plates and no dealer's tags when it was stopped.

"The truck was purchased June 13 and had more than 26,000 miles on it," Tarver said.

During the interview, deputies became suspicious and asked for permission to search the truck Stinnet said. When the man refused, deputies called for a drug sniffing dog to be sent to the scene to detect drugs in the car so they could legally search it.

Before the canine unit arrived, the man got back in his truckl and tried to escape custody by driving east on I-10 toward Louisiana. During the pursuit, the truck hit another car that was not involved in the stop, causing serious damage to both vehicles. The truck left I-10 at the 16th Street off ramp and was traveling down the feeder road when the engine experienced mechanical difficulties due to the damage caused to his truck during the accident.

He ran from the truck carrying a black duffle bag but was caught and arrested by deputies on the scene. Deputies found seven 1 kilo, or 2.2 pound, bricks of powder cocaine in the duffle bag and 24 one-pint bottles of commercially packaged liquid codeine in the truck.

The cocaine was wrapped in cellophane and blue painters masking tape, and the codeine was purple and unopened. Officers said it may have come directly from a factory or pharmacy. Tarver said it was impossible to tell exactly where the drugs came from, or where they were going but it was believed they were coming from Houston and headed east perhaps into Louisiana.

I-10 is a "pipeline" for drugs moving between major metropolitan areas and more than $600,000 worth of narcotics have been taken off the Interstate this year.

This seizure has a total street value of $350,000. Tarver said while 15 pounds of cocaine was not a record seizure for the office it was significant, and the three gallons of codeine seized likely was a record amount.

"Three gallons is a lot of codeine," Tarver said.

One rock of crack cocaine is about one half gram. There are 28 grams in an ounce and 16 ounces in a pound Stinnet said.

Essentially prescription cough syrup codeine is sometimes mixed with carbonated beverages and sipped like a soft drink by users. It is usually smuggled in soft drink or Gatorade containers because it is usually dyed bright colors like purple or red. Tarver said the codeine could have originated anywhere in the United States or Canada and could have been bought or stolen from a pharmacy or manufacturer


LINK


----------



## groovee

I cannot believe this moron, driving with no plates/tags with all that dope. Perhaps he was just a driver.


----------



## fruitfly

*Sex drug seized in sweet shop*

*Sex drug seized in sweet shop*
Tele's tip-off leads to major haul
By Sarah Brett, Belfast Telegraph
03 July 2004

A MAJOR haul of Viagra-type drugs in tablet and gel form were found hidden among sweets when police raided a Londonderry sweet shop, the Belfast Telegraph can reveal today.

In response to a tip-off from this newspaper, the raid was the first of its kind in the city, and the first seizure of the impotency drug in its gel form in Northern Ireland.

The raid was conducted by police and Department of Health officers. Police also seized hardcore pornography and 'poppers'. 

Police said the drugs were found hidden in a sweet box in a newsagency/sweet shop in John Street.

Known as *Kamagra*, the drug is thought to contain similar ingredients to Viagra and have a similar effect on the user.

The Department of Health officials on the raid described the gel find as "significant and unique".

Over 40 sachets of Kamagra gel, 27 Kamagra tablets, 62 bottles of amyl nitrate or 'poppers', 33 DVDs and 26 videos of hardcore pornography and about £800 of other goods were seized yesterday.

A seven-man unit from the PSNI Crime Team in Derry and two representatives from the Department of Health entered the shop shortly after midday with a search warrant.

"It was a planned search operation", said Inspector Stephen Cargin.

"We were acting on information that Viagra, or drugs like it, were being sold from the premises."

Police had been working on the case for several weeks prior to the raid.

Where prescription drugs are involved, it is also the remit of the Department of Health to investigate.

While police had no powers of arrest under the Medicines Act, a person was questioned at the scene and offered an interview.

"It was an excellent result for all of us," Inspector Cargin said. "But it is also extremely concerning that this stuff is available in a retail outlet in the city centre.

"This is a sweet shop and newsagents - we found some of the Kamagra in a box of Rainbow Drops. 

"Our real concern is for juveniles here, parents should be aware how dangerous drugs like Kamagra can be in an uncontrolled environment.

"Our job is made a lot easier when the public give us information. We would encourage them to continue supporting us in making Derry a safer city."

Department of Health Chief Medicines Inspector Tom Scott said the haul was equivalent to the largest seizure he had ever made from a retailer in the province.

"We have found both the tablet and gel form of this drug, both of which are prescribed medicines.

"This is the first time in Northern Ireland the gel form has been seized."

The drugs found were in 100mg single doses - the strongest available.

Mr Scott warned that users could be putting their lives at risk.

"Our main concern is the public safety angle. These are products which are of doubtful providence and the quality is unproven.

"Anyone with a coronary condition who takes these drugs is taking a serious risk.

"The drugs will now be sent to England for analysis and the department will decide the appropriate action, which is more than likely, in this case, to be a prosecution under the Medicines Act 1968," Mr Scott added.

Link


----------



## fruitfly

See also DITM thread Police fear fatal mix of Viagra and cocaine


----------



## E-llusion

*Canada: Gov't aide charged with drug trafficking*

* B.C. gov't aide charged with drug trafficking *

July 03/04
CTV.ca News Staff

A ministerial assistant in the B.C. government has been charged with drug trafficking.

He was arrested Thursday, said Const. Rick Anthony of Victoria Police.

"Two of our officers were in plainclothes, conducting a routine drug surveillance in the downtown core," he said.

"They observed a male that they know, and it wasn't the accused that was finally charged. A short time letter he met up with another gentleman who pulled up in a car," he told BC CTV.

That car was later pulled over and searched. The accused was found to be in possession of a drug known as crystal meth. He arrested and charged with trafficking, Anthony said. 

"The quantity I'm not aware of, but it is substantial enough to lay a trafficking charge," he said.

The individual was held overnight and appeared in court Friday. Another court date is scheduled for next week.

BC CTV's Ed Watson said a trafficking-related charge can be laid based on the quantity of drugs and how it was packaged.

Watson said the suspect has been with the B.C. Liberal government since it took power in 2001. He has worked for two cabinet ministers, but a government spokesman said the man was on leave from his job.

Watson said the current arrest is not linked to the searches conducted at the B.C. legislature shortly after Christmas last year.

Those searches looked at the offices of David Basi and Bob Virk. Basi was a ministerial assistant to Finance Minister Gary Collins while Virk worked for former transportation minister Judith Reid. Both lost their jobs.

Coincidentally, they also worked for the federal Liberal Party in B.C.

The RCMP said that investigation had drug overtones, it didn't involve elected officials and that drug trafficking was not taking place at the B.C. legislature.

However, according to a memo released by a judge, it also looked into any possible influence-peddling, including with the controversial $1-billion privatization of B.C. Rail.

With a report from BC CTV's Ed Watson

Link


----------



## Edge80

*'Favour' ends in cell*

'Favour' ends in cell
Elissa Hunt
09jul04

A MAN who said he was just doing a favour for a mate when he moved $10 million in ecstasy has been jailed for at least five years.

Blagojce Stojcevski, 38, was arrested over Victoria's biggest ecstasy importation in 2002. 
Yesterday, County Court judge Geoff Chettle said Stojcevski didn't play a part in the importation, but was essential to the enterprise by moving the drugs from Customs to other locations. 

The pills were shipped to Melbourne from the Netherlands in July 2002, in boxes purporting to contain "aqua cleaners". Federal police intercepted them and replaced some of the drugs with fakes. 

Stojcevski arranged to move the pills into storage and later collected several boxes, which were in his car when he was arrested the following month. 

Judge Chettle said Stojcevski, who was described as a generous man, said he got involved only as a favour to a friend he met at his gym. 

The judge said he did not believe Stojcevski's claim that he participated out of fear of the man, who had a criminal record. But he did accept that he was afraid to implicate him in the importation. 

Judge Chettle said he rejected Stojcevski's explanation that he believed the boxes contained fireworks rather than drugs. 

He said the charming businessman and father of two had no convictions and a good reputation before his arrest. 

Stojcevski, of Melbourne, was jailed for eight years with a minimum of five after pleading guilty to possessing and attempting to possess ecstasy


Link


----------



## E-llusion

*Drugs seizures increase but still tip of iceberg*

* Drugs seizures increase but still tip of iceberg  *

07.07.2004 9.00 am 

Increased funding has enabled more seizures of hard drugs smuggled into New Zealand, says the Customs Service. 

"There's no doubt that increased funding from the Government given to Customs last year has had a flow-on effect in our ability to be more proactive, both in our intelligence and investigative capabilities," Customs drug investigations manager Simon Williamson said. 

"It means we have a better idea of where to look." 

Customs revealed yesterday hard drugs seizures in the year ended June 30, 2004 included: 22kg of cocaine (up from 217g the previous year); more than 1kg of heroin (up from 233g); 3kg of crystal methamphetamine (up from 941g); 1.2 million tablets of ephedrine or pseudoephedrine used for making methamphetamine (up from 670,784). 

Seizures of MDMA (ecstasy) bucked the trend and fell from 265,447 to 180,000 tablets in the latest financial year. 

However, Customs estimated it was still only seizing about 20 per cent of the drugs smuggled into the country. 

The tightening up of the internal supply of substances had led to a huge increase in volumes being obtained from offshore supplies, Mr Williamson told National Radio today. 

"What Customs is now seeing at the border is merely reflective of the ongoing problem in this country in regards to methamphetamine production." 

As long as there was demand in New Zealand for the drugs, there would be groups looking to satisfy it, by importing the substances. 

Mr Williamson said New Zealand could not just rely on Customs control and policing against drugs, but had to face the whole issue of drug abuse. 

New Zealand was also being used as a transit point for drugs intended for larger markets such as Australia, and this raised the risk of "spillover" into New Zealand society, he said. 

- NZPA 

Link


----------



## Edge80

*Three Arrested At Courthouse After Drug Dog Reacts To Van*

Three Arrested At Courthouse After Drug Dog Reacts To Van

By: By BILL JONES/Staff Writer 
Source: The Greeneville Sun 
07-08-2004   

Three Georgia residents were taken into custody outside the Greene County Courthouse on Wednesday morning after a Sheriff’s Department drug-detection dog reacted to their van and quantities of several drugs then found inside the vehicle. 

Deputy Sheriff Mike Fincher, a member of the Sheriff’s Methamphetamine Task Force, said the three Georgians apparently had come to the courthouse to attend a bond hearing for several friends who had been arrested in a drug raid here last Thursday. 

Fincher said that during an investigation into the alleged smuggling of “crystal methamphetamine” into Greene County, the Meth Task Force had been searching for a green van bearing a Bartow County, Ga., license plate. 

“I was walking to court (to attend the bond hearing for suspects arrested last Thursday in a drug raid) when Detective Capt. John Huffine told me that he had seen a van with Georgia plates on it parked at a convenience store earlier,” Deputy Fincher said. 

“As I was walking to (General Sessions) Court, I saw the vehicle (parked on East Depot Street beside the courthouse). Based on what we knew, I felt I had enough information to call in a drug-detection dog.” 

Fincher said Deputy Sheriff Jimmy Morgan and his drug-detection dog “Cento” were summoned to East Depot Street where the green Dodge van was parked. 

“Jimmy brought in Cento, led him around the vehicle one time and he showed a positive response,” Fincher said. “Based on that, we used vehicle registration information to identify its owner, and I went to the courtroom and retrieved the owner of the vehicle as well as two of his companions.” 

Deputy Morgan said his dog, Cento, can detect the presence of narcotics inside a vehicle by simply sniffing the air coming from around the seams in the doors and windows. 

“When Cento got to the right rear sliding door of the van, he showed a positive response that there was narcotics in the vehicle,” Deputy Morgan said. 

Fincher said he then obtained consent to search the van from its owner. 

When officers searched the vehicle, he said, they found “approximately 10.5 grams of crystal methamphetamine” along with small amounts of marijuana and cocaine and about $1,500 in cash. 

Charges are pending against the van’s three occupants, who were taken into custody on Wednesday afternoon, according to Deputy Fincher. He said the arrests were made as part of an ongoing investigation of meth-smuggling by what he termed a Georgia-based drug ring. 

A fourth suspect believed to have been inside the van on Wednesday morning was still being sought by authorities on Thursday afternoon. 

Fincher said that five Georgians and one Greene County resident were charged with being parties to the offense of possessing methamphetamine for resale after a raid on a Stomper Road residence last Thursday morning. 

During that raid, the deputy said, some 48 grams of methamphetamine were confiscated. 

“Combined with what he found today, that makes more than 50 grams of meth that we’ve found in the last few days,” Fincher said. 

Link


----------



## Edge80

Maybe it's me but it seems kind of dumb to bring drugs to your friends drug bail hearing.


----------



## Markoss

During that raid, the deputy said, some 48 grams of methamphetamine were confiscated. 

“Combined with what he found today, that makes more than 50 grams of meth that we’ve found in the last few days,” Fincher said. 

WOOHOO!! 50 grams!!!!! oh my god......pathetic


----------



## Edge80

*Colombian Cocaine Kingpin Said Captured*

Colombian Cocaine Kingpin Said Captured

By Kim Housego
Associated Press Writer 

Published: Jul 10, 2004 4:21 AM EST 


BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) - Colombian officials and anti-narcotics agents will seek the extradition from Cuba of one of the world's biggest drug traffickers, who was captured last week while trying to get to Mexico, police said.


Luis Hernando Bustamante, a leader of Colombia's Norte del Valle cartel that allegedly smuggled more than $10 billion worth of cocaine into the United States, was arrested by Cuban authorities July 2 while trying to make his way to Mexico, a Colombian police official said Friday on condition of anonymity.

Bustamante was arrested after Colombian intelligence agents learned that he traveled to Havana last month on a fake Venezuelan passport, the official said. Colombia then notified Cuban authorities.

Agents planned to travel to Cuba on Saturday in a bid to get him extradited.

However, Cuban prosecutors were considering charging Bustamante, also known as "Rasguno" or "Scratch," for traveling on falsified documents — a move that could delay extradition proceedings with Colombia, the official said.

"At this moment he is being held by the attorney general in Cuba and we are involved in discussions to bring him back to Colombia," Colombia police chief Gen. Jorge Alberto Castro said Friday.

There was no immediate comment from Cuba's communist government, which has not reported on the arrest in its official media.

Bustamante is among the top three leaders of the Norte del Valle cartel, which supplanted the Medellin and Cali drug organizations in the early 1990s and supplies up to 60 percent of the U.S. cocaine supply, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

The United States has offered a $5 million reward for information leading to Bustamante's capture. Colombian authorities estimate that he is responsible for as much as half of the cocaine shipped from Colombia to the United States.

The U.S. Justice Department and DEA said Friday they could not confirm Bustamante's arrest.

A U.S. grand jury indictment unsealed in Washington in May alleges that the Norte del Valle cartel has sent more than 1 million pounds of cocaine from Colombia's Pacific coast to the United States through Mexico since 1990.

Acting in concert with a violent right-wing paramilitary organization called the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia, or AUC, the cartel is responsible for at least 500 killings in Colombia, the DEA says.

The cartel also used bribery and kidnapping and eavesdropped on the conversations of drug rivals, the indictment said. The cartel has used trucks, aircraft, speedboats and fishing boats to smuggle cocaine.

Cartel founder Diego Leon Montoya appears on the FBI's most-wanted list. Montoya is engaged in a bitter turf war in the southwestern city of Cali against a rival drug gang led by Wilber Varela.

Colombian authorities, however, said Bustamante, whose exact age is unknown, has largely stayed out of that fight.

Archangel de Jesus Henao Montoya, the third top Valle del Norte leader after Bustamante and Diego Montoya, was captured Jan. 15 in Panama and extradited to the United States, where he was charged with conspiracy to import cocaine and conspiracy to launder money.

Henao, 49, has been implicated in several murders and is accused of employing AUC members to protect the cartel's drug routes and laboratories.



Link


----------



## SilverFeniks

*Official denies charges.  Hilarity ensues.*

Read this while eating some cheerios before work, and nearly choked on my milk.  worthy of some laughs.



> ESCONDIDO – Since his arrest May 25, Bruce Quick has one goal: to prove his innocence.
> 
> The former Planning Commission chairman says his longtime friendship with a troubled individual led police to charge the wrong guy. Quick is accused of manufacturing methamphetamine among other felonies.
> 
> "I have nothing to hide. I made some poor choices in trying to help bad-off people," Quick said yesterday. "I've helped people all my life, and I'm not going to stop because of this."
> 
> Quick also suggested that police may have had other motives for charging him. For years he has advocated for an independent review board to investigate allegations made against police. Recently he criticized the high price of the city's proposed public-safety bond.
> 
> The department stands by its investigation, Escondido police Lt. David Mankin said.
> 
> "I asked the investigating detectives if they were aware of his stance (on the bond measure), and they said they were not," Mankin said.
> 
> "Based on how cooperative he was during the initial investigation, I'm surprised at (his) allegations," Mankin said, noting Quick made confessions.
> 
> Police pulled Quick over May 25 for not having a front license plate. Police said he appeared to be under the influence of a controlled substance. Officers later found a methamphetamine lab, document forgery equipment, four firearms, stolen credit cards and fake IDs and checks in his landscaping business and truck, Mankin said.
> 
> Quick, who had never been arrested before, said a former friend made a deal with police to shave three years off a five-year drug sentence. His friend told police Quick was cooking meth, Quick said.
> 
> "They made a deal with a six-time loser to reduce his jail time because he decided to give me up and make up a bunch of (expletive)," Quick said.
> 
> Mankin declined comment about whether any deal was made. All the evidence would come out at trial, he said.
> 
> Quick fell under suspicion in February when he was one of four people inside a trailer at the Ponderosa Mobile Home Park where a partial methamphetamine lab was discovered, Mankin said. Quick was not tied to anything in the trailer, but his presence raised suspicion, Mankin said.
> 
> Quick said he was there conducting a code-enforcement check and had informed city officials beforehand. The mobile home belonged to his former friend, who was arrested. Quick declined to identify his friend.
> 
> In May police observed Quick outside his landscaping business swapping license plates from vehicle to vehicle, Mankin said. He was also seen keeping all-night hours and appeared to be up for 24 hours at a time, Mankin said.
> 
> Quick, 43, was interviewed by The San Diego Union-Tribune yesterday at his office in the 1100 block of Industrial Avenue.
> 
> "There was no cooking going on here except for chili," said Quick, who is married with two sons. "I don't drink. I don't smoke. I don't do drugs. I never have."
> 
> Quick, who had been a member of the Planning Commission for five years, ran unsuccessfully for the City Council in 2000 and the school board in 1998. He resigned from the commission the day after his arrest.
> 
> He is charged with the manufacture of methamphetamine and possession of methamphetamine for sale. He is also charged with receiving stolen property, forgery and gun violations. If convicted, he could be imprisoned for up to 12 years.
> 
> As for the items found at his business, Quick said other friends and associates had access to and stored items in the building. He said none of the stolen credit cards, checks or fake IDs belonged to him. Quick said all but one of the guns found were registered legally in his name. The other belonged to someone else, and Quick said he didn't know it was there.
> 
> Asked about the most serious charge – manufacturing methamphetamine – Quick walked to the back of his shop, opened the door and lifted his hands in the air.
> 
> Inside were two motorcycles, a three-wheeler and a high-pressure washer. Lining the walls were boxes filled with all manner of machine and engine parts. Cans filled with paint thinner, lantern fuel and other chemicals could be seen. An anti-drug poster hung on the wall.
> 
> "I could have been building anything," Quick said.
> 
> Quick, who fired his first lawyer, has hired a new attorney, Daniel Lough. Quick is scheduled to make his next court appearance at 8:50 a.m. tomorrow in Vista Superior Court.
> 
> "I'm 100 percent confident that the right people will go to jail and that I will be vindicated," Quick said.
> 
> source



this guy just looks like a tweaker, no doubt about it


----------



## E-llusion

Well, with a last name "Quick" what else would you expect ?


----------



## Edge80

*Record Seizures Bring Drug Problem to Light in Lubbock*

Record Seizures Bring Drug Problem to Light in Lubbock

7/10/04

DPS troopers across the state seized more than $150 million worth of illegal drugs in 2003. That's up 15% from the year before. Cocaine, marijuana, and methamphetamine seizures all went up across the state. Here in Lubbock, all three are problems, but it's meth that's keeping local troopers busy. 

"From when methamphetamines started coming back around, it has grown even more so since two years ago," said Corporal John Gonzalez with the DPS.

Across the state in 2003, DPS troopers seized a record 145 pounds of methamphetamines. Here in Lubbock, law enforcement saw its share of meth busts. The drug is cheap and easy to make and that's creating a problem.

"The uprising of meth labs and rolling meth labs are very common and a lot of troopers are catching a lot of this material inside the vehicle, everything from scales to syringes to little baggies they have as containers for the drugs themselves," said Gonzalez.

Increased demand for meth means more dealers are moving the drug on our roadways and getting busted during routine traffic stops.

"We just encourage the public to be aware our troops are out there and continue to enforce those criminal laws of drug trafficking/paraphernalia that we get on a daily basis or weekly basis or monthly basis, and it's a growing problem all over," said Gonzalez.

DPS Troopers can only hope to contain the drug and keep it from reaching young people.

"How do we do prevention? That's from education and hopefully get the message out to our community, parents, and second to the students, and what these drugs can do to them," added Gonzalez.

Corporal Gonzalez tells NewsChannel 11 that meth in its purest form can be just as deadly as cocaine or heroin, so it's important for parents and friends to look for symptoms in their loved ones.

Symptoms include:

irritability or nervousness 
convulsions 
paranoia 
hallucinations 
delusions of insects under the skin 
repetitive behavior 
violent or aggressive behavior

Here


----------



## Edge80

*Drug-dealing 'candy man' sentenced to 20 years*

Drug-dealing 'candy man' sentenced to 20 years in prison on ice charge 

By LILA FUJIMOTO, Staff Writer 


WAILUKU - Described as a "candy man" suspected of selling methamphetamine in a Kahului housing project, a defendant was sentenced Friday to a 20-year prison term for attempted drug distribution. 

Louis Dale Cambra Jr., 43, was ordered to serve at least six years and eight months of the term before being eligible for parole. 
Second Circuit Judge Joel August imposed the mandatory-minimum term because Cambra is a repeat offender and because the drug involved was methamphetamine.

While Cambra wasn't caught in the act of selling drugs when police vice officers stopped him on his mo-ped Oct. 1, 2002, in Kahului, the amount of methamphetamine he had didn't appear to be just for personal use, August said. Based on Cambra's statements to police about how much methamphetamine he used, the more than 11 grams he had "would have been approximately 22 days' supply," August said.

He said he hoped Cambra had learned through drug and parenting programs he participated in while incarcerated and awaiting trial. 

"Hopefully, the Mr. Cambra we're seeing in court today - and with the insight he has today - is not the same Mr. Cambra that was arrested," August said.

At the Maui Community Correctional Center, Cambra said, he has talked to students for the past six months as part of a jail program.

"I don't think the kids realize how much of an impact it has on me - sharing with them," Cambra said in court Friday. "I'm addressing my drug habit. I'll do whatever it takes to fight this battle against my drug addiction."

At the time he was arrested, Cambra had been recently married and was undergoing drug rehabilitation at the urging of his wife, said defense attorney Vickie Russell.

While family members' letters focused on Cambra's drug addiction, Deputy Prosecutor J.W. Hupp said the methamphetamine and $7,000 cash seized by police were evidence of Cambra's drug dealing. 

"He may have a drug problem, but the reality is that he had a significant amount of methamphetamine as well as a significant amount of money," Hupp said. "Someone who is a user typically has one or the other."

At the time of his arrest, Cambra was on parole for 1995 convictions for firearms offenses involving a handgun and a sawed-off shotgun, Hupp said. 

Police vice officers had obtained search warrants for Cambra and his mo-ped before he was stopped on Kamehameha Avenue near South Papa Avenue.

"The state's position is the defendant was distributing in the area of Luana Gardens in Kahului," Hupp said. "The defendant's basically the candy man passing out - for a price - methamphetamine to get more and more people hooked on it. 

"In 2002, he was destroying lives and contributing to destroying lives of children. Now he's talking about helping children. He should have thought of that a long time ago."

In a trial in April, Cambra was found guilty of attempted first-degree promotion of a dangerous drug and possessing drug paraphernalia. Hupp had asked that Cambra be required to serve the 20 years after his parole in the 1995 case expires next year.

But August said he wouldn't order the consecutive term because Cambra was facing a lengthy minimum term.

Russell said Cambra plans to appeal his conviction.

He also is awaiting retrial on another charge alleging that he attempted to distribute drugs in connection with his arrest Sept. 28, 1999, in the parking lot of the Maui Lu Resort in Kihei. Vice officers reported finding nearly 80 grams of crystal methamphetamine, along with a scale, plastic packets and $5,800 cash in a blue Buick that Cambra was standing beside. Police found another $7,761 cash in Cambra's pants pocket.

A trial in that case last month ended with jurors unable to reach a verdict.

According to federal court records, Cambra was sentenced in December to two years and three months in prison, followed by three years of supervision, after pleading guilty in U.S. District Court in Honolulu to firearms charges

here


----------



## lovehatekill1

sounds like someone had one hell of a little operation going.
i


----------



## Edge80

*Border efforts called out of sync*

Border efforts called out of sync

Agencies must coordinate to control crime, federal report warns\

Billy House
Republic Washington Bureau
Jul. 12, 2004 12:00 AM


WASHINGTON - Federal agencies must better coordinate their efforts to battle drug smuggling and illegal crossings along the nation's remote borderland frontiers with Mexico and Canada, congressional auditors warn in a new report.

"In Arizona, there has been very little coordination or planning between the Border Patrol and land management agencies, even as border agencies' staffing levels have increased in recent years," the General Accounting Office says in its report.

The Border Patrol is responsible for protecting the borders. But the GAO report notes that 820 miles of the about 2,000 total miles of border the United States shares with Mexico are located on federal or tribal lands that encompass national parks, forests and wildlife refuges.

Much of the GAO's focus is on Arizona, where 240 of the 375 miles of border shared with Mexico are managed by the U.S. Forest Service (53 miles), the Bureau of Indian Affairs (70 miles), the Fish and Wildlife Service (65 miles), the Bureau of Land Management (17 miles) or the National Park Service (35 miles).

Because U.S. Border Patrol strategies since the mid- to late1990s have concentrated additional patrol resources in populated areas, much of the cross-border illegal traffic has shifted to these more-remote federal lands in Arizona, the GAO report says.

Evidence of these shifts as documented in the GAO report includes:


• Seizure of more than 100,000 pounds of marijuana, 144 grams of cocaine and 6,600 grams of methamphetamine on the Tohono O'odham Reservation in 2003, compared with the 65,000 pounds of narcotics confiscated the year before.


• Confiscation of 19,000 pounds of marijuana by the Bureau of Land Management on BLM property in Arizona - primarily Ironwood Forest National Monument - in fiscal 2003, up from 2,600 pounds the year before.


• Rising numbers of undocumented immigrants apprehended on Department of Interior lands in Arizona within 100 miles of the border, going from 51 in 1997 to 113,480 in 2000.


• The illegal entry into the United States of an estimated 200,000 undocumented immigrants through the National Park Service's Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument in 2001.


• Estimates that as many as 1,000 undocumented immigrants cross the Fish and Wildlife Service's Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge each week.

The report also refers to the rising number of undocumented immigrants who have been dying while trying to cross these remote border regions illegally. 

And it points to the increased dangers that the shifting illegal activity poses to law enforcement officers, federal agency employees, residents and visitors to national parks, forests, wildlife refuges and tribal nations. The GAO mentions the August 2002 shooting death of a park ranger as he helped Border Patrol agents pursue two men suspected in a drug-related murder.

GAO auditors who paid field visits to Arizona said officials of these other agencies acknowledged "they were unprepared for the increased illegal border activity on their lands," and reported enforcement activities with the Border Patrol often continue to lack coordination.

In addition, the GAO notes that these agencies' efforts to get more federal funding and law enforcement personnel on their own tied to border projects are sometimes disregarded because they are viewed by federal budget officials "as more in keeping with the border security mission of the Border Patrol."

As of May, the Border Patrol still had not issued detailed plans to ensure that interagency coordination occurs, the GAO said.

Given these challenges and increased awareness about the threat of terrorists entering the country, the GAO concludes "it is critical that the Border Patrol and land management agencies closely coordinate their efforts . . . to respond to increased illegal border activity - in populated areas as well as rugged wilderness."

Without such a "coordinated, interagency approach along the Mexican and Canadian borders that takes into account a broader federal perspective, individual federal agencies will continue to consider and fund only their own priorities," the GAO warns.

Officials of the Department of Homeland Security, and the departments of Interior, Agriculture, Justice, and the Office of Management and Budget reviewed a draft of the report and generally agreed with the GAO's conclusions. 

The various agencies are working to address the concerns, said Michael Dino, an assistant director of the GAO based in Los Angeles.

Here


----------



## Edge80

*Federal charges levied against reputed drug trafficker*

Federal charges levied against reputed drug trafficker 

Lance Martin/Herald Senior Staff Writer

JACKSON - A Murfreesboro man reputed to be a major cocaine trafficker in a three-county area now faces federal charges. 

Northampton County Sheriff Wardie Vincent said four local crack cocaine-related charges against Steve Junior Lassiter, 24, were dropped. The man, who lived off Indian Branch Road near the Hertford County line, now faces the several federal charges including:

€ One count of conspiracy to possess more than 50 grams of crack cocaine. He could receive 10 years to life if convicted.

€ Three counts of distribution of more than 5 grams of crack cocaine. For those three charges and a charge of possession with intent to sell and distribute more than 5 grams of crack cocaine, he could get five to 40 years.

€ One count of distribution of more than 5 grams of crack cocaine. For that count, he could get 10 years to life.

€ One count of use of a firearm in furthering a drug trafficking crime. For that count, he could get five years to life.

Lassiter was being held in federal custody pending a bond hearing in Greenville Tuesday.

That Lassiter faces federal charges means the U.S. Attorney's Office suspects him to be a major drug trafficker in Bertie, Hertford and Northampton counties, Vincent told reporters Thursday. "There was a lot of interest in him from these sheriff's offices and police agencies."

Lassiter is believed to have taken over a thriving operation from his brother, who was arrested earlier this year in Hertford County. Vincent did not have specifics on that case. Officers believe Lassiter moved to Northampton County about three to four months prior to his arrest in May by Northampton County officials.

"He was under a lot of pressure. They were tracking him closely in Hertford and Bertie," Vincent said. The sheriff said Lassiter may have believed he could continue his operation in Northampton.

"We got numerous calls," Vincent said. "The numerous (traffic) made them (neighbors) a little uncomfortable."

Undercover agents made buys totaling 200 grams of crack cocaine from Lassiter in Northampton County. "We purchased as high as $3,000 worth from him at one time," Vincent said.

Vincent said officers believe the operation could have easily brought in between $15,000 to $20,000 a week.

Northampton County Drug Agent George Reed said an asset forfeiture of $1 million was also set for Lassiter, meaning he could possibly owe up to $1 million in drug taxes.

The sheriff said he was pleased to see Lassiter facing federal charges. "Because we're looking at maximum time, this could take him off the street for a matter of time," he said.

At the time of his arrest in May, an assessor with the N.C. Department of Revenue determined the taxes Lassiter owed were so great that his vehicle, numerous household appliances such as the washing machine and dryer and furniture such as end tables, compact disks and DVDs were seized. A shotgun and $1,400 in cash also were taken.


Link


----------



## klmal

How sad.


----------



## notneo

His life is completely gone, hate reading things like this and hearing about such tough sentences.


----------



## E-llusion

*Forty-eight kilos of heroin taken from police station*

Forty-eight kilos of heroin taken from police station 

Police have established a special squad to catch Hamit Bayram and his associates and recover the missing drug cache. 

July 12 - The scandal surrounding the Van police station has grown over the weekend after it was revealed that 48 kilos of heroin had been removed from the building. 

The story began with the detention last week of Hamit Bayram, the son of a former parliamentary deputy, during a drugs operation. It was alleged Bayram had tried to sell a quantity of drugs to an undercover police officer. Bayram was reported to have said that he could provide a further 100 kilos of heroin if requested.
       However, after being taken into custody and transferred to the Van police station, Bayram called his associated, who descended on the building removed him from the cells. The raid took place in the presence of between 20 to 30 police officers. 

       It has now been revealed that Bayram’s men also took the 48 kilos of heroin that had been confiscated when their leader had been detained. 

       Authorities have set up a special task force to catch Bayram. A full enquiry has been promised by officials into the circumstances of the raid on the Van police station

LInk


----------



## fruitfly

*30,000 Ecstasy tabs seized*
Three suspects arrested by locals, DEA
By Naush Boghossian, LA Daily News
July 13, 2004

GLENDALE -- One of the biggest caches of suspected Ecstasy in the city's history -- 30,000 tablets -- was seized Tuesday, and police arrested three men on suspicion of distributing the illegal drug.

Search warrants served Monday in Glendale and San Bernardino also resulted in the seizure of six kilograms of suspected cocaine and $50,000 to $100,000 in cash, said Glendale Lt. Gary Montecuollo.

"This is probably one of the largest seizures of Ecstasy in Glendale," said Montecuollo, adding that the drugs are believed to have a street value of at least $450,000.

"If we can take 30,000 tablets off the street ... that's a very positive effort to get that drug out of the hands of people who are going to use it."

Citing the ongoing investigation, police refused to release the names of the three suspects. They are expected to face federal drug charges. 

U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration offices in Los Angeles and El Paso, Texas, along with the Albuquerque Police Department, asked Glendale police for their help on a narcotics investigation in which they believed a source of supply and distribution to New Mexico lived in Glendale.

Police are attempting to identify the source of the narcotics, and anticipate more arrests.

"This is a large-scale narcotics supplier of the Los Angeles area and to some distributors residing in the New Mexico area," said Glendale police narcotics investigator Joe Allen. "We're continuing to look into items of evidence obtained throughout the investigation that will help lead us to additional suppliers of the narcotics to these individuals." 

Link


----------



## E-llusion

*Festival ecstasy dealer jailed*

Festival ecstasy dealer jailed Jul 14 2004

POLICE recovered a massive haul of ecstasy tablets after searching a car heading for a festival.

Officers grew suspicious of the car containing five people parked up at the Heritage Park car park, at Greenfield, near Holywell.

They found 524 ecstasy tablets destined for an all-day music festival at a holiday camp at Prestatyn.

Stuart Lesley Wooster, of Portsmouth, admitted possessing the drugs with intent to supply. But the 24-year-old claimed he was simply a courier.

His claims were rejected at an earlier hearing and yesterday Wooster was jailed for three years at Mold Crown Court.

Anna Price, prosecuting, said that all five car occupants were arrested but Wooster took responsibility for them, and said: "It's only a bit of money for Christmas."

The drugs had a potential street value of up to £2,600.

Nic Parry, defending, said his client deserved credit for accepting the drugs were his. Wooster was a man of good character whose first period of imprisonment filled him with terror.

He was a broken young man who had truly lost everything.

Link


----------



## E-llusion

*30,000 Ecstasy tabs seized*

July 13/2004

Three suspects arrested by locals, DEA


By Naush Boghossian
Staff Writer


GLENDALE -- One of the biggest caches of suspected Ecstasy in the city's history -- 30,000 tablets -- was seized Tuesday, and police arrested three men on suspicion of distributing the illegal drug.
Search warrants served Monday in Glendale and San Bernardino also resulted in the seizure of six kilograms of suspected cocaine and $50,000 to $100,000 in cash, said Glendale Lt. Gary Montecuollo.

"This is probably one of the largest seizures of Ecstasy in Glendale," said Montecuollo, adding that the drugs are believed to have a street value of at least $450,000.

"If we can take 30,000 tablets off the street ... that's a very positive effort to get that drug out of the hands of people who are going to use it."

Citing the ongoing investigation, police refused to release the names of the three suspects. They are expected to face federal drug charges. 

U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration offices in Los Angeles and El Paso, Texas, along with the Albuquerque Police Department, asked Glendale police for their help on a narcotics investigation in which they believed a source of supply and distribution to New Mexico lived in Glendale.

Police are attempting to identify the source of the narcotics, and anticipate more arrests.

"This is a large-scale narcotics supplier of the Los Angeles area and to some distributors residing in the New Mexico area," said Glendale police narcotics investigator Joe Allen. "We're continuing to look into items of evidence obtained throughout the investigation that will help lead us to additional suppliers of the narcotics to these individuals." 

LInk


----------



## E-llusion

*Police arrest woman suspected of trying to smuggle Ecstasy*

Last Update: 13/07/2004 12:36 

Police arrest woman suspected of trying to smuggle Ecstasy   

By Roni Singer, Haaretz Correspondent 

Ben-Gurion Airport police on Tuesday arrested a 31-year old female resident of Holon after they found 55,000 Ecstasy tablets wrapped in M & M candy packages hidden in her baggage. 

Police detectives decided to search the woman's baggage after she aroused suspicion after returning to Israel from Zurich. Detectives found a hidden compartment in the woman's suitcase in which the Ecstasy tablets were hidden.

The tablets were estimated to have a street value of some NIS 5 million.

The suspect, transferred into Tel Aviv district police custody, is not cooperating with investigators.

According to airport police statistics, 150,000 similarly-wrapped Ecstasy tablets have been confiscated at Ben-Gurion during the past number of months from individuals attempting to smuggle them into the country.

The trial of former energy minister Gonen Segev, also suspected of attempting to smuggle Ecstasy into Israel, is set to begin shortly. 

According to the suspicions against him, Segev left the Ecstasy tablets, also disguised in M & M wrappers, in the Amsterdam airport when he realized he had attracted the attention of authorities.  

Link


----------



## E-llusion

*16-year-old club hostess arrested for selling Ecstasy tablets*

July 10/2004

SINGAPORE : A 16-year-old club hostess has been arrested for selling Ecstasy tablets at Club Millennium KTV at Furama Hotel.

Central Narcotics Bureau officers arrested her and her companion minutes after she sold five Ecstasy tablets to an undercover agent.

CNB then proceeded to raid the KTV lounge and arrested a total of 10 hostesses, a male PR manager and a male customer on suspicion of taking the drugs.

The young hostess will be investigated for trafficking, and if convicted, faces a minimum sentence of five years in jail.

CNB officers continued their blitz and arrested the woman's associates -- two 18-year-old men and a 25-year-old man -- and netted another 12 suspected abusers. - CNA

Link


----------



## E-llusion

*Border Patrol nets about $3.8 million in marijuana*

July 14/2004

Odessa American

Two men accused of smuggling marijuana into the country in jalapeño cans were among four arrested late last week by the U.S. Border Patrol.
Border Patrol agents seized about $3.8 million in marijuana in three separate cases. The narcotics weighed more than 4,800 pounds.
In all three cases, the arrested men, the vehicles and the narcotics were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration. The identities of the suspects were not available Tuesday.

About 10:30 p.m. Friday, two men driving a Penske three-ton international harvester entered the checkpoint south of Marfa. The men claimed to be transporting goods they had purchased in Presidio to El Paso. Border Patrol agents who searched the truck discovered several pallet loads of six-pound cans of jalapeños. About 540 of the jalapeño cans had marijuana in sealed pouches. The total weight of the drugs was 1,647 pounds valued at more than $1.3 million.

Also, about 10 a.m. Friday, Alpine station agents arrested a 45-year-old Krum man driving a 2000 Ford pickup. The man is accused of dumping 2,980 pounds of marijuana in the area. Border Patrol agents were able to track truck tires and the driver’s footprints from the place where the driver was arrested to where the marijuana had been dumped, a news release said. The value of that marijuana is estimated at about $2.4 million.
Finally, agents at the Marfa checkpoint found 234 pounds of marijuana about 10:30 p.m. Thursday in a 1978 Ford pickup driven by a 37-year-old Pecos resident. The drugs were hidden in cement bags in the back of the pickup and had an estimated value of $187,680, a news release said. 

Link


----------



## Edge80

*Supermodel Busted For Coke*

Model prisoner:
Beauty in coke bust 

BY SCOTT SHIFREL
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER 


Hot young mannequin and Tribeca tenant Ingrid Parewijck is the new face of a sexy men’s cologne, but her latest pose is for a mug shot after being busted at JFK with three bags of cocaine.  

She's the new face of a sexy French cologne, but that didn't put Kennedy Airport drug inspectors off the scent - they said they found her with three bags of cocaine.
Hot young model Ingrid Parewijck was busted Saturday night after arrival from Paris when a routine customs inspection found her carrying 2.7grams of the drug, Queens prosecutors said.

The Belgian beauty had one plastic package in her right front pants pocket and two more in her brown leather handbag, according to a criminal complaint.

Last month, Parewijck's profile and bare back were featured in advertisements introducing a new men's fragrance, L'Instant de Guerlain Pour Hommes, from the same famous perfumer that produces Shalimar, Samsara and Vetiver.

At the airport, Parewijck, 25, a tall, thin blond who has graced the likes of Vogue, Elle and Photo magazines, was led off in handcuffs to spend most of the night in a dingy holding cell, a Port Authority police spokesman said.

"She was scared ... petrified," said a source who attended Parewijck's arraignment in Queens Criminal Court the next morning.

"This is not a situation ... where this is for sale," her lawyer, Gregory Watts, told the judge, according to a transcript of the proceeding. "It may be just a problem she has regarding drug abuse."

"It's pretty pathetic if it is for personal use," Judge Laura Ward shot back. "I've seen more than my fair share of models convicted on drug charges doing five to 15 years in jail... . 

"If you put that stuff up your nose one time, that's one time too many. Do you understand that?"

"Yes," Parewijck replied.

The model, who faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted, was released without bail.

Parewijck shares a fifth-floor loft in a fashionable Tribeca building with a roommate, Fabiana Lutti, who said yesterday she has not seen her high-flying friend in about a month.

Lutti said she was "not happy" to hear of Parewijck's arrest.

Their building is near Next Model Management, the agency that represents Parewijck.

Neither the head of Next Model Management, Faith Kates, nor Parewijck's attorney returned calls seeking comment yesterday.


Link


----------



## AstroZombie13

Suprise suprise..? lol.


----------



## Chaos Butterfly

What? Models are coke fiends?!?!?

Never would have guessed


----------



## Edge80

*Traffic stop nets 283 pounds of marijuana*

Traffic stop nets 283 pounds of marijuana
By LARRY HENDRICKS
Sun Staff Reporter
07/14/2004

Nearly 300 pounds of marijuana heading from Tucson to Chicago made a detour Monday afternoon into the hands of highway patrol officers in Flagstaff. 
Sgt. Rod Wigman with the Flagstaff office of the Arizona Department of Public Safety said an officer pulled over the driver of a 1993 Ford Crown Victoria for speeding on Interstate 40 just east of the city at approximately 2:45 p.m. 

The officer spoke with the female driver, who displayed signs of nervousness during the contact, Wigman said. The officer, suspecting a crime might be in progress, asked if he could search the car. 

"Right after the driver refused consent, the driver told the officer they had a few partially burnt marijuana cigarettes in the ash tray," Wigman said. 

Once armed with probable cause, the officer searched the car and found 283 pounds of marijuana in the trunk. 


The marijuana had been wrapped in mustard, contact paper and cellophane, Wigman said. It has a street value of more than $450,000. 

Arrested on charges of possession and transportation of marijuana for sale were Amber C. Alfonso, 19, Franklin Park, Ill., and Gerardo A. Barillas, 22, Tampa, Fla. 

The two were traveling from Tucson to Chicago, Wigman said. 

"They said they were just going on a big road trip," Wigman said. 

He added that detectives believe Alfonso and Barillas were serving as "mules" or transporting the drugs for another party. 

According to information from the Metro anti-narcotics task force in Flagstaff, marijuana sells on the street for approximately $25 a quarter-ounce. That would give Monday's seizure a cash value of $452,800. 

In 2003, officers with DPS in northern Arizona seized 10,631 pounds of marijuana. In 2002, officers seized 5,310 pounds of marijuana.


Link


----------



## Edge80

> the driver told the officer they had a few partially burnt marijuana cigarettes in the ash tray




Why in the hell would you be smoking pot wile driving with all that weed in the car.  That is pretty stupid


----------



## Edge80

*Authorities in Calif. seize 33,000 doses of ecstasy*

Authorities in Calif. seize 33,000 doses of ecstasy headed for N.M.

Last Update: 07/14/2004 6:21:59 PM
By: Todd Dukart

Police in Glendale, California, seized $400,000 worth of ecstasy they say was headed to New Mexico.

Police say the drugs were found with three men in the Los Angeles-area city, who may be tied to a major drug distribution ring based in New Mexico.

The 33,000 doses of ecstasy were also found with 10 pounds of cocaine, which is worth at least $120,000, and nearly $100,000 in cash.

The Drug Enforcement Agency says the load was headed to northern New Mexico. The Glendale Police Department says it’s the largest load of ecstasy it’s ever seen.

Authorities hope to be able to catch more people linked with the three men arrested, so their names are not being released.

Link


----------



## fruitfly

*Labradors 'were used as drug couriers'*
By Oliver Poole, Telegraph (UK)
(Filed: 16/07/2004) 

Two labradors had 21 cocaine canisters placed in their stomachs by a gang trying to smuggle the drug into Britain, a court was told yesterday.

Rex, a golden labrador, and Frispa, a black labrador, were on a plane from Colombia when their poor condition was noticed by a vet during a stopover in Amsterdam.

He saw they had four-week-old surgical scars on their bellies and detected hard objects around Rex's stomach. X-rays showed packets inside both the animals' body cavity beside their internal organs.

John Cooper, QC, prosecuting, said at Norwich Crown Court that several canisters had fused to the connective tissue inside Frispa, meaning that they could not be removed without killing her.

However, the condition had made the dog very weak and Customs officials were told that, if the objects were left in place, she would not survive and was put to sleep.

Several members of the gang were detained at Stansted airport, Essex, when 1.13 kilograms of cocaine worth £126,000 was recovered.

Sophia McPherson, 24, a student at St Martin's College in London, was arrested when she arrived at the airport to pick up the dogs from the Martinair flight on Oct 3 and charged with conspiracy to import Class A drugs.

Three others, Gregory Graham, 27, of Harrow, north-west London, and Glenroy Kentish, 28, of Hitchin, Herts, were arrested in a nearby lay-by shortly afterwards.

Kaye Chapman, also of Harrow, who police say was originally intended to pick up the dogs, was arrested later that day. All four have pleaded not-guilty.

The trial continues.

Link


----------



## fruitfly

^ Those poor doggies, in pain for four weeks! I hope these assholes get charged with animal cruelty on top of the drug charges.


----------



## fruitfly

*Family Says Opium Was For Pets*
3 Arrested After Opium Found In Garden
TheIowaChannel.com
July 16, 2004

PELLA, Iowa -- The family charged earlier this week after police found opium in their back yard said the plants were for pets.

Central Iowa drug agents made a big bust Tuesday. Investigators found about 20,000 opium plants -- which is about 3,000 pounds -- at xxxx xxxxx Ave. in rural Pella. Officers arrested three people from Pella: Al Yang, 61; Xay Vue Yang, 52; and Samantha Yang, 39. All three were charged with manufacturing of a controlled substance.

The Yang family garden is full of fresh fruit and flowers. The neighbors thought they were beautiful. 

"Pretty red flowers, just in the garden and the garden was full," said Jodi Lautenbach, the Yangs' neighbor.

Sam Yang said she never imagined she would be arrested for growing opium. She claims the opium is medicine for her animals when they get injured.

"Snake bite. Get rid of pain," said Yang.

Police are not so sure. They say opium can be used to make drugs like heroin. According to officers, the garden was overflowing with opium to the tune of 20,000 plants.

It's a rare find in Iowa.

"It was new and different for us. We have never run into it before," said Marion County Sheriff Greg Verwers.

Drug agents seized some of the flowers as evidence and destroyed most of the others. A few still grow in the Yang family garden.

The family insists they are not in the drug business.

"Never sold this. Never in my life. My dad, my mom -- we live here 11 years, we never did any drugs or cocaine here," Yang said.

Officers also said they seized a large sum of U.S. currency, along with foreign currency. Yang said that money was brought from Laos.

Link


----------



## BA

*High school coach arrested for selling drugs*

Indianapolis, July 15 - Thirty-three-year-old Steve Fagan, an assistant girls basketball coach at Cathedral High School, was arrested this week by Greenwood Police for selling drugs while wearing a Cathedral school shirt.

Police Captain David Payne says, "Officers contacted him, he agreed to meet with them down here. They met and he was arrested."

The Indianapolis man was arrested for trying to sell cocaine and marijuana in a sting at the Greenwood Park Mall.

Police say that Fagan was carrying only a small of amount of drugs that they believe he regularly deals outside of the mall.

Fagan has coached at Cathedral for the last three years, assistant coach in girls softball and then in the girls' basketball program.

Administrators at the private Catholic school say that while Fagan isn't a staff member and has a limited role at the school, he did pass the required criminal background checks.

"We're all so saddened and shocked because Mr. Fagan is a dedicated coach," says Principal Dave Worland, "and by his job performance we saw, he was reccommended to continue because of what we knew."

Held at the Johnson County Jail charged on felony and misdemeanor drug counts, the coach declined an interview.

While police continue to look into Fagan's alleged drug ties in Greenwood, his employer is investigating whether any drugs were sold to students.


http://www.wthr.com/Global/story.asp?S=2045563&nav=9TaiOpuP


----------



## Edge80

*Bust finds 2,000 immature marijuana plants*

Bust finds 2,000 immature marijuana plants

Thursday, July 15, 2004


By Erin Musgrave/Staff Writer

Law enforcement officials seized over 2,000 marijuana plants near the Pacheco Creek Reservoir Tuesday, arresting the man living in and cultivating the gardens that eventually could have produce several million dollars of street-value marijuana.

Augustine Castillo, 45, was arrested for felony marijuana cultivation when 10 San Benito County Sheriff’s Department special agents entered the area in between Pacheco Creek and the Pacheco Creek drainage, about a quarter of a mile west of Lover’s Lane at 1 p.m., said agent David Pilkington of the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team.

The 2,017 plants were between one and three feet tall and occupied three separate gardens - the largest about 70 yards by 30 yards and the others slightly smaller, Pilkington said.

Castillo had a small camp site located inside the smallest garden, he said.

“He had a sleeping bag and was camping out. He was guarding it and tending it,” Pilkington said. “He was totally compliant, was not armed and gave up with no resistance.”

Castillo had no prior narcotics arrests, but was arrested for a misdemeanor driving under the influence charge in 2003 and a drunk in public charge in 2001, according to San Benito County Jail officials.

Castillo is incarcerated at the jail in lieu of $50,000 bail.

Agents discovered the cache of plants about a month ago when someone trying to camp in the area had called sheriff’s deputies and advised them they had been shot at while trying to find a place to camp, Pilkington said.

“The deputies stumbled upon the garden and took it over to us,” he said. “We followed up yesterday... There are certain reasons why we waited so long that I can’t go into because they’re part of the investigation.”

Agents seized the crop and booked it into evidence at the Hollister Police Department.

The plants will be destroyed upon a court order after the case is settled through the District Attorney’s Office, Pilkington said.

“There’s different ways to dispose of it,” he said. “Burn it, bury it - it depends.”


link


----------



## Edge80

*Pharmacy helps bust marijuana grower*

Pharmacy Employees Aid In Drug Arrest


A sting operation in Dripping Springs was aiding with the help of some very shrewd residents.

Police are crediting the employees of a small town pharmacy for nabbing a drug suspect.

One woman told News 36 that she just had a gut feeling that something was wrong, and she proved to be right.

Folks at Dripping Springs Pharmacy knew something wasn't right with one of their frequent customers.

"I'm usually the one who helps him when he comes in, and I've always been real suspicious about him because when we would ask him a personal question, your name or anything, he would get real agitated," Holly Maynard with the Dripping Springs Pharmacy said.

For the past six months, the man's been using the store's UPS service to ship boxes of what he said were microphones.

"He wasn't very smart because he didn't tape the box too well, and she looked inside and saw there were vials of marijuana," Maynard said.

But the challenge for authorities was how to catch a suspect who had used at least six different names, fake ID's and credit cards to do his business.

"Mission one was to find out who this guy was, and that was difficult to do. I don't know if we would have been able to do it, had he not come back to the store to claim his box," Sgt. Chase Stapp with the Hays County Narcotics Task Force said.

"So I called him back and said our UPS system was down, and if he wanted it out today then he would have to come get it, and he said he was on his way. He came up, and we made a package up real quick to look like his, and he walked in. All I had to do was give a signal to Lynn, and they came and got him," Maynard said.

Thirty-seven-year-old Thomas Lee Spoonemore had an even bigger surprise awaiting authorities back at his Dripping Springs home. 

"We found a fairly good size double-wide mobile home that he was living in and using to grow marijuana. He had converted over half the mobile home to his grow operations living in a small part of it," Stapp said.

The stash of six gallon-sized bags of marijuana, roughly 55 plants, six fake ID's and a video about how to make them. All of it was valued at more than $30,000.

The highly potent strain of pot sells for about $40 a gram on the street. Spoonemore is charged with delivery and possession of marijuana and with tampering and forgery of a government document for all those fake ID's.





Link


----------



## E-llusion

fruitfly said:
			
		

> *Family Says Opium Was For Pets *


*

Hmm OK, but here is a DEAD GIVE AWAY! lol:




			live here 11 years, we never did any drugs or cocaine here,- Yang said.
		
Click to expand...


*


----------



## E-llusion

*Man allegedly leaves heroin in rental car*

* Man allegedly leaves heroin in rental car *

July 19/04

A man who returned a rental car allegedly * forgot to take along 88 bags of heroin he had left in the car *. Employees of an Enterprise Rent-A-Car agency called police and reported finding the drugs hidden under a layer of napkins in the car’s console, authorities said. 

Using information found in the wallet the man also left behind, Detective Daniel Baranoski of nearby Middletown contacted Robert Laguerre, posing as someone who had found the heroin, and told him he wanted to return the drugs for a reward, authorities said. 

Baranoski set up a meeting with Laguerre at a mall in this Philadelphia suburb, and Laguerre was arrested when he arrived, police said. ap

Link


----------



## Edge80

*Re: Man allegedly leaves heroin in rental car*

^^^^^^


This guy sounds like a really big jackass.  I can see leaving your wallet but 88 bags of dope! He deserves to get arrested.


----------



## E-llusion

^^ Tell me about it! He was prolly too stoned to realize until it was too late.

:D


----------



## Edge80

*$10M 'Ecstasy House' looked like normal home*

$10M 'Ecstasy House' looked like normal home

CURTIS RUSH
STAFF REPORTER THESTAR.COM

Nothing looked out of place at the two-storey house at 412 Manhattan Dr. in Markham. 
Flowers planted outside gave the home a lived-in look and the lawn was manicured. 

But nothing was normal about this house. 

When a passing resident notified the fire department of an unusual amount of smoke coming from the chimney on Saturday, firefighters found $10 million worth of industrial chemicals used to make drugs such as ecstasy. 

Reports say this was the biggest ecstasy bust in North America. 

Today police are looking for an unknown number of suspects now that the house, in the 16th Avenue and McCowan Rd. area, is officially a crime scene with Health Canada officials there to decontaminate it. Detectives can't step foot inside until all of the hazardous toxins are removed. 

Even the residents at the two adjoining houses have been evacuated. 

Reports are the house was purchased a few weeks ago for up to $400,000 in cash. 

Police are trying to find the homeowners. 

It may take up to a week to clear the home of the chemicals so an investigation can continue. 

As with any chemical, you have to treat it with care or there could be a major explosion," said Sergeant Joanne Waite of York Region police. "These industrial-grade chemicals are very highly flammable." 

Investigators found various equipment and chemicals used to make the drug ecstasy. 

Substantial amounts of the chemicals, which include ethanol and dextromethorphan, were also found scattered within the house, police said. 

This isn't the first time York police have made a major ecstasy drug bust. 

Four years ago this month, York Region police seized millions of dollars worth of the chemicals used to produce ecstasy from a Markham home. 

It was considered to be the largest illicit-drug laboratory bust in Canadian history. 

But Waite says while ecstasy is a common illicit drug in York Region, it's unusual to find drug labs and manufacturing operations in the region. 

"We haven't come across too many labs in York Region recently," Waite said. 

"So this is a surprise." 

York Region is becoming a burgeoning area for marijuana grow houses and ecstasy labs. But officials say ecstasy labs are even harder to detect because the homes don't have to be set up with vast amounts of hydroponic equipment. 

Police say that the suspects are becoming more sophisticated in their operations, even going as far as to hire out families with children to live in the houses so as not to tip off the public. 

However, police say that the public should be aware of the unusual aspects of smoke coming from the chimney in the summertime and to notice if there is a lot of traffic, especially cargo vans, coming in and leaving at all hours.

Link


----------



## E-llusion

*Re: $10M 'Ecstasy House' looked like normal home*



			
				Edge80 said:
			
		

> $10M 'Ecstasy House' looked like normal home



Really, why on earth didn't they have a sign outside "E lab Inside" huh ?

8(


----------



## blahblahblah

*2 face bouquet of drug charges*

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0407180049jul18,1,3358398.story


chicagotribune.com >> Nation/World 

ACROSS THE NATION



2 face bouquet of drug charges

Items compiled from Tribune news services
Published July 18, 2004

CLIFTON, NEW JERSEY -- Roses are red, and sometimes they attract the boys in blue.

Police said they uncovered a ring of heroin smugglers who saturated cardboard flower boxes with $1 million worth of a liquid form of the drug.

After flying the rose-packed boxes into Kennedy International Airport, the smugglers would have extracted the heroin from the cardboard to sell it, authorities said.

"How suspicious are you going to be of boxed flowers?" police Detective Sgt. Patrick Ciser said Thursday.

Two New Jersey men from Colombia, Juan Cortez Arias and John Rivera, were arrested Tuesday and charged with drug offenses.


Copyright © 2004, Chicago Tribune


----------



## missing_one

*First Big Coke Bust in Burma*

*First Major Cocaine Seizure for Rangoon* 
The Irrawaddy.  2004-07-22

By Aung Zaw.

July 22, 2004—Burmese authorities seized an unspecified amount of cocaine and heroin from boats in the international waters last week, according to sources in Rangoon. The seizure appears to have been one of the biggest in years and is the first to have involved cocaine, but state-run newspapers have not yet reported it.

On Thursday, July 15, two feeder boats carrying cocaine and heroin were intercepted by naval patrol vessels and customs officials offshore from Monkey Point, south of Rangoon. The two boats were headed for a Swiss-flagged ship at the time the interdiction took place. Several other feeder boats escaped capture.

According to an official at the Myanmar Port Authority, who spoke on condition on anonymity, the seizure was the biggest in lower Burma in more than a decade (on July 14 AFP reported that police had seized more than 500 kg of heroin from a fishing village in Ye township, Tenasserim Division, 600 km southeast of Rangoon). But the official did not elaborate on how much was confiscated. Narcotics officials in Burma could not be reached for comment.

The two intercepted feeders boats and their crews were brought to Rangoon Port on Friday, July 16. An official investigation is underway, sources said. Though it is not confirmed yet, two prominent Rangoon businessmen are believed to be involved in the drug-smuggling ring.

Coca is grown and refined into cocaine almost entirely in three South American nations—Columbia, Peru and Bolivia. Burma has been a major source of opium and its primary derivative, heroin, since the 1950s, but last week’s drug bust provided the first solid evidence that the country is being used as a transit point for international cocaine distribution.

While cocaine use is almost unheard of in Burma, it is common among the wealthy and upwardly mobile in Thailand and other countries in Southeast Asia.


----------



## BA

*900 pounds of marijuana, $76,400 in cash, vehicles taken from farmhouse*

My hometown! :D

NEW LYME, Ashtabula County Ohio — Nearly a thousand pounds of marijuana and tens of thousands of dollars were confiscated from a New Lyme Township home Tuesday night.

Along with more than 900 pounds of marijuana, $76,400 in cash, five vehicles, two Harley-Davidson motorcycles and a Honda four-wheel all-terrain vehicle were among the list of other items confiscated from the home during the raid, which resulted in six arrests.

The residents of the farmhouse at 5179 Day Road, located just off Route 6, west of Route 11, received an unpleasant surprise Tuesday night after they were met by more than 25 officers of the Trumbull-Ashtabula-Geauga (TAG) law-enforcement task force, Cleveland-Based U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) officers and Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation officers, following a one-year investigation and the raid on the house, which took a week and a half of careful planning and led to the arrests of six individuals.

“We stepped into the house and said, ‘Wow.’ The smell was obvious,” Geauga County Sheriff Daniel C. McClelland said. 

McClelland said the marijuana, believed to be from the San Diego area, was found in various bedrooms of the farmhouse. The money was found throughout the house and vehicles.

The street value of the marijuana is estimated at $1.6 million. Police are considering the possibility of a potential connection to Mexican narcotraffickers. The marijuana was mostly in 10-pound bricks.

“We’re really pleased with the way everything went with this operation. The group did a fantastic job, and it was a great team effort,” Ashtabula County Chief Deputy Sheriff Howard Shetler said.

This raid comes a close second to TAG’s biggest raid, where 4,000 marijuana plants in southern Ashtabula and northern Trumbull County were seized about a year ago.

According to a TAG press release, resident Thomas MacWilliams, 40, conducted the drug business from the home. He was placed in the Ashtabula County Jail in Jefferson. Five of the six people arrested are from Ashtabula and Lake counties; one person is from California. They range in the age from 19 to 41 years.

The raid, which occurred at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, continued into the early morning hours Wednesday.

Conveniently, Ohio law enforcement had been tipped off by a California-division DEA office after a recent drug bust in California led authorities to believe that activity was headed this way. The dealer, traveling from California to Ohio, was arrested upon his arrival at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. A courier traveling from California to Ohio, was under California-division DEA surveillance using a global positioning system locator, and was carrying 200 pounds of the marijuana, which was confiscated at the New Lyme residence. 

One firearm, scales and marijuana papers also were found at the residence.

All actions of the dealer and others involved were under surveillance, down to the arrival of the car in New Lyme Township. According to McClelland, this dealer had been in operation for 10 years. He said it is possible 91 people may have ended up selling as little as a pound each of the marijuana.

“Judging by the amount that was confiscated, we took out one of the biggest northeast Ohio operations there is, not exclusive to just Ashtabula, Lake or Geauga,” Shetler said.

The six individuals who were arrested will be arraigned today in Eastern District Court. The task force is seeking charges of drug trafficking, possession of drugs, and engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity.

“This is a great example of what happens when law enforcement works together. We want to put all dope deals in northeast Ohio out,” McClelland said.


link


----------



## fruitfly

*Follow-up re: cocaine-smuggling dogs*

*Two Guilty of Canine Cocaine Smuggling Bid*
Thu, July 22, 2004

LONDON (Reuters) - Two Britons were found guilty on Wednesday of an elaborate plot to smuggle cocaine into the country by surgically implanting packets of the drug inside two Labrador dogs. 

Gregory Graham, 27, and Kaye Chapman, 20, plotted to smuggle 1.3 kilograms of cocaine into Britain hidden inside the stomachs of golden Labrador Rex and black Labrador Frispa. 

But the scheme was foiled when officials at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport became suspicious at the behavior of Rex and Frispa when they arrived from Colombia en route to London's Stansted Airport. 

Rex was lively but a drugs package had burst inside Frispa and she was lying apathetically. 

Dutch vets operated on the dogs, removing 11 cylindrical objects from Rex and 10 from Frispa, who later died. 

Altogether the packets contained a total of 1.3 kilograms of cocaine. 

British police then swooped when two men and a woman arrived at Stansted to pick the dogs up, and arrested the owner of the house where the dogs were to be sent. 

On Wednesday Gregory and Chapman were convicted at Norwich Crown Court of conspiracy to import drugs. Two other co-accused were cleared. 

"This was an extremely callous method of drug importation that resulted in the death of Frispa and the needless suffering of Rex," said Detective Chief Inspector Andy McDonald afterwards. 

Link


----------



## E-llusion

*Briton held in Ghana over $145 million cocaine haul*

* Briton held in Ghana over $145 million cocaine haul *

Tue 20 July, 2004 

By Kwaku Sakyi-Addo

ACCRA (Reuters) - Police in Ghana are holding an Englishman suspected of being behind a plot to smuggle $145 million (78 million pounds) worth of cocaine seized earlier this year, Ghanaian narcotics officials said on Tuesday.

Craig Alexander Pinnick, 53, from Grimsby, was arrested in a West African country on July 9, Isaac Akuoko, executive secretary of the Ghana Narcotics Control Board, said.

"We've been looking for him for more than six months. We found him with the help of Interpol in a West African country. But I can't disclose which country," Akuoko said.

Police have charged Pinnick, who has been resident in Ghana for 10 years, with importation and possession, and engaging in criminal conspiracy to commit an offence relating to narcotic drugs, according to Akuoko.

In January, Ghanaian narcotics agents discovered 674 kg (1,486 lbs) of cocaine at the home of Briton Kevin Gorman, 59, in Tema, a port city near Accra following a two-year investigation.

European anti-drug officials say Latin American drug cartels are using West African countries more and more as a route to evade the authorities and smuggle narcotics into Europe.

Officials said several Colombian cartels had set up smuggling rings in Senegal, Togo, Ghana and Mauritania. Cocaine from Latin America is first shipped to West Africa and then sent on to Europe in normal shipping containers, they say.

Pinnick was expected to appear in court on July 27. Each offence carries a minimum of 10 years in prison. Pinnick, a marine cargo technician, is married with a 24-year-old son.

Gorman, three other Britons and a 45-year-old German, Sven Herb, are currently on trial for drugs importation, possession and conspiracy offences.

The other British suspects are David Logan and Frank Laverick, both 43, and directors of a company called Ocean Maritime in Gibraltar, and Alan Hodgson, retired building manager from Wales.

Akuoko said Pinnick and Herb, a boat skipper, were responsible for picking up the drugs from the high seas off boats believed to have originated from South America.

Link


----------



## E-llusion

*Cildren 9, 12 arrested on drug dealing charges*

Two children in drug arrests
July 24, 2004

* A 12-YEAR-OLD girl and a nine-year-old boy * were among 14 people arrested yesterday over suspected heroin sales in Sydney's western suburbs.

Police raided a Villawood home on a search warrant after obtaining information from the local community. 

An 18-year-old Villawood man was charged with recruiting children to engage in criminal activity, supplying a prohibited drug and conducting a drug premises. 

A 39-year-old Villawood woman was charged with allowing a home to be used as a drug premises. 

Both have been refused bail and will appear in Parramatta Bail Court today. 

Eleven other people were issued with court attendance notices for being in a drug premises and will face Fairfield Local Court on August 13. 

In the raid, codenamed Operation Reede, police said they seized heroin, items used in the sale of drugs and cash. 

Fairfield local police commander Superintendent Daryl Donnolley said the arrests were a shining example of police working with their community. 

"It sends a strong message to the public that illegal activities such as these will not be tolerated," Superintendent Donnolley said. 

The Australian

LInk


----------



## BA

*Duo jailed for smuggling drugs in dogs*

LONDON (AFP) - A British man and woman were found guilty Wednesday of attempting to smuggle over one kilogramme of cocaine into Britain from Colombia in the stomach of two Labrador dogs.
The Labradors had 21 canisters holding more than one kilogramme (2.2 pounds) of the drug surgically implanted inside their abdominal cavities and were used as carriers to smuggle the drugs from Colombia.

One dog had to be put down after a vet found that the canisters had fused with some of its vital organs.

Gregory Graham, 27, of Harrow, northwest London, and Kaye Chapman, 20, also of Harrow, were convicted unanimously at Norwich Crown Court in east England on Wednesday.

The pair were arrested with two others after a sting operation at Stansted airport, east of London, last September.

British police were tipped off about the elaborate plot by vets at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport worried about the sick animals.

The dogs, a golden Labrador called Rex and a black Labrador called Frispa, arrived for a stopover in Amsterdam on a flight from Colombia on September 27, 2003.

http://www.brunei-online.com/bb/fri/jul23w38.htm


----------



## Edge80

*Police arrest six and find thousands of pot plants in marijuana bust*

Police arrest six and find thousands of pot plants in marijuana bust

Canadian Press 

Tuesday, July 27, 2004

OTTER LAKE, Que. (CP) - Quebec provincial police officers discovered thousands of pot plants after busting a marijuana growing operation on Tuesday. 

Six people were arrested including one minor, police said. 

The 6,000 to 8,000 plants are estimated to have a street value of as much as $15 million, said police spokesman Marc Ippersiel. 

Ippersiel described it as a high-tech operation and said the marijuana is "of very good quality." 

The plants were being cultivated in about 20 greenhouse-like structures near this community in western Quebec.

Link


----------



## Edge80

*Rapper Indicted For Drug Trafficking*

Big Hutch Indicted For Drug Trafficking

By Jay Casteel
Tuesday - July 27, 2004 


Just as many rap stars have been the target of what the press calls the "hip-hop task force" in New York then Miami, a rapper from the west coast is claiming he too has been targeted by law enforcement.

Recently, Big Hutch, whose real name is Gregory Hutchinson, of the rap group Above The Law was pulled over while driving and indicted for conspiracy to traffick close to one thousand pounds of marijuana by the D.E.A.. According to the rapper, he has been falsely accused.

"Some other guys had been arrested, who I hadn't had any contact with for a while," Hutch said via a statement. "They gave the feds my name, and said I financed their drug operation, which isn't even true."

The story gets deeper as Hutch explains that Federal Agents questioned him, but not about the case his allegedly involved in-- instead trying to find information about people in the music industry.

"When the feds interviewed me, they didn't ask me who I knew who was involved in drugs," said Hutch. "Rather, they asked me who in the music industry was involved in drugs. They were just interested in people who worked in music business. So I kind of wonder if that's why these other guys used my name, since that is what the feds want to hear."

The Los Angeles rapper, who recently released his second solo album Live From The Ghetto, says that an employee of his record label had his phone was tapped and that only is how he has fell under this scrutiny. His lawyer has advised him to cop a plea since "hearsay is admissible in federal trials, unlike in other court criminal proceedings." There was no trial and Hutch is awaiting his sentence.

Hutch will turn himself in tommorrow (July 28th) to begin serving his sentence. The rapper in understandly angry and says the claims are "ridiculous."

"They were trying to claim that I financed their drug operation, and that I was the beneficiary because I have a record label," Hutch explained. "No one could prove it, but because of the association with these guys, they charged me with conspiracy. I ended up getting charged for several years for a crime I had nothing to do with."

A music video for Hutch's new single "Lyrical Murder" has just been released through his own West World/Activate Entertainment. 

Link


----------



## redeyes2403

yeah well he whines like a bitch.... Not like my nigga shine!!!


----------



## liquidvision

redeyes2403 said:
			
		

> *yeah well he whines like a bitch.... Not like my nigga shine!!! *


I'd like to see how you would whine if you were falsely accused of a crime, and had to serve several years in prison.


----------



## E-llusion

*Police seize 15 homes, $10M in marijuana*

Codiac RCMP nab 5,000 'high end' plants from high-end neighbourhoods

July 28/2004
ROD ALLEN
Times & Transcript Staff

In ritzy Royal Oaks Estates the houses are "high-end,' and so is the marijuana, say the RCMP.

Thirteen suspects whom police described only as "being of Vietnamese descent" are expected to appear in Moncton provincial court today on charges connected to a months-long RCMP investigation that climaxed in dramatic fashion yesterday.

Police seized more than 5,000 plants of "high-end marijuana," said RCMP "J' Division media relations officer Sgt. Gary Cameron, meaning expensive, highly concentrated pot destined for markets outside the province with a potential "street value' exceeding $10 million.

All told, yesterday's noon-hour raid swooped down on 15 homes in the metropolitan area.

One, at 16 Fraser St. in Moncton, is described as "the nest," where marijuana "farmers' - apparently also sophisticated technicians adept at stealing electricity and concealing their multi-million-dollar crimes - slept and ate between rounds of cultivating basement plots in the other 14 scattered widely over the city and its fringes.



Perhaps surprisingly to many citizens, four of those homes are in Royal Oaks Estates on the northern outskirts of the city, where a luxury golf course and state-of-the-art amenities compete for attention with some of the most expensive homes in metro.

But not everyone is entirely surprised, according to Royal Oaks resident Mike Arsenault, who lives next door to No. 54 Kervin Cr.

Arsenault's mysterious "neighbours' occupied a $300,000 luxury home with glowing hardwood floors, expansive windows, a lovely kitchen area and 1,000 pot plants in the basement.

They were growing under a canopy of 50 enormous, 400-watt 'grow-bulbs' - like 50 miniature suns that police estimate would consume about $500 worth of electricity in a single month.

"We all thought something very strange was going on there," says Arsenault of the people he believes bought the house about a year ago.

No one knew for sure exactly when, because they kept such a low profile, but there was enough strangeness about them - all

people who appeared to be in their 20s or 30s and all of Asian extraction that they were at times the talk of the neighbourhood.

"Everybody said the same thing; that there's something very, very weird about it with all the coming and going, a bunch of young guys, blinds closed all the time, year-round. I'd be out blowing snow in the winter and you'd wave and they'd just look straight ahead like they had blinders on."

There were other clues, added Arsenault two large ventilators are installed on the roof at the back, facing the golf course's No. 6 hole, and a huge Lennox heat exchanger on the side of the house facing his looks to be twice the size that would be required for a home that size.

No one thought to call the police.

"Nobody likes to get involved in someone else's affairs," said Arsenault, although it's possible someone eventually did through the crimestoppers number. He noted that an RCMP officer moved into the neighbourhood a couple of doors down just three weeks ago.

In any event Arsenault was at a relative's house yesterday when his daughter called to say there were "a bunch of guys in white suits running around outside" and obviously, something was up.

To see all the police there yesterday and to finally have it brought home what was going on was "pretty scary."

You could understand how suspicion would not give way to alarm, given the neighbourhood.

As police gave journalists a tour of No. 54 Kervin yesterday, a foursome was cheerfully sinking their putts at Hole No. 6 separated from the house by no more than a hundred feet - paved bicycle path, a sandtrap and the green. Police and reporters were invisible and the golfers had no clue what was going on.

Officers inside the home told reporters the occupants had cut a hole right through the concrete foundation, located the underground power cable and hooked their own transformer to it so they could rob NB Power to run their grow lights.

Power theft is, in fact, hard to detect, said Eugene Giroux, NB Power's manager of operations for eastern New Brunswick.

The cops called Giroux in to cut the power before they moved in, given the enormous amount of electricity in use, the potential for short-outs in homemade circuitry and the vats of potentially volatile fertilizer and other chemicals in the home.

"We have instruments that will measure the amount of electricity being diverted, but unless we get a tip we won't know to use the instruments."

A certain amount of power is lost from the system throughout the year for various reasons and can't be pinpointed to individual thieves until someone alerts the authorities, he said.

Cameron said the majority of the houses seized by police in yesterday's raid are at the high end of the scale. Use of high-end homes for marijuana cultivation is relatively new here but there are sound reasons for using them, said the veteran officer

"People just don't think anything wrong would be going on in homes like these. But they clearly show what kind of money these people have available to them."

Sgt. Rick Daigle of 'J' Division's commercial crimes section said the 15 homes have been officially seized and are in RCMP hands, likely until judicial process is completed in the case. Whether or not all 13 arrested yesterday are convicted, the homes were clearly being used for illegal purposes and they will likely be forfeited to the Crown, the proceeds turned back to government.

Today's scheduled appearances are for 13 suspects - 12 male and one female.

Where they come from has not been disclosed and at this point may not even be known, although federal immigration authorities and police in Hamilton, Ont., are assisting in the investigation, Cameron said.

Link


----------



## Edge80

*7 charged with selling methadone*

7 charged with selling methadone

By STEVE LIEBERMAN 
THE JOURNAL NEWS 
(Original publication: July 28, 2004)


Seven Rockland residents were indicted yesterday on felony drug charges involving the sale of liquid methadone acquired from the county health complex drug clinic in Ramapo, prosecutors said. 

The grand jury indictment unsealed yesterday in County Court resulted from a yearlong investigation into the sale of liquid methadone and other drugs, including cocaine, inside the clinic and outside in the parking lot, the Rockland District Attorney's Office said. 

The Rockland Narcotics Task Force conducted the investigation, using undercover investigators to participate in the purchases of the drugs and witness the sales. The drug sales cited by prosecutors were committed during a seven-month period from April 18, 2003, to yesterday. 

Methadone has been given to people to treat narcotics withdrawal and addiction for at least three decades. It is a synthetic narcotic, given out in pill or liquid form, usually to ease a person's withdrawal from heroin. 

The investigation led to the arrests of Arnold Lee Vandunk, 54, of West Haverstraw, Iris Appel, 54, of Monsey; Rose Dennison, 42, of Haverstraw, Craig Campbell, 24, of Nanuet, John O'Brien, 46, of Congers, Anthony Teti, 54, of Garnerville, and Hector Santos, 64, of Monsey, Senior Assistant District Beth Finkelstein said yesterday. 

All seven pleaded not guilty during their arraignments yesterday in County Court before either Judge Kenneth Resnik or William Kelly. 

The county clinic and its personnel were not involved in the drug sales, Finkelstein said. 

Narcotics Task Force Director Joseph Tripodo said the undercover agency was called into the case by the Rockland Sheriff's Department last November when officers believed methadone was being sold by the drug clinic's clients. 

The task force sent investigators, mostly on Saturday mornings, when the methadone clinic clients received a double dose of the drug. The clinic was closed on Sundays. 

"They would dump a portion of the methadone they received from the clinic into bottles used by the undercovers," Tripodo said, "and charge our undercovers anywhere between $40 and $60." 

Tripodo said investigators used their own medicinal bottles because the clients had to return their bottles to the clinic to show that the methadone was used. 

Vandunk is accused of selling liquid methadone on three occasions for $40 each time. He was accused of selling methadone on Dec. 13, Dec. 20 and Jan. 24 at the health complex. He was charged with three counts each of possessing and selling drugs. 

Appel was accused of selling liquid methadone three times for $50 each time on Dec. 20, Jan. 10 and Jan. 24. 

Dennison was accused of selling liquid methadone for $60 each time on Dec. 2 and Feb. 7, as well as accused of selling cocaine for $20 to an undercover task force officer. 

Campbell was accused of selling four Alprazolam pills for $20 to an undercover officer on April 18, 2003, as well as methadone for $40 each time on Dec. 20 and Dec. 24. Alprazolem is an antidepressant. 

The grand jury indictment accuses O'Brien of selling methadone for $40 on Dec. 20. 

Teti was accused of selling liquid methadone for $40 on Dec. 20, for $30 on Dec. 24 and Jan. 10, and for $50 on Feb. 7. 

Santos was charged in the indictment with selling liquid methadone for $40 on Jan. 10 and for $50 on Feb. 21. 

The investigation is continuing, authorities said. 

Link


----------



## E-llusion

*Father accused of providing fatal overdose*

* Father accused of providing fatal overdose *

Vancouver police arrest Michael W. Proudfoot, saying he gave his daughter, 21, the methadone that killed her in June 

Wednesday, July 28, 2004
HOLLEY GILBERT 

VANCOUVER -- The father of a Vancouver woman who died of an overdose of methadone has been accused of killing her by providing the drug. 

Michael W. Proudfoot, 49, was working on a jail road crew as part of a sentence for an earlier conviction when he was arrested Tuesday in the death of Melissa Proudfoot-Chancellor, 21. 

He is being held in the Clark County Jail and will make his first appearance today on an accusation of controlled substance homicide/domestic violence. Proudfoot-Chancellor's death is considered an act of domestic violence because she and the suspect were related. 

Arrests for controlled substance homicide are rare. 

"Unfortunately, detection of the source of drugs is something usually not done because the trail to the source is never really clear, so a person often goes unprosecuted," said Detective Stuart D. Hemstock of the Vancouver Police Department. 

Proudfoot-Chancellor was found dead June 11 in the St. Louis Way home she shared with her 5-year-old daughter and her former husband, Hemstock said. Dennis Wickham, Clark County medical examiner, determined methadone overdose as the cause of death. 

Police think Proudfoot supplied his daughter with the methadone "free of charge" several days before her death, said Hemstock, who declined to provide details of the investigation. 

"The father was grief-stricken and guilt-ridden," the detective said. "He appeared to be very sorry for any possible responsibility he may have had in his daughter's death." 

Hemstock said the fatal dose was not the first time Proudfoot-Chancellor had used methadone. 

In a liquid form, the drug is best known as a legal substitute that heroin addicts use to kick their habits. Methadone is prescribed in a pill form as a strong, long-lasting pain reliever. 

Detectives think Proudfoot-Chancellor ingested methadone pills her father obtained from an illegal source, Hemstock said. Proudfoot declined to identify the source of the drug to police, Hemstock said. 

Link


----------



## E-llusion

*Alleged drug don gets $129-Million tax bill*

Alleged drug don gets $129-m tax bill

Bailiffs clean out Anton Johnson's Norbrook home 

ERICA VIRTUE, Observer writer
Thursday, July 29, 2004

GOVERNMENT tax investigators confirmed yesterday that they seized more than $2.5-million worth of furnishings from the swanky Norbrook Road townhouse home of Anton Johnson, who the police allege is a drug kingpin and the pilot of a Piper Navajo aircraft that was involved in a dramatic cocaine smuggling operation at the Tinson Pen aerodrome a year ago.

The raid took place last Thursday when agents of the finance ministry's Financial Investigation Division (FID) and the narcotics police went to Johnson's home at Glen Abbey Court, 13A Norbrook Road to collect on a tax claim of more than $100 million.

"I can confirm the raid and seizure," head of the FID, Mike Surridge told the Observer. "I can tell you that it was done under the Tax Collection Act, and in conjunction with the narcotics police."

"The warrant authorised the bailiff to distrain and dispose of goods and chattels, owned by, or in possession of a person who fails to comply with his or her tax obligation," Surridge said.

Surridge declined to disclose the sum for which Johnson, a Bahamian, was assessed, but other officials close to the case said that Inland Revenue Department demanded $129 million from Johnson.

The agency made the assessment, informed sources said, after Johnson failed to respond to the Commissioner of Inland Revenue about his income and wealth relative to his tax returns.

Johnson was among nine persons, including two policemen, allegedly involved in the Tinson Pen incident on July 13 last year, when narcotics police tried to intercept a plane that they claimed was allegedly being loaded with cocaine.

In what critics suggested was a bungled operation by the police, shots were exchanged between the police and the alleged drug smugglers. The plane was punctured but was able to take off. However, all the men involved in its loading managed to escape.

But five hours later the plane returned to Tinson Pen and it was later seized by the police. Johnson was arrested three days later at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Montego Bay.

In a decision in January that angered the head of the narcotics police, Carl Williams, a Kingston magistrate freed all the alleged cocaine smugglers on technicalities.

Prosecutors did not properly outline the case before serving indictments against them and their case was also undermined by the lack of a forensic certificate that a banned substance was being trafficked.

Neither were there statements from independent persons that a drug operation was being carried out, defence lawyers argued.

"This is a victory for the drug-trafficking community," Williams told the Observer after the verdict.

Johnson, however, still has a part-heard case for allegedly flying a plane without the requisite airworthiness certificate.

But the authorities have apparently decided to move after Johnson on the tax front - a development that could well mushroom in the face of the government's declared war on alleged drug traffickers.

In recent months, the police have arrested several persons who the authorities say are leading drug dealers, including one who was on US President George W Bush's list of drug kingpins.

However, the authorities have not specifically said that 
Johnson's tax assessment was based on his alleged drug wealth, although Surridge's confirmation of last week's raid seems to make that connection.

"In Johnson's case, the assessment was served, and he had 30 days to respond," Surridge said. "His failure to do so led to tax officials securing a distress warrant which was executed by a bailiff on July 22."

According to Observer sources, the bailiffs who turned up at Johnson's home took everything, including cooking utensils and his clothes iron.

He begged that they leave a mattress on which he could sleep.

Tom Tavares-Finson, the lawyer who represented Johnson in the drug case, said he has advised his client to seek counsel who could adequately represent him in the tax case. Tax law was outside his area of expertise, Tavares-Finson said.

"When he (Johnson) called me and told me that he had received this tax assessment notification, he thought it was a joke, so he did not respond to it," Tavares-Finson said.
According to the lawyer, Johnson is in the process of seeking counsel on the matter.

Tavares-Finson, however, questioned the legality of the search, specifically the involvement of the narcotics police.

"I don't know the law on this matter, but it seems to me that the narcotics police had no right to be involved in a matter which is said to be a tax assessment," he said.

Link


----------



## Edge80

*Agawam raid nets marijuana haul*

Agawam raid nets marijuana haul

Agawam raid nets marijuana haul
Thursday, July 29, 2004
By KEN ROSS
kross@repub.com 

AGAWAM - An estimated $50,000 worth of marijuana plants were seized Tuesday by police as a result of an aerial search. Twenty-six marijuana plants were seized at 65 Central St., according to Sgt. Mark T. Pfau. Police also arrested two residents living at the same address: Nicole Johnson, 36, and Timothy Fuller, 49. 

Johnson and Fuller were each charged with manufacturing and cultivating marijuana, Pfau said. Both were released on bail around 6 p.m. Tuesday. 

Yesterday, Johnson and Fuller were arraigned at Westfield District Court. Both pleaded innocent, according to the court clerk's office. 

After yesterday's arraignment, Johnson was released on personal recognizance. Fuller was released on $200 bail, the court clerk said. 

Fuller and Johnson will return to court Sept. 14 for a pre-trial hearing, the court clerk said. 

Tuesday's drug raid was conducted by Agawam police in cooperation with the Eastern Hampden County Narcotics Task Force and the Air National Guard, Pfau said. 

Helicopters were used to locate the marijuana plants, Pfau said. The plants ranged in height from 2 to 10 feet, Pfau said. If all 26 plants grew to full maturity, Pfau said the crop would have a street value of approximately $45,000 to $50,000. 

Similar seizures have taken place locally this month. On July 21, authorities seized 25 marijuana plants found growing beside the Connecticut River in Holyoke. 

Link


----------



## 247

*Hip-hop mogul's wife busted for pot*

Thursday, July 29

*Hip-hop mogul's wife busted for pot* 

(CNN) -- The wife of hip-hop entrepreneur Russell Simmons has been charged with possessing marijuana and avoiding police, according to law enforcement officials.

Kimora Lee Simmons, the 29-year-old model and designer of the fashion label Baby Phat, was driving home in Saddle River, New Jersey, Monday when police officers attempted to stop her car "for minor motor vehicle violations," Lt. Robert Breese of the Saddle River Police Department told CNN.

Simmons "didn't slow down or stop for police who had their lights and sirens on and used their public announcement system to ask her to pull over," Breese said.

Police arrested Simmons after she eventually stopped outside her house. Officers discovered "a small amount of marijuana" in her car, according to Breese.

She was released after being charged with possession of marijuana under 50 grams, eluding police, careless driving, tailgating and driving with a broken brake light.

Russell Simmons, the founder and co-owner of the Def Jam record label, said, "My wife is an excellent driver, and she's not guilty of any crime."

"You don't have to grab my wife and put handcuffs on her, her wrists are all bruised up," he said.

Simmons, 46, has vigorously campaigned to repeal New York State's Rockefeller Drug laws, which require long prison sentences for people caught possessing or selling relatively small amounts of drugs.

"The Rockefeller Drug Laws are unfair, unjust and un-American, and that's why Governor (George) Pataki should repeal these unfair laws now," Simmons said in 2003.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/Music/07/29/simmons.arrest/index.html


----------



## missing_one

*Australia, Sydney: 200 police in Redfern raid*

*200 police in Redfern drugs raid*
July 30, 2004 - 12:44PM
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/07/30/1091080421684.html?oneclick=true 

Hundreds of NSW Police today raided houses in Sydney's notorious suburb of Redfern, arresting dozens of suspected drug dealers.

The operation, which had been planned for months, involved officers from the NSW Drugs Squad, Redfern local area command and PolAir, police said.

Scores of undercover police spent the morning identifying suspected drug dealers in the Block area, where according to evidence to a parliamentary inquiry the heroin trade is worth up to $50 million a year.

More than 200 police raided houses along two streets in the area shortly before 11am (AEST), police said.

AAP


----------



## Edge80

*Border Patrol seizes 1,650 pounds of marijuana*

Border Patrol seizes 1,650 pounds of marijuana

Associated Press
Jul. 30, 2004 

TUCSON - U.S. Border Patrol agents seized 1,650 pounds of marijuana and recovered two stolen trucks from the Tohono O'odham Indian Reservation.

The two trucks were concealed in brown camouflage tarps with holes cut out for the windshields and strapped to the truck bodies with Velcro, the Border Patrol said Thursday.

The trucks were found stuck in the mud and presumably abandoned Wednesday afternoon.

The marijuana was wrapped in bundles in the beds of the trucks and had an estimated street value of $1.24 million, authorities said.

Link


----------



## fruitfly

*City man charged in cars-for-drugs scam*
The Register Citizen 
July 31, 2004 

BRISTOL -- A Torrington man who took cars from his Bristol employer’s lot and "rented" them out in exchange for drugs and cash was sentenced to two years in prison Thursday in Bristol Superior Court.

William Charles Sweeney, 38, pleaded guilty under the Alford doctrine to first-degree larceny. Pleading under the Alford doctrines means a defendant acknowledges the state has enough evidence to likely secure a conviction in a trial, but does not admit guilt. 

Sweeney was charged in December for allegedly giving a false name to get hired at Stephen’s World of Wheels as a sales representative and loaning out cars that were for sale or had been turned in to the business at the end of a lease.

Members of the Connecticut Regional Auto Theft Task Force first became aware of the illegal rentals when the Waterbury Police Department spotted an unreported stolen car in the city. The vehicle’s occupants were arrested and gave information about where they got the car.

According to a warrant for his arrest, Sweeney rented out high-end vehicles -- including Cadillacs, Chevrolet Tahoes and Dodge Durangos -- a dozen times. The average price for renting a Cadillac for a week was seven grams of cocaine and $300 cash, police wrote in the warrant.

Police said Stephen’s employees were unaware of the scam until investigators contacted them about a recovered vehicle. A check of the vehicles on the lot found one with 900 additional miles on it and champagne wrappers and marijuana in the back.

Sweeney, who is currently serving a two-year prison sentence for cases out of other courts, was sentenced by Judge Mark H. Taylor Thursday to serve two years concurrent to his present sentence. 

Link


----------



## fruitfly

Re: story posted above about Russell Simmons' wife getting busted .... here's her mug shot -- too funny!


----------



## fruitfly

*There's a lesson to learn from this -- DON'T send drugs thru the mail!*

*Woman charged with getting pot through U.S. mail*
By Lisa Marchesoni / DNJ Staff writer
August 1, 2004

Murfreesboro Police intercepted a large round brick of marijuana valued between $5,000 to $10,000 before it was delivered to a woman waiting for its arrival Monday, an officer said.

Officer Jacoby O'Gwynn chraged suspect Unica Kyle, 20, of xxxxx at xxx xxxxx xx with possession of marijuana for resale and criminal impersonation.

Kyle was charged while waiting for the U.S. Postal Service to deliver the marijuana at Tremont Apartments on Tremont Drive, O'Gwynn said.

The investigation began when police received a call Monday about two women driving around the apartment parking lot. O'Gwynn located Kyle who was accompanied by another woman.

Kyle, who identified herself with a different name, told O'Gwynn she awaiting a package a friend sent to the wrong address. The officer asked for consent to search her vehicle which she granted.

O'Gwynn found her driver's license that gave Kyle's correct name. A check through the National Crime Information Center showed she was wanted in Illinois for possession of a controlled substance.

She was taken into custody where she was interviewed by Vice Detective Shawn Jensen.

"Kyle stated she was there to pick up the marijuana," O'Gwynn said. "She's not releasing who she's picking it up for."

Sgt. Gerald Rowland, Officers Chad Hershman and Anthony Whitehead backed up O'Gwynn.

O'Gwynn waited about three hours until the mail carrier arrived. She had a package addressed to an apartment that didn't exist.

K-9 Officer Matt Lovejoy and his dog, Murph, checked several packages. Murph indicated the package addressed to the apartment that didn't exist might contain drugs.

The package was addressed to Roberto Ramirez of Tremont Drive. O'Gwynn checked with the apartment manager who reported no one with his name lived at the apartments.

O'Gwynn checked with police in El Paso, Texas, where the 34-pound package originated. The name and address of the sender were bogus.

Police notified a federal postal inspector who obtained a search warrant to open the package Tuesday. O'Gwynn opened the package at the police department and found a large container wrapped in cellophane.

The large brick of marijuana was found inside the container. A large bag of kitty litter was found inside the package as well. The kitty litter was believed added to disguise the smell of the marijuana.

O'Gwynn charged Kyle. She was booked into Rutherford County Adult Detention Center. She is being held on $100,000 bond. A hearing is set Aug. 3 in General Sessions Court.

Link


----------



## E-llusion

*AU: Woman to face marijuana driving charge*

* Woman to face marijuana driving charge *

Monday, 2 August 2004

A woman has been charged with driving under the influence of marijuana after being stopped for a random breath test on Saturday morning.

The 37-year-old was stopped in Patton Street, Broken Hill and taken to the hospital so samples could be taken after marijuana was allegedly found in her handbag.

She has also been charged with smoking and possessing the drug and having property suspected of being stolen.

Police allege credit cards and a licence in other names were found in her handbag.

She has also been charged with driving an unregistered and uninsured car, but she passed the breath test.

Meanwhile, a 40-year-old man released from the Broken Hill jail on Thursday is back inside again.

He was in custody for breaching bail on an assault charge and was arrested again at the jail for possessing marijuana allegedly found in a sock while he was being searched prior to release.

His bail was continued and he was required to return to Wilcannia, but police say he was seen in town at the weekend and he was arrested for breaching his bail and remanded in custody until today.

Police say it is the 28th time he has been charged with breaching bail.

Link


----------



## DrugEatingAdvocate

*Ecstasy Lab Bust in South Dakota*

Has anyone heard anything about this.......


> SIOUX FALLS DISTRICT
> April 27th:
> 
> Troopers Koltz and Whisler assisted the DEA in Marion with the seizure of the first known ecstasy lab in South Dakota. Seven subjects were arrested. Kaz indicated to three vehicles on the property. Found in the seizure were the laboratory, marijuana, hallucinogenic mushrooms and a substance that tested positive of Ecstasy. Trooper Whisler transported the three males that were arrested to the Minnehaha County Jail.
> 
> Link: http://hp.state.sd.us/back/050104.htm



[edit: fixed format]


----------



## fruitfly

*Teenage dealer busted; cops tipped off by shirt that said "I am a dealer"*

*Drug pusher under a vest*
By ALASTAIR TAYLOR, The Sun (UK)
August 2, 2004

COPS swooped on a teenage drug peddler's home and found the dimwit wearing a T-shirt that read: "I am a dealer." 

And when they searched his bedroom the officers found £18,000-worth of crack, cocaine and heroin hidden away. 

Mohammed Rahman, 19, claimed he had stashed the drugs for safe keeping for other dealers. 

But he has now started a 30-month jail sentence after admitting three charges of possessing class A drugs with intent to supply. 

Detectives launched the raid on Rahman's family home in Keighley, West Yorks, after a tip-off. 

A cop said: "The team that carried out the raid could not believe it when they saw what he was wearing. Talk about stupidity! 

"He had thousands of pounds worth of drugs in his bedroom and was happily wearing a T-shirt telling the whole world he was a dealer. 

"I suppose he thought it was a joke." 

Jobless Rahman was jailed last week, after a trial at Bradford Crown Court.

Link


----------



## E-llusion

*Re: Teenage dealer busted; cops tipped off by shirt that said "I am a dealer"*



			
				fruitfly said:
			
		

> [Jobless Rahman was jailed last week



What do you mean jobless ? He was slef emlpoyed as a DEALER ! 

It said so right on his shirt.


----------



## DrugEatingAdvocate

*Ecstasy Lab Bust in South Dakota*

Has anyone heard anything about this.......

SIOUX FALLS DISTRICT

April 27th:

Troopers Koltz and Whisler assisted the DEA in Marion with the seizure of the first known ecstasy lab in South Dakota. Seven subjects were arrested. Kaz indicated to three vehicles on the property. Found in the seizure were the laboratory, marijuana, hallucinogenic mushrooms and a substance that tested positive of Ecstasy. Trooper Whisler transported the three males that were arrested to the Minnehaha County Jail.

http://hp.state.sd.us/back/050104.htm


----------



## Ketamike

It's about time some Americans took advantage of our nation's vast wilderness areas (i'm assuming this is in the middle of nowhere).. maybe we'll be able to pay $5 a pill if more of these labs sprung up


----------



## fascistpig

Why haven't the Mexicans done anything about this? I'm sure they can make truckloads of the stuff and flood the southwest.


----------



## Witch Doctor

cos meth is a hell of alot easier to make


----------



## Grep

*117 drug-related arrests at fest*

Posted on Mon, Mar. 08, 2004 

Police arrest scores of dance-music fans at the Ultra Music Festival in downtown Miami and seize $25,000 in illegal drugs.

BY SUSAN ANASAGASTI


Undercover officers watching the sixth annual Ultra Music Festival on Saturday arrested more than 100 people suspected of dealing or using illegal drugs.

Officers of the Miami Police Department's Crime Suppression Unit and Special Investigations Section, Miami Beach Police and the Drug Enforcement Administration were moving among the 35,000 dance music aficionados who packed Bayfront Park in downtown Miami as part of Operation Difference.

Police arrested 117 partyers while seizing cocaine, Ecstasy, marijuana, crystal methamphetamine and LSD with a total street value of about $25,000.

''Our main thing was to get the drugs out of there,'' Lt. David Magnusson said. ``Everything was right there on the surface. We didn't have to go digging up for anything.''

Kicking off this year's Winter Music Conference, revelers moved to the progressive house and trance beats of Paul Oakenfold, Chemical Brothers and Paul van Dyk, among others.

But the spinning sounds mixed with drug use and summer-like temperatures made for a deadly combination, police said.

''Our main job was to stop the drug-selling but we were out there as parents as well,'' Lt. Rene Landa said. ''We wanted to make sure, too, that they were taken care of. It was scary out there.'' The arrests didn't stop the thousands of glowstick-waving music fans who swayed their sweaty bodies to the pulsating drum beats of the DJs.

''Everywhere you turned there was perpetual motion that would elevate the body temperature even if you were on nothing but water,'' Magnusson said. ``It's a recipe for disaster on your body.''

Fire-rescue workers treated about 30 drug users at the event; four were transported to the hospital, police said.

Last year, Miami Mayor Manny Diaz threatened to shut down the festival fearing pervasive drug use on city property.

But Landa said Ultra promoters were committed to keeping the festival safe.

''They worked hand-in-hand with the police department to ensure that the venue was a safe environment for all who attended,'' Landa said. ``We want to make sure drugs aren't coming into the city. Lord knows how many lives we saved by making the arrests and by being there.''

linky


----------



## E-llusion

*Meth Lab Found in Church*

* Holy Drug Lab? *

Aug 04/2004

LEONARD, N.D. - A trustee stopping to deliver towels at a rural North Dakota church last week wondered why church doors were locked. Later that evening, congregants expecting a service instead found sheriff's deputies officials with guns drawn. 

"Who would have thought somebody would turn an active church into an active amphetamine lab?" asked Rick Majerus, a Cass County, N.D., sheriff's lieutenant. 

"There have been active methamphetamine labs in the back seats of cars, bathtubs and abandoned barns, but nobody I've talked to has ever heard of a meth lab in a church," Majerus said. 

But, authorities said, that is what happened at the Bethel Moravian Church near Leonard, about 40 miles southwest of Fargo. 

Ted Brewer, 22, of Leonard, has been charged with attempting to manufacture a controlled substance, burglary and two counts of possessing drug paraphernalia - all felonies. 

- Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune 

Link


----------



## Edge80

*Three held over $45m drug bust in Albany*

Three held over $45m drug bust in Albany

MINH LAM
© 2004 West Australian Newspapers Limited
8-9-04

An elaborate sting operation involving the Australian Federal Police, Customs and Brazilian police has resulted in the second-biggest seizure of cocaine in WA.

Authorities yesterday displayed 100kg of cocaine, worth $45 million, that had been buried in sand dunes near Albany's Princess Royal Harbour during the early hours of Saturday morning.

Federal police watched the unloading of the cocaine from a grain carrier moored in the harbour, and its burial, before swooping on people trying to pick it up yesterday. 

A 50-year-old Bolivian man and 23-year-old Sydney man have been arrested and charged with possessing and aiding a prohibited importation, while a 29-year-old Sydney man has been charged with attempting to possess a prohibited importation.

The three, whose names have not been released, are due to appear in Albany Magistrate's Court today.

It was not known yesterday whether the Brazilian-registered ship Marcos Dias would be able to leave Albany this morning as scheduled as investigations and searches continue to determine the extent of involvement by its crew.

The haul is second only in size to 1000kg of cocaine seized near Denham in 2001.

Federal Justice Minister Chris Ellison said the amount of cocaine seized amounted to about 227,000 street hits.

"It sends a very clear message that if you try to import drugs into Australia you will be caught and you will face maximum penalties," he said.

AFP agent Bill Graham said Brazilian national police had made them aware of a planned importation of cocaine in late June and they began to work closely with them and Customs to track the Marcos Dias and the Bolivian national.

The Bolivian man arrived in Sydney on July 22 and was followed to Perth and then Albany. Meanwhile, Customs planes, ships and officers tracked the Marcos Dias to Albany on July 27.

Link


----------



## E-llusion

*Winnipeg teen busted smoking pot near cop shop*

* Winnipeg teen busted smoking pot near cop shop *

Sun. Aug. 8 2004 

CTV.ca News Staff

A teenager in Winnipeg committed a bit of a faux pas in front of a police station on Friday afternoon. He lit up a joint right outside the building's doors. 

"I'd say this would be the dumb criminal of the week," Const. Shelly Glover told the Winnipeg Sun.

The 16-year-old teen was arrested after a passerby told officers the young man was smoking pot in the courtyard. It stands in front of a big historical mural of the Winnipeg Police Service. 

"We were quite surprised to (find) that someone was doing something 
like that," said Const. Andrew Zurawsky. 

After searching the teen, officers found two marijuana cigarette butts and a small amount of what they think might be crystal meth. 

Glover said the boy seemed surprised over the arrest. "He did not know that this was a police station," she said.

The careless teen was charged with drug possession and was later released. It wasn't the first time, however, that someone was arrested outside of a police station for smoking marijuana. 

Just last year, pot activist Marc Emery was taken into custody after inhaling smoke from a water pipe. That also happened in Winnipeg during what Emery call his Great Canadian Smokeout tour. 

Link


----------



## E-llusion

*McCready Charged With Drug Fraud*

Singer McCready Charged With Drug Fraud

By The Associated Press
The Associated Press
Aug 07/04

FRANKLIN, Tenn. - Country singer Mindy McCready has been charged with prescription drug fraud after authorities said she used a fake prescription to obtain the pain medicine OxyContin.

McCready, 28, was arrested Thursday at her home in Nashville by agents with the 21st Judicial Drug Task Force, according to the Williamson County Sheriff's Department.

Authorities say McCready presented a fraudulent prescription for OxyContin at a pharmacy on Feb. 12, paid for the drugs and then left. Investigators later learned that McCready was not a patient at the doctor's office from which the prescription purportedly originated.


McCready was booked into the county jail and held on $10,000 bond. She posted bail and was released the same day.

The singer had a No. 1 hit in 1996 with "Guys Do It All the Time." Her other hits include "Ten Thousand Angels" and "A Girl's Gotta Do (What a Girl's Gotta Do)."

Link


----------



## Houston

And another article same bust... 

Police seize 100kg of cocaine
August 8, 2004

MORE than 100kg of cocaine, with an estimated street value of $45 million, has been seized in a raid in the southern port city of Albany in Western Australia.

Three men, who Australian Federal Police (AFP) believe were minor players in an international drug trafficking syndicate, have been arrested after police yesterday intercepted the drugs in a covert operation that began almost two months ago.

AFP and Australian Customs Service officers yesterday recovered the drugs from a beach in Albany Harbour after they were allegedly buried in bags in the sand by a Bolivian man who flew to Australia in July to take possession of the drugs.

Authorities said today the cocaine was originally imported from South America via the Brazilian-registered bulk grain carrier Marcos Dias which arrived in Albany on July 27.

The ship has been monitored constantly since it arrived in the harbour. 

Police will allege that early yesterday morning the man made contact with the grain vessel and took four duffle bags containing the tightly-wrapped powdered-form cocaine from the ship before bringing them back to shore and burying them.

Federal police agent Bill Graham said police moved swiftly to substitute the drugs, estimated to equate to 227,000 street hits, before laying in wait until the man returned to collect them.

He later returned with two other men, who authorities believe were recruited from Sydney as part of the drug importation operation, to collect the drugs.

Agent Graham said the men were arrested but so far had refused to cooperate with police.

He said officers had spent today searching the Marcos Dias but no other drugs or arms had been found on the vessel.

Agent Graham said it was too early to tell if there would be more arrests.

Customs regional director Paul O'Connor said authorities first learned of the plan to import the cocaine through intelligence information from a liaison officer based in Brazil.

"As a result of intelligence from AFP, the operation involved extensive surveillance of the vessel in Australian waters using a combination of electronic surveillance aircraft, a customs patrol boat, thermal imaging equipment and closed circuit television in the port," he said.

"Using this leading edge technology, we were able to successfully monitor the vessel and activities around it from the moment it arrived in Albany Harbour on July 27."

The 50-year-old Bolivian and a 23-year-old Australian man have both been charged with attempting to possess a prohibited importation and aiding and abetting prohibited importation, while a 29-year-old Australian has been charged with attempting to possess a prohibited importation.

The trio will face the Albany Magistrates Court tomorrow morning.

Yesterday's drug haul is the second largest in the WA's history, only surpassed by a seizure in 2001 where 1000kg was confiscated as part of Operation Feria. 

http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,10382336%5E1702,00.html


----------



## E-llusion

*Driver Who Complained About Cop Arrested*

* Driver Who Complained About Cop Arrested *

Aug 9, 2004 

(1010 WINS) (CLINTON, N.J.) 

A man who complained about a police officer after being ordered to push his disabled car off the road was arrested when a police supervisor responding to his gripe spotted drugs in the vehicle, authorities said.

Kevin Baluta, 24, of Franklin Park, was pushing his car on Route 31 Saturday night after it ran out of gas, police said.

After being told to get his vehicle to the side of the road, Baluta asked for the officer's name and badge number. That prompted the supervisor to respond to the complaint and ask for Baluta's identification.

Baluta got gas for his car and drove away but forgot to get his identification back. The police supervisor pulled Baluta over a short distance away to return the ID card and spotted a prescription bottle in the car that contained 11 bags of heroin and 50 Xanax pills, police said.

Baluta was charged with drug possession and two motor vehicle violations.

LInk


----------



## hydrotiger

OMG, dude can you be more of a dumbass...11 bags of H and your bitching to a cop.  Must have been the xanax talking


----------



## Reverend_Lust

yeah kind of stupid. The moment i got in my car again i would have hid that shit in a good spot


----------



## lovehatekill1

yeah youre right hydrotiger xanax are the only thing that could have got me noided enough to bitch at a cop and im sure that having to push his car into the gas station didnt help out his mood that much either and then he leaves his i.d. with the cops well there is another downfall of the great xanax,  forgetfullness. sounds like this guys xanax got him in all types of shit


----------



## Markoss

unless they were lying about in the open how the fuck would the cop know they were there??
prescription bottle = drugs??


----------



## phatsackseddy

haha yeah totally must have been the xanax talking mixed with some dumbfuck syndrom...sucks the police officer didnt give him back his id the first time??? i guess it was just meant to be...


----------



## DB Cooper

If he just sees a prescription bottle laying around, I dont see anything wroung with a cop making sure its yours.  Plus those things are a little see thru, so he must of noticed stuff in there.  Mental note:  Dont eat Xanax with drugs on you.

DB


----------



## groovee

I think the important thing to remember is not to drive on Xanax. Probably the reason he forgot to get gas.


----------



## Edge80

*Feds bust jet cocaine ring into Teterboro*

Feds bust jet cocaine ring into Teterboro


August 13, 2004,
The Associated Press 

TETERBORO, N.J. -- Federal agents say they have broken up a Mexican drug ring that was smuggling cocaine on private jets into Teterboro Airport. 

Six men from Mexico and the Dominican Republic were arrested this week, and three Learjets were seized, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration said. 

The suspects used planes to fly about 800 kilograms of cocaine from airports in Texas and Arizona to Teterboro. From there, it was driven to a Manhattan hotel and sold to the organization's leader and others, according to court documents. 

The jets then flew to Texas, California and Arizona with the cash proceeds from the sales. 

"It's likely this cocaine remained and was sold in the New York-New Jersey area," Assistant U.S. Attorney Marion Percell told the Record of Bergen County. 

On each trip into Teterboro, the smugglers brought in between 50 and 90 kilograms of cocaine. On each trip out, they left with between $300,000 and $3 million in cash, according to documents filed in U.S. District Court in Newark. 

The jets seized by federal agents are worth $5 million. Also seized in raids earlier this week were 64 kilograms of cocaine, an AK-47 assault rifle, two handguns and $700,000 in cash. 

A federal magistrate ordered the suspects held without bail during a hearing Thursday in Newark. Each could get life in prison if convicted. 

"Not only did we arrest the individuals responsible for the importation and distribution of cocaine, but their multi-million-dollar transportation infrastructure was also removed," said Michael Pasterchick, special agent in charge of the Newark DEA office. 

Link


----------



## Edge80

*Police worker guilty in drug theft*

Police worker guilty in drug theft
Detroit evidence room employee confesses to stealing cocaine for $1.3M to buy properties


By David Shepardson  
The Detroit News
Friday, August 13, 2004

DETROIT — A former evidence room employee for the Detroit Police Department confessed Thursday to stealing 100 kilograms of cocaine, selling it and using the proceeds to buy several properties in Detroit. 

John Earl Cole Sr. pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and money laundering. 

Under a plea agreement, he faces no more than 30 years in prison and will be liable to repay $1.3 million — the amount he allegedly received for the drugs. 

Cole, 52, said he took at least 220 pounds of cocaine between 1994 and 2000 — using a duffel bag. He said he kept the cocaine, with a street value of more than $2 million, in his locker. 

He then replaced some of the stolen cocaine with flour. 

Cole said he sold the cocaine on the streets of Metro Detroit and used the proceeds to buy at least 17 Detroit properties, including a barbershop and apartment buildings. 

Working with a Detroit police officer, Donald Hynes, Cole alleged, he would steal cocaine three or four times a year. 

Hynes, who is under indictment awaiting trial, helped him “because he had the key to the evidence room and it would look suspicious if I went in alone,” Cole told the court. 

The precise amount stolen will never be known because of poor record keeping by Detroit Police. 

The last theft occurred in 2000, when Cole removed 55 pounds of cocaine. 

If the government believes Cole has provided substantial assistance, they will recommend a sentence of 15 years. Cole has already served nearly two years in custody awaiting trial. 

The FBI began looking into Cole in March 2001, when Detroit police discovered that a sealed package of Gold Medal flour was in a box that had contained the drug. 

To date, six others have pleaded guilty in the investigation. 

They were Cole’s brother, David L. Cole Jr., 62, of Detroit; Anthony Lasenby, 35, of Detroit; Shirley Terry, a bank teller at Comerica Bank; Cora L. Cole-Robinson, Cole’s mother; Ide Mae Hall, Cole’s former mother-in-law; and Chontrice Cole, Cole’s daughter. 

Link


----------



## shags2dope78

*Re: Police worker guilty in drug theft*



> To date, six others have pleaded guilty in the investigation.
> 
> They were Cole’s brother, David L. Cole Jr., 62, of Detroit; Anthony Lasenby, 35, of Detroit; Shirley Terry, a bank teller at Comerica Bank; Cora L. Cole-Robinson, Cole’s mother; Ide Mae Hall, Cole’s former mother-in-law; and Chontrice Cole, Cole’s daughter.



It's surprising that Cole's mother and even mother-in-law was in on it. Just shows how stupid even the pigs get.


----------



## Houston

He sure did steal alot of cocaine FROM THE POLICE LOCKUP. Jeesus makes me wonder howmuch other smalltime stuff goes missing thats never noticed.


----------



## fruitfly

*Bulgaria seizes heroin in onion truck*
August 15, 2004

SOFIA (Reuters) - Bulgarian customs have seized 123 kg (270 lb) of heroin hidden in a Turkish-registered truck loaded with onions bound for Romania.

Customs officers detained the driver, a 28-year-old Turkish citizen, as he tried to cross the Turkey-Bulgaria border at the Kapitan Andreevo checkpoint, state news agency BTA said.

The heroin had a street value of about $7 million (4.85 million pounds), the agency added on Sunday.

Bulgaria, which borders Turkey, Greece, Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro and Romania, lies on the Balkan route used by smugglers moving drugs from Asia to Western Europe.

The impoverished Balkan state, which hopes to join the European Union in 2007, usually seizes more than a tonne of heroin annually.

Link


----------



## Edge80

*2 men face felony drug charges*

2 men face felony drug charges

By STEVE LIEBERMAN 
THE JOURNAL NEWS 
 August 14, 2004


State troopers arrested two Rochester men and seized 56 pounds of marijuana yesterday after a traffic stop on the New York State Thruway in Clarkstown. 

Jemahl D. McClean, 26, and Dwight Killings Jr., 23, were both charged with first-degree criminal possession of marijuana, a felony. 

Troopers Seamus Lyons and David Katz stopped a 1996 red four-door Honda Accord near Thruway exit 13 at 3:30 a.m. yesterday, State Police Investigator Michael DeWitt said. Exit 13 is the Thruway interchange with the Palisades Interstate Parkway. 

An investigation found numerous bricks of marijuana totaling 56.2 pounds inside the car, DeWitt said. 

DeWitt said troopers involved with investigating narcotics estimated the marijuana's street value at $200,000 if sold in small amounts. 

He said the narcotics officers estimate marijuana is sold for $800 to $1,200 a pound in New York City, rising in cost in the suburbs. 

"They were coming from Brooklyn and heading to Rochester," DeWitt said of the two suspects. "They used yellow mustard as a masking agent on the individual bricks of marijuana." 

The odor of mustard supposedly deters drug sniffing dogs. 

"You can smell the mustard as well on the bricks," DeWitt said. 

The Thruway and Palisades Interstate Parkway are considered major routes for transport of drugs, including cocaine, heroin and marijuana, bought in New York City for sale in upstate communities. 

The state police have made numerous arrests and drug seizures along the Thruway corridor in Rockland, just across the Tappan Zee Bridge. 

Clarkstown Justice Craig Johns yesterday arraigned McClean and Killings on the felony count and set their bail at $50,000 each. 

A Rockland grand jury will hear the felony charges against McClean and Killings, both of who gave state police a home address of 346 Woodbine Ave. in Rochester, DeWitt said. 

If McClean and Killings are indicted on a felony charge, their cases would transfer to County Court in New City, where they would be arraigned and enter pleas to any charges

Link


----------



## Edge80

*^^^^^^^ Happend In my home town.*

That is pretty nuts that happend rite in my town.  56 pounds is alot of pot!  I wonder what kind of weed it was shwag  or some dank ?   I think it was most likely shwag.


----------



## Edge80

*Navy nabs 6 tons of cocaine off S. America*

Navy nabs 6 tons of cocaine off S. America

Honolulu, HI,
Aug. 15 
United Press International

Honolulu, HI, Aug. 15 (UPI) -- A Hawaii-based Navy warship has been compiling an impressive record of drug seizures while patrolling the waters off Central and South America. The Honolulu Star-Bulletin said Sunday the crew of the frigate USS Crommelin has seized nearly seven tons of cocaine and arrested 20 suspected drug smugglers in the eastern Pacific since setting out from Pearl Harbor in May.

The Crommelin's skipper, Cmdr. Don Hodge, told the Star-Bulletin in a telephone interview from Peru that his ship and the Mississippi-based cruiser Ticonderoga picked up nearly two tons of cocaine during a single interception in late June off the coast of Costa Rica.

The frigate also rescued three Costa Rican fishermen in June who had been adrift in their disabled boat for more than two weeks.






Link


----------



## Edge80

*Marijuana stash houses and seizures on the rise*

Marijuana stash houses and seizures on the rise

August 15, 2004 
Lupita Murillo
KVOA.com


Stash houses and marijuana seizures in Tucson have been dramtically increasing over the last 18 months. 

On Tuesday, drug agents busted an international drug trafficking ring. 

The Dominguez drug organization had ties to Jamaican smuggling organizations. It's reported they were responsible for bringing up to $1 million worth of marijuana into Southern Arizona every day. 

Captain Dave Neri of the Counter Narcotics Alliance, a multi-agency drug task force says, "Just in the investigation we've done with this one group, we have connected them to other stash houses and distributions organizations in LA, Ohio, New York, New Jersey at a minimum." 

So how are those drugs crossing the border and ending up in stash houses? 

Captain Neri believes, "The proximity of Tucson to the Arizona border; recognizing we are in the easiest pathway to get narcotics across the border." 

Once the drugs make it across the border, I- 10 and I-19 are used to funnel the drugs to Tucson and points beyond. 

Authorities say they are funneling a lot. 

Part of that is because Mexico is growing more marijuana than ever before. Authorities say it seems now the weather there has been so good that growing and harvesting is occurring nearly on a year round basis making the availability so much greater. 

It's also more lucrative to smuggle in more amounts of marijuana. It's a matter of economics. 

Captain Neri adds, "If you are going to take the risk with 1,000 pounds, might as well take it to 2,000 or 5,000 and we're seeing more and more volumes like that come across. " 


Link


----------



## phatsackseddy

yeah police are alot more corrupt than most would suspect


----------



## Edge80

*Heroin bust cash 'funded' high life*

Heroin bust cash 'funded' high life


By James Madden
The Sunday Mail
17aug04


THREE senior Victorian drug squad detectives and one of their wives, also a police officer, allegedly used money confiscated during heroin busts to fund the purchase of cars, boats, property and cattle.

The police quartet, who are accused of stealing and selling 10kg of high-grade heroin worth $1.5 million, allegedly used the proceeds of regular drug raids and subsequent trafficking operations to fund extravagant lifestyles. 

The Melbourne Magistrates Court heard yesterday Senior Detective Ian Ferguson and his wife, Senior Constable Joanne Ferguson, were charged last May along with Senior Detective Glenn Sadler and former detective Stephen Cox with a series of drug and theft offences. 

It was claimed the stealing and selling took place between May 1999 and December 2002. 

Prosecutor Julian Leckie QC told the court the Fergusons made purchases to the value of $242,042. 

They included household furniture, an in-ground pool, a BMW and cattle, despite tax records indicating that their combined after-tax income for the period was just $150,000. 

Records showed that during those 3½ years the Fergusons deposited $273,059 in cash into their bank account, while a further $175,077 in "untraced deposits" was uncovered, Mr Leckie said. 

The court was told the four accused had, at different times, been heard on police surveillance tapes discussing their expanding wealth. 

Detective Sadler, who was once the deputy president of the state's police association, allegedly spoke of his intention to become a silent partner in a $1.2 million brothel. The Fergusons allegedly talked about the value of their properties - said to have been worth $1.1 million - and the possibility of buying a farm and establishing a bed-and-breakfast business. 

The court also heard that one dealer arranged a visit to a South Melbourne brothel for Detective Ferguson and one of his friends after the drug officer allowed him to purchase heroin on credit. 

On another occasion, Detective Ferguson allegedly stuffed more than $100,000 down his socks and in his bum bag during one drug raid. 

Two blocks of heroin with a street value of $370,000 were stolen during the same raid. 

It was alleged some of the proceeds of the sale of the heroin were later used by Detective Ferguson to buy a BMW for himself and a four-wheel-drive for Detective Sadler, Mr Leckie said. 

Detectives Ferguson, Sadler and Cox were formerly attached to the Victorian Drug Squad, which has since been disbanded. 

At the time of the alleged offences, Constable Ferguson was stationed at Corio police station, near Geelong, but was introduced to the alleged scam by her husband, the court was told yesterday. 

The corrupt activity allegedly began in April 1999 when detectives Sadler and Cox arrested a heroin dealer in the city. At a subsequent raid they found $19,000 in cash and allegedly kept the money. 

Detective Ferguson is facing nine charges, including drug trafficking, theft, money laundering and bribery. Constable Ferguson is facing four charges, including money laundering and drug trafficking. 

Mr Cox, who has since left the force, has been charged with five counts, including drug trafficking and attempting to pervert the course of justice, while Detective Sadler will face eight charges including blackmail, bribery, theft and drug trafficking. 

The hearing, which is expected to last for up to six weeks, continues. 

link


----------



## Edge80

*Undercover cops seize four men, more than pound of cocaine*

Undercover cops seize four men, more than pound of cocaine 


Tuesday, August 17, 2004
By Michaelangelo Conte
Journal staff writer 


Four Hudson County men were arrested and more than a pound of cocaine was seized following a drug purchase by undercover officers from the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office's Narcotics Task Force last week. 

Raymond Vasquez, 26, of Union City, and Jersey City residents Alex Vasquez, 27, of Bowers Street; Ericdelma Vega, 26, of Manila Avenue; and Alfredo Diaz, 27, of Manhattan Avenue, all face charges of drug possession with intent to distribute, Hudson County Prosecutor Edward DeFazio said. 

The men were arrested in the parking lot of the Ringside Lounge, on Tonnelle Avenue in Jersey City, after investigators purchased of 200 grams of cocaine in an undercover operation, DeFazio said. 

Investigators then searched the nearby Manhattan Avenue residence of Raymond Vasquez and found an additional 270 grams of cocaine hidden in the ceiling of his apartment, DeFazio said. 

The investigation leading to the arrests was launched in May, after officers made the first in what would be a series of drug purchases from Raymond Vasquez, DeFazio said. 

All four were charged with possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute, and Raymond Vasquez was additionally charged with four counts of distribution of cocaine to an undercover officer, DeFazio said. 

At the time of the arrests, Ericdelma Vega was out on a $100,000 bail set in March for an arrest on a suspected drug transaction, DeFazio said. 

The drug sale and arrest happened in front of Vega's 3-year-old son, who was sitting in the back seat of the father's car, DeFazio said. 

Both Raymond and Alex Vasquez were on parole when they were arrested last week, DeFazio said. 

Bail for Raymond Vasquez and Ericdelma Vega was set at $150,000 each. Bail for Alfredo Diaz was set at $125,000. Alex Vasquez, also known as Adam Vega, was being held without bail pending further investigation. 


Link


----------



## Edge80

*Ripping off marijuana dealers nets prison term*

Ripping off marijuana dealers nets prison term

Two of defendants sentenced to eight years in prison

BY JIM HOUSTON
Tue, Aug. 17, 2004
Ledger-Enquirer

If the robbers who ripped off a marijuana-dealing couple thought the crime would not be reported, they thought wrong.

Michael B. Hearn and John Bissell were sentenced to eight years in prison Monday after pleading guilty in Muscogee Superior Court to robbery of a man and woman who had allegedly sold marijuana to one of their cohorts the night before.

Assistant District Attorney Lew Barrow said the Feb. 21 robbery of Tiffany Lane and Anthony Littlefield apparently was conceived after their friend Brandon Williams bought marijuana from the couple the evening before at the Super 8 Motel, xxxx xxxx xxxxx Road.

The couple had more marijuana and obviously had the money from the earlier sale, so the plot was hatched to take both, Barrow told Chief Judge Kenneth Followill. Co-defendant April Lamb, 25, called to set up another marijuana buy, then went to the motel and knocked on the couple's door, but when the door opened, Hearn and Bissell forced their way into the room, attacking Littlefield with brass knuckles and threatening him with a knife while Lamb occupied Lane, he said.

When the trio left with about a quarter-pound of marijuana and an undisclosed amount of money, the couple saw Brandon Williams sitting in the car in which the group left, Barrow said.

The prosecutor said the plea bargain included reducing the armed robbery charges against Hearn and Bissell to robbery and dismissing two counts of aggravated assault and possession of a weapon during a crime.

Williams is docketed for a guilty plea before Followill on Friday. Lamb's case remains active while psychological evaluations are being conducted, according to records.

Followill followed the plea bargain recommendation, ordering Hearn and Bissell to serve eight years in prison, followed by four years on probation.


Link

[edit: removed address]


----------



## Edge80

*Accused grower caught watering plants, agents say*

Accused grower caught watering plants, agents say


Monday, Aug 16, 2004 
By KEITH KINNAIRD
Bonner County Daily Bee

Agents camped at grow site

SANDPOINT -- A month-long investigation into a marijuana growing operation culminated Saturday with the arrest of a Bonner County man, the Sundance Drug Task Force announced on Monday.

Colten Judd Plue, a 25-year-old Rapid Lightning Road resident, was arrested when he showed up to water the marijuana plants, the task force said. He is charged with manufacturing a controlled substance, a felony.

The size and location of the growing operation were not disclosed by task force officials, nor were those details noted in court documents. A review of the call log kept by Bonner Dispatch showed only one drug-related entry on Saturday, a controlled substance violation report in the 4000 block of Upper Gold Creek Road at about 4:30 p.m. However, it could not be confirmed Monday if the call related to Plue's arrest. 


Appearing via video feed from the Bonner County Jail on Monday, Plue heard the charge read against him. Judge Quentin F. Harden fixed Plue's bail at $7,500. A preliminary hearing to determine if enough evidence exists to try Plue on the manufacturing charge is pending in the magistrate division of 1st District Court.

Plue is pleading innocent to the charge, according to court documents filed by his Sandpoint attorney, Bryce Powell. A records search at the Bonner County Courthouse showed Plue had a clean criminal record, aside from some motor vehicle-related citations.

Members of Sundance, a joint task force operated by the Sheriff's Office and Sandpoint Police Department, said they have been investigating the case for more than a month. Agents have been monitoring activity at the grow site and spent nearly a week camped out at the location.

Plue allegedly arrived at the site on Saturday afternoon with his dog. Agents said they watched Plue water the plants using plastic jugs and water from a nearby creek. Plue was then arrested without incident.

Agents said Plue told them he used marijuana infrequently and said he thought growing it "would be a good way to pay some bills." 

Here


----------



## Acidfiend

awesome!


----------



## Deformed_Neuron

You're joking right? All this shit for the sake of stopping a quarter of a pound for hitting the streets?

Sheez, they might as well get Interpol to be busting into the kindergarten labarotories... they'd be bigger seizures!


----------



## Edge80

*Haywood County - Mayor Sharpe dodges felony drug charge*

Haywood County - Mayor Sharpe dodges felony drug charge

By KARY BOOHER
Aug 18 2004
Jackson Sun.com

Haywood County Mayor John Sharpe will not have to face a felony cocaine possession charge that, if successful, could have sent him to prison for at least eight years.

Instead, in a criminal case that has now slowly stretched into its fourth month and already spurred Sharpe to admit to drug and alcohol abuse, the Haywood County mayor could face only minimal jail time and a small fine. A grand jury handed down one count against Sharpe for possession of a schedule 2 controlled substance on Monday night, according to the Haywood County Circuit Court Clerk's office on Tuesday.

That charge is a simple misdemeanor, meaning that, if convicted, Sharpe would have to pay a maximum fine of $750 and serve jail time of up to 11 months and 29 days. The grand jury did not hand down indictments on the misdemeanor possession charges of marijuana and drug paraphernalia stemming from the original complaint. The main charge was felony possession of more than a gram of crack cocaine with intent to distribute, a charge that carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a $100,000 fine.

Sharpe, 39, is to be arraigned at 9 a.m. Monday in Circuit Court.

''All I can say is we expected the indictment for simple possession because that's what it was,'' said Sam Watridge, the attorney representing Sharpe. ''He has not sold drugs ever. The videotape they have exonerates him for selling cocaine.''

Watridge said he could not comment further because Judge Alan Wallace asked him and District Attorney Garry Brown not to make public comments, although no gag order has been issued.

Brown could not be reached for comment.

All this comes more than four months after Sharpe was arrested at 3:10 a.m. on April 16 at a Best Western motel near Brownsville in a reverse sting operation.

In an exclusive interview in May, Sharpe confessed to having a drug and alcohol addiction and admitted to using crack cocaine in the hours before his arrest. However, he insisted that the felony cocaine possession charge was excessive, saying he had only $19 in his wallet and that the street value of a gram of crack is about $100.

Monday's indictment also comes two months after Brown, acting on the unanimous resolution from county commissioners, filed an ouster suit to remove Sharpe from office.

A suspension hearing is scheduled at 2:30 p.m. Thursday in Circuit Court. Sharpe could be suspended from his job that pays $56,900 annually, then have a hearing on the ouster suit itself, said County Attorney Tommy Hooper. If Sharpe wins that case, he would be owed back pay and could return to office, Hooper said.

Brown has filed a motion to strike five paragraphs from the ouster suit complaint, which had nearly 20 accusations against Sharpe. 

Those paragraphs had accused Sharpe of manipulating the county budget to add $5,500 to his salary without approval. Sharpe then countered by asking for the suit to be dismissed, and County Trustee William ''Sonny'' Howse gave a deposition in which he said he was present at those meetings and said Sharpe did not manipulate the budget.

If Sharpe is completely removed from office and commissioners place the county mayor's job on the November ballot, it would have to be done before noon on Sept. 7, said Allen King, the acting chairman of the county commission.


Link


----------



## MattPD

*Police share $2.75 million from Oakland drug lab*

Police share $2.75 million from Oakland drug lab

By Don Thompson
ASSOCIATED PRESS

12:42 a.m. June 2, 2004

SACRAMENTO – State and local police agencies are sharing in $2.75 million seized from an Oakland company that federal prosecutors say once supplied more than half the methamphetamine lab equipment and chemicals to Central Valley drug manufacturers.

Custom Lab Supply Inc. forfeited $3.75 million, a portion of the $20.4 million the company earned between January 1995 and November 1997 selling chemicals and supplies for cash. In 1996 and 1997, the company was the state's largest retailer selling chemicals for cash, according to federal prosecutors.

On Tuesday, Drug Enforcement Administration Deputy Administrator Michelle Leonheart and U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott distributed a portion of the seized money to state and local police agencies that helped bring down the lab.

The money will be shared by the Stanislaus Drug Enforcement Agency, Sacramento Police Department, California Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement and the California Highway Patrol.

The investigation targeted commercial suppliers of chemicals and equipment used in the production of methamphetamine, capitalizing on a state program that tracks chemical cash sales above $100 to control the production of meth and other illegal drugs.

Prosecutors said more than $6.7 million, or 95 percent of the company's 1996 sales, were comprised of six items – iodine, red phosphorous, hydrogen chloride gas, Freon, sodium hydroxide and equipment for heating substances.

"Buyers (were) bringing in as much as $50,000 cash for a single transaction," Scott said. "At trial, a Drug Enforcement Administration chemist testified that the chemicals and equipment sold by Custom were capable of producing 51,000 pounds of methamphetamine."

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/state/20040602-0042-ca-labindictment.html


----------



## frizzantik

*Man Tries to Smoke Crack as He Sinks Into Lake*

*[size=big]Man Tries to Smoke Crack as He Sinks Into Lake[/size]*

*[size=big]N[/size]ORTH PATCHOGUE, N.Y. (AP) — A police chase ended when a Long Island* motorist drove into a backyard pond and tried to smoke a crack pipe just before his car sank, police said.

Officers tried to stop Yasyn Abdul-Mattin, 32, after seeing him driving erratically at about 12:16 a.m. Friday, Suffolk County Police said.

Instead of pulling over, Abdul-Mattin took off and went up a private driveway, continuing into a backyard pond, police said in a news release.

Police said Abdul-Mattin refused to get out of the car and tried to light a crack pipe instead. Just before the car sank, he climbed out a rear window that an officer had broken, police said.

Police said they were charging Abdul-Mattin, of Smithtown, with driving while impaired by drugs and several traffic violations.

Read Original


----------



## E-llusion

*Marijuana activist handed three months in jail*

* Marijuana activist handed three months in jail *

Friday, August 20, 2004 - Page A6 

Saskatoon -- One of Canada's best-known marijuana activists was sentenced yesterday to three months in jail after pleading guilty to *trafficking * when he passed a marijuana cigarette to a supporter.

Marc Emery, president of the B.C. Marijuana Party, was charged with trafficking after he spoke at a political rally at the University of Saskatchewan in March.

Mr. Emery's lawyer said the sentence is too strict for simply passing one joint to another person.

Outside the courthouse, Mr. Emery said his devotion to marijuana won't change. CP

Link


----------



## Edge80

*Storage space yields 50 pounds of pot*

Storage space yields 50 pounds of pot

By STEVE LIEBERMAN 
THE JOURNAL NEWS 
(Original publication: August 21, 2004)

A Spring Valley police anti-terrorism detail acted on information that led to 50 pounds of marijuana in a Monsey storage unit being seized and a Nanuet man arrested on a felony drug charge, police said yesterday. 

Ramapo police charged John A. Guarino, 43, of Spur Drive with first-degree criminal possession of marijuana. Guarino was arraigned yesterday and held on $50,000 bail in the county jail. 

The marijuana seizure and arrest started with anti-terrorism planning by the Spring Valley Police Department. 

Officer Ted Hughes of the anti-crime unit was talking to managers of several storage businesses in the village on Wednesday about allowing bomb- and drug-sniffing dogs to randomly inspect self-storage businesses, Spring Valley Police Chief Anthony Furco said. 

The businesses rent large locked spaces to people. Checking such business has become a priority in anti-terrorism efforts, especially with the four-day Republican National Convention opening Aug. 30 in Manhattan. 

Suburban police departments are operating as part of a web of intelligence gathering and sharing through the state Homeland Security Office, federal agencies and the New York City Police Department. 

Furco said yesterday that someone told Hughes about suspicious activity involving drugs at a Monsey storage unit. Hughes called the Ramapo police and the investigation began. 

Ramapo police obtained a search warrant Wednesday afternoon from Justice Sam Colman to search a unit at Public Storage, 185 Route 59 in Monsey, Ramapo police Sgt. John Lynch said yesterday. 

The Ramapo and Spring Valley anti-crime units searched the unit Wednesday night, said Lynch, who oversees the Ramapo Police Department Detective Bureau. Police also used drug-sniffing dogs from the Waldwick, N.J., and Suffern police departments. 

"The officers discovered more than 50 pounds of marijuana inside," Lynch said. "They did a good job." 

The business' records indicated that Guarino rented the storage unit, he said, so police arrested him on the felony charge. He was arraigned yesterday morning by Ramapo Justice Rhoda Schoenberger, who set bail at $50,000. 

Lynch said marijuana had a street value of up to $1,200 per pound, depending on the quality and the market. Marijuana also is sold in smaller amounts, in ounces and in so-called "nickel" and "dime" bags. 

Police think their anti-terrorism efforts will continue to produce information about other potential crimes. 

"This was a legitimate part of the duties we've all been assigned," Lynch said. "We're talking to people about potential terrorism. We're happy the way this played out." 

Furco said anti-terrorism planning was part of the duties for the department's anti-crime unit, which includes Hughes and Officers Daniel McWilliams and John Beltempo. 

"We're not saying by any means there is terroristic activity in this case," Furco said. "We weren't looking for drugs in this case. The process of police work led to different information. This was part of the mission we have." 

link


----------



## Edge80

^^^^^^^^^^This happend near where I live


----------



## Edge80

*Thousands of pills, 22 pounds of marijuana seized in Eunice*

Thousands of pills, 22 pounds of marijuana seized in Eunice

Stephanie Kirk 
August 22, 2004
dailyworld.com 

The city of Eunice became the scene of the largest prescription pill seizure in parish history this week. 

Police recovered about $145,000 of illegal drugs from residents in the city. Agents in an undercover investigation recovered 9,500 Xanax pills, 9,000 Lortab pills and 22 pounds of marijuana, according to St. Landry Parish Sheriff Howard Zerangue. 

Arrested in connection with the incident was Janice D. Lantz, 39, xxx xxxxxx St., Eunice. She was charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana, Alprazolam (Xanax) and Hydrocodone (Lortab). 

Also arrested was Daniel Doucet, 30, xxx xxxxx xxxx St., Eunice, He was with the same offense. 

Details about the arrest could not be released because the investigation is ongoing, according to the sheriff's department. 

Zerangue did say the suspects were turned over to the U. S. Marshal for prosecution by the U. S. Attorney's Office in the western district of Louisiana. 

Parish drug agents worked with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force during the investigation. 

The DEA Task Force consists of DEA agents, task force agents from the parish, Louisiana State Police, Lafayette Police Department, Iberia Parish Sheriff Department, Acadia Parish Sheriff Department. St. Mary Parish Sheriff Department and the Louisiana National Guard. 

Zerangue thanked citizens who took time to give drug information. 

"All information ascertained through phone calls is placed under investigation, and sometimes it takes time to work. All calls are confidential," the sheriff said. 

Anyone with information about illegal drug activity is encouraged to call St. Landry Parish Drug Task Force at 948-6516 extension 3217.

link

[edit: removed addresses]


----------



## fruitfly

*Man, 71, on oxygen, arrested for crack cocaine*
By ALEXA DUKE, The Daily News
August 22, 2004

The golden years are supposed to be a time of rest, relaxation and enjoying the fruits of your labors.

Seventy-one-year-old Ernest Adolphus Tribble will be enjoying the fruits of his most recent labor behind bars, if officers from the East Texas Narcotics Task Force have anything to say about it. 

"We had received information that he (Tribble) was selling drugs and had a prostitution ring operating from his home," said Task Force Commander Mickey Hadnot on Thursday. "We executed a search warrant and a 71-year-old man dragging an oxygen tank was arrested. He was found in possession of approximately two ounces of crack cocaine, two handguns, a rifle and a shotgun." 

Hadnot said there was a female at the home in the xxxx block of Farm to Market Road xxx when officers arrived, but she "was not actually engaged in her trade when we got there. He said she was (a prostitute)."

Hadnot said Tribble had been in the area for the past seven years, but was in the penitentiary for drug trafficking before that time. 

"Considering his medical condition and talking to him, he was like, 'I sell cocaine, I have (prostitutes), I sell beer, and when I get out of jail I'm going to start selling cocaine. I ain't got anything to live for, I'm already 71 years old, what are they going to do to me?'" Hadnot said. "There's very little doubt that when he gets out, and I'm sure he will because of his medical condition, he'll be right back at it."

Tribble was arrested Wednesday night and booked into the Rusk County Jail at around 1 a.m. He was arraigned in front of Pct. 5 Justice of the Peace Bob Richardson on one second degree felony charge of possession of a controlled substance. His bond was set at $30,000.

Jail records show that he was released from custody at 1:30 p.m. Thursday.

Link


----------



## E-llusion

*Marijuana Charges for Couple Growing in the Front Yard!*

* Confrontation leads to pot arrest *

08/20/04

Peel police said a man and woman were arrested last Tuesday after about 50 marijuana plants were found * growing in the couple's front yard. *

Peel Regional Police said officers were dispatched at about 3 p.m. to investigate a possible assault. A private citizen called police and reported seeing a woman being assaulted by a man in the Castlemore Road area. When the man and woman got into a car and drove away, the citizen followed, according to police reports. 

They briefly pulled into the driveway of a Gore Road home before driving off again. Police said the Good Samaritan lost sight of the car after it drove away. 

When officers arrived to investigate, they could not find the alleged assailant and victim, so they went to the house where they briefly stopped, a police report said. 

While at the house, officers saw what they believed to be marijuana plants growing in the front yard and arrested the home's occupants. About 50 plants worth approximately $84,000 on the street were seized, police reported. 

Frederick Pyke, 42, and Iliva Garritano, 38, are charged with production of a controlled substance and possession of drugs for the purpose of trafficking. Pyke was held for a bail hearing and Garritano was released under a promise to appear in court

Link


----------



## E-llusion

*'Email drug dealer' sacked from Prudential HQ*

August 23 2004 

Two employees at financial services provider Prudential have been sacked after their e-mail conversations allegedly showed they had been dealing drugs at work. 

The two workers, believed to be a man and a woman, from Prudential’s head office in Stirling, were dismissed after the company deciphered specially coded e-mails.

Six others have been subject to disciplinary action after the Prudential's bosses launched an investigation into the matter, according to the Daily Record. 

The six were accused of being involved in the drug dealing after their names were found on the alleged dealers' e-mail lists, the newspaper said.

The Scottish police, who reportedly found quantities of amphetamines, cannabis and ecstasy at the couple’s home, are now investigating the matter. 


Link


----------



## fruitfly

*Jail for 'cannabis factory' workers*
By Steve Evans, icCoventry
Aug 23 2004

Two men who worked as the gardener and odd-job man running a cannabis 'factory' in Nuneaton have been jailed.

Judge Richard Cole, who jailed the pair at Warwick Crown Court, told them: "People who take part in the production of dangerous drugs have to realise that they go to prison if caught."

The court heard that two bedrooms of a rented house in James Street, Nuneaton, were used as growing rooms.

Another room was used for propagating cuttings and the hall was used as a drying room.

Robert Liddle, 44, of Moore Road, Barwell, near Hinckley, was jailed for 18 months and Mark Nettleton, 41, of Belle View Road, Barwell, was sent to prison for nine months.

Liddle pleaded guilty to producing cannabis and Nettle-ton admitted being concerned in its production.

They denied a charge of possessing 1.78 kilos of cannabis with intent to supply it and being concerned in the supply of cannabis.

Prosecutor Neal Williams said Nuneaton police went to the house last July to check on a vehicle. When the house door was opened, one of the officers noticed "a very strong aroma of cannabis," he said.

Officers went inside to carry out a drugs search and Mr Williams told the court: "In the bedrooms they found what was in effect a cannabis-growing factory with all the related hydroponic equipment, lighting and so on which was necessary for the growing of the crop and the drying of it."

Inside the house, the court heard, there were about 200 cannabis plants, some of which were almost ready to harvest, plus a "significant" quantity of cannabis being dried and various other quantities of the drug around the house.

Liddle, who was described as the "gardener" and who had previous convictions for growing cannabis, was offered a weekly wage of £350 by a man who recruited him for the operation. He refused to name the man.

The court was told he had worked at the house for three months and was due to get £4,200 - plus some of the crop.

Nettleton was the odd-job man. The judge was told that he had been hired to help Liddle and received a small amount of cannabis for his own use as payment.

Link


----------



## BA

*Man Charged After Receiving Shipment Of Mailed Drugs*

BRUNDIDGE, Ala. -- A Brundidge man is jailed on drug trafficking charges after U.S. Postal inspectors said he received a shipment of marijuana and crack cocaine through the mail.

Police Chief Moses Davenport said a tip from a postal worker led to Saturday's arrest of 24-year-old Briceson Gene Boykin.

Davenport said Boykin was taken into custody after he picked up the package at the Brundidge post office. 

Police estimated the marijuana, which weighed more than 15 pounds, had a street value of about $50,000. The crack cocaine was worth around $200.

Boykin was also charged with possession of a controlled substance. He's in the Pike County Jail with bail set at $57,500. 

http://www.nbc13.com/news/3677714/detail.html


----------



## BA

*DRUGS: WALKS AROUND THE 'PINCIO' TERRACE WITH 1KG OF COCAINE*

(AGI) - Rome, Italy, Aug. 24 - On a hot summer day, a man was walking around the 'Pincio' terrace gardens, with a girl, wearing a typical winter stuffed jacket. Rather unusual in August: in fact, the Carabinieri noticed it, and decided to stop the couple for a control. That's how a 43 year-old Roman and a 34 year-old Nigerian woman were arrested for possession of drugs. 

That winter jacket was used to keep cocaine eggs, for an overall quantity of 1 kg. The eggs were inserted in sponge socks and kept in the jacket pockets. The cocaine was probably to be delivered to the local pushers, who would have sold it to their usual clients, on their return from the summer holidays. 

The man's house in Formello was searched, and precision-measuring equipment was found their, along with other material, used to package the drugs. Even his Mercedes station wagon was seized. Further investigations are underway.

here


----------



## Edge80

*Cops bust up drug gangs*

Cops bust up drug gangs

BY PETE BOWLES
NY NEWS DAY
August 27, 2004


Law-enforcement authorities yesterday announced the breakup of five gangs that used juveniles as drug runners and lookouts in a narcotics operation at three East New York housing developments.

Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes said 69 people had been indicted as participants in an $11-million-a-year drug enterprise at the Redeemer, Unity Plaza and Long Island Baptist housing developments. The projects consist of 34 apartment buildings along Blake Avenue.

Of the 69 suspects, 50 were arrested, 10 were already in jail on other charges and nine are being sought. Hynes and Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said the roundup follows previous drug busts in the Cypress Hills, Ocean Towers, Vanderveer and Ingersoll housing developments in Brooklyn.

During the 18-month investigation, undercover agents made 100 buys of heroin and crack cocaine, the officials said.

"These arrests and indictments mark another success in our ongoing battle against the narcotics trade in New York City," Kelly said. "We do not rest on our victories. If a new group rises to replace the old, they too will feel the impact of justice."

The latest investigation — dubbed "Operation Family Affair" because many of the gang members are related — was initiated after an increase in narcotics activity and shootings in the projects.

In making the arrests, police seized 75 grams of heroin, $50,000 in cash, seven luxury cars and a 35-foot Mainship Express boat as evidence.

Hynes said gang members used juveniles as runners and lookouts in an effort to insulate themselves from arrest and prosecution. Because of the use of children in a narcotics conspiracy, the defendants face harsher prison terms, he said.

All but four of the defendants were charged with first-degree conspiracy and face 15 years to life in prison if convicted. Four suspects under age 18 were charged with second-degree conspiracy and face 8 1/3 to 25 years in prison. 

link


----------



## ProjectOmnipotent

*Chances are....*

Police bust major pot growing operation 
Patrick Taney
Posted on: Thursday, August 26, 2004 

COLLIER COUNTY—A half million dollars worth of marijuana is in the Collier County Sheriff's Office's custody. The department raided four homes in Golden Gate Estates that were converted to produce huge amounts of potent marijuana. The bust started with a 9-1-1 call and then one by one, detectives began to uncover a huge network of drug production houses.

In Golden Gate Estates there are many streets like 8th Avenue SE.

"Everyone knows everyone down these streets," said resident Pete Santovenia.

It's a street where neighbors don't just live next door, they're almost family.

"We've known each other for years," said Santovenia.

All except for one home on the street.

"I couldn't get to know them. I did try to make an effort wave but it didn't happen," said Santovenia.

The home was one of several busted for growing expensive and potent marijuana - and a lot of it.

"I really don't know what to tell you. That really surprises me," said Santovenia.

After a 9-1-1 call, deputies responded to one home then another. By the end of the day, four homes scattered across the estates were raided.

Inside each home were rooms packed full of marijuana plants.

"Much like a green house, but indoor and covert," said Captain Kevin Rambosk of the Collier County Sheriff's Office.

They were all elaborate, high tech pot productions.

"This is not your average growing something in the home," said Rambosk.

The growing operation is big business.

"The center walls are removed, high intensity discharge lighting, irrigation systems" said Rambosk.

Five men were arrested in the raids and more are expected.

"We would have to assume there are others in Collier County. That would be a safe assumption," said Rambosk.

Deputies are asking residents of Golden Gate Estates to be on the lookout for suspicious activity. 

The Collier County Sheriff's Office issued the following press release:

Are you living next door to a marijuana grow house?

Article: Though the house next door may seem the like the average home, chances are it has been converted into a marijuana growing operation. Following are some things to look for if you suspect a home near you is involved in this type of activity: 

Evidence of tampering with the electric meter (damaged or broken seals) or the ground around it. 
Homes made to look lived-in by things like light timers, but very few people are seen coming in and out of the home. 
Late night or very short visits by people. 
Strange smells or overpowering smells of fabric softener. 
Water lines and/or electrical cords running to the house or outbuilding. 
Unusual noises such as hammering or drilling into the house or foundation. 
People bringing unusual items into the house, such as bags of soil, lots of plant roots and potting plants. 
Excess potting soil or other growing mediums around the residence or in the immediate area. 
People continually bringing items and taking items away in garbage bags. 
Windows that are always covered. 
Residence or outbuilding has unusual volume of roof vents or exhaust fan noises. 
Outbuildings that have air conditioners. 
High condensation around windows. 
Little or no garbage being left out for collection. 
People entering and exiting the residence only through the garage, keeping the garage door closed. 
People seen coming and going from the house only every week so. 
New neighbors never taking furniture or groceries into the house. 
House or utilities obtained under assumed names with payment made in cash. 
House rented under assumed names with payment made in cash. 
Purchase of very expensive heat lamps for unexplained reasons. 
Unexplained and unseasonably high utility bills. 
Property with excessive security (e.g. guard dogs, "keep out" signs, high fences, heavy chains and locks on gates). 
Unusual amount of vehicular traffic (especially at night) carrying unknown individuals on and off the property with entrance gates always being locked after entry. 
Large purchases by individuals of fertilizer, garden hoses, plastic PVC pipe, chicken wire, long pieces of 2 X 2 lumber, different sizes of pots (utilized for different stages of growing plants), machetes, camouflage netting, camouflage clothing, various sizes of step ladders (up to 18 to 20 feet) usually painted with green and brown paint, green plastic garden tie materials, cans of green spray paint, large trash bags, lanterns, extension cords, heat lamps and fans. 
***NOTE TO LANDLORDS*** 

Landlords may notice that tenants insist on paying their rent in cash, and while having no known source of income, they have expensive cars, cell phones, pagers, etc. 
These same tenants will be reluctant to allow landlords to inspect their rented property. They will make arrangements to meet landlords away from the property to pay their rent and/or to discuss any problems. 
Landlords should have a detailed rental agreement in place and ensure that the individual(s) renting their premises are those living there. References should be mandatory and followed up. 
****WARNING**** 

Members of the general public are asked not to put themselves in any compromising position while obtaining information about marijuana grow house operations or other criminal activity. If you observe a number of these indicators and suspect there is an indoor marijuana grow operation in your neighborhood, please contact the Collier County Sheriff's Office or the TIPS line at (239) 774-8477.

© 2004 by NBC2 NEWS. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

* I mainly wanted everyone to take note of this ridiculous sentence, "Though the house next door may seem the like the average home, chances are it has been converted into a marijuana growing operation." I fucking wish the average neighbor converted his home. *

[edited formatting , please provide a link - Thank You ]


----------



## kittyinthedark

I actually just heard about another story very similar to this, where no arrests were made.  The growers bought big houses in upscale areas and camouflaged them and then told people they travelled a lot, so they wouldn't seem suspicious.  They wouldn't have been caught but a filter in one of the vents in one of the houses broke, and neighbors noticed an overwhelming pot smell one day.  They called the cops, the cops raided the house, yadda yadda yadda.  No one had suspected a damn thing.  Hee hee :D


----------



## allan51

better suited in drugs in the media?


----------



## Belisarius

^
Probably.  Moved.


----------



## E-llusion

*Naked panic as cops raid club for drugs*

* Naked panic as cops raid club for drugs *

August 30, 2004
By Gill Gifford

About 80 naked men socialising at a nightclub were caught with their pants down, with many of them ditching drugs when the venue was raided by police.

The Factory in New Doornfontein - a strictly men-only club where the policy is to pay and leave your clothes at the door - was hit on Saturday night in what police say is the start of a string of raids on nightclubs in and around Joburg.

Detectives were somewhat surprised to walk in on naked patrons, but nevertheless arrested four club-goers found in possession of drugs.

"Most of the patrons had their shoes on, so I would imagine the drugs were found in their socks," explained Inspector Dennis Adriao, police spokesperson for Gauteng.

Two of the men were arrested for possession of CAT, one for dagga and the fourth for possession of a schedule 7 drug without a prescription. They are aged 33, 40, 42 and 50.  

"The 56-year-old club manager was also arrested after it was found that he was trading without a liquor licence," said Adriao. Alcohol valued at about R30 000 was seized.

The sudden appearance of the police had club-goers ditching CAT, cocaine, dagga and Ecstasy. Adriao said illegal substances valued at about R20 000 were found on the floor.

The raid was conducted by the Johannesburg Organised Crime Unit, assisted by the Dog Unit and Jeppe police.

Adriao said The Factory had been pinpointed after police had been told about drug usage at the club. 

ggi@star.co.za

Link


----------



## fruitfly

*Man Sentenced For Mixing Pot With Frozen Squid*
Armenta-Orozco Caught Trying To Cross Border
The San Diego Channel
August 30, 2004

SAN DIEGO -- A man who drove a trailer-truck loaded with more than 6,700 pounds of marijuana mixed with 30,000 pounds of frozen squid across the Otay Mesa border was sentenced Monday to 121 months in federal custody.

A jury on May 28 convicted Roberto Armenta-Orozco, 37, of conspiracy to distribute marijuana, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and importation of marijuana.

Defense attorney Mark Adams unsuccessfully argued to U.S. District Judge M. James Lorenz that Armenta-Orozco be given a lesser sentence because of statements he made to authorities after his arrest last year, in which he denied knowing the marijuana was mixed into the squid. 

But the judge called the case "bothersome" because of the amount of drugs seized.

"There was an awful lot of drugs involved here," Lorenz said. "I truly don't believe he has accepted responsibility."

Armenta-Orozco's manifest on April 14, 2003, claimed he was transporting frozen squid ultimately destined for South Korea.

A narcotics dog alerted authorities to the presence of a drug in the defendant's trailer, but Armenta-Orozco was unaware it had been detected when he dropped off the trailer at a nearby truck stop, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Sherri Hobson.

Four co-conspirators were arrested at the truck stop as they attempted to switch the packages of marijuana with packages of frozen squid from a second truck, the prosecutor said.

Before trial, the co-conspirators pleaded guilty to possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, Hobson said.

Armenta-Orozco was taken into custody after a more intensive investigation revealed his involvement, authorities said. 

Link


----------



## fruitfly

*Drugs hidden in toilet*
ic Coventry
Aug 30 2004

Police with sniffer dogs discovered more than £1,000 worth of cocaine and cannabis hidden in a toilet at the home of a Coventry father.

Scott Fullerton, 39, of xxxxxxxx Road, Long-ford, was handed a 100-hour community punishment order by a judge at Coventry Crown Court on Friday.

The court heard how police discovered £983 worth of cannabis in the kitchen and in the toilet of the ensuite bathroom and £133 worth of cocaine.

Prosecuting, Sarah Pratt said Fullerton had been fined on three occasions for possession of drugs.

Lawrence Watts, in mitigation, said Fullerton was a regular cannabis user who had split up with his girlfriend at the time and decided to buy cocaine to help him through the period.

He said Fullerton worked as a dog breeder and was not someone who relied on benefits.

Judge James Pyke said at the time of the offence the cannabis was still categorised as a class B drug and the possession of the cocaine was more serious.

He gave him a 100-hour community punishment order, over a year, and ordered the destruction of the drugs.

Link


----------



## Edge80

*23 arrested in drug busts in South Jersey*

23 arrested in drug busts in South Jersey

September 2, 2004
The Associated Press

BRIDGETON, N.J. -- An operation that distributed cocaine, marijuana and steroids and promoted gambling in far southern New Jersey was broken up Thursday when 23 people were arrested, local and federal authorities said. 

Devin B. Reilly, 30, of Pittsgrove, and Jamal I. Herrin, 32, of Clementon, were identified as leaders of an operation that was the subject of six months of investigation, authorities said. 

Both face multiple charges and were being held on bail of $500,000. 

Reilly was arrested on Aug. 26. Police said he led them on a car chase that started in Franklin Township, Gloucester County, then abandoned his car and dove into Malaga Lake, but that police plucked him from the water. At the time, charges against him included aggravated assault and reckless endangerment. Now, he faces drug and conspiracy charges as well. 

"Today, Mr. Reilly will not be swimming in Malaga Lake trying to elude police, but rather facing serious drug charges as a big fish in this investigation," said Michael Pasterchick Jr., special agent in charge of the Newark office of the federal Drug Enforcement Agency. 

The 21 others arrested in raids Thursday were being held on bail ranging from $15,000 to $250,000. 

In searches at 17 locations, authorities said they seized cocaine, an indoor marijuana lab, more than $20,000 in cash, anabolic steroids, syringes and needles, three handguns and five cars. 


link


----------



## Edge80

*Children's Prank Call Results In Big Drug Bust*

Children's Prank Call Results In Big Drug Bust

September 2, 2004
The Associated Press.


HACKENSACK, N.J. -- Police in New Jersey are crediting kids playing with a phone for a big pot bust.

Officers were dispatched to a Hackensack home after two hang-up calls to 911. Police found some kids playing outside the home.

But officers say when they knocked on the door Jeffrey Chung, 26, answered it, then tried to slam it shut. Police say they forced their way in and found nine pounds of marijuana and nearly $39,000 in cash. 

Chung and another man at the home, 18-year-old Whitney Duncan of New York City, both face several drug charges. Chung also was charged with child endangerment. 

here


----------



## Edge80

*DEA seizes pot from medical marijuana operation*

DEA seizes pot from medical marijuana operation

Associated Press
Sep. 04, 2004

ROSEVILLE, Calif. - Federal agents raided a medical marijuana operation and seized hundreds of plants at the owner's nearby garden.

The Drug Enforcement Agency served search warrants Friday at Richard Marino's home and business, Capitol Compassionate Care, which opened in January. No arrests were made.

"We will collect all the evidence and present the case to the U.S. attorney's office," said Gordon Taylor, agent-in-charge of the DEA's Sacramento office.

Alan Archuleta, a shift manager, said agents stormed in at 9:30 a.m., guns drawn, and yelling for everyone inside to get on the ground. "I thought we were being robbed until I saw the badge. For a split second, it was very traumatizing."

Marino later spoke to The Sacramento Bee by phone from an undisclosed location, the newspaper reported Saturday.

"I thought I was doing everything above board," he said. "I still think I'm doing everything above board."

The conflict between state and federal law regarding medical marijuana deepened recently after two rulings by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals held that federal authorities do not have the power to go after noncommercial medical marijuana operations confined within the state. The U.S. Department of Justice is appealing the cases to the U.S. Supreme Court.

While Marino is breaking federal law, which holds that possessing and cultivating marijuana is illegal, he is not breaking state law. California voters in 1996 passed Proposition 215, which allows qualified patients to use medical marijuana.

And last year, the Legislature passed a law that enabled the growing and selling of medicinal marijuana. The law broadened the definition of a medical marijuana caregiver and allows for the drug's collective cultivation.

Richard Meyer, special agent in the DEA's San Francisco division, said other medical marijuana dispensaries in California "should know that they are breaking the law ... they should get out of the business of selling drugs."

Since early July, Marino has been growing hundreds of marijuana plants on the 5 acres he recently purchased in Newcastle. The plants were surrounded by barbed-wire fencing, and security guards patrolled the property 24 hours a day.

On Friday, federal agents dug up the plants and carried them away. Agents said the marijuana will be destroyed, but declined to say how many plants were seized or what their value was.


link


----------



## E-llusion

*2.8 tonnes of cocaine seized*

* 2.8 tonnes of cocaine seized *

Monday, September 6th 2004

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP)-Venezuelan troops seized 2.8 tonnes of cocaine and killed two suspects in separate operations in eastern Venezuela, a Venezuelan newspaper reported Sunday. 

Two suspects identified as Colombian citizens died during a shootout with National Guard troops near the two tunnels where 1,320 pounds (600 kilogrammes) of cocaine were discovered in Sucre state, said National Guard Gen. Alexis Marcano, according to the local newspaper El Nacional. 

In the other incident, also in Sucre, 2.2 tonnes of cocaine were discovered in tunnels in a tourist lodge near the beach in Cumana some 180 miles (300 kilometres) east of Caracas. A machine gun, three rifles and two grenades were discovered in the tunnels. 

One man, whose nationality was not revealed, was arrested during the second bust.   

Link


----------



## Grep

*Two SA men in Indonesia drug bust*

Posted Tue, 07 Sep 2004

Police in Indonesia's resort island of Bali said on Tuesday they had arrested two South African nationals for drug trafficking in an operation described as the biggest heroin bust in two years.

Police found 2.3kg of the drug when they raided the hotel room where the two South Africans were staying last Tuesday, said Adjunct Commissioner Lennon, an officer in the Balinese capital of Denpasar.

The two suspects were identified as John Gabriele (37), and Martin Christopher (40).

Denpasar deputy police chief Dewa Parsana was quoted by Tuesday's Jakarta Post as saying that the seizure of the drugs, which have a street value of two billion rupiah (around $215 000), was the biggest heroin bust since 2002.

'Bali now a drug market in its own right'

Parsana said the arrest indicated that Bali, which in the 1980s was merely a stepping stone for dealers involved in the international narcotics trade, was now a drug market in its own right.

More than two dozen people, mostly foreigners, are on death row in Indonesia for drug offences. Rights group Amnesty International has said that at least 66 people are facing capital punishment in Indonesia.

Last month Indonesia carried out its first execution in three years when Indian national Ayodhya Prasad Chaubey, a convicted drug smuggler, was executed by a police firing squad in the North Sumatran city of Medan.

He was executed despite international appeals to spare his life.

President Megawati Sukarnoputri, who is battling for reelection against her former security minister, has recently refused clemency for 11 convicted drug traffickers, saying she had a duty to protect young people from narcotics. 

here


----------



## fruitfly

*2 arrested after police find drugs in teddy bear*
Santa Rosa Press Democrat
Sunday, September 12, 2004

Rohnert Park police investigating a tip about drug dealing arrested two people and seized nearly 3 ounces of methamphetamine, some hidden inside a teddy bear, authorities said Saturday.

Police arrested Karyn Boyd, 37, of Rohnert Park on suspicion of transportation and possession for sale of narcotics.

She had been under surveillance for several days when her car was pulled over Friday night on Lancaster Drive.

Officers found a teddy bear with almost an ounce of methamphetamine stuffed inside, Rohnert Park Police Sgt. Eric Robinson.

At her room in the Good Nite Inn, Robinson said police found another about 2 ounces of methamphetamine.

He said the drugs had a street value of about $6,000.

Police also arrested Joel Silva, a 26-year-old parolee, in the motel room. He was wanted for a parole violation involving an alleged burglary, Robinson said.

He was being held without bail at Sonoma County Jail. Boyd was released on $25,000 bail.

Link


----------



## Edge80

*U.S. Customs Agent Accused Of Trafficking Marijuana*

U.S. Customs Agent Accused Of Trafficking Marijuana

September 15, 2004
The Associated Press

SEATTLE -- Federal prosecutors have filed drug charges against a U.S. Customs agent who was arrested at the U.S.-Canadian border, accused of driving a van packed with $1.6 million worth of marijuana.

Cory W. Whitfield, of Point Roberts, Wash., told investigators he has worked for six years screening U.S.-bound traffic at Vancouver International Airport in British Columbia, according to a complaint filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court.

He was charged with importation of marijuana and possession with intent to distribute. 

According to the complaint, Whitfield tried to enter the United States at the Lynden border crossing Monday. He presented a diplomatic passport, telling Inspector Rodney Nash, "I'm one of us."

Whitfield told Nash the purpose of his trip was to bring an engine block to a Ford dealership in Bellingham, but Nash found 536 pounds of marijuana in the back of the van, and Whitfield's story fell apart under questioning, the complaint said.

Whitfield eventually told investigators he was blackmailed into bringing the drugs to Bellingham by a man who had compromising photos of him -- photos that showed Whitfield, a married man with two children, surrounded by illegal drugs and in a sexual encounter with a woman at a party, the complaint said.

Whitfield, who moonlighted as a bodyguard at parties where drugs were present, claimed to have previously made a similar trip to the United States, the complaint said. 

Link


----------



## fruitfly

*Los Angeles police uncover Israeli drug gang*
By Haaretz Service 
September 17, 2004 

A Los Angeles-area police task force announced it has uncovered a gang of drug dealers, many of whom are Israeli nationals, Israel Radio reported Friday.

Police said 29-year-old Israeli Eliyahu Marciano headed the gang. Marciano is also suspected of involvement in money laundering. Police officers confiscated 160,000 Ecstasy tablets worth $7 million from the gang.

Five other arrests were made this week and eight others in recent weeks in connection to the case.

The arrests were made in California four days ago following a year-long investigation carried out with the cooperation of Israeli, Czech, Austrian, Belgian and Spanish police authorities.

The Israelis reportedly among those arrested in the international operation include: Marciano; Nimrod Haim, 27, of Prague, who helped brokered Ecstasy deals; Hillel Shamam, 38, of Woodland Hills, California, who allegedly helped Marciano launder drug proceeds through real estate transactions; and Sammy Assoulin, 30, of Sherman Oaks, California, an alleged Ecstasy distributor.

Los Angeles-area police feared the Israeli-dominated gang was importing Ecstasy pills from Europe with the assistance of dealers in the Czech Republic. 

Link


----------



## subdefy

"controlled dangerous substance" heh funny how he did party monster and this happened.


----------



## p3n1x

check it out!
hahahaha, first heard about this on the leykis show on the ride home. 
check the smokin gun place theyre sure to have it!

check out his mugshot! OMG that shits funny!!!!

can we say, I LOOK LOADED!


----------



## fruitfly

*Sleepy evacuee gets arrested for drugs, guns*
By Aimee Yee
Sept. 20, 2004

An Alabama man fleeing hurricane conditions was arrested after he fell asleep in the Wendy's drive-through with a bag of marijuana on his front seat, Lt. Sal Mike of the Hammond Police Department said.

A motorist flagged down a city police officer Wednesday afternoon to report the South-west Railroad drive-through pickup lane was blocked by a man who had fallen asleep, Mike said.

Around 3 p.m., the motorist pointed out the maroon 2002 Ford F-150 truck in the line, and an officer saw Eddrick Williams, 28, asleep at the wheel.

The policeman knocked on the window to tell Williams to move on.

When Williams rolled down the window, a bag of pot on the front seat was clearly visible, Mike said. 

The officer reached inside the truck and grabbed the pot, Mike said.

He arrested the driver and discovered three weapons.

One was a 10 mm semiautomatic pistol found in the center console, Mike said. A .45-caliber semiautomatic pistol and 12 gauge assault-style shotgun were found in the back seat.

The officer seized all three weapons, the marijuana and a large amount of cash for evidence.

Williams is charged with illegal possession of firearms while in possession of a controlled dangerous substance.

Link


----------



## Sebastians_ghost

Teen gets eight years for psychedelic mushrooms 

Monday, September 20, 2004

http://reviewappeal.midsouthnews.com/news.ez?viewStory=25328

ROGERSVILLE (AP) — A Hawkins County teenager was sentenced to eight years in prison for dealing psychedelic mushrooms.

Martin Lee Long, 18, of Unicoi, was sentenced Monday by Circuit Court Judge James Beckner to the eight-year term and a $2,225 fine.

He pleaded guilty to possession of Schedule I narcotics with intent to deliver and possession of drug paraphernalia. The narcotics were psilocybin mushrooms.

Assistant District Attorney Doug Godbee said he wanted to send a message.

"It's listed as a Schedule I narcotic, which means it is deemed among the most dangerous narcotics out there," Godbee said of the mushrooms.

"These mushrooms are basically the same as LSD in that people who take them hallucinate and seriously threaten the safety of themselves and people around them. This is a drug we definitely want to prevent from taking a foothold in our communities."

Long will be eligible for parole after serving 30 percent of his sentence.

———

Information from: Kingsport Times-News, http://www.timesnews.net


----------



## fruitfly

*Three more arrested in lava lamp drugs case *
NZPA
21 September 2004  

Police investigating the alleged importation of illegal drugs hidden inside lava lamps have made three more arrests. 

They have also learned that a further 30 lava lamps, believed to contain 9kg of the drug crystal methamphetamine, were imported into New Zealand, as well as the lava lamps that were seized in July. 

Detective Hamish Kerr of the Auckland City police drug squad said three men were arrested on Friday. 

They were a 35-year-old unemployed Chinese man, a 27-year-old Hong Kong student and a 26-year-old from Taiwan. 

The trio appeared in Auckland District Court yesterday charged with three counts of possession for supply of a class A drug, two counts of supplying a Class A drug and three charges of importing a class A drug. 

All three were remanded to reappear later this month. 

The case comes after police and customs officials seized $9 million worth of alleged illegal drugs hidden inside lava lamps during July. 

At that time, a Chinese student, aged 23, was charged. 

The latest seizure brings the total value of crystal methamphetamine allegedly imported to New Zealand from China in the Operation Lava case to more than $18 million. 

Police believe an Asian crime syndicate was behind the importation. 

Link


----------



## fruitfly

*Police Say Couple Took Grandchildren With Them To Buy Heroin, 
Children In Car's Back Seat During Arrest*
Associated Press
September 21, 2004

READING, Pa. -- Police in Reading, Pa., say a Luzerne County couple took their two grandchildren with them when they drove to Reading to buy heroin.

William Davis, 47, of Ebervale was ordered held on $25,000 bail Monday, charged with heroin possession, child endangerment and other offenses. He was taken to the Berks County Prison following a preliminary hearing.

His wife, 47-year-old Vicki Davis, faces identical charges and remains free awaiting further court action. 

The two were arrested around 12:30 a.m. June 17th after they were stopped on state Route 61 in Shoemakersville.

Patrolman Michael Cardell testified that he found 149 packets of heroin and two syringes in Davis' car after he stopped him for driving without a tail light.

Officials say the grandchildren, ages 7 and 3, were in the back seat. Police called the children's mother to pick them up.

Link


----------



## BigCat007

*Denver Police make huge ecstasy bust*

http://9news.com/acm_news.aspx?OSGN...MPLATEID=0c76dce6-ac1f-02d8-0047-c589c01ca7bf

DENVER - Police say this is the largest ecstasy bust with which they have been involved. 

During a traffic stop in central Utah Monday, a sheriff's deputy intercepted a shipment of ecstasy pills. 

After learning the 18,000 tablets were bound for Denver, law enforcement decided to allow the delivery to be completed. 

When undercover detectives took possession of the drugs, they arrested 47-year-old Kim Nguyen and 21-year-old Kimberlee Nguyen. 

They are being held in the Denver City Jail on charges of possession of a controlled substance.

The tablets are believed to be worth about half a million dollars.


----------



## Madhatter4

*Re: Denver Police make huge ecstasy bust*



			
				BigCat007 said:
			
		

> *http://9news.com/acm_news.aspx?OSGN...MPLATEID=0c76dce6-ac1f-02d8-0047-c589c01ca7bf
> 
> 
> When undercover detectives took possession of the drugs, they arrested 47-year-old Kim Nguyen and 21-year-old Kimberlee Nguyen.
> 
> They are being held in the Denver City Jail on charges of possession of a controlled substance.
> 
> *



Lets see here....Kimberlee will be in her 80's when she is released from federal prison and Kim Nguyen will most likely die in the pen.........


----------



## fruitfly

----> moving to drug busts thread


----------



## InfiniteMax

*Denver Police make huge ecstasy bust*

Denver Police make huge ecstasy bust 
9/21/2004 

DENVER - Police say this is the largest ecstasy bust with which they have been involved. 

During a traffic stop in central Utah Monday, a sheriff's deputy intercepted a shipment of ecstasy pills. 

After learning the 18,000 tablets were bound for Denver, law enforcement decided to allow the delivery to be completed. 

When undercover detectives took possession of the drugs, they arrested 47-year-old Kim Nguyen and 21-year-old Kimberlee Nguyen. 

They are being held in the Denver City Jail on charges of possession of a controlled substance.

The tablets are believed to be worth about half a million dollars.


----------



## PGTips

Drugs in the Media ->


----------



## fruitfly

*When three is definitely a crowd* 
by Ryan Hawk, Coastal View Police Beat
September 23, 2004

Two deputies on foot patrol at the intersection of Santa Monica and Via Real noticed the loud 1993 Ford Explorer pull up to, and roll through the stop sign. The white truck sped quickly across the intersection, swung into the parking lot of the convenience store and parked with an abrupt jerk right next to the officers.

The deputies were not amused with the premature engine, tire and brake wear the three 18-year-olds inside were causing the innocent SUV. They called the driver and front passenger out to question them. 

Soon, the third passenger, a Santa Barbara youth who had been seated in the back seat, was up for questioning. But he wasn’t interested in having his rights violated, he said. He pressed down the automatic locks, but the driver’s window was left open, so the officer pulled up the lock. 

The youth in the back seat pressed it down again. The smell of alcohol and appetite stimulating hippie weed was too strong to keep the officer from losing this fight, however. When stated to the youth that he was causing a delay in the investigation with this charade, the 18-year-old moved his hand around, fidgeting with something inside his pocket.

The officer opened the door and the youth stepped out, yelling he was being searched illegally. The pat down revealed a cigarette box in the front pocket. *Knowing that no self-respecting man smokes Parliament Lights,* the officer opened the box to reveal it was stuffed with marijuana. The 18-year-old began flailing his arms and pushed the two officers back. But the handcuffs were soon in place and he was on his way to jail. 

A wooden pipe and a glass marijuana pipe with burnt residue were subsequently located inside the vehicle. The driver was warned not to drive so carelessly in the future.

Link


----------



## Edge80

*Cops raid pot farm*

Cops raid pot farm

by MIKE PECK
Managing Editor

Three Milam County men were arrested Tuesday after local and state lawmen converged on a marijuana production farm just east of Thorndale and seized over $1 million in growing marijuana plants.

Authorities also confiscated an estimated 200 pounds of marijuana that had been processed, packaged and hidden in one of two houses located on the property.

Milam County Chief Deputy Ted Retchloff, who is also an investigator with the Central Texas Narcotics Task Force, called the farm, located about three miles east of Thorndale off US 79, an "elaborate operation."

"They had a pump with lines running to the marijuana fields and that area over there was being used to germinate marijuana seeds," Retchloff said. "It appears they would plant it, grow it, process it and then package it for sale."

Coy Ray Doss, 58, Abraham Doss, 21, and Alden Ray Doss, 19, were arraigned Wednesday on first degree felony charges of possession of marijuana over 50 pounds but less than 2,000 pounds. The two younger men were also charged with first degree felony possession of a controlled substance, less than 400 grams. The trio remained in the Milam County Jail. Bond was set at $50,000 for each charge.

Retchloff said authorities do not yet know how long the pot farm might have been in operation, but he noted that the plants ranged in size from a few inches to more than six feet tall.

Additionally, Retchloff said it appeared that there were several types of marijuana being raised at the location.

Officers with the Milam County Sheriffs Department and the Central Texas Narcotics Task Force, outfitted with blue latex gloves, spent most of Tuesday afternoon pulling up the plants by hand and then loading them into a rented 14-foot U-Haul box van.

By the end of the day, the back of the van was stuffed to capacity with live plants and as many as 20 boxes of processed marijuana as well as mushrooms and other suspected narcotics.

Authorities estimated that the processed marijuana alone weighed in at 200 or more pounds.

Investigators with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms also responded to the location after authorities discovered several weapons in one of the houses on the property.

"All of the guns were legal firearms," West said. "But, when ATF officials ran the serial numbers, one came back as having been reported stolen."

The case unfolded after Retchloff received a tip concerning the cultivation and sale of marijuana from the location.

Local officials called in a Department of Public Safety helicopter from Austin to do an aerial survey of the area. Retchloff was among those who spotted the farm from the air and then radioed other lawmen who were waiting along US 79 to move in on the area.

Authorities said there were as many as nine children and several other adults at the location when they arrived. When officers inquired about why they children were at home rather than in school they were told the children are home schooled.

Milam County District Attorney Kerry Spears also responded to the location and made an aerial survey of the farm from the helicopter.

Officials said the marijuana was spotted about 10 a.m. Tuesday and and by 10:30 a.m. authorities had converged on the farm and taken two suspects, Abraham Doss and Alden Ray Doss into custody.

Coy Ray Doss was arrested later in the day.

Authorities said the pot and other narcotics have been transported to a Department laboratory for analysis.

A determination has not yet been made concerning forfeiture proceedings on the homes and farm property. State law allows for such forfeitures when homes and acreage are used in the production of illegal narcotics.

Authorities said that an investigation into the pot farming business will continue. However, at least for now, no further arrests are anticipated.


Link


----------



## toolazy2think

*Top Russian Mafia Boss Jailed for Drug Smuggling*

The Moscow Regional court has sentenced a powerful Russian drug lord, who owned several international firms, to 21 years in prison for smuggling six tons of the narcotic mandrax to a number of countries in 2000. 

Vadim Petrov was sentenced Tuesday to 21 years in prison, together with his accomplices who were each given 20, 19, and 18 years, the Itar-Tass news agency reported.

The ruling culminated a three-year criminal investigation into the workings of an underworld kingpin.

The dapper drug boss, who mingled with celebrities and even ran for the State Duma, owned a French castle, a Spanish villa, and about $500 million worth of real estate in the Caribbean. He and his “business partners” registered several fake IT firms in Moscow in the mid 1990s as covers for their drug trade, and then went on to bigger and better things. 

In 1997, Petrov developed a recipe for producing methaqualone, also know as mandrax — a barbiturate-like narcotic with effects similar to those of heroin. Smuggling 12 tons of banned sedatives from China to produce the new drug, Petrov stashed the store in a number of warehouses in the Moscow suburbs.

The drug clan sent out its first shipment of mandrax in February of 1999, when a ship delivered 3 tons of the drug to Mozambique through a Romanian cover firm. Another 3 tons were delivered to Malaysia in March of 2000. 

Petrov’s criminal empire had also traded in cocaine since 1999, when it made several shipments to Francis Morgan’s British mafia clan. 

Then, in May of 2000, U.S. Customs in Miami smelled something fishy when it opened a container supposedly containing industrial machinery, and discovered cocaine. The DEA then informed Russia’s Interior Ministry, and the shipment, which arrived shortly afterwards at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport, was intercepted. 

Investigators launched a case, and in December 2001, Petrov, who was tracked down in Monaco, was extradited to Moscow.


http://www.mosnews.com/news/2004/09/08/mafiadrugs.shtml


----------



## Edge80

<-----------------------moving to mega drug bust thread .


----------



## Reverend_Lust

*Colombian police assault cocaine labs*

Colombian police assault cocaine labs

CUMBITARA, Colombia (AP) -- Seven helicopter gunships skirted the steep mountainsides, then quickly descended on a cocaine lab, marked by a smoke grenade thrown by one of the raiders.

As the heavily armed anti-narcotics police jumped from the hovering craft, accompanied by an informant wearing a ski mask, peasants who worked the coca fields and in the complex scampered away.

Associated Press journalists accompanied the officers on the lightning raid Saturday, allowing them to see firsthand the type of dangerous operation that has put a crimp in Colombia's cocaine production.

So far this year, raids have destroyed 100 labs that convert coca paste -- made from the leaves of the coca bush -- into cocaine, said Col. Alvaro Velandia, deputy director of Colombia's anti-narcotics police.

Saturday's raid in the mountains of southwestern Colombia showed that precise intelligence, coordination between police and helicopter squadrons and swift action are needed to destroy the drug labs, often located in remote, rugged regions teeming with Marxist rebels, who make huge profits by controlling the drug trade.

After flying over vast coca fields hugging the base of steep mountainsides, the U.S.-made helicopters -- three Black hawks and four Hueys -- circled the cocaine-producing complex. One raider dropped a smoke grenade, its purple cloud billowing against a background of bright green coca bushes.

One helicopter, carrying an AP reporter, an AP photographer and police, banked into the landing zone and hovered four feet from the ground.

With the wash of the noisy rotors flattening nearby coca bushes, the door gunner made a hand signal, ordering those aboard to jump. The journalists and the raiders leapt to the earth. The police quickly fanned out, assault rifles at the ready.

"We are in the cocaine empire of the FARC," Velandia declared as he surveyed the scene. FARC, an acronym for Colombia's bigger rebel group -- the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia -- is one of the main players in Colombia's drug trade.
Finding a lab

Narino state, where Saturday's raid unfolded, is one of Colombia's major cocaine-producing areas, after U.S.-backed aerial fumigation wiped out much of the coca crop in neighboring Putumayo state, along the Ecuadorean border.

The 30 raiders, wearing olive green uniforms and helmets, noticed some earth recently had been overturned. They found buried barrels holding 44 pounds of coca base. The informant, who will be paid by police, looked on with satisfaction.

"I used to work here," he told the AP. "But I left because I had not been paid in 10 months. We were producing 3,306 pounds of cocaine every eight days."

Other policemen, meanwhile, moved down a slippery, steep slope, and found dozens of barrels of chemicals and electrical cables. Inside a hut, food was still cooking in a kitchen.

Moving deeper into the now-abandoned complex, the policemen found hidden in a gorge the lab that converted the coca paste into pure cocaine. Inside, they found 772 pounds of cocaine.

Suddenly, they were surprised by the ringing of a cell phone. A member of the Colombian inspector general's office found the phone and answered.

"Did you get away? Did you get away," a voice on the other end asked anxiously, before the caller realized he was not talking to a drug worker and hung up.

The officers also discovered an abandoned gold mine. Inside was a cocaine drying chamber.

All the while, a police explosives expert was lining the drug lab and the gold mine with charges. The police wanted to get in and out fast, before rebels of the FARC's 29th Front could arrive to counterattack.

The police stood back and watched as the explosives went off, echoing off the mountainsides. Pieces of the drug lab flew high into the air. The gold mine collapsed.

Members of the raiding party clambered back into the helicopters. One of the door gunners spotted a muzzle flash from the ground and opened fire. A cascade of machine-gun shell casings danced off the floor of the chopper and tumbled out the door, as the chopper clattered back to base at Pasto city where the raiders began planning a fresh operation.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/americas/09/26/colombia.raid.ap/index.html


{Edit Fixed Title}


----------



## MagicHours

*US Seizes 30,000 pounds of cocaine*

U.S. Seizes 30,000 Pounds of Cocaine



WASHINGTON (AP) - The Coast Guard and Navy seized 30,000 pounds of cocaine from a boat off South America's Pacific coast this month in what authorities called the largest-ever seizure of the drug at sea. 

On Sept. 17, the USS Curts, a Navy frigate based in San Diego, intercepted the Lina Maria, a Cambodian-flagged fishing boat, about 300 miles west of the Galapagos Islands. A Coast Guard team boarded the boat and found 30,000 pounds of cocaine hidden in a sealed ballast tank. 

Ten people were detained. They were charged Monday by federal authorities in Tampa, Fla. 

A second seizure was made Friday in the same area. The frigate USS Crommelin, based in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, stopped the fishing boat San Jose, and a Coast Guard team found 26,000 pounds of cocaine hidden under fish and ice in the vessel's cargo hold. Eight people were detained. 


The two boats had Colombian crews and were believed to have come from Colombia. Officials believe they were headed for the U.S. West Coast, said Navy Lt. Ligia Cohen, a spokeswoman for U.S. Southern Command. 


In the last year, the Coast Guard has seized a record 240,518 pounds of cocaine, worth about $7.7 billion, officials said. Much of that is in the Caribbean, but authorities say there is also a thriving drug trade on the Pacific coast of the Americas. 


The Navy provides warships to assist in counternarcotics operations, but military personnel are not allowed to arrest suspected drug smugglers because they are not law enforcement officers. Coast Guard teams instead make the actual arrests.

Link


----------



## Edge80

--------------------> Mega Bust Thread


----------



## fruitfly

*Missouri Linebacker Arrested on Marijuana Charges*
9/27/2004
By MICHAEL PETRE, The Associated Press 

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Missouri starting linebacker David Richard was suspended Monday from the Big 12 game against Colorado on Saturday after police say he was arrested for marijuana possession. 

Richard, 21, was arrested about 2:30 a.m. Sept. 11, Columbia police Capt. Marvin McCrary confirmed Monday. Police, dispatched to a report of a party in an off-campus neighborhood, heard loud music coming from a parked car, a 1999 Dodge Intrepid registered to Richard. 

Officers found Richard and another man in the vehicle, along with a suspected marijuana cigarette and a small bag of suspected marijuana, according to the police report. 

Both men were arrested for misdemeanor marijuana possession. 

The second suspect was not a football player, McCrary said. 

A Missouri State Highway Patrol lab was testing the contents of the cigarette and bag to confirm if it was marijuana, and no charges have been filed. 

At a Monday afternoon press conference, Missouri coach Gary Pinkel said Richard would not play Saturday when the Tigers (2-1) open Big 12 play at home against Colorado (3-0), saying that Richard "has been suspended from this game for disciplinary reasons." He made no additional comment. 

Richard will be replaced in the lineup by sophomore Marcus Bacon. 

Richard, a 6-foot-2, 235-pound sophomore in his first season at Missouri, started all three games and had six tackles. During Missouri's Sept 18. against Ball State — the first game after his arrest — Richard started but did not see much action for the rest of the game. 

At suburban St. Louis' Hazelwood East High School in 2001, Richard was an All-American at linebacker and tailback. That season, he was named high school defensive player of the year by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and the St. Louis American. 

Richard initially played at Michigan State as a tailback, leading the Spartans in rushing with 654 yards in 2002, averaging 4.9 yards per carry, before transferring to Missouri, along with former Hazelwood East teammate safety Brandon Massey. 

Both players sat out last season because of NCAA transfer rules and had three years of eligibility remaining. 

Pinkel moved Richard to linebacker during the offseason.

Link


----------



## fruitfly

*Son's drug debt puts dad in jail*
By Nevin Farrell, Belfast Telegraph
29 September 2004 

A 50-year-old Merseyside man became involved in an attempt to smuggle a quarter of a million pounds worth of drugs into Northern Ireland to pay off a debt his cocaine addict son had run up, it has been claimed in court.

Antrim Crown Court heard yesterday that Paul McSween, of Lathum Close, Prescot, was detected as part of a planned police operation on November 11 last year as he and his wife Barbara (52), drove a Ford Mondeo off a ferry at Larne after sailing from Fleetwood.

A police search dog helped find 50 kilos of cannabis resin worth £250,000, professionally sealed inside door panels of the car.

McSween admitted a charge of possessing the drugs with intent to supply when a similar charge against his wife was dropped and today he was jailed for three years.

During interview McSween initially claimed he had no knowledge of the drugs and that he was asked by a member of the travelling community to take the car to the Causeway Hotel on the north coast of Co Antrim where it would be bought by an unknown man.

A thousand pounds was found and McSween said it was to be spent shopping during the trip.

Prosecution lawyer Neil Connor said the police view was that the story was a "tissue of lies" and that McSween was in fact a drugs courier and that it was his own car.

Mr Connor said the police believed that, given the amount of drugs involved and the risk of custody, that McSween would have been paid thousands of pounds and that the £1,000 was "expenses".

Defence barrister Stephen Fowler said McSween's 28-year-old son had a serious addiction to cocaine and that as a result his marriage had broken down and he lost his home.


Mr Fowler said: "Violence was threatened to the son and the family home," but that McSween was told that if he took the consignment of drugs the debt would be cleared.

Link


----------



## fruitfly

*dumbass*

*Man tries to fly with meth lab *
The Daily Interlake
September 29, 2004

A Kalispell man was arrested Friday for allegedly attempting to board a commercial airplane with a meth lab.

Steven K. Konopatzke, 43, reportedly carried the components for making methamphetamine in carry-on luggage. 

They were found during a routine inspection at Glacier Park International Airport.

Security workers reportedly also found sulfuric acid in Konopatzke's checked luggage. 

He was reportedly ticketed to fly to Michigan.

A law officer with the Northwest Drug Task Force said Konopatzke denied that the items were his and said he had picked up the bags from a friend he wouldn't identify.

The officer said gray crystals in Konopatzke's bag are thought to be iodine. Also found was a substance tested as ephedrine (a component used in making methamphetamine), a white powder analyzed as a diet pill and another white crystalline substance.

The officer said Konopatzke also carried coffee filters, pieces of hose, clamps and balloons — all are used to make the illegal stimulant.

Another drug task force officer said the toxic and flammable chemicals used to make methamphetamine pose a peril on the ground that would be compounded in an enclosed airplane.

"Anything we are afraid of in meth labs, going up at 32,000 feet or whatever" is worse, he said.

People who manufacture methamphetamine in their own homes may jeopardize themselves or a few friends, he said. 

Someone bringing chemicals such as iodine and sulfuric acid on a flight endangers everyone on board with the potential of a fire, explosion or a leak of chemicals that would recirculate through the plane’s air system.

Because of that added risk, Konopatzke could face enhanced charges, the officer said.

For now, prosecuting Deputy County Attorney Dan Guzynski has charged Konopatzke with operation of a clandestine drug lab.

Link


----------



## fengtau

*Four nabbed in major Ecstasy haul*
BY SIM LEOI LEOI

PUTRAJAYA: The Customs Department has foiled attempts by four people to smuggle in RM2.7mil worth of Ecstasy and Eramin pills at the KL International Airport after it recently decided to randomly check passengers using the green lane. 

The attempted smuggling came to light after a Taiwanese woman in her 20s was found to have 9,750 Ecstasy pills stashed under a false bottom of her baggage on Sept 23. 

Customs director-general Tan Sri Abdul Halil Abdul Mutalib said that after questioning, “she told us to expect a few more deliveries.”  





_BIGGEST BUST THIS YEAR: Abdul Halil showing the pills seized at the Customs headquarters in Putrajaya Thursday.--Bernamapic_

“We subsequently caught three Malaysian men, including a key syndicate member, trying to smuggle in the pills on flights from Paris on Sept 25 and Sept 26,” he told a press conference here.  

The pills were hidden in cosmetic, green tea and Hello Kitty boxes. 

More than 20,600 Ecstasy pills were recovered from two men on Sept 25 and more than 21,400 Ecstasy and Eramin from the third man the next day. 

Abdul Halil said the drug haul was the department’s biggest success this year and it was because of the decision to randomly select passengers passing through the green lane for baggage screening. 

“This is the practice in countries in Europe, the United States and Australia, where passengers are chosen for screening through a risk assessment profile.  

“We decided to implement this measure as we felt that there are unscrupulous passengers taking advantage of this (green lane) facility, which is meant for the convenience of genuine tourists,’’ he said. 

“Previously, we acted based on tip-offs.”  

The four suspects have been remanded until Thursday. Authorities have yet to establish whether the smuggling is the work of a local or international syndicate. 

Abdul Halil said that most of the pills originated from Amsterdam, adding that the department would install more X-ray machines at the KLIA to screen passengers using the green lane. 

The airport has only two X-ray machines at present, he added.Read Original


----------



## Edge80

*U.S. agents bust Canadian customs official in marijuana smuggling scheme*

U.S. agents bust Canadian customs official in marijuana smuggling scheme 

Oct 01 2004
Canadian Press

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) - A Canadian customs official with more than 20 years of experience is facing charges she conspired with eight other people to smuggle hundreds of kilograms of marijuana into the United States. 

Rose Palmer, 51, an agent of the Canada Border Services Agency, and Roger Goodsell, 34, both of Stanstead, Que., were arrested this week in the United States by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, the U.S. Attorney's Office said in a news release. 

Palmer worked in the Stanstead region, across the border from Derby. She had worked for the Canadian agency for more than 20 years, said Martin Bolduc, the regional director for communication for the agency. She was off duty when she was arrested. 

"Fortunately, for us these cases are isolated," Bolduc said. "We rarely see a customs inspector being charged with such a thing." 

Palmer is in custody pending a hearing in federal court Monday. 

Goodsell, a Canadian citizen, was released. 

On Sept. 16, a federal grand jury in Burlington indicted Palmer, Goodsell and seven others on a variety of marijuana smuggling charges. 

The others charged in the case are: Scott Frechette, Sherry Slack, Alain Bouffard, Everett Slack, Brenda Dubois, Allen Royea and Michele Ricci. The release did not provide the ages or hometowns of those seven individuals. 

Prosecutors are seeking the forfeiture of $65,000 US, a pickup truck and a property in Manchester, N.H., that belong to Frechette. He was arraigned in May and released. 

Sherry Slack, a Canadian citizen, was arraigned May 19 and released. 

The indictments are also seeking the forfeiture of $2.5 million worth of property belonging seven other defendants, including Palmer and Goodsell. 

The release did not say why Frechette and Sherry Slack were arraigned in May. 

Acting U.S. Attorney David Kirby wouldn't provide any additional information about the case. 

Link


----------



## fruitfly

*King of Bling deposed after drug empire dismantled*
Four years of graft lead police to gang leader who led double life in London and Jamaica 
Rosie Cowan, crime correspondent
Saturday October 2, 2004
The Guardian 

Timing was everything, when Detective Sergeant Steve Waller finally got hold of Owen Clarke, aka the King of Bling, aka Father Fowl, Britain's biggest cocaine importer. 

Thirty seconds earlier and Clarke's fingerprints would not have been all over the implements he was using to cook up crystals of crack cocaine. Thirty seconds later and he might have escaped through the second floor window he was trying to shimmy out of when police burst in. 

Scotland Yard, the national criminal intelligence squad, customs, the FBI, and Jamaican authorities were all involved in Operation Jasle to catch the flamboyant multi-millionaire drugs baron. 

Now, Det Sgt Waller, who ran the on-the-ground police unit on Clarke's tail reveals the story behind four years of intelligence-gathering, surveillance and hard graft.In July 2000, when Operation Trident, Scotland Yard's black gun crime unit was established, officers set about finding out every scrap of information about Clarke. Then they picked off his lieutenants, dismantling his kingdom as they inched closer to the man himself. Finally, they caught Clarke making crack, and that, together with a conviction for supplying cocaine, was enough to jail him for 13 years. 

"It was very, very satisfying," admits Det Sgt Waller, a detective of the old school who battled bureaucracy to keep the investigation going. "Not only the cocaine market but the violent activities of the British Link-up Crew [a notorious Jamaican/UK drugs gang] have been severely disrupted. Fewer drugs on the streets, fewer bodies in car boots."

Det Sgt Waller estimates Clarke's reign as head of the British Link-up Crew lasted more than 13 years, a marathon in an underworld. He crafted an empire, using dozens of human "mules" to import multi-million-pound consignments of drugs from Jamaica, by plane, cruise ship and cargo boat, and then hundreds more dealers who sold it all over London and every major English city, from Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester to Bristol and Brighton. 

Now, handcuffed on the floor against the fridge in a grimy kitchen in Colindale, north-west London, Clarke was a long way away from the "bling-bling" life he led in Jamaica. It was a parallel existence, alongside his life in a nondescript two-bedroom bungalow in Sudbury, north-west London, with his English wife. 

In Jamaica he mixed with pop and sports stars. He owned a multi-million-pound cliff top mansion, drank champagne at £200 a bottle and smoked cannabis joints rolled in £50 notes. He threw huge parties for up to 7,000 people at La Russe, a beachfront nightclub, outside Kingston. 

"It was Jamaica's Hollywood," said Det Sgt Waller. "We have videos of these parties where British-based Jamaican gangsters dressed to outdo each other in suits and watches worth tens of thousands of pounds. It was all about status. They would even flick their shoes up to show the price tags. "On one occasion, a lorryload of designer dresses arrived as gifts for all the female party guests. Father Fowl had gold chains dripping off him, and he always made his entrance like a rock star, to wild applause." 

Clarke, who drove a £75,000 Jaguar, laundered money by exporting top-of-the-range cars, of which police have recovered four, a fraction of the number he dealt with, said Det Sgt Waller. 

Womaniser


The drugs baron was an insatiable womaniser. At the time of his arrest, he had eight girlfriends and had seduced countless others. "He tried it on with almost every woman he met," said Det Sgt Waller. "Quite a few turned up in court with babies and toddlers in tow and I'm sure there are a few more in Jamaica. Yet they were incredibly loyal to him, maybe because he was so generous with his cash." 

For a man whose wealth and power created many enemies, Clarke led a charmed existence. The bullet richoted off his arm when he was shot at in London in 1999, and he survived at least two murder attempts in Jamaica. 

But his luck was running out. In 2000, detectives started on one of his "generals" - Nadia Codner, who ran his network in Hackney/Stoke Newington, north-east London. A four-month surveillance snared Codner and three others, recovering £1m-worth of cocaine. The jury took just 11 minutes to convict Codner who was jailed for 15 years. 

In the next few years, other "senior officers" tumbled like ninepins. Paul "Pepsi" Hamilton and Vernal "Luddy" Anderson supplied the Luton and Bedfordshire areas. Police discovered 50 kilos of cocaine, worth about £10m, had passed through their crack conversion factory in Luton. Clarke recruited Mikey McDaniel and Bibsy Findlay to take over from Pepsi and Luddy, but police caught them too, finding a kilo of cocaine in the washing machine in their Harrow flat. 

The next target was Sherise Taylor, Clarke's main Birmingham courier, then, brothers Michael and Gifford Sutherland, from Croydon, south London. Their main role was finding and financing couriers, but the UK and Jamaican authorities were clamping down on Clarke's supply routes, so a key part of the brothers' job was developing new routes through Panama and Havana. 

They recruited Phoebe Goran, a 53-year-old Zambian-Irish woman, in Dublin to carry out a complicated pick-up in Antigua, which resulted in all three being arrested at Waterloo station. Then, Clifton Rochester, Clarke's right hand man in Bristol, was arrested by the national crime squad. 

Surveillance


By now the squeeze was on. Officers already had hours and hours of surveillance and telephone tapes, linking Clarke to Rochester, the Sutherlands and the others. Although in personal terms, everyone had always been dispensable to Clarke, he needed business done and now the panic-stricken phone calls flew, wondering what was happening and how he would replace his people. 

Then detectives spotted a new face, 24-year-old Jason "Jazzy P" Sadler. Jazzy P and Clarke often visited the same flat in Colindale, but never arrived or left together. Clarke had by now perfected a new, more efficient way of making crack, and police were sure this address was key to this operation. 

In June last year, they spied him meeting a man in Harlseden, north-west London, from whom he collected a large envelope. They trailed Clarke to the flat in Colindale, and five minutes later Jazzy P turned up carrying the same brown envelope. 

Police lay in wait, crouching in cubbyholes outside the second floor flat. Det Sgt Waller counted down five and a half minutes before he gave the order to pile in. "He was completely taken by surprise," said Det Sgt Waller 

"At first, he thought we were other dealers going to rob him. When he realised what was happening, his look was priceless. 

"He's a real cry baby. He's never acted the tough man since he was arrested. He always expected others to take the rap, and he pleaded he was forced to deal drugs. But the jury was having none of it. Clarke is where he belongs and the streets are a safer place." 

Link


----------



## Edge80

*Ice flow to county is cut off*

Ice flow to county is cut off

By JAYMES SONG The Associated Press 

HONOLULU – A drug trafficking operation that allegedly imported 20 pounds of Mexican-made crystal methamphetamine into Maui County every month has been dismantled, authorities said Friday. 

Thirteen suspects were charged Friday with conspiracy to distribute and possess the drug and three more suspects were at large, U.S. Attorney Edward Kubo Jr. said. 

“We will continue to do a full-court press on ice,’’ he said at a news conference on Friday. 

The three fugitives are Marco Antonio Davidson-Cervantes and Fernando Iribe Tirado of Mexico, and Brian U’u of West Maui, authorities said. 

The charged suspects are Moses Kiakona, Sham Vierra, George Keahi Jr., Arnold C. Arruiza, Glenn Fernandez, Mary H. Vandervelde, Antonio Panlasigui Jr., Dawn Galarita, Leslie Jaramillo, Tiare Smith, Adele Criste, Robert Eisler and Melissa Ordonez. 

If convicted, they would each face a sentence of 10 years to life in prison. 

Police officials on Maui were unavailable to comment Friday night on reports of federal and county officers involved in searches and arrests at several residences in West Maui on Thursday and Friday. 

“Cervantes and Tirado were the Mexican sources bringing the ice into the United States via Los Angeles,’’ Kubo said. “It was then to flown to the island of Maui where it was given to Moses Kiakona who distributed not only to Glenn Fernandez but also to Sham Vierra.’’ 

Most of the drugs were shipped or mailed into Maui, the FBI said. The drugs were also ferried onto Lanai. 

“During the course of this investigation, Vierra boasted of bringing in as much as 20 pounds of ice each month into Maui since November of 2000,’’ Kubo said. “If this is true, then assuming a user consumes approximately one-sixteenth a gram, we are talking about 145,152 hits coming into the island of Maui each month.’’ 

“Operation Tap Out’’ was launched in January 2003 after a confidential informant told Maui police that Kiakona was “involved in the importation of a large quantity of crystal methamphetamine,’’ according to court documents. 

The investigation was led by the Maui Police Department and the FBI, but also involved Honolulu, Kauai and Hawaii County police departments; state drug agents; and other federal agencies. 

Hawaii County Police Chief Lawrence Mahuna said the bust was the result of the strong partnership of law enforcement against a drug that “has taken a tremendous toll on our state.’’ 

A crucial component of the investigation was surveillance of the suspects’ cellular phone calls. 

“What we’re looking at right now is an organization that has been taken down by federal wiretap laws,’’ Kubo said. 

Authorities executed 10 search warrants on Maui on Thursday, seizing two pounds of ice, more than $250,000 in cash and two rifles. Stacks of cash totaling $141,782 were found in one house. 

“As you can see, there’s money in this,’’ Maui Police Chief Tom Phillips said at the news conference in Honolulu. “I don’t know how many of you have $140,000 laying around the house. That’s what they’re in this for.’’

link


----------



## Belisarius

*Fishermen Catch $1.2 million in Hash*

Don't know if this is better here or the Lounge--feel free to move.

Looks like I've been fishing in all the wrong places...

Whole article:


Fishermen Catch Hash Worth $1.2 Million

MADRID (Sept. 30) - A small Spanish fishing boat netted more than it bargained for this week when it hauled up 23 bales of hashish instead of the usual batch of anchovies.

The catch off the Mediterranean port of Sant Carles de la Rapita Wednesday was worth more than 1 million euros or $1.2 million, Civil Guards said Thursday.

Two other boats separately found two bundles each. The guards said the haul, weighing nearly a ton in total, could be part of a consignment thrown overboard by traffickers interrupted by a patrol boat earlier this month as they were preparing to land.

09/30/04 08:23 ET

Copyright 2004 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

From AOL news:
http://aolsvc.news.aol.com/news/article.adp?id=20040930082509990005


----------



## Edge80

---------------------> The Mega-Merged Drug Bust Thread


----------



## souperphly

*7-year-old's tip leads to mother's drug bust*

7-year-old's tip leads to mother's drug bust

October 6, 2004

BY STEFANO ESPOSITO Staff Reporter


The little boy dreams of becoming a professional football player, and he adores the Chicago Cubs, proudly wearing his Sammy Sosa jersey.

Reality for this 7-year-old, however, was the smell of marijuana smoke wafting through his mother's Northwest Side apartment.

So the boy snitched on his mom.

Now she's in jail, charged with possession of marijuana, cocaine and hallucinogenic mushrooms -- all felonies.

On Tuesday, Charlotte Lewis, 34, appeared in Cook County bond court, where Judge Mary Margaret Brosnahan set her bail at $200,000.

Dressed in a sweat top and jeans, Lewis stared straight ahead and said nothing.

Outside the courtroom, her attorney, Santo J. Volpe, described Lewis as "very sophisticated," and a "classy young lady."

Prosecutors think otherwise.

They say police confiscated 5,000 grams of cannabis, 77 grams of cocaine and five grams of mushrooms from Lewis' home in the xxxx block of West Altgeld. Total street value: $31,325.

But it was her son who made the bust possible.

On Monday, the boy's father, who doesn't live with Lewis, came to pick up his kid. The boy confided that he'd seen mom grow, cut and smoke marijuana, and that he knew it wasn't a good thing for her to be doing. So the father, worried about his son's safety, went to police, said Chicago Police Officer Michael Birmingham.

On Tuesday, police showed up at Lewis' home.

Peering through the front window, police allegedly saw the woman sitting in her living room in front of a coffee table. Arrayed in front of her were several folded pieces of paper allegedly cradling cocaine. And there was a plastic bag containing a "crushed leafy substance." Lewis let police inside. Marijuana's distinctive aroma led them to the basement and the attic. Throughout the house, police found 60 marijuana plants, a scale and bags filled with drugs.

Volpe insisted Tuesday his client is innocent and said the case has more to do with a domestic dispute between Lewis and the boy's father.

"I don't know how [the drugs] got there, and I don't know if that's what they are," Volpe told reporters.

He pointed out that his client has no criminal record and said Lewis has an artistic background of some sort, but didn't know the details.

"She's very talented," Volpe said.

Lewis had lived with her son at the West Altgeld address since the summer of 2003. She drew attention because she was pretty and because she seemed to have a lot of male guests.

"She said she was studying nursing, but I never saw her go anywhere," said one neighbor, Gaspar Serrano.

Though Serrano never saw drugs, some mornings he'd notice an odd fragrance -- something like "burning grass," he said.

Contributing: Frank Main

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-dope06.html


----------



## Reverend_Lust

he will regreat this later on in life.  5,000 grams is alot of weed though far from personal.  roughly 11 pounds if im not mistaken


----------



## MattPD

^^I'd be more worried about the 77 grams of cocaine...

That kid is going to need some major therapy when he grows up.


----------



## fruitfly

*Half Of Residents In Canadian Town Implicated In Sweeping Pot Raid*
Associated Press
October 6, 2004

SEYMOUR ARM, British Columbia -- This lakeside hamlet is so remote it can be reached only by boat or logging road, and so small there is only one store. But investigators say many of the 60 residents were involved in one business operation -- growing marijuana.

One hundred Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers executed search warrants on 14 homes and 14 vehicles Tuesday and found several factory-sized operations within a 2 1/2-mile radius, said Police Superintendent Marianne Ryan. At least 16 people were arrested in the rustic town about 240 miles northeast of Vancouver and more arrests are likely, she said.

"We've never seen anything like this before, not where a whole community is affected this way," Ryan said.

 The raid followed a two-year investigation that started with complaints from other residents, and some officers were approached on the town's dirt street by people who thanked them for the raid, officers said.

"These people are really glad this is over," Sgt. John Ward said.

Ed Doll, who has spent summers in Seymour Arm for 20 years, said the village was an ideal spot for marijuana businesses.

"This is a remote area only accessible by boat and a single logging road. It's the last place anyone would look," Doll said.

Shane Roth said he didn't want the place to be known for drug activity.

"I don't want people to think Seymour Arm and then think of that kind of culture," Roth said. 

Link


----------



## Edge80

*26 indicted in gun, drug probe*

26 indicted in gun, drug probe

By WILL DAVID 
THE JOURNAL NEWS 
(Original publication: October 8, 2004)


WHITE PLAINS — A 15-month investigation by federal and local law enforcement agencies culminated yesterday in the indictments of 26 people on federal gun and drug charges. 

Teams of FBI agents and local police struck at dawn, arresting 17 men in Yonkers, Mount Vernon, Peekskill, White Plains and Elmsford. Seven suspects had already been incarcerated; two were still being sought. 

"The guns taken off the street posed a serious threat to our communities," White Plains Public Safety Commissioner Frank Straub said at a news conference announcing the roundup. Straub was in Washington last month to petition Congress to extend a federal assault weapons ban, which was allowed to expire, and repeated his call for a ban yesterday. New York state has a similar law. 

The investigation was conducted by the FBI, the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, police from Yonkers, White Plains, Greenburgh and Westchester County, the county Probation Department and the state Division of Parole. 

Assistant U. S. Attorney Maria A. Barton, chief of the White Plains office, announced the indictments with Straub and other police officials at her side. 

"We are hoping that, this time, we send a very strong message that they cannot keep doing this over and over," she said. 

Thomas Belfiore, commissioner of the Westchester County Department of Public Safety, said the cooperation between agencies during the investigation was a "model" for future criminal and terrorism probes. 

Federal authorities said the investigation was not over. Agents bought 19 handguns and rifles for prices from $300 to $1,000. Authorities seized a total of a half-pound of crack worth $8,000 to $9,000. Six of the suspects were on parole, four on probation and, one, Darrin "D" Cannaday of Peekskill, was convicted of sodomizing a minor. 

Suspect Toure "Pun" Clarke of Yonkers, accused of selling an AK-47 semiautomatic rifle to an FBI informant, has already been convicted of two state felonies: attempted third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon. 

Takara "TK" Pass, who was already in custody, has four drug felonies on his state rap sheet. He is accused of selling a semiautomatic pistol with a defaced serial number to the same informant, authorities said. 

The 26 defendants could face between five and 200 years behind bars. The operation began in Yonkers as an investigation into the Bloods street gang, officials said, and evolved into a countywide guns and drugs probe. 

"This is not a gang takedown, but certainly this is how the investigation was started," Barton said. She said a lot of drug and gun merchants were loosely organized, but would not characterize any of the defendants as gang members. 

Yonkers Police Commissioner Robert Taggart said the suspects in that city were concentrated on Warburton Avenue and Nodine Hill — high-crime areas that are targeted by police. "These arrests will have a significant effect on the crime rate," he said. 



Link


----------



## Edge80

*Rapper Beanie Sigel Gets Year in Prison*

Rapper Beanie Sigel Gets Year in Prison

By DAVID B. CARUSO
The Associated Press
Saturday, October 9, 2004; 12:49 AM

PHILADELPHIA - Rapper Beanie Sigel was sentenced to a year in federal prison Friday on a gun-possession charge stemming from a traffic stop. 

Sigel, 30, could have received more than three years, but the judge cited the rapper's charity work and drug abuse treatment in taking leniency. 

"It is clear that the defendant has made a substantial effort to change his life," said U.S. District Judge R. Barclay Surrick. 

Prosecutors had argued that Sigel was much like the man he presents himself as in his gritty lyrics: a ruthless, dangerous gangster. 

The charges stemmed from a 2002 incident in which Sigel jumped from his car and ran after a traffic stop. He allegedly tossed a loaded gun during the short chase. Officers also found prescription drugs and marijuana in Sigel's Cadillac Escalade. 

Sigel's rap sheet dates to when he was a teenager and makes it illegal for him to own a handgun. 

Pleading for leniency before a courtroom of supporters that included the rap superstar Jay-Z, Sigel acknowledged that he was in a "reckless situation, a dangerous situation" at the time of the incident, but told the judge he was a changed man. 

"I'm not the guy that people think I am," he said. Motioning to his children, he said, "I want them to be able to lift their heads up and say, 'That's my dad. That's Dwight Grant. Not Beanie Sigel." 

Family members and business colleagues told the judge that the rapper has a "positive message" and is a good role model for kids. 

That suggestion irritated prosecutor Curtis Douglas. 

"The very idea that this defendant is here as a role model is somewhat repulsive," Douglas said. 

The rapper, whose birth name is Dwight Grant, also faces trial in January on charges that he shot and seriously wounded a man outside a Philadelphia bar, and also faces charges that he punched a man in the face. 

Sigel was a protege of Jay-Z, and his records have sold more than 1 million copies. In a sequel to his 2002 movie "State Property," Sigel plays an imprisoned drug dealer. 

He pleaded guilty to the gun charge earlier this year. Sigel also must serve two years probation and pay a $25,000 fine.

Link


----------



## E-llusion

*Head of ecstasy ring says he caused harm*

October 13, 2004

Head of ecstasy ring says he caused harm

"To stand here and say I'm sorry would almost be laughable in light of what has happened," said Policelli.

By Tyra Braden
Of The Morning Call

Upper Mount Bethel Township businessman Duane Policelli, the ringleader of what authorities say was one of the largest Ecstasy manufacturing and trafficking operations on the East Coast, will spend up to 15 years in state prison.

Policelli also was fined $25,000 during a sentencing hearing Tuesday in Northampton County Court.

Also Tuesday, President Judge Robert A. Freedberg sent two lesser players in the drug operation to prison. Gregory Prendes of Bethlehem Township was ordered to state prison for one day less two years to eight years and fined $15,000, and Geno Catanzariti of Palmer Township was sentenced to county prison for one to four years.

The judge said Catanzariti was entitled to less punishment because he was most cooperative with investigators and prosecutors. Catanzariti is eligible for immediate work release.

Policelli cried softly during his sentencing.

''To stand here and say I'm sorry would almost be laughable in light of what has happened,'' Policelli told Freedberg, adding that he knows he has caused ''immeasurable harm'' to the people who used the Ecstasy he manufactured. ''Today is the culmination of two years of grief and anguish,'' he said.

Policelli in May pleaded guilty to being part of a corrupt organization, conspiracy to manufacture Ecstasy, criminal use of a communication facility and possession of Ecstasy. In August, Prendes pleaded guilty to delivery of Ecstasy and conspiracy to deliver Ecstasy, and Catanzariti pleaded guilty to conspiracy to deliver Ecstasy and being part of a corrupt organization.

Authorities discovered the drug ring, which they said supplied Ecstasy throughout the East Coast, in 2002. The investigation revealed the organization operated from a laboratory in a 30,000-gallon fuel tank buried under Policelli's carport.

Policelli used prepaid cell phones bought using fictitious names and toy pagers used by buyers to leave orders, according to court documents. Undercover investigators said they bought Ecstasy from Policelli, who put pills under a rock at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area in response to coded orders they placed.

The drug ring, Freedberg said, ''had the potential to do major, major damage.'' The judge said that in fashioning a sentence, he considered not only Policelli's rehabilitative needs but also the need to deter others from doing what Policelli did.

Policelli's sentence is beyond state sentencing guidelines, and Freedberg cited case law from state Superior Court that says harsher sentences are warranted in such matters.

Lawrence Cherba, the deputy attorney general who prosecuted the case, noted that Policelli had cooperated with authorities during the investigation and had testified last month at the trial of Bangor dentist Michael Pacifico, the only person arrested in the ring thus far to go to trial.

State agents also charged William Hartranft of Saylorsburg and James P. McCarthy of Upper Mount Bethel with participating in the ring.

Pacifico, 51, was convicted last month of criminal conspiracy, delivery of a controlled substance and being part of a corrupt organization.

Hartranft, 30, is scheduled for trial in December on charges of conspiracy, delivery of Ecstasy and participation in a corrupt organization.

McCarthy, 61, killed himself in June on the day he was scheduled to plead guilty in court. He had been charged with conspiracy and participating in a corrupt organization.

Erv Fetherman, who owns Erv's BYOB adult entertainment club in Hanover Township, Lehigh County, pleaded guilty in December to drug possession for having bought Ecstasy. Cherba said Fetherman was placed on probation for a year. 

LInk


----------



## Edge80

*Pot seized from Spring Valley house*

Pot seized from Spring Valley house

By RANDI WEINER 
THE JOURNAL NEWS 
(Original publication: October 16, 2004)


SPRING VALLEY — Police confiscated nearly 100 marijuana plants and more than $50,000 worth of special lights, hydroponic growing chemicals and commercial-grade air purifiers from a house on xxxx xxxxx Street yesterday. 

One person was taken into custody when police raided the two-story house about 4:30 p.m. By 7:30 p.m., Spring Valley police and members of the county's Hazardous Materials Unit were in the home cataloging the contents and removing black plastic garbage bags of potting soil and 4-foot-tall plants. 

"It's a pretty elaborate setup," said Spring Valley Police Lt. Paul Modica. 

The home, brick with a gray shingle front and bow window, was cordoned off last night by yellow tape. A firetruck parked outside provided lighting as officers moved through rooms constricted by trash bags and empty cardboard boxes. One room on the first floor had rows of plants in bins against one wall underneath five high-intensity lights, air conditioners and purifiers scattered nearby and wires snaking around ventilation shafts that had been cut through the ceiling. The plants were in seed, ready for harvesting. 

Police had been alerted to something odd in the area and spent a month investigating the neighborhood, finally pinpointing xx x xxxxx as the target. 

Marijuana grown hydroponically is more powerful than that grown strictly in dirt or potting soil, Modica said. Fifty pounds of nonhydroponically grown marijuana sells for about $100,000 on the street, he said. The marijuana taken from the house has to be weighed before a value can be put on it, he said. 

The home belonged to a Brooklyn resident who apparently had been renting it out, Modica said. 

"This is one of the biggest grow operations I've ever seen," said officer Ted Hughes as he walked through the house. "We're almost completing our fourth shift straight — but it's worth it. Any dent we can put in the traffic, anything we can do to cost them money or inconvenience them is worth it." 


link

[edit: removed address]


----------



## Edge80

^^^^^^^ This hapend near where I live.


----------



## fruitfly

*ANTHONY (65) IS DISABLED, HE LIVES IN A WARDEN-CONTROLLED FLAT... AND HAS BEEN JAILED FOR 7 1/2 YEARS FOR DEALING HEROIN*
BY JO BURCH, Evening Telegraph
15 October 2004

As the 64-year-old stepped out of the warden-controlled flat with his walking stick and his dog, he had the appearance of a harmless infirm man.

Former pub landlord Anthony John Kesler's disguise was so good it was a few months before people became suspicious about the resident of Tintagel Close in Normanton.

The police raided his flat on March 4 after complaints about "goings-on" at his front door, where he had installed a CCTV system to keep an eye on his many visitors.

His wicked deception started to be unravelled when officers discovered 12 bottles of methadone in the fridge and about £250 of heroin in two film cases, Derby Crown Court heard yesterday.

Kesler, a former Royal Marine and his then fiancee, Trudie Jones (24), who was living with him, were arrested and bailed.

But, 26 days later, officers came across Kesler in his mobility car, a Vauxhall Corsa, and arrested him after a wrap of heroin was found on his driver, heroin addict Ann Kitchener (37), of Waterford Drive, Chaddesden.

During a strip search at the police station, 19 wraps of heroin - worth about £200 - were found hidden between Kesler's buttocks and he had £765 cash on him.

The police also discovered what Kesler had really been using his walking stick for - not to keep him steady on his feet but to stash his heroin, the court heard.

They learned Kesler, who suffers from high blood pressure, had hollowed it out at the rubber end to secrete the class A drug inside.

His "sophisticated" scam made him £58,280 in just four months, the court heard.

Kesler, who was on benefits, bought a brand new Kia Sorento for more than £20,000, a £1,000 engagement ring for Jones and other jewellery, such as a diamond bracelet, to keep the women he "cynically manipulated" on his side.

Now 65, Kesler, who admitted two charges of possessing class A drugs with intent to supply, twice walked free in 2001 and 2002 with a fine and a rehabilitation order respectively for similar offences.

Jailing him for seven-and-a-half years, Judge Andrew Hamilton told him those sentences were "ludicrous" and he "no doubt told a sob story about how elderly and disabled" he was.

He said: "When you went out to collect drugs, you went in disguise, taking a dog and a walking stick you didn't need to use.

"Here you are, a poor old disabled man. You are no such thing. You're a wicked man who uses your infirmities to deceive other people."

Jones, who gave Kesler "favours" in return for heroin, was jailed for three years after admitting possessing heroin with intent to supply.

Kitchener, who admitted supplying heroin, was given a three-year rehabilitation order.

Link


----------



## E-llusion

*Agents go online to nab drug buyers*

* Agents go online to nab drug buyers *
Posted on Fri, Oct. 15, 2004 

E-deals have led cops to 10 dealers, 9 customers

Associated Press

MADISON, Wis. — Some investigators in Wisconsin have adopted the persona of drug dealers over the Internet in a new strategy aimed at catching drug users.

In one of the first cases in Wisconsin to use the strategy, officials recently charged 10 people they believe to be drug dealers and nine would-be customers after adopting the suspected dealer's online identity.

The U.S. Department of Justice has promoted the strategy in the past year, and agents in the western district of Wisconsin have started using it in the past six months, said J.B. Van Hollen, the U.S. attorney for the district.

The strategy, called sanctions-based demand reduction, is partly in response to some foreign countries that have complained the United States is not trying to curb drug demand, Van Hollen said.

"It's a way of showing that yes, we are doing something about the drug demand," he said.

In the recent case in his district, investigators say Thomaz W. Franzl, 27, of Chicago, offered 13 different substances for sale online, from common prescription drugs to cocaine and methamphetamine, according to charges filed against him.

A Rhinelander man who became an informant after he was arrested used his credit cards to buy more than $6,000 in cocaine, OxyContin and Ketamine from Franzl, according to an affidavit filed in federal court in Madison last month.

"Before, we probably would have just taken Mr. Franzl and closed down the site and not done anything further," Van Hollen said. "We wouldn't have gone down the ladder to figure out who some of his buyers are."

Instead, agents used the suspect's Internet persona and pretended to fill Internet orders.

On Oct. 6, a federal grand jury in Madison indicted nine would-be customers on an attempted drug possession charge, which carries a sentence of up to one year.

They also face one count of using the Internet to facilitate the unlawful distribution of a controlled substance, which carries a maximum sentence of four years.

Until now, local and state authorities have primarily prosecuted drug users, while federal authorities concentrated on kingpins and major dealers.

Van Hollen said selling drugs over the Internet is an increasing problem.

"People have a tendency to believe that when they're in the sanctity of their home or office, law enforcement officers won't see them," he said.

Link


----------



## fruitfly

*Thai police arrest drug suspects, seize 1.2 million speed pills*
Associated Press
October 17, 2004

BANGKOK, Thailand: Thai police have arrested three suspected drug dealers and seized 1.2 million speed pills and 12 kilograms (27 pounds) of heroin from them in separate undercover operations Sunday, officials said.

Somsak Palae, a hilltribe man, was arrested after he gave 12 kilograms (27 pounds) of heroin to a plainclothes officer posing as a buyer near a hotel in the capital, Bangkok, said police Lt. Gen. Pansiri Prapawat.

Somsak later told a press conference the heroin had originated in neighboring Myanmar, and that he had planned to sell it to a Nigerian drug gang before his arrest.

Separately, police raided a house in Bangkok's Klong Toey slum area where they arrested the owner, Anan Skulwong, and seized about 1 million methamphetamine tablets from him. The stimulant methamphetamine is also known as speed.

They stormed a second house in the neighborhood where police arrested an unidentified woman and confiscated another 200,000 of the pills, said Lt. Gen. Watcharapol Prasanworakit, chief of the Narcotic Suppression Police.

"The heroin and ... (methampetamines) were smuggled in from Myanmar and hidden in the Klong Toey slum awaiting distribution to buyers,'' Watcharapol said.

The three suspects were detained and are being held in police custody pending trial on drug trafficking charges. If found guilty, they face a maximum penalty of death.

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra launched a high-profile war on drugs last year that left more than 2,500 suspects dead. Authorities blamed most of the deaths on gang infighting, but human rights advocates accused police of carrying out extrajudicial killings.

Thaksin recently launched a new anti-drug war, saying in a speech at a re-election campaign rally Sunday that illicit drugs were again on the rise in Thailand.

"I will send all the drug dealers to live with Yomphabal,'' Thaksin said, referring to a mythical Thai figure who emerges from hell to claim the souls of bad people.

Officials say hundreds of millions of methamphetamine tablets are trafficked into Thailand annually, mostly from jungle laboratories along the rugged border with neighboring Myanmar.

The influx of the cheaply produced drug triggered an addiction crisis in Thailand, where experts believe millions of people have become addicted to the stimulant in recent years.

Link


----------



## Edge80

*Leader in NYPD Drug Scandal Pleads Guilty*

Leader in NYPD Drug Scandal Pleads Guilty

Associated Press
Mon, Oct. 18, 2004

NEW YORK - A former narcotics detective who led a group that stole cocaine worth millions and resold it on the streets pleaded guilty Monday to the theft of police funds that started the investigation that brought the ring down, prosecutors said.

Thomas Rachko, 46, admitted he and another detective took the cash from a man he believed was a drug courier but was actually an undercover agent working on a joint police and U.S. customs money laundering investigation.

Rachko pleaded guilty to grand larceny charges, Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said.

In June, Rachko pleaded guilty in federal court to leading five others in a ring that stole cash and 100 kilograms of cocaine from drug dealers between 1998 and 2003 and sold it to other dealers.

Rachko could be sentenced to up to 15 years in prison for stealing the cash, Brown said. He faces up to 27 years when sentenced on the federal charges.

Another detective, Julio Vasquez, also has pleaded guilty to stealing the cash and to federal narcotics conspiracy charges. He will be sentenced to one to three years for the theft and up to 27 years on the federal charges.

Link


----------



## Edge80

*Three Arrested in Drug Bust*

Three Arrested in Drug Bust

October 18, 2004
By Melinda O'Malley

BOISE -  
According to Boise police there's a new drug on the streets.  One they've only come across two times this year, but expect to see again.

It's called DMT and like methamphetamine it can be created in homespun labs, something narcotics officers said they found during a drug bust at an apartment complex at xxxx xxxxxxx in Boise.

Wearing protective clothing a group of specially trained officers began a process they said they expect to repeat, the deconstruction of a DMT lab.  "Its pretty new to us too, we're still learning about it," said Mike Harrington, an officer with the Boise Police Bandit Task Force.  The specially trained officers destroyed a drug lab were officers said DMT was made.  DMT is an illegal drug a lot like the hallucinogen LSD.  Tree bark is used to make DMT but other ingredients are similar to those found in another, dangerous illegal drug.  "A lot of the same ingredients as a meth lab," said Harrington.  "But They use root bark in this one and a couple different items,  I suspect we'll see several of these coming up here."

Inside the apartment police said they found a DMT lab and a meth lab, a third lab was discovered in a car parked nearby.  Arrested were Casey Allen, 20 years old of Boise, Valerie LaChapelle, 43 of Boise and Philip Conner, 24.  All three are held in the Ada County Jail on $100,000. bond.

Drug enforcement agents said DMT was popular back in the 60's and 70's and point out that as with most things, even illegal drugs go through trends.  "Like in the 80's the drug of choice was cocaine, right now the drug threat in the west is still methamphetaime," said Larry Hedbert, with the local DEA.

DMT is known to cause impaired judgement, which can lead to rash decisions and accidents.  It's also known to cause frightening "trips" or "flashbacks".  The three suspects arrested face felony charges of conspiracy to manufacture a controlled substance.

link

[edit: removed address]


----------



## Edge80

*Smuggler Arrested With $197,000 In Stomach*

Smuggler Arrested With $197,000 In Stomach 

POSTED: 11:53 pm EDT October 19, 2004

BOGOTA, Colombia -- Before boarding a plane in Madrid, a Colombian smuggler ate a pricey meal that landed him in trouble upon his arrival in Bogota. 


Customs officials in the Colombian capital noticed the man, whose name was not released, appeared to be in distress after arriving at Bogota's El Dorado International Airport. 

"He looked nervous -- sweating, and all that, and so we X-rayed him," Customs Police Lt. Sandra Gutierrez said Tuesday.

Inside his stomach were 40 latex-wrapped packets containing a total of $197,000 in large denomination bills, Gutierrez said.

Smugglers often transport drugs by inserting them into condoms and swallowing them. On a rare occasion, they even bring back drug profits into Colombia the same way.

It is against the law in Colombia for anyone to bring in or take out of the country more than $10,000 in any currency. Gutierrez said the suspect was arrested Sunday.

Colombia is by far the world's biggest producer of cocaine, which nets traffickers huge profits, most of it in hard cash. Many try to repatriate the profits back to Colombia, and must try to circumvent currency controls.


link


----------



## pinksmot

*$74m of 'ice' found in candles*

$74m of 'ice' found in candles

http://edition.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/asiapcf/10/21/australia.drugs.ap/index.html

SYDNEY, Australia (AP) -- Australian Federal Police have uncovered $74 million worth of crystal methamphetamine hidden in hollowed-out candles from China -- one of the nation's biggest-ever drug seizures.

Three Chinese men arrested Thursday in Sydney were due to appear in court Friday to faces charges in connection with the 125 kilogram (275-pound) shipment of the drug, officials said.

Justice and Customs Minister Chris Ellison said in a statement that the haul was the second largest in Australian history of crystal meth.

Federal agent David Stewart said the seized drugs amounted to 1.25 million potential street deals. 

He said the arrests aided Australia's battle against organized crime syndicates.

Australia's largest seizure of crystal meth was made in Sydney in May 2003, when 233 kilogram (514 pounds) of the drug was found in a shipping container from China


----------



## Edge80

-----------------------------------------------> Moving to Mega Bust Thread


----------



## WAY2CREZY4U

*$1 Million worth of Meth*



> Published Thursday, October 21, 2004
> 
> $1 Million Of Meth, Cocaine Seized
> Officials think it was brought to Polk County from Atlanta.
> 
> By Lauren Glenn
> The Ledger
> lauren.glenn@theledger.com
> 
> WINTER HAVEN -- More than $1 million worth of crystal ice methamphetamine and cocaine, which Polk County sheriff's officials think was brought to the county from Atlanta, was confiscated early Wednesday morning, the Sheriff's Office reported.
> 
> Deputies arrested three men on federal drug trafficking charges after executing search warrants at homes in Auburndale and in Winter Haven, a sheriff's report said.
> 
> From the two homes, detectives seized a combined 17 pounds of ice and a kilogram of cocaine, the report said.
> 
> Three men were arrested on drug trafficking charges.
> 
> Javier Contreras, 41, of xxx xxxx xxxxxxx xxxx in Auburndale, was arrested on two counts of methamphetamine trafficking.
> 
> David Gonzalez, 40, of xxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx in Winter Haven, was arrested on one charge of meth trafficking.
> 
> Augustin Ochoa-Valdonos, 19, of xxxx xxxxx xxxxxxx in Winter Haven, was arrested on one charge of meth trafficking and one charge of trafficking in cocaine.
> 
> On Wednesday all three were being held at the Polk County Jail on $500,000 bail.
> 
> Col. Grady Judd said the 17 pounds of ice seized is the largest such bust in the Polk Sheriff's Office's history.
> 
> The seizure was the result of a joint operation between the Sheriff's Office and the Drug Enforcement Agency.
> 
> The two agencies conducted a three-week investigation after receiving intelligence that large quantities of meth were being sold from the three men, Judd said.
> 
> The combined street value of the meth and cocaine, Judd said, exceeds $1 million.
> 
> According to the Sheriff's Office, this isn't the first Atlanta-based meth bust of the year.
> 
> "We've seen several large shipments of ice come out of Atlanta this year," Judd said.
> 
> Ice is a purer and more expensive form of methamphetamine.
> 
> "It is normally 70 to 90 percent pure," Judd said.
> 
> Sheriff's deputies think the drugs were intended to be distributed around Central Florida, not just Polk County.
> 
> Detectives are still trying to determine the exact origin of the drugs.
> 
> In April, sheriff's deputies seized 25 pounds of methamphetamine, which included three pounds of ice, from a home in Haines City.
> 
> Those drugs were also thought to have been shipped from Atlanta.



I live in Auburndale .. and cant imagine what 1mil of ice could look like. 
And for what reason would that much be in these 2 hillbilly towns.

[edit: removed addresses and changed format to distinguish personal comments; please try to keep your comments in a separate post!


----------



## Reverend_Lust

3,000+ Pot Plants Found In Home
23 Vehicles, 64 Firearms Seized


GRANTS PASS, Ore. -- The Josephine Narcotics Team has found nearly 3,500 growing marijuana plants, 60 pounds of processed bud and $60,000 in cash at a Grants Pass home.

Officers in an early morning raid found a 4,000-square-foot metal building with nine rooms used for growing.

Twenty-three vehicles were seized, including a $90,000 Dodge Viper and a $70,000 Dodge Spider pickup. Officers also found 64 firearms including a 50-caliber sniper rifle, a machine gun and two 9 mm uzi weapons.

Police say the home on xxxxxxx Road is owned by Jeffrey and Cynthia Davis.
The couple was at home with their 16-year-old daughter when detectives served the search warrant.

No arrests have been made pending review by the federal prosecutors.

Link: http://koin.com/news.asp?RECORD_KEY[news]=ID&ID%5Bnews%5D=1397

[edit: removed address and fixed link]


----------



## fruitfly

*"Caveman" found growing pot on Los Alamos National Lab property*
KOB-TV Albequerque
October 28, 2004

LOS ALAMOS, NM - A man in Los Alamos faces felony drug charges after he allegedly was found living in a cave and growing marijuana plants.

Roy Michael Moore, 56, was apparently living on lab property. A Department of Energy spokesman says the lab is not sure how long he'd been there but it was long enough to build a door at the mouth of the cave so he could be protected from bad weather.

He also had a solar collector hooked up to a battery for electricity. The DOE found Moore two weeks ago and arrested him when someone saw smoke coming from the cave only 50 to 75 feet below the DOE site office at Los Alamos.

The DOE says Moore was caught growing marijuana plants and had a plastic bag with dried marijuana in it.

There were some items for comfort in the cave -- a bed, shelves, and pipes for some sort of heating system.

Link


----------



## fruitfly

*Elaborate Pot Operation Busted*
WPVI Philadelphia
October 28, 2004

A huge marijuana operation is out of business in Norristown, Montgomery County.

Action News was there today as police moved in to bust up the pot-growing operation. They removed dozens of marijuana plants and equipment used to harvest them.

There were more than 60 plants in all and Norristown police say this isn't your average pot. They say it's extremely high-grade and worth about $5,000 per pound. The D.A. says operations like this are rare in this area but that this one was quite elaborate.

Bag by bag - that's how Norristown police brought out more than 60 plants through the back door of 420 xxxx xxxxxx Street. Investigators say for years suspect Patrick Otterson used this place solely to produce high-grade pot.

Bruce Castor/MONTGOMERY COUNTY D.A.:

    "And what we have in this case is a situation where a guy converted an entire rental property into a hydroponic greenhouse to grow marijuana."

That's no surprise to neighbors whose complaints prompted the bust. Lutitia Oliver has lived across the street for close to 3 years.

Lutitia Oliver/NORRISTOWN, PA.:

    "Oh, it makes the people want to move out definitely. You don't want to live in that kind of community. You don't want to raise your children in that type of community."

Recently, the Pennsylvania National Guard flew over the house using thermal imaging to detect the heat source. This afternoon, police say every room was filled with heat lamps and other pot paraphernalia.

Because of all that electrical activity and all of that heat there's a tremendous fire risk.

Back in August, 2 Philadelphia firefighters were killed going into the same kind of drug operation. Neighbors are pleased that element of danger is now gone from their block.

    "I'm glad that police in Norristown are paying attention and they're listening to the community about what's going on. This is fantastic."

Patrick Otterson is facing a slew of charges including possession of marijuana and the intent to deal it.

Link


----------



## fruitfly

^ Ironic that this guy's address was "420."


----------



## fruitfly

*Idiot of the week*

*Man with warrant brings crack to court*
By BETH VELLIQUETTE, The Herald-Sun (Orange County)
Oct 28, 2004 

HILLSBOROUGH -- When Brian Deshawn Quick came to court to try to convince a judge to strike an arrest warrant against him, he probably should have left the cocaine at home.

Quick, 21, of xxx xxxxx xx., Hillsborough, appeared in Orange County District Court in Hillsborough this week to tell the judge why he failed to appear in court in August to face a charge of driving with a revoked license. He hoped Coleman would withdraw the arrest warrant that was issued when he didn't show up.

Quick later told an investigator that he fell asleep in court and didn't hear his name being called. Finally about 4 p.m., he had his chance to talk to the judge. District Court Judge Alonzo Coleman told Quick he wouldn't withdraw the arrest warrant and that Quick would be placed under arrest and taken to jail and placed under a $350 bond.

That's when Quick started to sweat.

Deputy Charles Nordan, who works in the courthouse after retiring as assistant chief of the Duke University Police Department, was asked to walk Quick across the street to the Orange County Jail.

"He said he really had to go to the bathroom bad," Nordan recalled.

Nordan has about 30 years of experience as a law enforcement officer, and when someone under arrest announces he has to go to the bathroom, Nordan gets suspicious.

"Every time somebody says something to me like that, it's because they have something to hide," he said.

Nordan told Quick he could use the bathroom at the jail, and placed Quick in handcuffs for the short walk. "He was acting very nervous," Nordan said. "I asked him if he had any contraband on him, and he said, 'Yes, I've got some drugs.' "

Nordan didn't say anything else to Quick, but when they got to the jail, he told officials there what Quick had told him.

Investigator Randy Hawkins of the Orange County Sheriff's Office received a call from the jail a short time later. "They said a guy came in, and they found a bunch of dope on him," Hawkins said.

The jailers searched Quick and found two bags of crack cocaine and one bag of powdered cocaine on him. The cocaine weighed about one half ounce and was worth about $600, Hawkins said.

Hawkins charged Quick with possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine, and a magistrate set his bond at $1,000 for the drug charge.

"So he wins the dumb crook of the week award," Hawkins said.

Link


----------



## TeddybearKoRn

*Tampa FL AV-02 4am Raid- cops in LIMOS!!!*

The place was always a little seedy, but hey it was fun. Too Bad. 


> Copyright Times Publishing Co. Oct 25, 2004
> Federal and local agents arrived in a limousine to raid a downtown Tampa after-hours club early Sunday morning, arresting the same owner police have put out of business twice before.
> 
> Elias Edward "Lou" Abusaid, remained in jail without bail Sunday evening, charged with a federal statute for maintaining a drug-involved premises. He will go before a federal judge this morning.
> 
> The Drug Enforcement Administration and Tampa police said they arrested about 24 people for possession and sale of MDMA, commonly known as Ecstasy, inside Abusaid's club, AV-02 at 1202 N Franklin St.
> 
> Agents wouldn't give any names Sunday, saying they plan to release more information today once those arrested have gone before federal and state judges.
> 
> "(Abusaid) operated knowing the sale of drugs was a continuing and constant thing," DEA Special Agent Joe Kilmer said during an 8 a.m. news conference Sunday outside Tampa police headquarters.
> 
> Kilmer said federal and local undercover agents spent a year investigating AV-02. Officers would go into the club and buy Ecstasy pills from patrons and employees, he said. About 50 patrons were in the club Sunday during the 4 a.m. raid.
> 
> "After just a few minutes, (undercover agents) would walk out on dozens of occasions" without having any problems buying drugs, said Kilmer.
> 
> Tampa police spokeswoman Laura McElroy said Abusaid managed to avoid city ordinances against rave clubs by not charging a cover fee. Abusaid didn't sell food or alcohol, Kilmer said, but he made money by selling bottled water inside the club and charging $15 to enter the VIP room, where agents said most of the drug dealing occurred. The club opens its doors at 2 a.m. Anyone 18 and older is admitted.
> 
> Hillsborough property records show that Joe Redner owns the property where Abusaid operates his club. Redner owns a string of strip clubs throughout Tampa and is campaigning to become a Hillsborough County commissioner.
> 
> While the bulk of the charges deal with Ecstasy, Kilmer said agents have found cocaine and LSD at AV-02. He wouldn't go into details about Abusaid's charges or his past run-ins with the law.
> 
> "I think if you'll attend the court hearing tomorrow, you'll learn a few things," he said Sunday.
> 
> In August 2000, police raided another club that Abusaid operated on Franklin Street called the Franklin Stock Exchange. Police charged him with operating a dance hall without a permit.
> 
> In June 2000, Abusaid was evicted from his AV-02 when he operated the club on Gunn Highway in Carrollwood. Sheriff's deputies said he was running an illegal rave and deputies raided the club, making dozens of arrests.
> 
> In the past, Abusaid has maintained that he never needed a dance hall permit and denied operating rave clubs. He called them licensed private parties for his business associates.
> 
> Jail records show that Abusaid has been arrested at least seven times in Hillsborough since 2000. His other charges include maintaining a place where alcohol is sold illegally and operating a bottle club without a license.
> 
> McElroy said she anticipates Abusaid might be out of jail soon on bail, and his club might be opened again Saturday.
> 
> "We're just hoping that no one's in the mood to go dancing there after our raid this weekend," McElroy said.
> 
> If convicted on charges from Sunday's raid, Abusaid could face up to 20 years in prison.
> 
> News Story:
> http://www.wtsp.com/news/news.aspx?storyid=10527



[edit: format and moved video link to video links thread]


----------



## Edge80

*43 arrested in drug sweep*

43 arrested in drug sweep

BY DENISE M. BONILLA
STAFF WRITER
NY NEWS DAY
November 1, 2004

Suffolk County police, working with the district attorney's office, arrested 43 people during the past week as part of an effort to thwart drug activity in Gordon Heights.

At a news conference held on Friday at the Faith Baptist Church in Gordon Heights, Police Commissioner Richard Dormer said the arrests were made as part of the police's Operation Clean Sweep that began in July.

The announcement was made at the church, which is also a community center, he said, to "show we are all in this together." He said the sweep was a response to community requests for increased police presence.

Police seized an undisclosed amount of crack cocaine and weapons, including a .45-caliber assault rifle and several cane swords. Of the 43 arrests, 34 already have been indicted for drug-related offenses, Dormer said, and the defendants could face a maximum of 25 years in prison. He said this was just one of many planned sweeps throughout the county.

County Executive Steve Levy called the arrests the "largest sweep of drug activity" in Gordon Heights' history and promised a continued crackdown on crime. "This is a relentless effort," he said. "We will not allow them [drug dealers] to get their hooks into this neighborhood."

District Attorney Thomas Spota also pledged ongoing help from his office. Spota's office received $250,000 in federal funding to assist police with Operation Clean Sweep.

Gordon Heights residents attributed the arrests to the solid relationship between residents and police. "People are taking a lot more pride in this community," said Maxine Wilson, executive chairwoman for the Greater Gordon Heights Civic Association. "People are interacting with each other, and that's what we wanted in the community."

In Nassau County, meanwhile, Long Beach police announced that recent drug raids led to the arrest of six individuals charged with drug-related offenses. Police seized a large amount of crack cocaine and marijuana valued at $50,000, as well as $6,000 in cash, a Cadillac and a stolen .40-caliber semi-automatic handgun. 

link


----------



## E-llusion

*Chelsea terminates contract of Mutu after positive test for cocaine*

October 31, 2004


LONDON (AP) - Chelsea has terminated the contract of Romanian striker Adrian Mutu after he tested positive last month for cocaine. 

Mutu, 25, still faces a two-year ban from the sport. He agreed last week to undergo drug treatment. 

"Chelsea has terminated the contract of Adrian Mutu for gross misconduct," the club said in a statement. 

"We want to make clear that Chelsea has a zero tolerance policy towards drugs," the statement added. "This applies to both performance-enhancing drugs or so-called 'recreational' drugs." 

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho backed the move. Mutu and Mourinho clashed earlier this month over the player's decision to play for Romania in World Cup qualifying despite a knee injury. 

"I think the statement is absolutely clear," Mourinho said. "I think some people can agree, some can disagree. But the statement is so clear about the objective of the club and the reasons why the club decided this way." 

Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon defended the decision. 

"You look to players to be role models and he (Mutu) was clearly in breach of contract. The contract is very specific and players who take enhancing or social drugs . . . there is just no room for it." 

Gordon Taylor, head of the players' union, said Chelsea wanted to get rid of Mutu and singled him out for drug testing. 

"The attitude may be zero tolerance, but you would expect any employer to be interested in the moral and social welfare of its employees," Taylor said. "It is not a policy we would approve of, but it is one we have no surprise at." 

The Romanian captain moved to Chelsea almost 15 months ago from Italian club Parma in a transfer reported at 15.8 million pounds ($35.4 million Cdn). 

He was impressive early for Chelsea, scoring four goals in his first three games. But he eventually was used sparingly by manager Claudio Ranieri. Mourinho has also left him one the sidelines. 

Mutu and Mourinho clashed earlier this month over the player's decision to play for Romania in World Cup qualifying despite a knee injury. 

The release by Chelsea means that Mutu would be free to sign with another club. He is valued at about 11 million pounds ($24.6 million Cdn). 

Mutu scored 10 goals in 38 appearances for Chelsea, but has made only two appearances this season, both as a substitute. His last appearance was in the 0-0 draw with Aston Villa on Sept. 11. 

He is the second Chelsea player to be released because of cocaine use. Australian goalkeeper Mark Bosnich was cut two years ago. 

LInk


----------



## fruitfly

*Elvis impersonator gets four years in drugs bust*
By JOHN ROBERTSON, The Scotsman
Tue, 2 Nov. 2004

AN ELVIS impersonator was jailed for four years yesterday after being caught with heroin worth up to £100,000.

James Murray, 33, had been acting as a courier for a man who loaned him money to further his career as an entertainer, a court heard.

He panicked when drug squad officers stopped his car, and struck a detective as he drove off at speed. She suffered a minor injury to her hand.

Murray, of Lorne Place, Leith, Edinburgh, admitted being concerned in the supplying of heroin on 21 December last year and driving dangerously in North Junction Street, Leith, and striking Detective Constable Fiona Harrison.

The defence counsel, Alan Muir, said Murray had a business as an entertainer and singer, specialising in Elvis impersonations.

He borrowed money to further his career, but it became clear that the lender wanted to use him as a courier rather than be repaid.

Mr Muir said threats were made and Murray took them very seriously. He was told to pick up a package, which he suspected contained either money or cannabis. "He effectively wanted to get this man off his back," said Mr Muir.

The judge, Lord Wheatley, told Murray that his guilty plea had saved him from a sentence of five or six years.

"It is clear that you were aware that what you were transporting may have been drugs," Lord Wheatley said.

Link


----------



## fruitfly

*Drugs 'linked to loyalists'*
BBC News
01 November, 2004

Police believe they have uncovered a major loyalist drugs operation in north Belfast, a court has been told.

A Crown lawyer made the claim on Monday at Belfast Magistrates Court as she opposed bail for two men charged with possessing ecstasy with intent to supply.

Mark McMahon, 26, of xxxxx xxxxxxx and John David Robert Smith, 19, of xxxxx xxxxxxxx, Belfast, denied the charges.

The court was told the Class A drugs had a street value of £80,000 and the charges related to police searches of a property in the Flush Road area of north Belfast on 29 October.

The lawyer claimed that the men were found in an outhouse adjacent to the property, close to them lay 6,000 in euros and bags of esctasy tablets which appeared to be ready for distribution.

The lawyer said 10,000 ecstasy tablets were found in grounds to the rear of the property.

She said police also found a quantity of figures with names alongside, which police would link to drug dealing figures.

The lawyer said police believed they had found a major distribution centre, organised by loyalist paramilitaries for the supply of Class A drugs in north Belfast.

'Sophisticated system'

She said that "it was a highly sophisticated and developed system with purpose-built hides in fields".

A detective constable told the court that the seizures were in relation to a planned operation by the drugs squad.

A lawyer for Mr Smith said his client protested his innocence and the sheds in question were pigeon sheds which Mr Smith had been cleaning out when the police raid occurred

A lawyer for Mr McMahon said his client had fully cooperated with the police and had denied any involvement.

The men were remanded in custody until 29 November.

Link


----------



## fruitfly

^ See also DITM threads  'Worrying' increase in cocaine and Cocaine fears highlighted regarding drug use in Northern Ireland.


----------



## fruitfly

Another article about the caveman:



> *Man Found Living in Cave, Growing Pot on Los Alamos Land*
> 2004-11-02
> Source: Sun Sentinel
> Associated Press
> 
> LOS ALAMOS, N.M. - Authorities have evicted a man from a cave on Los Alamos National Laboratory land where they say he apparently lived for years with the comforts of home - a wood-burning stove, solar panels connected to car batteries for electricity and a satellite radio.
> 
> Los Alamos Deputy Fire Chief Doug Tucker said Roy Michael Moore's hideaway, which also was equipped with a bed and a glass front door, ws discovered earlier Oct. 13 after a Department of Energy employee working at the Los Alamos site office noticed smoke wafting from the cave in a heavily wooded, steep canyon.
> 
> The employee reported the smoke to the fire department. Tucker said the smoke came from Moore's wood-burning stove.
> 
> Ten marijuana plants were found outside the cave. Moore, 56, has been charged with possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to court documents. He pleaded not guilty and was released on bond.
> 
> An officer called to the site by firefighters pulled up the plants and confiscated about 21 ounces of dried marijuana, according to a statement of probable cause filed in magistrate court in Los Alamos.
> 
> Tucker said that as fire crews and lab security force members approached the cave after its discovery, they saw Moore and discovered "numerous" marijuana plants growing around the cave.
> 
> "From the campsite that I saw, he had been there quite a long time. ... I was really impressed with his ability to set up a camp," Tucker said.
> 
> He said it was impossible to see the cave or any sign of Moore from the edge of the 75- to 100-foot cliff above, which is inaccessible because of a tall fence.
> 
> The lab has not used the restricted area where the cave is located for years, said Bernie Pleau, a spokesman for the department and the National Nuclear Security Administration in Los Alamos. It is about 50 yards out his office door and down the cliff, he said.
> 
> "I don't know if anyone has tried squatting on DOE property before or not," Pleau said. "Pretty strange, don't you think?"
> 
> The site was not near any high-security or critical areas, he said.
> 
> "It wasn't a security threat by any means," Pleau said.
> 
> The DOE ordered the lab to remove all of Moore's property from the area Oct. 16, Pleau said.
> 
> Link


----------



## fruitfly

*Miami authorities find heroin in juice boxes*

*Miami authorities find heroin in juice boxes*
By Ihosvani Rodriguez, South Florida Sentinel
November 4 2004 

It appears that who ever sent a shipment of fruit juice called "Hit Fruit Drink" to Miami last week had a different type of "hit" in mind. 

Authorities say they intercepted a shipment of 100 tiny boxes of fruit juice drinks that contained about $1.7 million of liquefied heroin. The 6-ounce boxes, shipped alongside legitimate juice containers, were among five pallets that were traced to Colombia.

Investigators with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement were led to the shipment through an anonymous tip. They would not reveal where they made the discovery or when because the investigation continues. But officials said it appears the freight was headed for an individual buyer and not meant for distribution to general markets.

"It was basically a way to disguise the drugs," said agency spokeswoman Nina Pruneda. "It doesn't look like there was a chance of it getting into the general consumers' hands." 

Agents said whoever shipped the containers bought them at a grocery store in Colombia, emptied them and then filled them with the drugs. The containers were then relabeled and boxed up.

According to police, drug dealers typically transport heroin in liquid form because it's easier to ship. The liquid is then cooked into a paste and sold in the street, said Miami-Dade Police spokeswoman Nelda Fonticella. 

Jesus Torres, the immigration and customs special agent in Miami, said the substance taken in highly concentrated liquid form would be deadly. In addition endangering the public, Torres said, it is possible that Hit Corp., the company that bottles the juice, would now be tainted by "the actions of reckless drug traffickers." 

Thomas S. Winkowski, the director of field operations for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which is collaborating in the investigation, said that hiding drugs in places such as fruit juice containers it is not entirely unusual. 

"We have seen narcotics concealed as beer, candy, peanuts and baby formula," Winkowski said. 

In September, the agency seized 2,195 pounds of compressed marijuana hidden in a cargo container that arrived at the Port of Miami from Trinidad and Tobago.

[snip]

Link


----------



## fruitfly

*HEROIN FOUND IN CHRISTMAS TREES*
BBC News
November 3, 2004

Heroin with a street value estimated to be about UKP4m has been seized by customs officers at Harwich.

A van loaded with Christmas trees was stopped after leaving the high-speed ferry from Holland and 75kg of the drugs were discovered after a search.

A 49-year-old driver from Swindon was arrested and was being questioned by customs officers at the port on Wednesday night.

Jim Jarvie, of HM Customs, said seizing the haul was a major success.

The assistant chief investigating officer said: "This seizure has prevented a large quantity of Class A drugs hitting the streets of the UK.

"In line with the government's drug strategy, HM Customs continues to work with agencies in the UK and beyond to protect the public from being exposed to the harm these drugs produce." 

Link


----------



## fruitfly

*Reputed 'godfather' of Israeli mob held on Miami drug charges*
By Ann W. O'Neill, Sun-Sentinel
November 8 2004

The reputed "godfather" of the Israeli mob was arrested in Tel Aviv early Monday on a criminal complaint out of Miami accusing him of trafficking in the illegal club drug Ecstasy.

Ze'ev Rosenstein, 51, who has survived at least seven attempts on his life, surrounds himself with bodyguards and travels in an armored limousine, was taken into custody as he left a hotel in Israel.

His arrest was announced at a joint news conferences in Israel and the United States, where authorities said Rosentein was one of the most wanted drug traffickers in the world.

Authorities have long accused Rosenstein being an Israeli mob leader, and the Israeli police sometimes refer to him as "Public Enemy No. 1."

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has identified Rosenstein as a dominant force on the world Ecstasy market, and the U.S. Department of Justice had named him as a priority organized crime target.

Describing Rosenstein as "one of the worst of the worst," U.S. Attorney Marcos Jimenez told reporters in Miami, "This is the kind of Ecstasy case we should be focusing on."

Rosenstein is accused of masterminding the sale of 700,000 Ecstasy tablets to dealers in New York and Miami in 2001. The Ecstasy, along with $179,000 in cash, was seized during a raid.

The three-year investigation received a boost from increased cooperation between law enforcement officials in Israel, the United States and Europe.

The investigation was stepped up after a December bombing that targeted Rosenstein killed three passersby and injured 18 in Tel Aviv's business center. Rosenstein escaped with scratches.

imenez said it would take months for Rosenstein to be brought from Israel for trial. 

Link


----------



## fruitfly

*HASH OIL BURNS HOME* 
Parents Cooked Drugs, Not Breakfast For Kids 
By Paul Turenne, Winnipeg Sun
November 8, 2004


At a time when many people would be cooking bacon and eggs, a North End couple spent their Saturday morning making something a little less traditional._ A kitchen fire broke out about 9 a.m._ Saturday in a house at xxx xxxxxxx xxxx_ as the residents, parents of four young children, were cooking drugs on the stove. 

"These parents, rather than feeding these kids breakfast, are cooking hash oil on the stove, and that's simply unacceptable," said Const._ Shelly Glover, a spokeswoman for the Winnipeg Police Service. 

"There is obviously a concern that these children were placed in grave danger." 

The resin-extraction process caused the kitchen to go up in flames._ The couple rushed their four children, age one to 10, outside and no one was hurt. 

But when the fire department came and put out the blaze, firefighters discovered a marijuana grow operation in one of the bedrooms. 

COUPLE CHARGED 

They seized grow equipment and 35 marijuana plants with an estimated street value of $41,000. 

The couple, a 30-year-old woman and a 28-year-old man, face charges of drug possession and trafficking._ They have been released on promises to appear. 

"I figured something not so terrific was going on in that place," said area resident Larice Sych, who said the couple had lived in the house at the end of xxxxx xxxxx along the Red River about a year._ "It's a terrible problem house." 

"I saw people going in and out of there all the time," said area resident Carrie Anderson._ "I thought maybe they had lots of relatives who visited them." 

Alvin Crozier, who also lives nearby, said the news that the house was a grow operation was no shock in a neighbourhood that has its share of bad seeds. 

"Around here it doesn't surprise me, unfortunately," he said._ "I'd like it out of the area completely, but unfortunately I don't think it's going to change." 

The fire was confined to the kitchen, but caused $60,000 in damage._ The marijuana grow operation does not appear to be related to other grow ops busted recently that were linked to Asian organized crime, said Glover._ 

Link


----------



## Reverend_Lust

Arrests Made in Alleged OxyContin Ring 

By WAYNE PARRY
Associated Press Writer

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) -- Reputed street gang members, organized crime associates and at least two pharmacists were arrested Thursday, accused of being part of a ring that sold the powerful painkiller OxyContin in the Boston area, authorities said.

Authorities were still carrying out search and arrest warrants Thursday morning, and planned to release additional details later in the day.

At least two pharmacists, two members of the Bloods street gang and "two known organized crime associates" had been arrested by midmorning, Union County Prosecutor Theodore Romankow said.

The ring operated from Arizona to Boston, and was based in New Jersey, said Robert O'Leary, a Union County prosecutor.

"This case is highly unique in that it involves traditional organized crime figures, street gangs and pharmacists selling OxyContin in huge quantities over the counter," O'Leary said. "They were all making megabucks doing this.

"The OxyContin wound up in the greater Boston area, where it wound up on the street," he said.

OxyContin was initially hailed as a breakthrough in the treatment of severe chronic pain when it was introduced in 1996. The drug has become a problem in recent years, however, after drug abusers discovered that crushing the time-release tablets and snorting or injecting the powder yields an immediate, heroin-like high.

The drug has been implicated in more than 100 overdose deaths nationwide.

Prescription painkillers such as OxyContin now rank second to marijuana as the most-abused drugs in the country, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration.

© 2004 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.



		Code:
	

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/O/OXYCONTIN_ARRESTS?SITE=KOIN&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT


----------



## swybs

*Normally, this would be in Drugs in Media, but this is an interesting case...*

Arrests Made in Alleged OxyContin Ring 

U.S. National - AP  11/11/04

By WAYNE PARRY, Associated Press Writer 

NEWARK, N.J. - More than a dozen reputed street gang members, organized crime associates, pharmacists and college students have been arrested for their parts in an alleged ring that sold the powerful painkiller OxyContin in the Boston area, authorities said Thursday. 

The ring moved tens of thousands of pills, which sold for $80 to $100 apiece, authorities said. It took in about $150,000 a week, and had been operating for over a year. 

"No one expects there to be a connection between organized crime figures, street gang members and college students," Union County Prosecutor Theodore Romankow said. "They do make strange bedfellows." 

Authorities arrested 14 suspects in New Jersey, two in Massachusetts and one in Arizona on Wednesday and Thursday. Additional arrests were expected. 

The alleged ringleader, Louis Gallicchio, 64, of Newark — described by detectives as a Lucchese crime family associate — befriended street gang members and recruited them to be runners, delivering shipments of pills bought illegally from two pharmacies in Newark, officials said. 

Buyers in Massachusetts allegedly included three college students, two of whom had been taken into custody. 

Gallicchio's main supplier was Clara Lightsey, 46, of East Orange, who allegedly obtained both legitimate and fake prescriptions to buy the drugs from two pharmacists, said Robert Buccino, Union County's chief of detectives. 

When arrested, she had over 20,000 OxyContin pills and a .25-caliber handgun stuffed into her bra, Buccino said. 

Most of those arrested were being held on bail ranging from $100,000 to $1 million. Arraignments were scheduled for Monday. It could not immediately be determined if any of them had hired lawyers. 

OxyContin was initially hailed as a breakthrough in the treatment of severe chronic pain when it was introduced in 1996. The drug has become a problem in recent years, however, after drug abusers discovered that crushing the time-release tablets and snorting or injecting the powder yields an immediate, heroin-like high. 

The drug has been implicated in more than 100 overdose deaths nationwide. 

Prescription painkillers such as OxyContin now rank second to marijuana as the most-abused drugs in the country, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration.

[edit: fixed formatting for DITM guidelines, moved from another forum] 

www.cnn.com/2004/LAW/11/11/oxycontin.arrests.ap/index.html
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

...with far-reaching reprucussions....Also, it is one of the bigger cases of traditional gangs (and not just mafia, though they were involved) being involved in pharmaceutical rings...also of note, the person caught had, I think, 20,000 oxycontins on her...


----------



## t3knology

Wow, that is f**king INSANE


----------



## swybs

what is more interesting is some of the side stories...do a search for Yahoo media and you will find out some funny stuff...this is one very interesting case....

swybs


----------



## rivered1

Theres been some arrests in Arizona, hope kdout is ok 

from http://www.newsday.com/news/local/w...ov11,0,3712885.story?coll=ny-ap-regional-wire

"Gallicchio's main supplier was Clara Lightsey, 46, of East Orange, who obtained prescriptions _ legitimate and fake _ bought the drugs from two pharmacists and then resold then, said Robert Buccino, Union County's chief of detectives. When police arrested her, she had over 20,000 OxyContin pills stuffed into garbage bags and a .25-caliber handgun stuffed into her bra, Buccino said."

What I'd give to have that garbage bag...

"Romankow said at one point Frio complained that OxyContin wasn't fetching a high enough street price. He wanted it to cost more because he was using the proceeds to buy marijuana, which he sold elsewhere, the prosecutor said. "

Wasnt high enough?  Fuck him he belongs in jail.  Its too high as it is and he wants to raise it.. thats highway robbery!


----------



## K'dOUTinAZ

EDITED***
TOO MUCH INFORMATION


----------



## K'dOUTinAZ

i don't know anything or anybody no more. 
I don't know antyhing about this OC rage in Az
I'm married i don't do that
shit i shouldn't have IMd 3 grams of ketamine
i don'y know what th say


----------



## rivered1

Say nothing, enjoy your khole.


----------



## K'dOUTinAZ

yeah, lye down good idea. love you guys


----------



## swybs

yea, maybe i knew someone....but this was big--big like NJ/NYC big...maybe big like it wasnt even obvious big.....crazy

names sound like names,  sound like names
drunk.
crazy


----------



## swybs

edited out for kdouted sake.


----------



## Synapse999

No wonder the area has been flooded so bad with oxys. 

gonna be alot of people in withdrawls, breaking into medicine cabinets.
Think i better lock my door.


----------



## K'dOUTinAZ

All I can say is that OxyContin is just about the #1 abused drug around here and OxyContin has been here a long time...roughy six years ago was when the sweep of OCs came flowing through. Medicine cabinet hunting is a very popular thing around here, sadly enough. Just think about it, your at somebodies house that you know with some other people, grandpa has cancer...there is a bottle of 60 80mg OC....theres a lotta money to be made there. $2500 grand of potential drug profit is just a "I have to go to the bathroom" away. Its so very sad. And to think that I used to participate in just emotional nothingness.


----------



## edarrin

It is a small wonder considering the amount of $ they go for in the U.S..


----------



## ItchySkratchy

I just called my guy to grab a few 80s.....his words to me were "don't ever call me again, man....erae my # from your phone" and he hung up.....


I live near Boston......



hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm..........................


----------



## rachamim18

*SWYBS...*

I swear to G-D that I thought of you when I heard about it last night. Actually one of the Pharmacies was down by my mom's in Ocean County. They actually were buying from 3 counties [Essex,Union, and Ocean].


----------



## cocacameron

yes i remember a wonderful time last year when one could purchase 80s for 10 a pop, but that source got busted as well.  This just means more business for the tar suppliers in az.


----------



## Addy

$150,000 a week...KUCK....Thats almost $8 million a year, or since there were 14 of them, atleast 600,000 for each person.  THATS bank....for some damn pills.

Addy


----------



## fruitfly

*Family intoxicated by cannabis fumes*
Expatica	
12 November 2004

BRUSSELS – Two young children and their parents were found unconscious after breathing in fumes given off by, it was reported on Friday.

On Wednesday morning, a grandfather in Seraing, in Wallonia, went to collect his two grandchildren, Nahel, 4, and Dorian, 3, to take them to school, La Derniere Heure reported.

He knocked at the home of his 31-year-old daughter Emmanuelle’s home, but got no reply.

After checking with the school, in case the children had been dropped off earlier by someone else, the grandfather started to get worried.

He called the father of his daughter’s partner Martial and the two anxious grandfathers eventually decided to break a window and get into the house to find out what was wrong.

Inside, they found Emmanuelle and Martial and their two children unconscious. 

The emergency services quickly arrived at the house and suspected that the four were victims of carbon monoxide poisoning from a faulty gas appliance.

However, when no gas was detected, the fire services and police officers searched and found 107 cannabis plants growing in the house.

Experts say the mixture of fertilisers and pesticides on the plants released a substance called delta 9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active ingredient of cannabis, which could have eventually killed the parents and children.

The four were taken to Citadelle Hospital for treatment.

On Thursday morning, Martial was sufficiently recovered to be arrested and charged with growing cannabis.

At Liege magistrate court, he pleaded guilty and was taken into custody in Lantin.

The two children are still under observation in hospital.

Link


----------



## rachamim18

*Addy...*

Best believe that they weren't splitting it equally. Alot of those caught were just runners...Pay a little cash to go cash in the fraudelent scripts, etc...Now they are going to pay for it. That's what happens when you play with the "drug of the week."


----------



## SilverFeniks

hmm, my old OC hookup in AZ is from boston ..


----------



## Reverend_Lust

^^^^^^^^^^^^
what an odd way of getting caught!


----------



## applesbliss

*Ecstasy haul is Australian record*

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4010573.stm



> Police in Australia have made a record seizure of the drug ecstasy, finding three million tablets in a bakery oven.
> The pills were hidden within the metal shell of the oven, which police say was imported from Poland, via Germany.
> 
> Customs officers X-rayed the equipment and spotted suspicious packages in the wall and base cavities.
> 
> Two men - both Australians - were arrested after taking delivery of the oven and allegedly removing its contents in a factory in Sydney.


----------



## Infernal

Damnit Harry!  I knew that bastard was up to something.


----------



## Edge80

*1,540 Pounds of Cocaine Hidden in Squid*

1,540 Pounds of Cocaine Hidden in Squid


Associated Press
11-15-04
LIMA - Peruvian anti-drug agents seized almost 1,540 pounds of cocaine destined for the Mexico that was hidden inside of a shipment of squid, police said Monday.

The shipment, with an estimated street value of $17.5 million dollars, was seized at the port of Paita approximately 550 miles northwest of Lima on Friday.

Seven Peruvians were arrested in connection with the smuggling operation.

National police officials said the drugs were wrapped in plastic, coated with pepper and packed in 25 tons of squid fillets to mask the smell.

Peruvian authorities had been working since August with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and local prosecutors on the case.

Peru was once the world's leading producer of coca. But it reduced its production by 70 percent between 1995 and 2001, thanks to low coca prices, the interception of smugglers, forced eradication of coca fields and programs to help farmers grow alternative crops.

More than 7 tons of cocaine has been seized by Peruvian authorities this year.


link


----------



## Edge80

*Man Wanted In OxyContin Ring Arrested In Massachusetts*

Man Wanted In OxyContin Ring Arrested In Massachusetts

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- A man wanted in New Jersey for his alleged role in a massive OxyContin distribution ring was arrested early Monday morning. 

James Fitzgerald, 27, was arrested at about 4 a.m. after breaking into his own home in Bridgewater, which had been sealed by police following a search last week, police said. 

Fitzgerald was ordered held on $100,000 cash bail at his arraignment in Brockton District Court later Monday. An extradition hearing was scheduled for Dec. 19. 

Police searched Fitzgerald's home last Wednesday and said they found drugs as well as documents and customer lists that tie Fitzgerald to the OxyContin ring. But Fitzgerald was nowhere to be found. 

Police were called to Fitzgerald's home Monday morning with a 911 call reporting a possible break-in. They found Fitzgerald in the basement and another man on the second floor, West Bridgewater police Lt. Raymund Rogers said. 

Fitzgerald is charged with being a fugitive from justice and various drug trafficking charges. The other man, Michael Irving, 28, of Weymouth, is charged with harboring an interstate felon and accessory after the fact of a felony. 

New Jersey authorities last week arrested 17 people as part of what they call "Operation Dr. Feelgood." Fitzgerald was allegedly a courier who brought the OxyContin from Connecticut and New Jersey to Massachusetts, where it was distributed in the Brockton area, police said. 

The ring moved tens of thousands of pills, which sold on the streets for $80 to $100 apiece, local authorities in New Jersey said. It took in about $150,000 per week, and had been operating for more than a year, they said. 

The conspiracy allegedly involved organized crime figures, street gangs, pharmacists and college students. 

OxyContin is a prescription painkiller that can provide a potentially fatal high similar to heroin. (AP)

Link


----------



## smg

*Cocaine haul hidden in giant squid.*

*http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/americas/11/16/peru.cocaine.reut/index.html
Cocaine haul hidden in giant squid
Tuesday, November 16, 2004 Posted: 7:44 AM EST (1244 GMT) *

--

LIMA, Peru (Reuters) -- Peruvian police say they have seized nearly 1,540 pounds (700 kilograms) of cocaine hidden in frozen giant squid bound for Mexico and the United States.

The drugs were covered in pepper to divert sniffer dogs and sealed in several layers of plastic and other wrappers, Peruvian police said on Monday.

Police had been on the trail since August.

Seven people were arrested in the drug seizure.

Police said the haul would have a street value of about $17.5 million (euro13.5 million).

Peru is the world's second largest cocaine producer after Colombia, and many of its drugs end up on streets in America after being sent via Mexico.


----------



## smg

Oops, I accidentally posted in wrong forum .. Could a mod move to Drugs and Media?


----------



## applesbliss

mmMMm Pepper Cocaine Squid - just add some lemongrass and it's all set to eat!


----------



## Mariposa

smg said:
			
		

> *Oops, I accidentally posted in wrong forum .. Could a mod move to Drugs and Media?
> 
> *



Sure, done.


----------



## Reverend_Lust

1,900 Pounds Of Pot Seized
B.C. Bud Bound For California

BLAINE, Wash. -- Customs agents have seized nearly 1,900 pounds of marijuana at the Washington-Canada border in Blaine.

The B.C. Bud was discovered over the weekend during a cargo search. It was concealed in a shipment of shrink-wrapped wood shavings.

Its street value is estimated at more than $5.5 million.

The California-bound truck, trailer and cargo were also seized.



		Code:
	

http://koin.com/news.asp?ID=40


----------



## Albert Walker

*Boy, 16, held in $6m drug bust*

Boy, 16, held in $6m drug bust

A SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD student, charged along with his uncle and his uncle's wife with possession of $6 million worth of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking, walked out of court yesterday after the court granted him bail. 

The two adults were not so fortunate. 

The teenager, his uncle, Ronald Singh, 38, and his wife, Correen, 41, were before Senior Magistrate Lianne Lee-Kim in the Port of Spain Magistrate's Fourth (A) Court. 

When they were arrested and charged on Saturday a Justice of the Peace had granted each accused $150,000 bail. 

The boy's mother had stood as bailor for all three accused then. 

However, when the matter was called and the trio went before Lee Kim, she was refused as bailor for Ronald and his wife. 

Lee Kim said she was not interfering with the bail of the teenager but she revoked the bail of Ronald and his wife and re-set it at $250,000 each. 

She also ordered that someone else stand as their bailor. 

No one secured bail for Ronald, a proprietor from xx xxxx xxxxxx xxxxx, Belmont, nor his wife. 

Consequently, being remanded into police custody, they were trucked away by the prisoners' vans yesterday. 

The family was represented by attorney Maillard Howell. 

Acting Insp Roodal Harilal was police prosecutor. 

It is alleged that on Saturday at Ronald's home the accused were in possession of 14.62 kilogrammes of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking. 

The charge was laid indictably by the Organised Crime and Narcotics Unit and they were not called upon to plead. 

A description of 14 blocks of cocaine, with a street value of $5,848,000 contained in an Air Express travel bag along with money and a cheque totalling close to $100,000, allegedly seized from a black brief case and a maroon handbag were given to the court. 

The court was shown a cheque for $27,877.50, $68,920 Trinidad and Tobago currency, $1,384 United States currency and currency notes from the United Kingdom, Venezuela, Canada and the Eastern Caribbean. 

Howell told the court that the teenaged boy lived in Bon Air Gardens, Arouca, and was visiting his grandmother (Ronald's mother), who lived next door to Ronald. 

He said the trio got bail at the police station but wanted it endorsed by the court since "it seemed reasonable". 

He also noted that after the accused had been granted bail, they did not abscond and appeared before Lee Kim, after resetting bail also ordered, at Harilal's request, that the accused's passports be surrendered to the court. 

The matter has been adjourned to December 2.

Link

[edit: removed address]


----------



## Edge80

*500 kg cocaine seized in Brazil drug raid*

500 kg cocaine seized in Brazil drug raid 

Wednesday, November 24, 2004 
NDTV.COm

Police raided a drug lab in Sao Paulo that packaged and processed cocaine headed for the streets of Rio de Janeiro's shantytowns, officials said. 

The Police stormed a small farm in Embu Guacu, 30 km west of Sao Paulo, seizing 500 kg of cocaine hidden in the walls of a house. Two people were arrested, said police spokesman Antonio Carlos Silveira. 

The raid also revealed a cache of heavy guns, including machine guns that "could be used to shoot down small airplanes and helicopters," said Ivaney Cayres de Souza, head of the police narcotics unit. 

The bust was the result of an eight-month investigation into one of Rio's most-dangerous drug gangs, the 'Commando Vermelho' or 'Red Command', Silveira said on Tuesday. 

According to police, cocaine from Colombia was smuggled into Brazil by truck and plane. The cocaine was processed and packaged at the lab, then transported for distribution in Rio's shantytowns. (AP) 

Link


----------



## DJ_177D177A

*Bail denied for 15 million drug hall - Australia*



> news.com.au
> 
> Bail denied over $15m drug haul
> November 25, 2004
> 
> A FATHER of two accused of being a key figure in the importation of more than $15 million worth of ecstasy tablets was denied bail today in a Gold Coast court.
> 
> Jason Edward Brophy, 38, was charged with trafficking a dangerous drug, conspiracy to import a prohibited import and conspiracy to possess a prohibited import relating to two large seizures of ecstasy in New South Wales in the past week.
> 
> The trafficking and conspiracy charges follow the interception of a car carrying 91,800 MDMA pills near Gosford on the NSW central coast last Thursday.
> 
> Police claimed the operation prevented the ecstasy from reaching the Gold Coast a day before the start of Schoolies.
> 
> Police alleged Mr Brophy also was involved in a conspiracy to import a further 298,272 pills found in a Sydney house on Monday.
> 
> http://news.search.yahoo.com/search/news/?p=ecstasy&ei=UTF-8&c=news_photos




a week earlier there was a 3 million pill bust in Australia too, no wonder why your prices are cheap with people bringing in so much

[edit: fixed format]


----------



## Edge80

*Man Found Driving With Heroine, $2.7 Million In Cocaine*

Man Found Driving With Heroine, $2.7 Million In Cocaine

The Associated Press
11-27-04

CHICAGO -- A Burbank man who was pulled over for driving erratically was found with brown heroine, cocaine and crystal methamphetamines in his van, police said.

Authorities announced Friday that, Joel Hermosillo, 34, had $400,000 worth of brown heroine and $2.7 million worth of cocaine in his van.

According to the Cook County Sheriff's Police, when Hermosillo was pulled over, he was holding a half-empty bottle of cognac. 

Sheriff's deputies also found about $162,000 in cash in the bust on Thanksgiving Day.

Hermosillo was charged with three counts of unlawful possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, driving under the influence, speeding and driving without a license.

link


----------



## Edge80

This guy deserves to get caught.  Why the hell would you drink and drive with all those drugs in the car. 8(


----------



## fruitfly

^ Yeah, a half-empty bottle of cognac in your hand isn't exactly what you want to get caught with when smuggling millions of dollars in drugs. LOL


----------



## fruitfly

*Teacher produced drugs in college lab*
Radio Australia
11/29/04

A Taiwanese college chemistry teacher has been arrested for illegally producing amphetamines in the college's laboratory.

Police arrested Fang Teh-ming, 42, an instructor from MingChi University of Technology, and 32-year-old drug dealer Chien Chih-chung at the college's laboratory after a three-month investigation.

The police also seized 14.4 kilograms of amphetamines and 134 kilograms of materials.

Fang, who has has Masters' degrees in chemistry and mechanical engineering from a US university, was sacked during a meeting of the college.

He is the second teacher, since May, arrested for using his professional skills to illegally produce amphetamines. 

Link


----------



## fruitfly

*Pizza baker admits dealing drugs*
By LAURIE MASON, Bucks County Courier Times
December 7, 2004

A Richboro pizzeria owner on Monday was sentenced to six to 23 months in Bucks County prison plus three years of probation for dealing drugs and owning an illegal gun.

Charles Schell IV, 26, operated Munchies Pizza near Richboro Elementary and Richboro Middle schools before he was arrested. During a hearing in Bucks County court in Doylestown, Schell pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance, delivery of marijuana and possessing a firearm with altered serial numbers.

County Judge Kenneth Biehn ordered Schell to take part in a drug-treatment program as part of his sentence, and banned him from owning any guns. Schell's attorney, Ray McHugh, told the judge that his client's drug problems stemmed from a foot injury that left him addicted to prescription painkillers.

During a so-called "reverse sting," Schell sold nearly a pound of marijuana to officers and a large quantity of Percocet, a painkiller.

Police searched Schell's apartment above the restaurant and found PVC tubing and magazines on bomb making, as well as a .380-caliber handgun with the serial numbers filed off. Schell told the judge Monday that he kept the gun for protection.

In 1996, Schell was sentenced to 18 months of probation for shooting a rifle into the air. He was also found in contempt of court in March for violating a protection-from-abuse order that forbade him from having weapons.

Schell did not testify Monday. He smiled and waved at his parents and grandparents in the courtroom audience and thanked them for coming to the hearing.

Link


----------



## Edge80

fruitfly said:
			
		

> *Pizza baker admits dealing drugs
> By LAURIE MASON, Bucks County Courier Times
> December 7, 2004
> 
> A Richboro pizzeria owner on Monday was sentenced to six to 23 months in Bucks County prison plus three years of probation for dealing drugs and owning an illegal gun.
> 
> Charles Schell IV, 26, operated Munchies Pizza near Richboro Elementary and Richboro Middle schools before he was arrested. During a hearing in Bucks County court in Doylestown, Schell pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance, delivery of marijuana and possessing a firearm with altered serial numbers.
> 
> County Judge Kenneth Biehn ordered Schell to take part in a drug-treatment program as part of his sentence, and banned him from owning any guns. Schell's attorney, Ray McHugh, told the judge that his client's drug problems stemmed from a foot injury that left him addicted to prescription painkillers.
> 
> During a so-called "reverse sting," Schell sold nearly a pound of marijuana to officers and a large quantity of Percocet, a painkiller.
> 
> Police searched Schell's apartment above the restaurant and found PVC tubing and magazines on bomb making, as well as a .380-caliber handgun with the serial numbers filed off. Schell told the judge Monday that he kept the gun for protection.
> 
> In 1996, Schell was sentenced to 18 months of probation for shooting a rifle into the air. He was also found in contempt of court in March for violating a protection-from-abuse order that forbade him from having weapons.
> 
> Schell did not testify Monday. He smiled and waved at his parents and grandparents in the courtroom audience and thanked them for coming to the hearing.
> 
> Link *





What is it with pizzeria workers and drugs?  I myself work at a pizzeria and know many other drug users that also work in the pizza field.


----------



## Edge80

*Miami Beach doctor accused of illegally distributing OxyContin*

Miami Beach doctor accused of illegally distributing OxyContin

Associated Press
12-7-04

MIAMI - A federal grand jury has indicted a physician and his assistant on charges they illegally distributed OxyContin and other controlled substances to Medicaid patients.

Armando J. Solis was arrested Monday after the grand jury unsealed a 15-count indictment. He was charged with one count of conspiring to defraud the federal government in its administration of Medicaid, one count of conspiring to distribute controlled substances and 13 counts of distributing controlled substances.

Solis' medical assistant, Harold Fox, was charged in both conspiracies and in 11 of the 13 distribution counts.

Solis was being held in federal detention until a Friday bond hearing. The government has recommended a $250,000 corporate surety bond for Solis and a $100,000, 10 percent bond for Fox. Fox's next hearing is Dec. 15.

Attorney General Charlie Crist said Solis was the largest prescriber of OxyContin to Medicaid patients in Florida. He said that evidence will show that "Dr. Solis was nothing more than a drug dealer in a white coat."

In the past two years, more than $9.8 million in Medicaid drug costs have been subscribed using Solis' license number, with more than $925,000 of that for OxyContin prescriptions, according to investigators.

A message left at Solis' office was not returned Tuesday. Fox's home line was continuously busy.

According to the indictment, from 2003 to present, Solis and Fox gave prescriptions to Medicaid patients without properly determining whether they actually needed them.

Solis allegedly signed prescriptions for OxyContin and other controlled substances for several patients without examining the individuals.

One patient was told to deny having accepted controlled substances for other patients if questioned by investigators, according to the indictment.

"Prescription drug abuse takes more lives in our state than heroin and cocaine combined," Gov. Jeb Bush said in a written statement.

Bush said the arrests send a strong message to medical professionals who illegally distribute prescription drugs.

"They will not be tolerated in Florida," he said.

Solis and Fox each face up to 20 years on the drug distribution conspiracy charge; each drug distribution charge carries a maximum punishment of either three or 20 years in prison, depending on the controlled substance that was distributed. If convicted of the fraud conspiracy charge, each faces five years in prison.

The recently formed joint state and federal Diversion Response Teams were responsible for the indictment and arrest. The teams provide increased surveillance over large quantities of prescription drugs in the marketplace.

Link


----------



## rachamim18

*Gov. Bush and his short memory...*

I especially love his comments about scripts taking more lives than heroin and cocaine. Wasn't it his daughter who was addicted to Xanax and got arrested for calling in fake scripts?


----------



## fruitfly

Edge80 said:
			
		

> *What is it with pizzeria workers and drugs?  I myself work at a pizzeria and know many other drug users that also work in the pizza field. *


Well you must be selling pizzas with that *extra* topping.


----------



## toolazy2think

Major Parker held on cocaine charges

By BRYAN APP
Alligator Writer

Major Parker, a former Gators basketball team captain and current UF coaching staff member, was arrested Tuesday on federal drug charges, federal court records state.

Jerry Sanford, spokesman for the U.S. Attorney in Gainesville, said Parker was arrested at approximately 3 p.m. Tuesday on charges of possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

If convicted, the charge could carry a sentence of five to 40 years, Sanford said.

As part of a sting operation, records state, a Gainesville Police Department undercover officer met with Farrah Stephanie Moise in November and early December and arranged to buy one-half kilogram of cocaine.

On Tuesday, Parker was observed delivering a white shopping bag to Moise, the complaint read.

Moise allegedly gave the bag, which contained approximately 500 grams of cocaine, to the officer in exchange for $12,800, which Parker then received in return, the complaint said.

According to the complaint, Parker and Moise also were involved in deliveries of cocaine to an undercover officer in November. 

After spending the night in the Alachua County Jail, Parker and Moise made an initial appearance before a federal magistrate judge Wednesday afternoon, Deputy U.S. Marshal John Hallman said.

Hallman said Parker was released after his appearance on $100,000 bond.
Parker served as a forward and team captain for the Gators during their national championship-game run in 2000 and was one of seven players in school history to serve as team captain twice.

GPD spokesman Sgt. Keith Kameg would not comment, citing insufficient information.

Parker, 26, was a member of Coach Billy Donovan’s first recruiting class at UF and began this season in his second year serving as the Gators’ assistant to the head coach.


http://www.alligator.org/edit/news/issues/stories/041208parker.html


----------



## fruitfly

*79-year-old caught with heroin on flight to NY*
10/12/2004 - 17:07:35

A 79-year-old woman has been caught attempting to smuggle heroin out of Colombia on a flight to New York, police said today.

The Colombian woman, whose name was not released, was arrested yesterday at Bogota’s El Dorado Airport after inspectors found 2.8 kilograms of heroin in her bag, said Col. Nicolas Munoz, chief of airport police.

The woman was the oldest “mule”, as drug couriers are called, to be captured at the airport, police said.

So far this year, 107 people have been arrested at the airport for attempting to smuggle drugs, including 74 Colombians and 33 foreigners.

A total of 2,036 kilograms of cocaine and 155 kilograms of heroin has been seized at the airport this year.

Colombia is by far the world’s biggest producer of cocaine and also produces much of the world’s heroin.

Link


----------



## DJ_177D177A

*Mule caught w/ 4 million in coke crashes through Canada border to get away!*

ARRESTED MAN COULD BE MULE: RCMP 

It would be a good guess that the man caught carrying an estimated $12 million worth of cocaine in Aldergrove on Nov.  21 is just a cog in an elaborate drug scheme, says Quesnel RCMP Staff Sgt.  Keith Hildebrand. 

"My educated guess is that this person was a mule, working for somebody else," said Hildebrand.  "Usually, with those levels of cocaine, you're dealing with some form of organized crime. 

"It's been my experience that those kinds of instances, where they're coming through the bottlenecks, it's usually someone on the real low end of a drug chain that's doing it," he added. 

Robert Norton Allaire, 67, of Quesnel was arrested and charged with importing a controlled substance and possession for the purpose of trafficking. 

Allaire was first noticed by U.S.  Customs officials in the Bellingham area.  Once Allaire started towards the border, they pulled him over and asked for identification. 

The driver made a dash for the Canadian border, drove over a median and curb and across a lawn before entering Canada.  Allaire was arrested in Aldergrove roughly 45 minutes later. 

Hildebrand said Quesnel RCMP's investigation will support Langley's. 

"He wasn't known to us," he said.  "I've got very few details on it.  We're doing a little bit of follow up here because it was brought to our attention.  They're still trying to sort it out ( in Langley and the U.S.  )" 

Hildebrand said he contacted Langley immediately after he heard of the incident to see if his department could go in and start doing some checks and "not be stepping on their toes." 

Hildebrand could not confirm any rumours about Allaire's business associations in Quesnel, but added that would be something they would look at. 

"We'll have to do our follow up investigation to see if it will lead anywhere," he said.  "But usually those kinds of people don't really know who they're working for.  They just get a large amount of cash to get something through the border, which is usually the weak link in the drug chain." 

The show cause hearing for the Quesnel man accused of crashing the border into Canada with more than $4 million worth of cocaine was put over until Dec.  6.


----------



## Tongue

ive always been curious as to what type "deals" these MULES have with their drug boss..i mean, say the mule, by a shitty course of luck, gets their drug stash snagged at the border or wherever, what happens then??does the boss just call it a loss and thats it??im sure its different for every dealer/situation, but still..


----------



## -=ReD-hAzE=-

Who trusts a MULE will four million dollars of cocaine?!


----------



## Skyline_GTR

-=ReD-hAzE=- said:
			
		

> *Who trusts a MULE will four million dollars of cocaine?! *



The kind of person who's not stupid enough to smuggle a couple of hundred keys of coke across an international border themselves, and who has a fearsome enough reputation that people are too scared to rip-off.


----------



## phatsackseddy

wow that would be a big decision to make if you got pulled over right at the border....do i run or do i stay and act cool?????yea the boss must watch the "mules" progress over the border to ensure he doesnt do something "stupid".  Its wierd the heading to article says 4 million and news article says 12 million... wtf...either way thats alot of fucking blow.


----------



## indianaroller

Yeah i dont get it, it says 12 million at the begining and 4 million at the end. I bet that guy will be in prison for awhile.


----------



## Edge80

----------------------------------->Mega Bust Thread


----------



## DJ_177D177A

*Ouch, caught! 170 kilo's of molly, 20,000 pills, 4 presses and more!*

Police Uncover a Cache of Drugs, Weapons and Cash in Residential Areas 
    TORONTO, Nov. 29 /CNW/ - Throughout the day on Friday, November 26, 2004
police executed search warrants at residences in the Toronto area and
uncovered a large cache of drugs, weapons and cash. Five suspects have been
arrested and are facing a variety of charges.
    This investigation was conducted by the Combined Forces Special
Enforcement Unit (CFSEU) and the searches were assisted by the Toronto Police
Service - 42 Division, Emergency Task Force, Clandestine Lab Unit and
Intelligence Services.
    Seized at two houses and one apartment on Cascaden Street, Bellrock
Crescent, and Corporate Drive in Toronto was:

    -  Approximately 170 kilograms of suspected MDMA (Ecstasy) powder and
       suspected mixing agents
    -  20,362 Ecstasy pills
    -  Four electric pill presses
    -  Two semi-automatic handguns (.40 calibre and .32 calibre)
    -  A small quantity of ammunition
    -  Approximately $60,000 Canadian cash
    -  Approximately $24,000 US cash

    The powder seized is capable of producing hundreds of thousands of
Ecstasy pills, and the four pill presses could produce more than 28,000 pills
per hour or more than 600,000 pills in one day.
    According to the Officer in Charge of the CFSEU, Chief Superintendent Ben
Soave, "It is disconcerting to find Ecstasy - a drug targeted at our youth -
along with deadly weapons in residential areas of our community. Organized
crime, drugs, guns, and violence go hand in hand."
    Facing charges of Production of Controlled Substance and Possession for
the Purpose of Trafficking are:

    PANG Lap Sang (M) age 37, xxxx xxxx, Toronto

    LIN Qiao Mei (F) age 26, xxxx xxxx, Toronto

    CHEN Min (M) age 21, xxxx xxxx, Toronto

    WU Shang En (M) age 36, xxxx xxxx, Toronto

    LIN Cheng Jian (M) age 28, xxxx xxxx, Toronto.

    LIN Cheng Jian is also charged with firearms offences in relation to the
    two seized handguns and ammunition.

    All accused appeared in court at Old City Hall Monday November 29, 2004
for Bail Hearings. The investigation is continuing.

    The Greater Toronto Area CFSEU consists of members of the Toronto Police
Service, York, Peel, and Durham Regional Police, Royal Canadian Mounted
Police, Ontario Provincial Police, Canada Border Services Agency, Federal
Dept. of Justice, Canadian Security and Intelligence Service, and the Criminal
Intelligence Service of Ontario. Further information on CFSEU can be found at
www.cfseu.org.

[edit: removed address information]


----------



## DJ_177D177A

*870 kilos of mdma powder and pills , ouch!*

Pair arrested in Europe over record ecstasy haul
Australian Federal Police Commissioner Mick Keelty says two men have been arrested in Belgium over Australia's largest haul of the party drug ecstasy.

Commissioner Keelty has not revealed the men's nationalities but says they are more significant to investigations than the two Australian men who have already faced court over the seizure.

About 820 kilograms of ecstasy tablets and powder were found hidden inside a pizza oven at Sydney airport last month.

Commissioner Keelty says there could be a link between the latest haul and more than 360 kilograms of ecstasy that was seized in Adelaide earlier this year.

He says it is transnational crime at its best.

"This is in one instance $200 million worth of profit that would go back to transnational crime," Commissioner Keelty said.

"If you weigh up the three major operations on ecstasy this year, you're talking in the order of nearly $500 million of drugs that could have entered the streets of Australia and the money and proceeds of which would have gone back ultimately to Europe."

European syndicate

Commissioner Keelty says the recent attempts to smuggle ecstasy into Australia are the work of a major European drug syndicate.

He says the method of smuggling the drugs in industrial ovens links the operation back to a syndicate in Europe.

He says while the links in Australia are not clear, the European connections are more significant.

"Well certainly the ones in Europe are higher up the food chain ... in terms of the significance and the origins of the drugs but there is still a lot of the work to be done yet," he said.

"It is now obviously a major international operation. 

"We anticipate that there will be further arrests in Europe, but of course we are working as best we can with the overseas authorities to maximise their opportunities to make those arrests."

Court

Two men arrested over the haul yesterday were remanded in custody in a Sydney court today.

Zacharia O'Brien, 32, from New Italy on the state's north coast, appeared via video link when the matter briefly came before Sydney Central Local Court today.

Robert Drury, 54, from Kings Cross opted not to appear before the court.

Both men have been charged with possessing a prohibited imported narcotic of commercial quantity and conspiring to import the MDMA into Australia.

The men will face court again on January 19.


----------



## Reverend_Lust

OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma (Reuters) -- A routine traffic stop turned into a drug bust when Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers found 610 pounds of marijuana stashed in four coffins.

Authorities say Timothy Hynd and Robert Dean Harper were charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute before being released on Monday.

The arrest occurred on Sunday, highway patrol spokesman Lt. Brandon Kopepasah said, after troopers stopped a truck traveling slightly above the speed limit near the rural city of Salisaw.

The men consented to a search, and trained dogs "hit" on the cargo section of the truck, he said.

"They unloaded 22 caskets," Kopepasah said. "You had to unload all those caskets and the very front caskets were loaded with marijuana."

An attorney for one of the men said his client was unaware there was marijuana in the caskets and was only delivering them.

"He didn't check inside the caskets for drugs -- would you?" attorney Donn Baker said.



		Code:
	

http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/12/15/marijuana.caskets.reut/index.html


----------



## Witch Doctor

*Pair arrested over ecstasy haul*

http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,11707535%5E421,00.html

Pair arrested over ecstasy haul
December 16, 2004

TWO men have been arrested in Sydney following the seizure of 161 kilograms of the drug ecstasy with a street value of $40 million.

Bust ... in another recent seizure $200 million of ecstasy was found, the largest haul of its kind in Australia / File
One of the men was in an undisclosed Sydney hospital and will face a court hearing at his bedside later today, sources said.

The other man was denied bail in Central Local Court today and remanded in custody until his next hearing in March next year.

Both men were charged with importing drugs.

The haul of 800,000 tablets of the party drug was uncovered in a shipping container sent from Belgium which arrived in Sydney on November 4, authorities said.

The arrests yesterday followed an investigation by the Australian Crime Commission (ACC), WA Police, Federal Police, NSW Police, Customs and the NSW Crime Commission.

No details were available on where the men were arrested or how police tracked down the haul.

Nor was it clear why one of the men was in hospital.

It was unclear what connection the arrests had with the discovery of an undisclosed quantity of the same drug in a car in North Sydney last night.

"The ACC has been focused on gathering intelligence and conducting investigations nationally into serious and organised criminal networks and this result is a testament to the excellent work that is being conducted by Australia's law enforcement agencies," ACC chairman Mick Keelty said.

In November, two people were charged after $200 million of ecstasy was detected in the largest seizure of its kind to be made in Australia.

In that bust, which was also overseen by Customs and Federal Police, 820 kilograms of MDMA, or ecstasy, tablets and powder were found in a container air freighted from Germany to Sydney on October 15.

AAP


----------



## Edge80

*Cops find marijuana hidden in caskets*

Cops find marijuana hidden in caskets

nwitimes.com 
Thursday, December 16, 2004 

SALLISAW, Okla. (AP) -- Talk about your killer weed.

Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers found 610 pounds of marijuana hidden in caskets being hauled in a truck stopped near this eastern Oklahoma town.

The driver, Timothy G. Hynd, 26, and his passenger, Robert Dean Harper, told a trooper they were working for a Tucson, Ariz., casket company and their destination was Atlanta. They were pulled over early Friday for going 6 mph over the speed limit.

The marijuana was found after troopers were given permission to search the truck.

Hynd and Harper were charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and were freed on bond Monday. Both men said they had no idea there was marijuana in their cargo.

"Hynd is 26 and has never been in any kind of trouble," said his attorney, Donn Baker. "He was just delivering caskets for a living. He didn't check inside the caskets for drugs -- would you?"

Link


----------



## fruitfly

* Man picks bad spot for alleged drug deal*
Associated Press
December 15, 2004

NEZPERCE, Idaho - A man picked the wrong location for an alleged drug deal. Telling an eyewitness to mind his own business was also not a good idea. It was in front of the home of Lewis County's sheriff-elect, who was sitting on his front porch.

"They really picked the wrong house to be in front of," said Phil Steen, who will be sworn into office next month.

Steen had only lived in the home about three weeks when he decided to enjoy the Saturday evening air. But some suspicious activity on the street impaired his view.

Steen saw what he thought was a drug deal in the street. When those involved noticed him watching, they simply told him to "look away," Steen said.

Instead of looking elsewhere, Steen ran the suspects' license plates. It led to a search of two houses and a vehicle, then the arrest of James MacArthur, 46.

MacArthur is charged with possession of marijuana with intent to deliver, unlawful possession of a firearm and possession of drug paraphernalia.

About 16 grams of marijuana was confiscated, along with a rifle and a shotgun, Steen said. The investigation is continuing.

Link


----------



## Houlies

*€11m of cocaine seized in Ireland*

Gardai (Irish for Cops/Police) in Dublin have seized cocaine with an estimated street value of €10 million.

Detectives from the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation stopped a car on the Naas Road this afternoon and after searching the car found €4 million worth of coke.

In a follow-up search at a nearby premises another €6 million worth of cocaine was found. A man in his 30's has been arrested.

In a seperate incident, another man was arrested at Dublin airport after he was caught with a suitcase containing cocaine with a street value of €1 million.


That might be my plans for some nice coke for new years out the window, hopefully my connections aren't affected. Pretty big bust.


----------



## Edge80

-----------------------------------------> Mega bust thread


----------



## XOCVANDALX

regarding the one with weed in the casket...were there any bodies inside the casket?? or were they just empty?


----------



## Grep

*Fake SA priest caught smuggling drugs*

Posted Fri, 17 Dec 2004

A South African man posing as a priest was detained in Brazil as he was about to board a flight to Portugal after police found more than five kilograms of cocaine hidden under his robe, news reports said on Thursday.

Police in Sao Paulo said Carl Paul Barry (27), who was travelling on a forged German passport in his real name, was wearing an elastic belt around his waist which held various pouches full of cocaine, Portuguese daily newspaper Correio da Manha reported.

He also was found to have cocaine hidden in the soles of his sandals as well as in a hidden compartment in his handbag, the paper said.

Barry had been scheduled to fly on Portuguese flag carrier TAP-Air Portugal to Lisbon on Wednesday where he was to have caught another flight to Amsterdam, his final destination.

He is currently behind bars in a Sao Paulo jail. If convicted Barry faces a 15-year jail term. 

here


----------



## Reverend_Lust

Men queried over 2,100-pound cocaine seizure


NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) -- Police have picked up for questioning three Italians and a Kenyan in connection with the largest cocaine seizure in Kenya -- 2,100 pounds (954 kilograms), a police spokesman said Thursday.

Police detained the four Wednesday, and they remain in police custody assisting investigators who are trying to find out how the cocaine, suspected to be from Colombia, got to Kenya, said Jaspher Ombati, the police spokesman.

Ombati said they have not been charged but did not give any other details.

On Tuesday, police seized the cocaine during raids in the industrial area of Nairobi and at a house in the coastal town of Malindi, about 260 miles (420 kilometers) southeast of the capital.

Kenyan newspapers reported Wednesday that police seized a speedboat found outside the Malindi house after they found some of the cocaine in the boat.

The newspapers quoted unnamed police sources as saying the boat was owned by a Nairobi company, Central Valley Suppliers Ltd., and was bought in Spain on June 4.

The Daily Nation newspaper also reported that three people of unspecified nationality and a Kenyan had been arrested in the Netherlands in connection with the cocaine seizure.

Ombati declined to confirm the newspaper reports.

"Let us wait and see what the investigations will come up with," he said.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/africa/12/16/kenya.cocaine.ap/index.html


----------



## Edge80

XOCVANDALX said:
			
		

> *regarding the one with weed in the casket...were there any bodies inside the casket?? or were they just empty? *




That's a good question.  I am asuming that they were empty caskets maybe being shiped to a distibuter.


----------



## rachamim18

*Good question...*

Since the truck belonged to a casket company it is a sure bet that they were empty caskets. I have another question: I enjoy reading this thread as much as the next one but wouldn't it be simpler to just offer a hyper link to "Counter Press Drug Summary?" The site is updated weekly and includes large scale drug busts from around the world with photos to boot.


----------



## DJ_177D177A

*NY Elementary School Principle caught w/ meth and ecstasy!*

http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v04/n1801/a08.html?397


GRAND ISLAND, N.  Y.  - An elementary school principle was charged Thursday with possessing methamphetamine and Ecstasy tablets. 

Frank Cannata, 40, of Buffalo was immediately suspended from his job at the Grand Island Central Schools' Charlotte Sidway Elementary School, where he had been principal since 1998. 

Investigators, carrying out a federal search warrant, seized five grams of crystal methamphetamine and 14 Ecstasy pills at Cannata's Buffalo home, according to a criminal complaint. 

Cannata's arrest shocked his colleagues in the suburban district north of Buffalo, where Cannata himself had been a student, said assistant superintendent Karen Karmazin.  He is also musical director of the Niagara Regional Theatre Guild.


----------



## p3n1x

*Five arrested after allegedly trying to steal almost 200 pounds of cocaine*

SOURCE:  http://www.fox11.com/stories/news/coke_theft.asp


ARTICLE


(Vernon) - Five men who allegedly tried to steal nearly 200 pounds of cocaine in Vernon were arrested Sunday and the drugs seized, a police officer said. 

Acting on a tip that a burglary was planned for the 2500 block of Santa Fe Avenue in Vernon, at about 1:30 p.m., officers from Los Angeles Police Department Narcotics Division put the area under surveillance, said LA police.

Officers observed the five men enter a commercial building at the location and arrested them when they came out, allegedly with 90 kilos of cocaine, which was confiscated, police said. 

No one else was in the building and no weapons were involved, police said.

The drug agents were assisted by Vernon Police and an LAPD SWAT team, police said. 

The suspects were expected to be charged with possession of narcotics and conspiracy to distribute according to police.


----------



## indianaroller

So was he selling or just using?


----------



## E-llusion

*Canada: $500M Ecstasy Bust*

* Ecstasy bust country's largest *

Drug could become new marijuana for crime groups, cops say

Dec 23, 2004
Martin Derbyshire, Staff Writer - More from this author 

A York Region home is part of the largest ecstasy bust in Canadian history. 

Uncut ecstasy, with a street value of more than $500 million, was seized. 

York drug cops fear the popular drug could become the new marijuana for organized crime groups looking to turn huge profits. 

"We've seen the trend with marijuana. The marijuana grow op problem started in British Columbia and then it exploded here. Over the last four or five years, they've had a problem with ecstasy labs out there and now we're starting to see them here," York Regional Police Det. Don Cardwell said. 

"I hope it's not going to get out of control like marijuana has been." 

The number of marijuana grow operations busted by police reached a peak last year of 173. 

Since that time, Det. Cardwell said a trend has emerged where growers have scaled down the size of operations to evade police. 

The problem is, large or small, ecstasy labs can often go unnoticed, Det Cardwell said. 

"They're a lot harder to detect," Det. Cardwell said. 

"They don't generate the same amount of heat. We can't use (infrared technology) and the chemical precursors used to make the drug are not restricted. That's the problem: there's zero control." 

The recipe for the drug can be downloaded off the Internet and ingredients found at a neighbourhood hardware store. 

Because many of the chemicals are also used for legal purposes, including in the hot tub industry, Chief Armand La Barge said it would be difficult to make them illegal. 

He suggested lawmakers consider a registry for purchase, making ingredients easier for police to track. 

When ecstasy is being cooked inside a lab, it may emit smells similar to ammonia, licorice or root beer but, other than that, labs are virtually impossible to detect, Det. Cardwell said. 

Police began this latest investigation by following the trail of a purchase of a large quantity of the precursor chemicals used to make the drug in early December. 

It led them to two Toronto homes and a third in an affluent Markham neighbourhood were chemicals were being mixed and cooked into 96 per cent pure ecstasy. 

That led to a number of storage units in Toronto where more than 700 kilograms of the drug was waiting to be shipped or cut and pressed into pills, police said. 

Seven men, all from British Columbia, were arrested and are now facing various drug charges. 

Chief La Barge estimated once the drug was cut with other chemicals and pressed into pills for sale, it could have yielded street profits in excess $500 million. 

With two major ecstasy labs found in Markham earlier this year and now the largest seizure of the drug in Canadian history inside the town's borders, Markham Mayor Don Cousens is less than pleased with the reputation the town is earning. 

"It's a sad thing that this could happen in our community," he said. "We will not tolerate it." 

Police board chairperson David Barrow said, hopefully, a bust of this size will send a message to illegal drug manufacturers. 

"The message is very clear. If you're in the illegal drug business, don't come here. You are not welcome," he said. 

Chief La Barge vowed to continue the war on drugs. 

"This is a war we cannot afford to lose because the very safety and security of this community is at risk," he said. 

"We will make York Region a drug-free zone."


link


----------



## E-llusion

> Uncut ecstasy, with a street value of more than $500 million, was seized


8) Please, report facts not fiction! How do you estimate this ?



> York drug cops fear the popular drug could become the new marijuana for organized crime groups


Now this is where bullshit journalism takes over! I'm suprised they don't call it the new heroin of marijuana!



> The recipe for the drug can be downloaded off the Internet and ingredients found at a neighbourhood hardware store. Because many of the chemicals are also used for legal purposes, including in the hot tub industry, Chief Armand La Barge said it would be difficult to make them illegal


LFMAO, haha , riiiiiiiiiiiiight. check your facts as to obtaining precursors before writing crap!!! 8)


----------



## LikuidKid

^8)

Why dont you chill the fuck out?  I thought mods were supposed to be the cool and calm type.  Also, I do believe he was quoting a reputable source and simply forgot to cite said quotation.

j00 fuckin spaz!.


----------



## HotMOovZ

Crazzee....

Simple mathamatics could return a figure on the dollar amount of drugs seized.. 

Why couldnt X become the next Mariguana.... Its nearly as accepted these days...


----------



## E-llusion

LikuidKid said:
			
		

> *^8)
> 
> Why dont you chill the fuck out?  I thought mods were supposed to be the cool and calm type.
> 
> j00 fuckin spaz!. *



I am chill Kid, i just hate sloppy basement journalism, if you have a reputable source report it. Otherwise you [they] are writing fiction like any other basement journalist. 

>HotMOovZ

As a reference to the new MJ, that was a joke pertainin to certain FP article posted few days ago. Too bad you didn't get it.


----------



## HotMOovZ

^^^^

Must have missed the thread


----------



## DJ_177D177A

*Nuts! Cops use holiday treats for sting!*

URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v04/n1831/a04.html
Newshawk: Herb
 Votes: 0
Pubdate: Fri, 24 Dec 2004
Source: Chicago Sun-Times (IL)
Copyright: 2004 The Sun-Times Co.
Contact: letters@suntimes.com
Website: http://www.suntimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/81
Author: Annie Sweeney


NUTS! COPS USE HOLIDAY TREAT IN DRUG STING 

Robbins police added their own Christmas cheer to a drug bust Wednesday night -- selling macadamia nuts as rocks of crack for $20. 

The reverse sting has been done before, but not with Christmas treats, Detective Sgt.  Terrance Franklin said. 

"We always use the peanut,'' Franklin said.  "This time, we wanted to get into the holiday spirit.'' 

The macadamia nut was inside a small, sealed plastic bag. 

Twenty people were arrested after attempting to buy the nuts in the 13500 block of Woodlawn, he said. 

One officer was injured in the sting after one of the alleged buyers tried to get away, Franklin said.  In the struggle, the officer fell and broke his leg in two places. 

Franklin said he hopes the misdemeanor charges of attempting to possess drugs will do two things: Make people afraid to go to Robbins to feed their drug habit and encourage users to get help. 

Franklin said most of the buyers were not from Robbins, but southwest suburbs, including Orland Park and Tinley Park. 

Among the buyers, he said, was a Frankfort homemaker who took her 3-year-old child along, a former grammar school teacher, a college student, a woman willing to pawn her husband's watch and wedding ring, and teenagers. 

"Crack cocaine is a bad thing,'' Franklin said.  "We want them to seek out and get some help.''


----------



## dopefiend

*LOL!*

"In the struggle, the officer fell and broke his leg in two places."

Hopefully he tripped an fell on a Loiusville Slugger.
Peace,
Jesse


----------



## fruitfly

*Cops: Marijuana stashed under man's hat*
By JOHN RICHMEIER, Leavenworth Times Staff Writer
December 28, 2004

What had started out as a traffic stop ended in a drug arrest on Christmas after a Leavenworth man reportedly revealed what was under his hat.

Under his cap, the 18-year-old man allegedly had 45 grams of marijuana and cash, according to the police.

The man was stopped around 11:45 p.m. Saturday after he allegedly was seen running a stop sign at Maple Avenue and Thornton Street.

The vehicle, a 1997 Chevy Camaro, was stopped at West Seventh and Garfield streets.

The driver reportedly told the officer he had been racing another vehicle and couldn't stop in time for the stop sign, according to the arrest report.

The officer returned to his patrol car and wrote two traffic citations. The officer returned to the other vehicle and asked the driver to step out of the vehicle so he could talk with him in private away from a passenger.

While the man was outside, the officer reportedly noticed what appeared to be the corner of a plastic bag hanging out from underneath the hat.

The man had been wearing the baseball cap backwards on his head, according to Kathy Tytla, Leavenworth Police Department.

The officer asked the man if he minded showing what was under the hat.

The man reportedly removed the cap, revealing two plastic bags of marijuana, money and a piece of a paper bag, according to the arrest report.

In one of the plastic bags was 41 grams of marijuana. In the other was 4 grams of marijuana.

The man was arrested for possession of marijuana and *failing to provide a drug tax stamp.*

Link


----------



## fruitfly

*Pot packages found inside bales of hay*
The Associated Press
Monday, December 27, 2004

VAN BUREN, Ark. (AP) - A Massachusetts man was arrested the day after a state trooper found 27 packages of suspected marijuana nested in bales of hay inside a horse trailer.

State police say Everton Garriques, 45, of Hingham, Mass., was a passenger in the pickup truck pulling the trailer during the Christmas Day stop. Police said they found more than 800 pounds of what they believe is marijuana hidden inside the trailer.

Police stopped the truck for speeding and having no license plate light, according to a state police dispatcher. After receiving conflicting information from Garriques and the driver, Dale Barrett, 23, of Lithonia, Ga., the trooper asked for and received consent to conduct a search, the dispatcher said.

When he looked inside the trailer, he saw two horses, several bales of hay and a plastic wrapper inside one of the bales. At that point, Garriques took off running and eluded searchers Saturday night, the dispatcher said.

Garriques was discovered the next day at a rental house and was arrested after a short pursuit, Van Buren police officer Steve Grizzle said. He was booked into the Crawford County Jail on suspicion of possession of marijuana with intent to deliver, possession of drug paraphernalia, fleeing apprehension, burglary, breaking or entering, criminal mischief and two counts of cruelty to animals.

Barrett also faces charges of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of drug paraphernalia and two counts of cruelty to animals.

Link


----------



## fruitfly

*'Santa's Helpers' Allegedly Shipped Drugs Labeled As Toys*
Californian Charged In Cocaine Smuggling Case
Associated Press
December 29, 2004

CLEVELAND -- The packages were labeled toys for good girls and boys and the business was called Santa's Helpers, but authorities said Tuesday the packages were part of a drug smuggling operation.

Santa's Helpers are accused of attempting to smuggle $7.8 million worth of cocaine from Los Angeles to nearby Willoughby.

Drug agents seized about 175 pounds of the drug Monday in the largest seizure in Cleveland this year and one of the largest in northeast Ohio.

Federal prosecutors charged Edward Boynton, 35, of Inglewood, Calif., with intent to possess cocaine. Boynton appeared in U.S. District Court on Tuesday. His attorney, Mary Jo Tipping, had no comment.

Authorities said Willoughby police learned Friday of suspicious packages at the Roadway Express offices. Billing information said the barrels contained toys, novelties and games.

Officers brought in a police dog, which picked up the scent of drugs. Officers confiscated the drums and called the Drug Enforcement Agency.

Authorities said Boynton drove a rented truck to the business on Monday. He wore a coat and a T-shirt with the logo "Santa's Helpers" and had paperwork and tracking information for the shipment.

Boynton told authorities that he had flown from Los Angeles to Cleveland to meet the shipment.

Willoughby police stopped him as he left the business. According to investigators and an affidavit, two of the drums were filled with concrete blocks and the others held the drugs.

A spokeswoman for Roadway Express in Akron, where the company is based, declined comment.

Boynton is being held without bond pending additional hearings.

Link


----------



## Reverend_Lust

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) -- Police captured a reputed leader of the Norte del Valle drug cartel Tuesday, the latest arrest in a U.S.-backed effort to dismantle a gang accused of trafficking half of all cocaine sold in the United States in the 1990s.

Dagoberto Florez, a reputed capo or leader in the cartel, was on a list of most wanted alleged cocaine kingpins sought by U.S. authorities under a court order handed down in New York in May. The U.S. government offered a $5 million reward for his capture.

Police seized Florez early Tuesday in a rural area outside Medellin, Colombia's second largest city 250 miles northwest of the capital, the national police chief, Gen. Jorge Daniel Castro, told reporters.

He declined to provide details on the capture, and said it hasn't been decided who, if anyone, would receive the reward money.

Florez was among nine reputed Norte del Valle cartel leaders being sought for extradition after U.S. investigators traced a money trail from three small wire transfer businesses in New York to cartel leaders in Colombia.

Florez was the second on the list to be captured, following the arrest in October of Gabriel Puerta-Parra.

"His arrest today is yet another example of the unprecedented law enforcement cooperation between the United States and Colombia," Michael J. Garcia, an assistant secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, said in a statement issued Tuesday.

In its heyday in the late 1990s, the Norte del Valle cartel, named for the region of Colombia where the gang originated, trafficked about half of the cocaine sold in the United States.

The U.S. government says the cartel exported $10 billion worth of cocaine over the past 15 years.

Under President Alvaro Uribe, a strong Washington ally, Colombia has extradited more than 100 alleged drug traffickers to the United States.

Earlier this month, he extradited Gilberto Rodriguez Orejuela, a co-leader of the dismantled Cali cartel, who is considered the most powerful drug trafficker to ever see the inside of a U.S. prison.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/americas/12/28/colombia.druglord.ap/index.html


----------



## Invalid Usename

*Largest-ever amount of ecstasy uncovered*

http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/LondonFreePress/News/2004/12/23/794360-sun.html

*Largest-ever amount of ecstasy uncovered*

JASON BOTCHFORD, Special to The Free Press   	2004-12-23 01:58:22


*TORONTO --* York Regional police used some new-fangled gumshoe detective work to make a "shocking" ecstasy bust -- the largest in Canadian history. By tracing the sale of chemicals commonly used in hot tubs, deodorants and air fresheners -- which also happen to be key ingredients for illicit drugs -- police uncovered an ecstasy ring and 1,000 kilograms of liquid and powder MDMA (methylenedioxymeth- amphetamine or ecstasy). 

The seized powdered drug was 96-per-cent pure and packed in vacuum-sealed bags, likely ready for shipment to the U.S. It's worth $100 million, but has a potential street value of half a billion dollars 

It's also more than the total amount seized in all of the U.S. in 2003, police said. 

"The quantity is shocking," said Det. Don Cardwell of the vice squad. "I just hope (ecstasy production) isn't about to get out of hand like the marijuana labs." 

York police, led by Det.-Const. Doug Tetrault, developed a new policing technique in July and began monitoring the sale of chemicals such as safrole and piperonal, which are precursors in the production of MDMA. 

Ecstasy is a semi-synthetic compound that can be made relatively easily by anyone with more than two years of college chemistry. The precursor chemicals for MDMA are tightly controlled in the U.S., making MDMA both risky and expensive to produce. 

But, in Canada there are no restrictions on buying the chemicals. 

The detective method reaped big benefits on Dec. 6 as the chemicals were traced to two individuals as well as a Markham house and two Toronto homes. 

"We knew we were walking into a drug lab, but we had no idea how big it was," Cardwell said. 

In total, three homes and four storage units in Toronto and Markham were raided over three days last week. Police also found a quantity of hash and some cash. 

Seven people, mostly from B.C., have been arrested. 

York police services board chairperson David Barrow said the drug's use is on the rise not only in Markham, but also in all the Greater Toronto Area. 

Five years ago, ecstasy accounted for one per cent of all drugs seized in the GTA; this year, it will be about 33 per cent. 

"I'm afraid to say the use of drugs is destroying our community fabric," Barrow said. "It destroys families. It destroys the character and values of individuals who use drugs." 

Cardwell said ecstasy has proven harder to find than marijuana, but police are now having success in several investigations by tracing the sale of the precursor chemicals. 

Cardwell said police in Peel Region and the OPP are also now monitoring chemical sales. 

Police urged the Canadian government to look into legislation that restricts the sale of precursor chemicals.


Copyright © The London Free Press 2001,2002,2003


----------



## Invalid Usename

> "The quantity is shocking," said Det. Don Cardwell of the vice squad. *"I just hope (ecstasy production) isn't about to get out of hand like the marijuana labs."*


If you ever have any drug related questions, just ask Don.  He's very k-nolgable!

:D :D :D


----------



## BK_UK

The police always talk like they are on top of there game, but in reality, they are fighting a war that cannot be won. There must be another 100 batches ready to be transported right now with no detection.


----------



## killarava2day

*Pakistan seizes 1,692kg of morphine*

Pakistan seizes 1,692kg of morphine
January 11, 2005 - 4:49PM

Pakistani security officials acting on a tip-off raided a home in a remote town of southwestern Pakistan and seized 1,692 kilograms of morphine, an official said.

Weapons and munitions also were seized in the raid in Chaghi, a town 300 kilometres west of Quetta, said Colonel Rizwan Malik, spokesman for the paramilitary frontier constabulary.

The smugglers apparently dumped the drugs and arms at the house, he said.

No suspects were present when authorities arrived, and there were no arrests.

Drug seizures are common in Pakistan, which straddles a smuggling route from Afghanistan's poppy fields to markets in Europe and the Middle East.

Quetta is the capital of Baluchistan province.
AdvertisementAdvertisement

© 2005 AP

http://www.theage.com.au/news/World...kg-of-morphines/2005/01/11/1105206105271.html


----------



## Hyperion

*drools*


----------



## souperphly

*"Jam Cruise 3" Lands Twelve in Jail Before Ship Ever Leaves The Dock*

"Jam Cruise 3" Lands Twelve in Jail Before Ship Ever Leaves The Dock


By Kyle Meenan
First Coast News

JACKSONVILLE, FL -- They came from all across the land to spend four days at sea on a ship with non-stop bands, music and dancing.

But a dozen passengers scheduled to set sail on "Jam Cruise 3" never made it on-board the Carnival Cruise Ship. They were arrested after trying to pass through U.S. Customs with illegal drugs.

The scenario was the same, over and over. As more than 1,200 passengers passed through the Jaxport terminal, they stopped for a photo, then proceeded on to Customs for a pre-boarding inspection.

Over a span of six hours, a dozen of those passengers were 'outed' by a proficient U.S. Customs and Border Protection drug dog named Megan.

As word filtered back through the line, many passengers dumped their stash in the terminals trash cans and toilets. One passenger even abandoned drug-laced brownies. They all presumably made it aboard.

According to police reports from the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, which worked side-by side with Customs Officials, the following passengers never left the dock, except to be booked downtown:

/snip/


"Jam Cruise 3" officials did not return a call from First Coast News Sunday afternoon. It's presumed they are on the open ocean. A check of the company's website mentions several times to potential clients that they "NOT bring narcotics" on board.

Local U.S. Customs officials say the chat rooms of the "Jam Cruise" website had contributors offering suggestions of how passengers could safely sneak their stash aboard ship.

"We've read a lot of the chat room discussions that vacuum-sealing narcotics is a method of concealing narcotics in such a way to avoid the detection by the dog," said Richard Quinn of the Jacksonville office.

Quinn was quick to point out, the advice was bogus.

"Of 11 arrests, twelve seizures taken off individuals, the dog alerted to all 12, so the dog was quite effective," said Quinn.

One JSO officer involved in the searches who wished to remain anonymous put it in perspective whan asked about the relevance of these drug arrests to plans for the upcoming cruise ships and Super Bowl XXXIX:

"Come for the game and have a great party, but leave your stash at home!"

Created: 1/9/2005 8:52:23 PM
Updated: 1/11/2005 10:02:23 AM
Edited by  Kyle Meenan, reporter
© 2004 First Coast News. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, rewritten, or redistributed. 


http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/local/news-article.aspx?storyid=30479


----------



## MockTurtle

I was thinking about going on that cruise....very glad I didn't.

It's just so frusterating that 'authorities' in this country feel that they can squash our way of life.  Seeing people being arrested at jam shows is insane, as they are the nicest, most caring group of individuals I have ever met.  Going to shows like that one along with mushroom use completely changed me as a person and took me out of a 4-year cycle of terrible, suicidal depression and put me into the happiest and most confident personality I could ever imagine being.  Things like this make me wonder if we will ever see an end to this discrimination of other ways of living.  I would love to see what drugs were caught...I'm guessing around 80% marijuana, 20% psychedelics...what a threat!  I sit here knowing that I will never in the foreseeable future stop using mushrooms as sacraments, and it terribly saddens me that I will always be viewed as a 'junky' by a completely oblivious and terribly close-minded society.


----------



## fruitfly

*Drugs were for charity ... Yeah, that's the ticket*
By Mike McIntyre, Winnipeg Free Press
January 14, 2005

Jeff Konrad picked the worst time to wait for a train in Winnipeg.

The Quesnel, B.C., resident was caught carrying 31 pounds of marijuana by members of the city police and RCMP drug units who just happened to be conducting a training exercise at the time inside the downtown railway station.

Several drug-sniffing dogs wandered over to Konrad and began showing interest in three suitcases he was carrying, court was told yesterday.

The dogs signalled to their handlers that something was wrong, prompting a search that recovered $120,000 worth of high-grade pot stuffed inside the luggage in January 2003.

"This really was a case of bad luck for my client," defence lawyer Mike Cook said yesterday.

Konrad, 33, pleaded guilty to possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking and was given a two-year-less-a-day conditional sentence under a joint recommendation from Crown and defence lawyers.  Konrad admits he was a "drug mule" attempting to move the marijuana to Ontario.  He wouldn't say who the marijuana was going to.

"He just wanted to earn a little extra money by taking the drugs from point A to point B," Cook told court.

Konrad told a vastly different story at the time of his arrest.

According to police, Konrad claimed the drugs were for "compassionate" purposes and that he planned to give them away as a donation.

"You know, for people with AIDS and cancer," he told police.

Konrad's story got even more bizarre when he claimed some of the drugs would also be going to the "humane society," court was told.  Konrad has one prior drug conviction from a decade ago and is now working as a truck driver in the logging industry, said Cook.  He recently became a first-time father and will be subjected to a strict monitoring system while serving his penalty in B.C., said Cook.

Unlike Manitoba, justice officials in B.C.  use electronic ankle bracelets to ensure criminals remain inside their homes under court-ordered curfews, he said.

Any breaches would trigger Konrad's telephone to notify his supervisors that he has breached, he said.

Konrad will be allowed to leave his home to work and for medical emergencies.  The drugs have been forfeited, meaning he or someone else is out quite a bit of money, said Cook.  

Link


----------



## E-llusion

*UK soccer stars outed for drug use*

* UK soccer stars outed for drug use *
January 18, 2005

The problem of footballers using recreational drugs has reared its head again after it was revealed that two players have been banned for six months after twice testing positive for drugs - one for cocaine and the other for marijuana.

In a similar case a third player has been given a suspended six-month ban after twice testing positive for marijuana, while a fourth player has been warned for using the drug ecstasy.

The findings have been made public after the Football Association, who are not naming the players, agreed to details of drugs cases dating back to the summer of 2003 being published on UK Sport's anti-doping database.

The most recent case concerns a player at a Football League club who first tested positive for cocaine late last season and appeared before a disciplinary hearing in August.

He was ordered to reappear in April 2005 while his case was reviewed but was caught again when drug-testers swooped between October and December.

The player appeared before an FA disciplinary hearing last month and was banned from all football-related activity for six months and fined.

The two similar marijuana cases saw the players involved target-tested in the months following their first finding and again returning results showing they had recently used cannabis.

The were both dealt with before Christmas, both receiving six-month bans but one of the players had his ban suspended for two years.

The ecstasy case goes back to the summer of 2003, and an FA disciplinary commission decided that no suspension would be imposed and issued a warning to the player as to his future conduct.

There have been 323 drugs tests carried out on behalf of the FA since April last year of which six have returned positive findings.

The most high-profile case has been than of Romanian striker Adrian Mutu who was banned for seven months and sacked by Chelsea in October after testing positive for cocaine and admitting to using the drug.

In 2003, Australian `keeper Mark Bosnich received a nine-month ban after testing positive for cocaine - he was also sacked by Chelsea. He claimed his drink was spiked.

None of the players whose suspensions have been revealed are big names - they play for Football League rather than Premier League clubs and both are understood to be squad players rather than first-team regulars.

The FA will not comment further beyond what has appeared on the UK Sport database.

In relation to the latest cocaine case this reads: "The player was due to re-appear before a disciplinary commission in April 2005 following a previous finding in 2003-2004 season. However, a target test returned a positive finding between the original hearing date and the scheduled April 2005 hearing.

"The player has been fined and suspended from all football activities for six months commencing December 2004."

The current crop of football-related doping offences have been published now following months of talks between the FA and UK Sport about how positive tests should be reported.

Under the agreement, players will only be named for taking performance-enhancing drugs or for testing positive for recreational drugs immediately after a match.

Link


----------



## fruitfly

* Long John Silver's manager arrested for selling marijuana at restaurant*
By Arie Wilson and Sue Thackeray, Courier staff	
01/19/2005

Several people were arrested after the manager of a Conroe fast-food restaurant allegedly sold more than burgers and fish in the business' parking lot.

Conroe police arrested John Kevin Sweeten, 31, for allegedly selling drugs out of the parking lot of the Long John Silver's/A&W restaurant at the intersection of North Loop 336 and Texas 75.

Conroe Police Department narcotics officers first received information last fall about Sweeten's alleged side business at the restaurant, and investigators allegedly made an undercover narcotics buy from Sweeten at that time, Conroe Police Sgt. Bob Berry said.

The case was turned over to the Montgomery County District Attorney's office for presentation to the grand jury. Within the past two weeks, the grand jury returned a felony indictment, charging Sweeten, a general manager at the restaurant, with possession of marijuana.

Rick Maynard, a spokesman for Long John Silver's/A&W, said Sweeten had not been fired after the arrest, but was placed on leave without pay.

"We have a strict no-tolerance policy regarding drugs in the workplace," Maynard said. "The employee has been placed on a leave of absence pending the result of the police investigation."

Maynard said Long John Silver's/A&W is cooperating with local law enforcement officials who are investigating.

Conroe narcotics officers went to the restaurant Friday afternoon to monitor Sweeten's activity.

"The officers were conducting surveillance outside the restaurant, hoping to arrest Sweeten as he left for the day," Berry said. "They wanted to avoid disrupting the business inside the restaurant, so they were going to wait outside and arrest him after he left the property."

However, while police were watching the building, they observed Sweeten going to his vehicle in the parking lot, meeting with people and taking money from them.

Sweeten then would go back into the store and return with a Long John Silver's take-out box, which he allegedly loaded with marijuana and gave to the people in the vehicles.

The investigators called for marked Conroe police units to come to the area and conduct traffic stops on some of the vehicles that had been involved in the apparent drug transactions with Sweeten.

The patrol officers made stops on two vehicles and allegedly found marijuana inside them. Police arrested Marshall Tyner, 19; Chad Allen Cannon, 17; and Gail Stanford, 37, on charges of misdemeanor possession of marijuana. Stanford also was arrested on a felony charge of possession of a controlled substance after officers allegedly found marijuana and cocaine in her vehicle.

"We feel confident that Miss Stanford bought the marijuana from Sweeten, but we aren't sure about the cocaine," Berry said.

About 6 p.m. Friday, officers arrested Sweeten at the restaurant. They located 3.5 pounds of marijuana inside his vehicle, along with $1,400 in cash, Berry said. Investigators also found a bank bag in the vehicle believed to contain a Long John Silver's bank deposit.

The marijuana seized from Sweeten's vehicle has an estimated street value of $1,575.

Sweeten was charged in connection with the felony indictment and an additional charge of felony possession of marijuana.

Long John Silver's/A&W patrons were shocked by Sweeten's arrest.
Paul O'Neal, 17, said he believed the restaurant was in a safe part of town and never considered that anything illegal happened on the property.

"I've brought my grandmother in here before," O'Neal said. "This is crazy, plain crazy. I can't believe it."

John Mayfield, a retired construction worker, was traveling to a friend's home in Bryan when he stopped at the restaurant for a fish basket Tuesday afternoon.

"It is scary because when people are buying drugs, they can be desperate, and you have no way of knowing what a desperate person might do," Mayfield said. "I've seen good men do ugly, bad things when they were in trouble like that, and you just never know what can happen because of it."

Other customers said the incident would not affect their trips to Long John Silver's/A&W.

Mary Ferguson said employers are at the mercy of the resumes and references of workers they employee. One employee's indiscretions are not necessarily reflective of the business they work for.

"You never know who you are hiring," Ferguson said. "Someone might look good on paper but have problems no one is aware of."

Link


----------



## fruitfly

*Men Ticketed For Pot After Picking Up Injured Mountain Lion*
Wildlife Official Says Trio Was Lucky To Have Escaped Injury
February 1, 2005
Story by thedenverchannel.com

-- Three men who thought they rescued an injured bobcat or lynx in the middle of the highway were shocked to learn it was a 65-pound mountain lion.

They were even more shocked when two of them were ticketed for drug possession.

The trio was driving on U.S. Highway 36 from Estes Park, Colo., on the evening of Jan. 26, when they spotted an injured animal in the middle of the road near Pinewood Springs.

"It looked up as if to say, 'Help me,'" Jason Lee Laird told the Boulder Daily Camera.

The three men decided to rescue the animal so that it wouldn't be hit by another car, and take it to a 24-hour veterinary clinic in Longmont.

While Laird's friends directed traffic, he scooped up the large feline into his jacket and the three men lifted the animal into the back of the Jeep they were driving. One of the men sat in the back seat and stroked the animal to reassure it as they drove toward Longmont.

They stopped in the next town, ironically called Lyons, and flagged down a Boulder County sheriff's deputy who took one look at the animal and told them they had picked up a mountain lion. The deputy notified the Colorado Division of Wildlife.

The deputy told the men that he smelled marijuana in the Jeep and Laird suggested it was because the cat had relieved herself in the back of the Jeep. They deputy didn't buy it, telling the men "mountain lions don't smoke marijuana," according to the deputy's report of the incident.

Laird, 21, and Zachariah Deming, 19, were ticketed for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. The injured mountain lion, which wildlife officers guessed was four or five months old, had to be euthanized.

A DOW spokesman said the men were lucky to have survived the encounter without serious injuries. Todd Malmsbury told the newspaper that he had never heard of the rescue of a mountain lion that size.

"A mountain lion that large can kill a deer -- that's how they make a living," Malmsbury told the Camera.

Even possession of wildlife is against the law, but the men were not ticketed for that infraction, a sheriff's department spokesman said, because they were acting in good faith. 

Link


----------



## p3n1x

The deputy told the men that he smelled marijuana in the Jeep and Laird suggested it was because the cat had relieved herself in the back of the Jeep. They deputy didn't buy it, telling the men "mountain lions don't smoke marijuana," according to the deputy's report of the incident.



either that or the sheriff never saw harold an kumar smoke out a cheeta  


Even possession of wildlife is against the law, but the men were not ticketed for that infraction, a sheriff's department spokesman said, because they were acting in good faith.   

cause they were that blitz'd --  if they were totaly high they probably would have hit the lion thinking it was a speed bump


----------



## Greezooo

fruitfly said:
			
		

> Laird, 21, and Zachariah Deming, 19, were ticketed for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. The injured mountain lion, which wildlife officers guessed was four or five months old, had to be euthanized.



The poor thing, exposed to such heinous drug-abuse at such a young age.... They were right to put it to sleep, it would have never recovered. 3 months from now we would have been hearing about a young mountain lion ODing in Las Vegas after doing lines off a strippers ass...


----------



## Firecrotch

*Ecstacy Lab Uncovered, Largest in Virginia*

Police say the lab, found in house on Clay Street is the largest in Virginia.

Ellen Biltz
Associate News Editor


Police discovered the first ecstasy lab in Blacksburg Tuesday at 317 Clay St. Blacksburg Police, members of the Drug Enforcement Agency, the New River Drug Task Force and the Virginia State Police were all present in uncovering the ecstasy equipment, also known as an MDMA lab.

“The (lab) we got yesterday was the largest one we’ve ever seen in the state of Virginia,” said Laura DiCesare, public information officer for the Washington division of the DEA.

While the exact amount of drugs seized has not yet been released by the police, a police news release said, “Equipment, chemicals and precursors consistent with the manufacturing of ecstasy were discovered.” 

Lt. Don Goodman of the Virginia Tech Police Department said at this point the police cannot say whether any other types of drugs or paraphernalia were uncovered.

No arrests or charges in connection with the lab equipment or owners of the house had been made at press time. Information about the residents of 317 Clay St. has not been released due to the ongoing nature of the investigation, Goodman said.

The investigation and removal of MDMA lab equipment lasted the majority of Tuesday afternoon, beginning at 2:30 p.m. and ending after dark, Goodman said.

“We wouldn’t leave anything at the residence,” he said.

DiCesare said the lab equipment found did not include a pill-press to make the ecstasy pills. Instead, the manufacturers were emptying capsules of other medicines and filling them with MDMA.

Although a pill-press was not found, DiCesare said they did have very high-grade equipment.

“They had very sophisticated, professional-grade glassware,” she said. “We are not going to (speculate) about where they got it from, but it was very sophisticated.”

Goodman said MDMA and methamphetamine are similar in chemical makeup but different in composition. 

“These labs are dangerous simply because of the chemicals that are used to make the drugs,” he said.

While both drugs are synthetically made, DiCesare said the main difference between the two is that ecstasy is more of a hallucinogen that is popular with the partying or club scene, while meth is a more addictive drug, like cocaine or heroin.

“MDMA has two other components that meth doesn’t,” she said.

Goodman also said that while there have previously been methamphetamine labs in Montgomery County, the Town of Blacksburg has never encountered one.

According to the DEA website, there are a limited number of ecstasy labs in the United States. In 2001, only 17 were found.

DiCesare said in the last three to four years, since domestic production of MDMA has become popular, there have been a total of four in the state of Virginia.


----------



## toolazy2think

High School Teacher Arrested On Meth Charge
Police Investigating Whether Drug Was Sold At School

POSTED: 2:44 pm MST February 9, 2005

ROCK SPRINGS, Wyo. -- A Wyoming high school teacher was arrested at her school after police allegedly found drugs at her home and in her purse at school.

Karen Coffee Echols, 51, of Rock Springs was charged Monday with felony drug possession and released on $30,000 bond.

Echols did not have a listed phone number and could not be reached for comment by The Associated Press. 

Police said a school janitor found what was thought to be methamphetamine inside a school bathroom at Independence High School, the city's alternative school, during a time when Echols was the only other person in the building. Echols also teaches at Rock Springs High School.

Officers reported finding several pipes with what appeared to be burned methamphetamine at Echols' home.

Police said they confronted Echols at Independence, where they found pipes and methamphetamine in her purse.

Detective Tim Robinson said the drugs were individually bagged, as if for sale, and that police were investigating whether Echols might have sold drugs at the school.



Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


http://www.thedenverchannel.com/education/4181754/detail.html


----------



## Reverend_Lust

PORTLAND -- More than 13 pounds of methamphetamine were discovered late Sunday at Portland International Airport.

Customs agents allegedly found the meth during an inspection of Maria Concepcion Busto-Ortiz's checked luggage. It was concealed inside three horse saddles.

"Sometimes it still comes down to good old-fashioned customs work knowing when intuition tells you something just isn't right," Dave Ferguson told KOIN News 6.

The 41-year-old Vancouver, Wash., woman was arriving from Guadalajara, Mexico. She was arrested early Monday and later charged by a federal grand jury for importation of meth.

A custody hearing was set for Feb. 17, with the trial set for April 19. If convicted, she faces 10 years to life in prison and a fine of up to $4 million.

The street value of the drugs is around a half-million dollars.



		Code:
	

http://koin.com/news.asp?ID=1299


----------



## DexterMeth

Greezooo said:
			
		

> *The poor thing, exposed to such heinous drug-abuse at such a young age.... They were right to put it to sleep, it would have never recovered. 3 months from now we would have been hearing about a young mountain lion ODing in Las Vegas after doing lines off a strippers ass... *



LMFAO


----------



## halucinajustin

*850 pounds of Marijuana siezed in Michigan*

http://abclocal.go.com/wjrt/news/022805_NW_da_narcotics.html

was coming from Canada and heading possibly Gary, Indiana. Estimated value at 3.8 million dollars.


----------



## toolazy2think

3.8 mil my ass, mass produced pot isn't of very high quality, and street value probably woudlnt exceed 1200 or so, putting the price at about 1 mil.  I don't understand where all these media stories get their price estimates from, they're almost always vastly inflated.


----------



## halucinajustin

I thought it was a bit high too.....but i was thinking more around 2.5.
1 Mil is definately low


----------



## toolazy2think

depends on the quality, my friend gets lb's of commercial quality (mids) for 1250, so multiply that by 850 you get 1.0625 mil.  It just depends on the quality of bud.


----------



## Reverend_Lust

Millionaire Accused In Huge Cocaine Bust
372 Pounds Of Drugs Found

PORTLAND -- A former Portland millionaire entrepreneur has been charged in what Washington authorities say is the biggest cocaine seizure in Snohomish County.

That's 372 pounds of cocaine worth an estimated $34 million.

Authorities say 33-year-old Douglas Bryan Spink is an operator of a farm for the breeding of jumping horses in Chilliwack, British Columbia. He has now been charged with drug possession after being stopped in a sport utility vehicle yesterday.

Spink is known in Portland for a passion for extreme sports as well as for the roller-coaster course of his business dealings.

Authorities say Spink got five suitcases from a man driving a truck that investigators had linked to a drug-smuggling group.



		Code:
	

http://koin.com/news.asp?ID=1512


----------



## toolazy2think

Alligator, weapons, drugs seized
Posted: Monday, Mar 07, 2005 - 11:22:13 am CST
By Jen Scherer
Daily News staff writer

Piranhas, body armor also confiscated from fortified house
The Beloit police tactical unit busted down the fortified doors of a drug house Saturday in the city's northwest side, seizing drugs, weapons, body armor and an alligator.

The incident occurred at 6:15 a.m. at 1713 Grant St. when Beloit's SWAT team and State Line Area Narcotics Team agents executed a SLANT search warrant at the home.

Five people inside were taken into custody, though three were released without charges. Jose L. Quintero, 23, is tentatively charged with a variety of drug and weapons offenses and Stephanie R. Losching, 18, has been tentatively charged with cocaine possession, Beloit Police Capt. Bill Tyler said.

Tyler said the house was fortified with steel reinforced doors and a surveillance system.

"It didn't appear as anyone was normally living there," Tyler said. "It appeared consistent more of a drug house than actually as a residence."

Quintero, is from Chicago, though he was most recently from Milwaukee. Tyler said he had been staying in the Beloit area for some time and is the one who rents the house.

Tyler said such fortification and surveillance measures are typically taken to protect against theft from other drug offenders and are unusual in Beloit.

"We attribute that partly to the fact that Quintero is not from here," Tyler said. "He may have had some more extensive dealings sort of at a higher end than we typically see around here."

Because of the reinforcements, it took police a few extra seconds to get into the home.

"We were concerned because the primary target had a weapons history," Tyler said. "The fact that they had a surveillance system was concerning. We knew they would be aware of our presence."

Several "distraction devices" were deployed during the execution of the search warrant.

"We had to basically smash down the front doors," Tyler said. "It was quite difficult to gain entry but the unit did gain entry and we were able to secure all the persons in the residence."

Tyler said that when Quintero was arrested, there was ballistic body armor and a semiautomatic handgun nearby.

"Those are items typically found in homes that are your more determined drug houses," Tyler said.

A stun gun was also recovered at the scene, and agents seized a 2001 Lexus SUV and two other vehicles, as well as a quantity of cocaine and marijuana.

In searching the house, agents discovered a 2 foot alligator in a cage in the basement and some piranha which were seized and turned over to the Rock County Humane Society, Tyler said.

Tyler could not say what the purpose of the alligator was.

"It was a snappy little thing though," Tyler said.

He said there will likely be follow up charges from the Humane Society and the police relating to the possession of the alligator.

Tyler expected that Quintero and Losching would appear in court today.

Additional charges may be pending as police continue to investigate.

"We like to see those individuals off the street so we're glad it worked out," Tyler said. "We're pleased with the results and I think many of the neighbors were pleased we were able to take action in the situation."

Tyler said police were not forced to block off the street because the search warrant was executed so early in the morning.

http://beloitdailynews.com/articles/2005/03/07/news/news04.txt


----------



## swybs

^^^ Piranhas AND an alligator? Sounds like a party to me! BTW, I smell informant 100%; damn nasty loose-lipped slippery bastards....

swybs


----------



## fruitfly

*Police swoop on cannabis plantation* (Australia)
ABC News
March 28, 2005

Police have used a helicopter to remove a well-established cannabis plantation from the Kanangra Boyd National Park near Oberon in central western NSW.

Officers uprooted the 152 plants from the park late yesterday after getting a tip-off from a member of the public.

Chifley duty officer Inspector Chris Davey says the plants had an estimated street value of more than $300,000 and ranged from half a metre to two-and-a-half metres in height.

Inspector Davey says a camouflaged tent and a water pump were also found.

"Because of the steep terrain we required a police helicopter, Pol Air Three, to come in and lift the cannabis, the property out of the area because it was physically impossible to carry it out by man," he said.

Link


----------



## fungus44

Oi vei.


----------



## DexterMeth

I dont think this is fair in any way.  Why are they punishing the supplier for something a customer wasn't supposed to ever do?  The supplier even says not to ingest.  I can see him getting some minimal jail time because of the analoge act, but 20 years to life?  He DIDNT KILL this idiot.  

I dont get how this is even legal to charge someone like this.


----------



## zekethemusicman

^^ well, this is Amerikkka

However, how the hell did a quadraplegic - you know, the ones that are completely disabled save stuff above the neck - take a fatal dose of a chemical?  Now i can see this being "reasonable" if the guy that sold the chemicals actually delievered the package to the disabled man and manually delivered the chemical into the dudes CNS, but this....no im sorry.


----------



## DJAcetone

I can just imagine a quadrapelegic trying to snort 2c-I

now THAT is comedy


----------



## psychetool

^ LMFAO

He just stuck his tongue into the bag. I do agree that 20 years is fucking insane though.


----------



## Tryptamine*Dreamer

This is bullshit. To buy the chemicals you had to agree not to use for human consumption. How many people have died from research chemicals anyway? I know it is not very many, I think less than a dozen confirmed deaths. They have been used by tens of thousands, maybe even hundreds of thousands of people. That makes them less deadly than most drugs. The idiot who died could have easily taken 20 or 30 times a normal dose. I do not know the details of the other deaths but I would bet that most if not all were overdoses or drug combos. The government is not concerned with the safety of the people, they are just afraid that somebody is going to get high and enjoy themselves. They should get the fuck out of our lives.


----------



## jtm8430

I have honestly taken some of these chemicals from that very company.. It says all over the outside and their website not for human consumption... Thats bullshit that they can charge this guy... People that buy them have got to know/learn that only a small amount of most will make u trip balls, if he was dumb enough to take a large amount its his own fault.  Educate yourself on proper dose


----------



## nuke

Yup, it's BS...Someone needs to save up/find the money to challenge the analogue act.


----------



## DexterMeth

I think ALL of the 5-meo-amt deaths were because the idiots took 60+ miligrams, when a HEAVY dose is like 5mg.  I remember reading of a death where some guy SNORTED like 100mg of this shit.

I would be willing to place my money on the notion that most of the people if not all that have died from RC's was from taking WAY too much, not being educated on how much to take, were on other drugs at the time, or snorted them.  

I know plenty of people have snorted RC's, but it's obviously more dangerous, especially if you are on other drugs at the time, and dont measure your doses. 

What the hell do you think is going to happen if you are on 3 different mood stabilizers, an SSRI, an MAOI, and then you snort an RC that is active at .5mg, in a fat coke sized line?


----------



## fruitfly

re: *Man admits selling designer drugs* -- see DITM thread Police Clampdown on Internet Drug Sales for some background.


----------



## fruitfly

*Tons Of Drugs Found In Furniture Store Delivery Truck
Marijuana Valued At $4.5 Million*
AP
March 31, 2005

OTAY MESA, Calif. -- Warehouse workers unloading a furniture shipment from Mexico discovered more than 7.5 tons of marijuana in the delivery truck, according to federal officials.

The drugs, valued at $4.5 million, were found among television stands and carts at an Otay Mesa warehouse, said Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman Lauren Mack.

The truck driver crossed the U.S.-Mexico border without incident Tuesday and delivered the shipment to the warehouse at about 3 p.m., Mack said. The warehouse owners and the trucking company reported the discovery to federal agents.

Agents interviewed the truck driver, but did not arrest him.

Link


----------



## fruitfly

*NORA AUNOR ARRESTED FOR DRUGS AT LA AIRPORT*
Sun.Star Cebu (Philippines)
April 2, 2005

LOS ANGELES - Nora Aunor was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport for allegedly possessing an illegal drug, a newspaper reported yesterday.

The singer-actress, whose real name is Nora Cabaltera Villamayor, was arrested late Wednesday allegedly with eight grams of methamphetamine in her carry-on bag and a glass pipe wrapped in a T-shirt, according to the Daily Breeze of Torrance, which is near Los Angeles.

The newspaper named Aunor, but Jennifer Peppin, a spokeswoman for the Transportation Security Administration, would only identify the woman as a "female suspect."

Airport screeners stopped Aunor, who was flying to Oakland, and found the methamphetamine in a film container, the Daily Breeze said, citing unnamed law enforcement officials.

Aunor, 51, was released early Thursday after posting $10,000 bail, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.  A court hearing was scheduled April 21.

Lita Patayon, assistant to the Philippines' consulate in Los Angeles, told The Associated Press by phone she was unaware of the incident but would attempt to confirm whether Aunor was arrested.

Aunor has appeared in more than 170 films and recorded more than two dozen albums, including scores of hit singles.

On screen, she starred with leading men of her time, including Joseph Estrada.

She won the best actress award at the 2004 International Festival of Independent Films in Brussels, Belgium.  In 1997, she won for best actress at the East Asia Film and Television Festival Awards in Penang, Malaysia.

Although still a Philippine citizen, Aunor now spends much of her time in the United States and has a home in Linda Vista, several miles north of San Diego.

Link


----------



## fruitfly

*Pot-Scented Cash Leads To Drug Arrest*
Police Say They Found Marijuana After Smelling Bail Money
April 7, 2005

GREENSBURG, Ind. -- A man who went to the sheriff's department to bond out his brother-in-law also wound up in jail when police found that the money he handed them reeked of marijuana.

But the money was good enough to free the brother-in-law, who later returned to the jail with more money to free his relative.

It all started when Timothy Richards, 45, of Columbus, went to the Decatur County Sheriff's Department on Tuesday and handed dispatcher Julie Meyers $400. She counted it and noticed something unusual.

"When I walked back toward the jail I noticed the money was damp and smelled funny," Meyers said.

A jailer who sniffed the money told her it smelled like marijuana, she said.

Indiana State Trooper Chip Ayers was nearby and asked for the money, Meyers said. He smelled it and then asked Richards for consent to search him and his car.

Ayers reported finding a pipe and a small amount of marijuana and arrested Richards on a charge of drug possession. If convicted, he could face six months to three years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

But police didn't confiscate the money, Meyers said, and Richards' brother-in-law was released from the jail, about 50 miles southeast of Indianapolis.

Richards didn't have enough cash with him to get himself out of jail, so he remained there for several hours until the same brother-in-law brought in the required $250 bond, police said.

Richards could not be reached for comment as there is no home telephone listing for him in Columbus.

Link


----------



## fizzacyst

*
Mom, Son Busted for Drugs in St. Lawrence County *

Neighbor complaints led police to the discovery of drugs in a town of Louisville home, and the arrests of a mother and her son.

The St. Lawrence County Drug Task Force says it checked into a complaint from neighbors that there was drug dealing at 135 Kingsley Rd.

Investigators say that while interviewing the residents of the home, they found more than three ounces of illegal hallucinogenic mushrooms and five ounces of marijuana.

# Arrested were: Tommy R. Ammons, age 19. Police say he was already under supervision of probation on other charges.
# Susan M. Ammons, age 45, his mother.

An investigator told NewsWatch50 the illegal mushrooms were in two ziplock bags. He said it was the largest amount of the drug he had ever seen.

Hallucinogenic mushrooms are thumbnail sized mushrooms that are a potent drug when smoked.

Both suspects are being held without bail. Illegal growers must cultivate them as they are not native to North Country soil.


"
Hallucinogenic mushrooms are thumbnail sized mushrooms that are a potent drug when smoked."

gah.

3oz was the largest amount of shrooms the investigator had every seen. haha.


----------



## rcebborn

*'Drug haunt’ discotheque raided*

'DRUG HAUNT' DISCOTHEQUE RAIDED

Friday, April 16th, 2005

Penang (Malaysia): The Bukit Aman crackdown on drugs in nightspots continues with another raid – on a discotheque here yesterday that saw 123 patrons testing positive for drugs.  

Three underaged girls and two soldiers were among those who tested positive in the raid by a Bukit Aman narcotics team at the Amazon discotheque in Abu Siti Lane at about 3am. There were 215 patrons present then.  

Federal Narcotics Department Assistant Director (Intelligence and Operations) Senior Asst Comm (II) Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar said five suspected drug pushers were also nabbed in the bust.  


“We are tracing the owner and will charge him under Section 13(C) of the Dangerous Drugs Act for allowing his premises to be used for consumption and trafficking of drugs.  

“The party was in full swing when my team moved in. We found amphetamine pills and other drugs strewn on the floor,” he said.  
The police also found about 100 cigarettes laced with ganja, Ecstasy pills, syabu, and Ketamine and Eramin 5 pills in the premises.  

Sources said the Amazon discotheque was a well-known “head shaking” joint, which opened up to 8am on weekends.   

State police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Christopher Wan said the discotheque had been operating without a licence since 2001.  
“Countless raids have been conducted on the premises over the past several years.  

“Raids on the state’s nightspots will be intensified. Nightspot operators who allow drugs to be used in their premises and fail to adhere to the 3am closing time will find their licences revoked based on our recommendations to the relevant authorities,” he said.  

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2005/4/16/nation/10703495&sec=nation

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have to say that this was the craziest place I've ever been to in my life, and I am sad that i won't be able to party here again; I have many fond memories to take away with me. Malaysia has started to become VERY strict with their drug policy recently, many clubs and discos are getting raided on a frequent basis.  I hate the government.

Peace


----------



## Reuptake

What is eramin 5 and syabu?


----------



## rcebborn

It's supposed to be erimin 5 (also called nimetazepam), it's a benzodiazepine primarily found in Asia (Hong Kong and Malaysia mostly if I'm not mistaken.

Syabu is just another name for ice or crystal meth.

Peace


----------



## bengalaas

i miss amazon.. i really really do


----------



## wondci2

*Retired chemist faces drug charges in Indianapolis*

A retired chemist faces drug charges after police found five vials of liquid LSD in his Castleton home.

Stephen Vitone, 52, was arrested Monday after Indiana State Police and Marion County probation officers found the vials during a random search checking for probation compliance. The searches were conducted in the Marion County area.

Vitone was arrested in late 2004 on drug-related charges, police said.

Vitone is retired from “a local employer in town” said State Police Sgt. Ray Poole, although he would not specify which company. Vitone has extensive information and knowledge on how human bodies react to controlled substances, Poole said.

The approximate street value per “drop” of the liquid hallucinogen is $20. 

“LSD is very potent,” Poole said. “Each of those vials was several thousand dollars.”

LSD, which is manufactured from lysergic acid, is an illegal mood-changing chemical and is typically sold on the street in capsules, tablets and in liquid form.

Vitone [snip] now faces charges of possession of a controlled substance and probation violation. He is in the Marion County Jail.

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050426/NEWS01/50426006&SearchID=73206331885822

[edit: removed address]


----------



## wondci2

He should have hid his drugs better!!! haha


----------



## jdude3

Caught with vials of LSD, with a history in chemistry. He is f&^ked. At the age of 52, I doubt he will ever see the sun again.  Sad trip.


----------



## EternalX

damnit i drive through castleton almost every day. i never hear of any acid


----------



## Madhatter4

*Re: Retired chemist faces drug charges in Indianapolis*



			
				wondci2 said:
			
		

> *The approximate street value per “drop” of the liquid hallucinogen is $20.
> 
> 
> [edit: removed address] *



^^^Another fucked up price!!!!!I mean cmon who the hell is going to pay $20 for ONE drop of liquid LSD.......Why does the government ALWAYS distort the price of the drugs they seize


----------



## sonic

^ To justify the amount of money they spend on the drug war.


----------



## ImpossibleDreamer

Damnit!!  I was going to be getting some acid this weekend...I hope Stephen here isn't the person my friend was getting it from.


----------



## j33buscr1p3s

Heh.  I bet he used to work at Lilly.


----------



## ImpossibleDreamer

Probably...the only other place I can think of in Indiana is Bristol-Meyers Squibb down in Evansville...but even then, I'm not sure if that's a research facility for them.


----------



## mrsumone

Why would you keep vials of acid, let alone any drug in your house if you know that your probation officer may search your house?

I mean, you could have put the acid in a water bottle or something and kept it in the fridge...


----------



## Glory Days

*Heroin worth $60m seized in Adelaide, AUSTRALIA*

Heroin worth $60m seized in Adelaide
13:35 AEST Fri May 13 2005

Five men have been arrested following the seizure in South Australia of more than 115kg of heroin with a street value of more than $60 million.

The heroin, imported in a shipping container, is the largest amount ever seized in South Australia, Australian Federal Police and Customs said on Friday.

Five men, alleged to be part of a sophisticated and well-organised drug syndicate, were later arrested in Sydney and Hong Kong, the AFP and Customs said in a joint statement.

The heroin arrived in Melbourne from China in February in two shipping containers that were listed as carrying plastic chairs, the AFP said.

The heroin was then delivered to a storage facility in Salisbury North, in Adelaide's north, the AFP and customs said.

AFP officers deconstructed the containers at the warehouse, where they located about 400 small plastic blocks containing white powder.


Authorities then continued to monitor the empty containers as they were moved by rail in late April to a warehouse in the Sydney suburb of Minto.

A 21-year-old man from Punchbowl in Sydney and a 26-year-old Hong Kong man were arrested on Thursday after allegedly trying to access the Minto warehouse.

They were charged with attempting to possess a prohibited import.

A 46-year-old man from Strathfield in Sydney was arrested near the warehouse and charged with dealing money with the intention that it would later become an instrument of crime.

All three men will appear in the Sydney Central Local Court on Friday.

A 41-year-old man from Sydney's Kogarah was also arrested near the warehouse.

He was charged with two counts of having on his person goods in custody and will appear in Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court next month.

A 29-year-old man, alleged to have rented the warehouses in Sydney and Adelaide, was arrested in Hong Kong.

The man allegedly lived in Australia on a student visa to facilitate the importation and only recently returned to Hong Kong.

The AFP said it located a further 10kg of heroin during searches in Sydney on Thursday night in connection to the seizure.

Customs SA regional director Virginia Lynch said the method of hiding drugs inside the shipping containers was highly sophisticated.

AFP border and international network national manger Mike Phelan said the seizure had occurred after a year-long investigation, involving authorities in Belgium, the Netherlands, China and Hong Kong.

"We have been monitoring the activities of this group for some time now and we are confident that this well organised group is now out of business," he said.


Source: NineMSN (http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=4273)


----------



## fruitfly

*OnStar leads deputies to toddler, marijuana*
May 20, 2005

ALBUQUERQUE (AP) - Bernalillo County sheriff’s deputies have made one of the biggest drug busts in the department’s history.

It all started with a call made Wednesday night to OnStar by a toddler who was locked inside a Cadillac Escalade, according to a copyright story in the Albuquerque Journal.

When deputies went to rescue the boy, they found him inside the vehicle and his father, Alfredo Ibarra, 25, outside trying to coach his son to open a door.

The security service eventually unlocked the doors, freeing the boy.

Deputies became suspicious of a new trailer nearby. Inside, they found 1,700 pounds of marijuana, worth an estimated $500,000.

Authorities said the boy’s father, along with 25-year-old Eric Aniles, 52-year-old Jimmy Hogan and 23-year-old Sean Daly are in federal custody on drug trafficking charges.

Link


----------



## PamUla2003

What is this world coming to...

OMG...I wish I had pure E in the states...

That shit is so hard to find...


----------



## Skyline_GTR

*£225m cocaine seized off the Canary Islands*

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4596937.stm

*Britons held in £225m drugs raid*





Cocaine was seized in Las Palmas

Three Britons are among 12 people arrested after a vessel carrying five tonnes of cocaine was stopped off the coast of Spain. 

The haul, one of the biggest ever seized, is thought to be worth at least £225m on the street. 

The drugs were found when the boat reached Las Palmas in the Canary Islands at the weekend. 

On Friday, Timothy Kieran O'Toole, Ian Stephen Davenport and James Carabini were arrested on the Costa del Sol. 

*Joint operation* 

The vessel was tracked across the Atlantic from Latin America in a joint operation by police and customs in Spain, Portugal and the UK. 

It is thought the drugs were bound for all three countries. 

When the boat stopped in the Canaries last week, armed Spanish Customs officers stormed the boat, arrested the crew and seized the cargo. 

Then police in mainland Spain mounted a series of raids across the country holding alleged members of a Spanish drugs clan and Colombians.


----------



## fruitfly

*Prisoner in jam after drugs found in his sandwich*
Associated Press
06/04/05

THOMASVILLE -- A man serving time for burglary at Thomas County Prison is in a new jam. Authorities say Curtis Hall tried to sneak illegal drugs in a peanut butter-and-jelly sandwich.

Prison officials said Friday that Hall brought the sandwich back to the prison from work detail. About 3 grams of marijuana were found wrapped in plastic between the peanut butter and jelly.

"They're not supposed to return with anything," said Peggy Chapman, spokeswoman for the state Department of Corrections.

Hall, 43, was charged with possession of marijuana across a guardline. He will be transferred to a different prison, Chapman said.

Link


----------



## boywonder

Police Seize LSD Near Campus:

Narcotics officers seized more than 4,500 hits of the hallucinogen, LSD, in what authorities are describing as a major drug bust near the Ohio State University campus.

Lab technicians say it's some of the most highly concentrated, potent LSD they have ever tested, judging the thousands of units to be worth tens of thousands of dollars on the streets.

The doses look like a sheet of paper. But closer inspection reveals hundreds of tiny perforations. And police say each is coated with the liquid drug LSD.

Narcotics detectives started making undercover buys a few weeks ago, targeting people who they say looked the part.

"The hippy generation, if you want to call it that,” is how one undercover detective described the look of the suspects.

Detectives say they bought LSD from Justin Perry and Timothy Alexander.  Both of them now face trafficking charges.

The investigation ended in a raid at an apartment on Chittenden Avenue where detectives found the 4,500 hits of L-S-D, worth about $22,000 on the street.

"It's definitely surprising and scary in the same regard because of the dangers that come along with a drug like LSD," a detective told 10TV.

Tyra McDonald and Troy Williams face first-degree felony possession charges.

Douglas Crook, is facing less serious possession charges.

Police call the arrests and seizures significant. But undercover officers suspect there's a lot more where this came from. Still this bust could put a dent in the local LSD trade.

Williams and McDonald, the two people accused of felony possession, could face the next 10 years in prison if convicted.

http://www.wbns10tv.com/Global/story.asp?S=3430936&nav=LUERaeiB


----------



## snowshovel

Energy probe uncovers drug farms

Police have recovered £8.5m worth of cannabis after investigations by an energy firm into electricity theft led them to 47 illegal drug farms.

British Gas gave police details of properties where electricity was being stolen through by-passing the meter.

London, Nottingham and Merseyside police are among those which have found farms using the information this year.

The company said cannabis farms needed huge amounts of energy so energy theft and drug production were often linked.

A British Gas spokesman said: "The way that these illegal cannabis plants work is by having lights, lots of lights on 24 hours a day.

"This obviously takes an enormous amount of power. These are not just people growing cannabis - they are criminals too."

Raids also took place in the South East of England, West Yorkshire and elsewhere in the UK.

The company estimates it takes about £3,000 a year to power a small-scale cannabis factory and that stolen energy is costing the industry around £340 million a year.

It also said it had uncovered thefts of electricity worth £150,000 since January.

Tell-tale signs

Properties are often identified by tell-tale signs such as bin bags stuck to windows to block out light and permanently closed curtains.

Head of British Gas investigation unit Harry Metcalfe said in many cases those that pinched power were doing it for another reason - to produce drugs.

"Stealing electricity and gas is illegal and it's extremely dangerous, not just for the criminal but also for the other people in the house and their neighbours.

"But the successes we have had so far this year show that we are determined to find the thieves and show that we can."

Seizures up

According to media reports this weekend, there has been an explosion in the home grown market, with a surge in sales of small-scale growing kits and seeds.

Reports said that in the past month, the Metropolitan Police seized more than 10,000 cannabis plants.

And figures out soon are expected to show a doubling in the amount of herbal cannabis seized over the past year.

The dramatic increase comes as the government is considering reclassifying cannabis back to a class B drug, having changed it to a class C drug last year.

British Gas has also set up a hotline for people to report suspected cases of gas or electricity fraud. It is 0800 587 2737. 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4080602.stm


----------



## massive

*concealed heroin bricks inside cocaine bricks seized*

- INTELLIGENCE ALERT - 

COCAINE BRICKS CONTAINING INTERNAL HEROIN BRICKS IN NOGALES, ARIZONA






The DEA Southwest Laboratory (Vista, California) recently received 17 bricks wrapped in plastic, brown tape, and cellophane, containing a compressed white powder, suspected cocaine. The exhibits were seized by the U.S. Border Patrol at the Nogales, Arizona Port of Entry (circumstances not further reported). Upon further examination, however, each brick was also found to contain a second, internal brick, wrapped in brown tape and cellophane, which contained an unknown, compressed, tan colored powder (see Photo 1). The net mass of the white powder in the outer bricks averaged 600 grams per brick, while the net mass of the tan powder in the inner bricks averaged 500 grams per brick (both values very consistent from brick to brick). Analysis of the white powder by GC/FID, LC, GC/MS and FTIR/ATR confirmed 85 percent cocaine hydrochloride adulterated with caffeine, while analysis of the tan powder (same analytical techniques) indicated a mixture of 72 percent heroin hydrochloride and 7.2 percent cocaine hydrochloride. This is the first submission of heroin mini-bricks inside cocaine bricks to the Laboratory.

[Editor’s Notes: This appears to be the first ever report of concealing heroin bricks inside cocaine bricks. It is postulated that this unusual concealment technique was utilized to deceive mid-level transporters, who charge higher rates for heroin shipments versus cocaine shipments.]

http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/programs/forensicsci/microgram/mg0405/mg0405.html


----------



## johnnyb420

holy moly that is a speed ball freaks wet dream i was just sitting her thinking how long i could self medicate with that brick 600g of coke and 500g of smack would keep me pretty busy for a while


----------



## jbl7460

A while shit id be high for a week j/k i know i would die when i took the first hit... As i drool like homer.


----------



## jdude3

*Clerk Of Caught*

Clerk Of Caught
NYC man busted for selling pot from federal courthouse office

JUNE 30--A Brooklyn man was arrested yesterday for actually running a marijuana sales operation out of the clerk's office in the Manhattan federal courthouse. According to the below criminal complaint, file clerk Nikolas Morales sold $10 dime bags to a confidential witness working with federal investigators. Morales was hit with a felony drug rap for his efforts, which occurred in a building populated with federal prosecutors, judges, FBI and DEA agents, and other assorted law enforcement personnel. To his credit, though, Morales advised his customer--who was wearing a government wire--not to toke near the courthouse due to the elevated fuzz quotient. Instead, Morales suggested that the purchaser head to the vicinity of a nearby C-Town supermarket where, presumably, the coast was clear.

The smoking gun is there..... 

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/0630051potclerk1.html


----------



## missing_one

*10kg Heroin 'Dropped'*

KUNMING, July 13 (Xinhuanet) -- The frontier guards in Ruili City of southwest China's Yunnan Province have cracked a major drug trafficking case, seizing 10,050 grams of heroin, said sources with the city's frontier defense brigade.

At 21:30 on July 10, the city's frontier defense brigade was tipped by the local residents on a possible drug deal, and immediately sent out detectives to the informed site, about 400 meters east to the gate of the Jinyuan Hotel in the city.

However, before the detectives could spot the suspected drug trafficker, a man suddenly dropped a carton in his hands and fled the site. The frontier guards later found 25 blocks of heroin weighing 10,050 grams in the box, but failed to apprehend the suspect, who was believed to have crossed the national boundary.

Ruili is located on the borders of China and Myanmar.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-07/13/content_3215987.htm


----------



## johnnyb420

wow that is a but load of dope   

i bet someone has serious splainin to do today in fact i bet someone is dead as a result of this


----------



## fruitfly

*HEROIN WAS HIDDEN IN A BOWL OF PORRIDGE*
By Raymond Shewan
12 July 2005

Police found heroin with a street value of £900 hidden in a bowl of porridge during a drugs raid on an address in Elgin.

They also discovered two sets of scales and £270 in cash in Ryan Hoskins's home at xx xxxxxxx Drive.

Yesterday Hoskins, 30, was jailed for 18 months when he admitted on indictment being involved in the supply of heroin on September 15 last year.

He was told by Sheriff Ian Cameron that he was a persistent criminal who had the disadvantage of having a significant record.

Sheriff Cameron said although he did not have a bad record for drugs offences, he had become concerned in supplying heroin, a class-A drug which is "horrendously addictive and can lead to immense despair and degradation".

The court heard police, acting on information, had executed a drugs search warrant at Hoskins's home where they found him in the kitchen in the company of some others.

Fiscal depute Geoff Main said Hoskins was asked if there were drugs on the property but he said there were none.

However, a plastic container was discovered in a bowl of what appeared to be porridge.

Mr Main said it was found to contain around 6.5g of diamorphine.

Defence solicitor Jim McKay said that at the time of the offence Hoskins had been acting as a single parent while his partner was serving a jail sentence.

"He was struggling with problems of opiate addiction at the time and trying very hard to get off the drug," said Mr McKay.

He said Hoskins had since successfully completed a methadone programme and had managed to get a part-time job with a building firm.

Mr McKay said it was accepted that Hoskins had an extensive and lengthy record, mainly for crime of dishonesty and road traffic offences, although he had largely stayed out of trouble since 2000.

In view of the absence of previous convictions for drugs offences, Mr McKay urged Sheriff Cameron to deal with the case by imposing a meaningful fine or community service work. But the sheriff said he was unable to deal with it other than by custody because of Hoskins's record and the gravity of the offence.

Link


----------



## hoptis

NSW Central Coast, Australia

*Raid nets $20m drug haul*
July 26, 2005
From: AAP

POLICE have dismantled an elaborate drug laboratory on the New South Wales Central Coast after a raid which uncovered amphetamines worth about $20 million.

Strike Force Olea, set up to investigate drug activity in the area, uncovered $10 million worth of amphetamines ready for street sale from an agricultural shed on Wiseman's Ferry Road at Maroota on July 18.

Production appeared to be underway for another batch of the drug also thought to be worth $10 million.

But the ring responsible for the drug operation has so far escaped detection.

Detective Inspector Paul Willington of the Drug Squad said today 150,000 crushed-up cough and cold tablets were found at an elaborate lab and a further 50,000 tablets were also discovered.

Det-Insp Willington said police found drums of methylated spirits, large quantities of Demazin, Telfast, Sudafed and Dimatapp gelcaps on the property.

They also seized distillation equipment, a steam generator and large containers of waste.

"There was enough waste actually seeping through the floorboards to actually form a stalactite of methylamphetamine waste," he said.

Detective Inspector Brett McFadden said the dismantling of the lab took four days due to the size and complex set up.

"This was a well-established and sophisticated operation which had the potential to sell $20 million worth of speed on our streets," he said.

"No arrests have been made at this stage but a number of inquiries are in place to identify those responsible for setting up the lab and manufacturing the drugs."

Police intelligence and evidence suggested the tablets were being sourced from local pharmacies, he said.

From News.com.au/AAP

EDIT: follow-up

*Man charged over $20m speed haul*
July 27, 2005
From: AAP

A MAN will appear in court today in connection with a $20 million drug bust on a property north of Sydney.

Police yesterday revealed they had dismantled a clandestine drug laboratory at Maroota, where they allegedly found in a farm shed $10 million worth of amphetamines ready for street sale.

About 200,000 cold tablets were found at the lab and production appeared to be underway for another batch of the drug, also thought to be worth $10 million.

Police said the ring responsible for the drug operation had escaped detection until yesterday.

But the breakthrough came last night when a 30-year-old man was arrested at a home at St Marys, in Sydney's west.

He was remanded in custody and will appear in Penrith Local Court today to face charges of manufacturing a large commercial quantity of a prohibited drug.

From News.com.au/AAP


----------



## repoman4you

*What do you suppose he thought would happen?*

SAN ANTONIO, Texas (Reuters) - A Texas man was arrested on Monday after calling police to complain about the theft of his marijuana, authorities said.

Stephen Knight, 17, said three men had broken into his apartment, hogtied him with Christmas lights and stole some marijuana, along with a plasma screen television, police said.

Police are looking for the suspects. In the meantime, they arrested Knight after finding several marijuana plants growing under heat lamps in the apartment, four grams of harvested marijuana and a tablet of ecstasy, Officer Chad Ripley said.

Knight said the men barged into his home early on Monday morning demanding, "Where's the weed?," according to San Antonio police. 

Originating url: http://go.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=oddlyEnoughNews&storyID=9181233&src=eDialog/GetContent


----------



## CreativeRandom

I didn't know they could release such information if you were a minor!


----------



## fruitfly

*Police: Ice Cream Truck Sells Drugs*
Undercover Officers Allegedly Witness Drug Deal
August 2, 2005

CINCINNATI -- An ice cream truck was selling more than Popsicles and sugar cones Tuesday. Police believe drugs were being sold from the truck, News 5's Emily Longnecker reported.

Officials said shortly after 2 p.m., police received a call to search a white ice cream truck on Reading Road near Burton Avenue for drug activity.

Undercover officers watched the truck and eventually witnessed two people take items that clearly weren't ice cream from the truck, police said.

Police stopped the two men, one of whom was a 17-year-old boy. The other person, Larry Collier, ran from police, who used a Taser gun to apprehend and arrest him.

Investigators said they found a 45 mm handgun and a half kilo of cocaine on Collier. Police also found crack on the 17-year-old suspect, Longnecker reported.

Police then stopped the truck to search for drugs. A police K-9 was brought in to assist in the search, but no drugs were found. Officials said the dog located a trace of drugs, which meant the truck could have been used in transporting drugs previously.

The driver of the drug was arrested on outstanding warrants not related to the alleged drug activity.

Police said the investigation is ongoing.

Link


----------



## fruitfly

^ Is it me or has the news been full of stories about cops and tasers lately?


----------



## wondci2

*Indianapolis: Hidden drugs discovered in truck trailer*

Indianapolis, Aug. 9 - "It's going to ruin somebody's day obviously," says Indiana State Trooper C. Todd Wix.

The reverse is true for the State Police and it's drug dog Max, who are literally drooling over the find they made on Tuesday morning.

"In this instance you just feel like you've done a great job and it was a good night, basically," adds Wix.

Just before three a.m., two State Police troopers and Max were making a routine check of an area off I-465 and Harding Avenue when they saw a trailer that was standing alone and not connected to a tractor.

At first glance it appeared empty. But the exterior of the trailer measured 53 feet, inside it measured only 48.

"We were able to locate a hidden compartment in the vehicle that contained approximately 1,000 pounds of marijuana. It was based off of Max's nose to get us to that point."

The storage area contained 20 bundles of marijuana with a street value of about $650,000 to $1 million.

http://www.wthr.com/Global/story.asp?S=3701743&nav=9Tahd8br


----------



## Skyline_GTR

Glasgow Evening Times
11 August 2005

http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/hi/news/5042194.html

*Six years for £1m ecstasy stash man*

A DRUG trafficker who had ecstasy with a street value of more than £1million hidden in a flat has been jailed for six years.

Hugh Pickett, 36, was caught with 276,000 of the pills during a police raid at a flat in Millarston Court, in Paisley, in February.

He had earlier admitted being concerned in the supply of the drug. At the High Court in Edinburgh, his agent, Martin Jones QC, said his client's role had been limited to that of acting as "storekeeper" for the haul of drugs after an approach was made to him.

He said the father-of-two was to have received £500 for his role in the operation. The defence counsel said by pleading guilty Pickett had prevented "a lengthy and expensive trial".

Lord Philip told Pickett that if the case had gone to trial he would have been jailed for eight years.

Co-accused Alexander Douglas, 45, of Pollok, Glasgow, was jailed for three years and nine months after being caught as he tried to collect a 79-kilo consignment of cannabis.

The court heard that Douglas, a first offender, was due to collect and deliver the drug - which was later seized by police - in return for £250. 
Douglas, had earlier admitted being concerned in the supply of cannabis. 
A third man, Gary Sorbie, 40, of Milton, Glasgow, who also admitted involvement in cannabis supply, was jailed for three years.


----------



## Skyline_GTR

A one off payment of just £500 to sit on nearly 300,000 pills?!


----------



## Giza

anyone who keeps drugs in their house deserves to be caught, thanks. people need to act like Pirates and bury their treasure till the moment its needed. make like a psychopath, dismember and bury your dirty deeds.


Does anyone have the name of an 18 year old kid arrested I beleive November 20th, 2002, in Baltimore, with 60 million dollars of PCP in his parents basement? At the time, I beleive 18 he was protected under young offenders act or whatever where they cant list the youths name, but is there anyway to get his name now that hes old enough? Hes in jail (obviously). Just want his first/last name if theres anyway to find out.

I cant even find much on the article no more, I beleive when the news broke it was somone on BL who posted it, some US gov site says the following;

"Maryland: On November 20, 2002, the Baltimore City Police Department seized a PCP laboratory operating in a residential neighborhood of the city. Baltimore City officers, along with agents from DEA, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Maryland Department of the Environment, confiscated 30 gallons of liquid PCP and 180 gallons of precursor chemicals from the basement of a private residence. Sections of the city were cordoned off because of the explosive nature of the chemicals."


I recall the news article stated the man arrested was 18 years old and it was his parents house and they supposedly didint know what he was doing, and the DEA declared street value (with precursors = full product) of something like $60 million.


----------



## Weed is a deed

Sad day for stoners, even worse for the owners of the trailer


----------



## psilocybe

holy shit... time to start checking sketchy abandoned trailers


----------



## eggROLLS

12 men arrested in the Massachusetts, Maine and New Hampshire.    Overall the police recovered More than 22,000 ecstasy tablets, two kilograms of cocaine, more than $30,000 in cash, and four firearms.

Whoa

link 
http://www.lowellsun.com/local/ci_2933544


----------



## stinkfoot

yeah....i'm sure trailers containing 1000 lbs. are "abandoned".

my guess is the cops knew there were drugs in it. 

they probably had the trailer staked out for a couple days waiting for some1 to come and pick it up and when no1 did they finally decided to go ahead and search the trailer.

maybe the reason no1 came to pick it up was because they saw the cops had it staked out.

anyway, i'm fairly sure cops don't go around measuring the dimensions of trailers at 3:00 a.m.

also, it must have been shwag.

they said a street value of $650,000 -  $1,000,000.

1,000 lbs @ $1,000 = $1,000,000.

shwag.


----------



## fruitfly

The state police are "literally drooling," too?


----------



## Billy Orange

*Deputies Discover Drug Lab In Family's Home*

Deputies Discover Drug Lab In Family's Home
Undercover Agents Find Drugs, Guns, Elaborate Marijuana Lab

POSTED: 10:04 am CDT August 30, 2005
UPDATED: 10:10 am CDT August 30, 2005

HOUSTON -- A man was arrested in front of his wife and child after deputies discovered he was running a drug lab out of his northwest Harris County home.

Deputies with the Harris County Sheriff's Department raided the home in the 20000 block of Bauer-Hockley near Mueschke Monday at about 8:30 p.m.

Undercover agents said they found drugs, guns and an elaborate working marijuana lab inside the home.

Officials have not said what charges the man could face.

Copyright 2005 by Click2Houston.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

http://www.click2houston.com/news/4914364/detail.html#


those pots appear to be around 30 gallons, big ol treeeeeeez


----------



## Acidfiend

wtf is a "marijuana lab"?


----------



## `pr0digy

Acidfiend said:
			
		

> *wtf is a "marijuana lab"? *



lol, I was wondering the same


----------



## Madhatter4

Acidfiend said:
			
		

> *wtf is a "marijuana lab"? *



^^^That is what law enforcement calls a marijuana grow op


----------



## Skyline_GTR

BBC News
4 September 2005

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/4213252.stm

*Arrest after £250,000 drugs raid*

A man has been arrested in Liverpool after police seized Class A drugs with a street value of £250,000. 

Thirty-two kilos of amphetamines were discovered when officers from Merseyside Police carried out a search of a building in Gateacre on Saturday. 

A 41-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of possessing Class A drugs with intent to supply and possession of a firearm. 

Police said on Sunday that the man was being questioned.

32 kilos is a lot of speed, but since when was amphetamines a Class A drug in the UK?! It's a Class B. Well.. Class A if prepared for injection, but I doubt he had 32 kilos like that.


----------



## Reverend_Lust

NEW YORK (CNN) -- Of the 22 people charged with conspiring to import "massive quantities of narcotics" into the United States, two allegedly were leading the operation from a federal prison in Pennsylvania, according to federal prosecutors.

Jose Escobar Orejuela and Jorge Ignacio Figueroa were "supervising an international narcotics operation from the Federal Correctional Center in Allenwood, Pennsylvania," Robert Nardoza, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in New York's Eastern District, said Wednesday in announcing the charges.

The two are serving sentences for conspiring to import cocaine into the United States.

Attempts to reach their attorneys were unsuccessful.

They and the other defendants were charged with using New York and California seaports as entry points for the drugs. Arrests were made Tuesday and Wednesday in New York, New Jersey, Florida, California and Colombia.

Escobar allegedly enlisted the help of longshoremen to ensure that the "cocaine-laden containers were placed in an easily accessible location and by notifying organization members, if law enforcement was at the port," U.S. Attorney Roslynn R. Mauskopf said.

Photographs of the seized cocaine shipments show that the drugs were labeled with pictures of characters from the popular children's program "Teletubbies."

The photographs were provided to CNN by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, which led the joint U.S.-Colombian sting.

"The government's investigation resulted in the seizure of millions of dollars worth of cocaine and ultimately forced the Escobar-Figueroa organizations to give up the ports of New York as a landing point for their drugs," Mauskopf said.

The law enforcement operation also ended their attempts to import cocaine into California, she added.

The indictments result from a nearly five-year investigation code-named "Operation Pier Pressure."

The operation, launched in December 2000, has resulted in the seizure of more than 1,100 pounds (500 kilograms) of cocaine, all of which was recovered from the Howland Hook Marine Terminal in Staten Island, New York, Nardoza told CNN.

Among the defendants named are retired New York longshoremen Raul Adames and Alejandro Colon of Brooklyn, New York, and four people who had homes in Cali, Colombia.

A request for their extradition to the United States is pending, Nardoza said.

If convicted, each of the 22 defendants faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison up to a maximum of life behind bars, and a $4 million fine.

Escobar also is charged with money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment and a $500,000 fine.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/09/28/colombia.cocaine/index.html


----------



## Bmoreallstar

^^^ HAha i went to rehab right across the road from that place! go white deer run!


----------



## Reverend_Lust

*DEA Nabs 28 Suspects in Atlanta Drug Bust*

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Federal agents arrested 28 people and seized more than 1,300 pounds of cocaine during an overnight raid around Atlanta that dismantled one of the largest drug trafficking cells on the East Coast, the Drug Enforcement Administration said Thursday.

The raid, known as Operation Long Whine, began Wednesday morning and the final suspects were booked Thursday. Besides the cocaine, officials said they netted 40 pounds of methamphetamines and $8 million in cash.

It was the second major seizure in the agency's four-month-old "Money Trail" initiative to monitor drug money that passes between the United States and Mexico. It followed up on arrests made July 19 in Denver and Detroit.

Nearly $5 million in cocaine was believed to have changed hands each week, usually in small containers to avoid detection. In at least one case, DEA said, the drugs were hidden in a tractor trailer carrying pork and livestock portions.



"For drug traffickers, it's all about the money," DEA Administrator Karen P. Tandy said in a statement. "To decimate the drug trade, we are following drug money back to its sources, targeting the laundering networks and eliminating the profits that fuel drug trafficking gangs."

Among those arrested was the alleged ringleader, Javier Alvarez-Lopez, 52, who went by the alias of "Gotti." His organization stands accused of orchestrating shipments from major East Coast cities to Atlanta, then back to Mexico.

Alvarez-Lopez was charged with conspiracy to possess and distribute cocaine. Prosecutors said 27 of 31 suspected members of the cell were in custody Thursday.

Law enforcement agents executed warrants at 16 addresses in Atlanta and Georgia cities of Lawrenceville, Norcross, Duluth, Lilburn and Marietta. Most of the drugs were found at one location, a residence in Lawrenceville, said Sherri Strange, the DEA's special agent in charge of the investigation.

Twenty-two people were indicted Oct. 11, although officials do not know most of their real names. Many are listed only with aliases, such as Cauliflower, Gordo, Yoli, Sope and El Sobrino. Of the 28 arrested, 19 were illegal Mexican immigrants, DEA said.

Based on information obtained during the search, agents also arrested three other suspects in Washington and were searching for others.

---

Associated Press reporter Mike Stobbe in Atlanta contributed to this report.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/D/DRUG_BUST?SITE=KOIN&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT


----------



## fruitfly

*Heroin-filled teddy bear found with toddler in bust*
By Patrick Lally/ MetroWest Daily News
Thursday, October 13, 2005 

SHREWSBURY – Police pulled a toddler out of a motel room when they found the boy sitting among the filth of rotting food, dirty clothes, weapons and bags of heroin.

      Within arm's reach of the boy, police said, was a teddy bear stuffed with 38 bags of heroin. Loaded air guns were also left in the room.

     The discovery Monday led to the arrest of three Worcester siblings. Jennifer Mcinnis, 28, her sister, Erin Mcinnis, 22, and brother, James Mcinnis Jr., 19, were charged with illegal heroin possession, illegal possession of a hypodermic needle and being present where heroin was kept, police said.

     ``Due to the location of loaded air guns, the narcotics, and the paraphernalia throughout the room, it was determined that the 2-year-old child was in immediate danger,'' Patrolman Chad Chynsa wrote in his report.

     Police said the state Department of Social Services is investigating the incident. The child has been placed with family.

     ``I just think the use of the child's toy to conceal the drugs is only the tip of the iceberg of the problem that was going on down there,'' said Detective Lt. James Hurley.

Link


----------



## Diggitydank420

dam i live in pa , I've heard that we got sum pretty dam good herion in chester but i don't fuck around wit H just lots of coke


----------



## Reverend_Lust

http://koin.com/news.asp?ID=5060

 415 Pounds Of Pot Seized At Border
Concealed In Door Shipment

BLAINE, Wash. -- About 415 pounds of marijuana were seized from a truck at the U.S.-Canada border crossing in Blaine.

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency says the pot was found this week at the Pacific Highway crossing in Northwest Washington.

It was concealed in a shipment of doors being trucked from Canada to California. The marijuana was in shrink-wrapped bags concealed inside pallets.

The truck and its trailer also were seized but no arrests were immediately made.

The marijuana, of the potent "B.C. Bud" variety, had an estimated value of $1.2 million.


----------



## Reverend_Lust

I wont go into much detail but I once went to this location and got some yayo. Best shit I ever had. And a free pill. This is sad sad sad 



http://koin.com/news.asp?RECORD_KEY[news]=ID&ID%5Bnews%5D=5086

 Two Suspects Arrested In Bust


PORTLAND -- Police have seized more than $75,000 in street drugs and arrested two suspects accused of dealing.

drugsActing last week on a tip, investigators from several agencies found the drugs in a southwest Portland apartment. The seizure allegedly includes 4,500 ecstasy pills, 1.5 pounds of cocaine, marijuana, mushrooms, methamphetamine, $15,000 in cash and a shotgun.

"It's very common to see poly drug sales, where guys will sell more than one type of drugs. Obviously, this guy's really heavy into cocaine and ecstasy. The same type of people that are going to use and sell ecstasy would also be into mushrooms, for example," Sgt. Eric Schober told KOIN News 6.

Paul Ji Hwan Song, 26, and Dustin Richards, 25, were arrested. The United States Attorney's Office is reviewing the case for a future indictment.

Police say more arrests are possible.


----------



## Synesthesia

Reverend_Lust said:
			
		

> The same type of people that are going to use and sell ecstasy would also be into mushrooms, for example," Sgt. Eric Schober told KOIN News 6.



What a stupid fucking statement.


----------



## TeddybearKoRn

Saint Petersburg Florida - Out of all the arrests the most were made in Pinellas County one cafe is 8 blocks from my house. 

29 Arrested During Pinellas Drug Bust
By ELAINE SILVESTRINI esilvestrini@tampatrib.com
Published: Nov 18, 2005

TAMPA - -- An international organization that imported ecstasy and cocaine from China and Vietnam was dismantled Thursday in a nationwide sweep that resulted in the arrest of nearly 300 people, including 29 in Pinellas County, authorities said.

Code-named "Operation Sweet Tooth," the two-year-long investigation broke up 61 cells in 27 cities, also including Jacksonville, Pensacola and Orlando, according to Mark R. Trouville, special agent in charge of the Miami office of the Drug Enforcement Administration.

The largest number of arrests nationwide occurred in Pinellas County, primarily in Pinellas Park, where authorities said they also seized 29 kilograms of cocaine, 55,000 ecstasy pills, 2 pounds of methamphetamine and $400,000 in cash. They also seized a number of weapons, including assault rifles. The majority of suspects were said to be of Vietnamese, Laotian and Cambodian descent.

Lt. Martin Hart, of the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, said the suspects operated out of two businesses, Cafe Tuyet in Pinellas Park on Park Boulevard, and Cafe Trang on 42nd Avenue in unincorporated Pinellas County.

The cell allegedly was headed by Yen Phi Hoang, 33, and Tri Huu Pham, 34, who imported the drugs and distributed them through the operation, Hart said. Initially, the couple obtained the drugs through the mail, but later they brought it into the area through other means, Hart said.

Authorities said the ecstasy generally was imported through the western coast of Canada and then sent through a number of U.S. cities before reaching the final destination points.

As part of the investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives opened up a business selling expensive wheel rims and traded them for drugs and weapons, officials said.

http://news.tbo.com/news/MGB2A8A06GE.html


----------



## fruitfly

*Ind. Police Find Marijuana in Water Heater *
Indiana Police Discover 60 Pounds of Marijuana Stuffed Inside a 50-Gallon Water Heater 
The Associated Press
December 17, 2005

MUNCIE, Ind. - Police discovered 60 pounds of marijuana stuffed inside a 50-gallon water heater in a truck driven by a man they describe as one of the biggest marijuana dealers in Delaware County.

David Walker Cauthen, 49, of Muncie, was expanding his business, Deputy Prosecutor Mark McKinney said.

"This guy was on the verge of going pretty big," he said.

Police were alerted to Cauthen by Texas investigators in mid-November, Delaware County Sheriff George Sheridan said.

Drug Task Force and Sheriff's Department officers pulled over Cauthen's pickup truck when it crossed the center line on U.S. 35 early Thursday morning.

A police dog indicated that there were drugs in the water heater. Police also discovered $33,000 in cash.

Cauthen, his son, Ed Lee George, 19, and Andrea Russman, 33, both of Pittsburgh, all face felony drug charges. All three were in the Delaware County Jail Friday.

Link


----------



## Diggitydank420

yea delco, i hope this doesn't effect my nug situation


----------



## nuke

Officers find 'new drug' during bust

By Robyn Moormeister, robynm@theunion.com
December 21, 2005

"Deputies were surprised to find a drug they had never heard of during a pot bust off of North Bloomfield Road Tuesday.

Nevada County Sheriff's Lt. Ron Smith said deputies from the Nevada County Sheriffs Narcotics Task Force discovered "2C-1," a synthetic hallucinogen, during a warrant search of Zachary M. Fisher's property off of North Bloomfield Road.

"We found a new drug," Smith said. "We've never seen it before."

That drug, 2C-1, can come in the form of a white powder and is often found in a pill form, according to information on the Internet. It has some popularity in Europe and has a short history of use.

Deputies also seized 51 marijuana plants grown indoors, several doses of LSD and one ounce of psychedelic, or "psilocybin" mushrooms from the residence.

Fisher, 22, was arrested and booked into the Wayne Brown Correctional Facility on suspicion of cultivation of marijuana, distributing marijuana and possession of a controlled substance."

http://www.theunion.com/article/20051221/NEWS/112210091

:D


----------



## TheSimpsons

*Crack Cocaine and Ecstasy seized*

Police seize cocaine and ecstasy  
Crack cocaine worth £50,000 and thousands of ecstasy tablets have been seized by Avon and Somerset Police. 
A search of a house in Highbury Parade, Weston-super-Mare on Tuesday uncovered 5,000 ecstasy tablets and more than 50 cannabis plants. 

Also on Tuesday, a 29-year-old woman leaving a train at Bristol Parkway was found to be carrying crack cocaine. 

Two men aged 33 and 35 and a 29-year-old woman have been arrested and are being questioned by officers.



http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/bristol/4485760.stm


----------



## TheSimpsons

*Cocaine, Cannabis and Ecstasy seized*

Two men have been arrested after a raid on a house in Somerset. 
Weston-super-Mare police raided the house in Hewish on Friday morning as part of Operation Relentless. 

Officers seized suspected cocaine with an estimated street value of £1,000 and quantities of ecstasy and skunk cannabis, and drug paraphernalia. 

The men, aged 21 and 25, both from Weston, were arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply drugs and remain in police custody. 


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/somerset/4556628.stm


----------



## stoy420

wow, I've never seen a news article to refer to the kind of cannabis, unless in an attempt to use slang, like calling it chronic for example


----------



## Skyline_GTR

Yup you guessed it - the confusion is understandable if you're not British, but it is actually refering to slang... in the UK, "skunk" isn't used to refer to the specific strain, it has become a generic slang term for any average to high quality seedless buds, as opposed to what we call weed, which is what would be called schwag or mids in the US.

I'm going to merge this into the mega merged drugs bust thread.


----------



## 305roller

Wed Dec 21,11:20 PM ET



A 22-year-old man has been arrested in Nevada County after being accused of possessing a new drug that local investigators had never heard of before. 

Nevada County sheriff's deputies believe the white powder seized from the home of a Zachary Fisher is a designer drug similar to LSD called 2CI.

"When we first saw this, with the way it's packaged, we thought it was possibly methamphetamine," said Nevada County Sheriff Keith Royal.

According to authorities, the drug is more well known in Europe and Canada, where it has the nickname "the spice." The hallucinogenic drug can be eaten, snorted or smoked .

"When we asked the suspect about it, he actually told us it was something called 2CI, that he'd gotten it from the Internet," said Nevada County narcotics task force representative Bill Evans.

Investigators said Fisher caught their attention when he allegedly tried to ship marijuana through UPS.

The drug bust started at Fisher's residence -- the Nevada Woods apartments. Evidence led investigators to Fisher's father's house a few miles away, where detectives say they found 51 pot plants.

Fisher is expected to be charged with possessing 2CI, even though it's not formally on the government's list of controlled substances. It is so similar to other hallucinogens that investigators say it still counts.


----------



## 305roller

http://news.yahoo.com/s/kcra/20051222/lo_kcra/3138470


----------



## hoptis

_Sydney, Australia_

*Speedboat hid $17m 'ice' stash*
February 7, 2006 - 12:20PM

Three men will face a Sydney court today after more than $17 million worth of the drug crystal methamphetamine or "ice" was found hidden in a speedboat imported from Canada.

The six-metre Stingray speedboat and trailer arrived in Sydney from Vancouver in mid-December in a shipping container destined for a Canberra address.

Australian Federal Police monitored the container for nearly two months after nearly 46 kg of ice was found wrapped in separate packages in the boat's hull.

The packages, weighing just over one kilogram each, have a street value of $17.5 million, and represent one of the largest seizures of ice in Australia, the AFP said.

A Sadleir man and a Bringelly man, both 25, and a Liverpool man, 23, were arrested early today after the container was transferred to a property in Bringelly, in Sydney's south-west.

The trio were charged at Surry Hills police station with attempting to possess a commercial quantity of an unlawfully imported border controlled drug.

AFP deputy manager David Stewart said the seizure had dismantled an alleged sophisticated drug syndicate.

"This is a significant achievement after an intensive surveillance and investigation operation over a six week period," Mr Stewart said.

"This is one of the large seizures of ice in Australia worth over $17 million."

The men will appear in Central Local Court later today.

AAP

Sydney Morning Herald


----------



## hoptis

_Central Queensland, Australia_

*Group faces hundreds of drugs charges*
From: AAP
February 10, 2006

TWENTY-five people are facing hundreds of drugs charges after a 12-month police operation in central Queensland.

Operation Delta Celsius finished yesterday and had resulted in 375 charges being laid against the group, police said today.

A woman, 46, and a man, 47, were remanded in custody when they appeared in Mackay Magistrates Court today.

The woman was charged with 168 offences including trafficking, supply and use.

The man is on 45 charges including trafficking and supply.

Police said four more people were due to appear in Mackay Magistrates Court today on drug trafficking charges.

The remaining 19 people will appear on dates yet to be determined.

From AAP / News.com.au


----------



## hoptis

_Adelaide, Australia_

*Suburban drug lab 'one of the biggest'*
By SOPHIE ELSWORTH
11 Feb 2006

POLICE responding to a break-in at Campbelltown yesterday discovered a large drug laboratory which was described as "one of the biggest extracting plants ever found".

The officer in charge of Adelaide CIB, Detective Chief Inspector John Gerlach, said the pseudoephedrine extraction operation was one of the largest the Drug and Organised Crime Investigation Branch had seen. Police patrols arrived at a house on the corner of Newton Rd and Albion Tce about 6.30am to investigate reports of a burglary. There, they found chemicals, cash, a rifle and bullets.

Drug and Organised Crime detectives were called to the address and, wearing protective clothing, police were last night still dismantling the lab.

Pseudoephedrine is a key ingredient in sinus and allergy tablets, but when broken down is used to create illegal drugs such as speed. Police charged a 35-year-old Campbelltown man with taking part in the manufacture of a drug of dependence. He was refused bail and will appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Monday.

A Dernancourt man, 33, was arrested for aggravated serious criminal trespass, being unlawfully on premises, and possessing a prohibited substance for sale and theft. He was remanded in custody.

The Advertiser


----------



## hoptis

_Melbourne, Australia_

*Eight arrested in drug raids*
10 Feb 2006

EIGHT people have been arrested after a series of drug raids west of Melbourne and in North Melbourne.

Police targeted amphetamine and cannabis trafficking and executed nine warrants in Werribee, Hoppers Crossing, Melton, Myrniong and North Melbourne in an operation that finished yesterday.

Detectives seized what they described as a substantial amount of cocaine, cannabis and about 50 ecstasy tablets during a search of a hydroponics shop in Melton.

"Overall, items seized in the raids amounted to 2,290 ecstasy tablets, 125 cannabis plants, as well as amounts of cocaine, amphetamine, methylamphetamine and two cars believed to be proceeds of crime," Senior Constable Michael Henry said.

Police said three of the group had already appeared in Melbourne Magistrates' Court and the rest were likely to appear at a later date on summons.

Information on the result of the appearance by the three people was unavailable.

Courier-Mail


----------



## ChemicalSmiles

Poor fellas


----------



## hoptis

_Northern NSW, Australia_

*Blitz nets drugs, arrests*
From: AAP
February 20, 2006

A HIGH-profile police blitz in northern New South Wales has resulted in 23 arrests and the seizure of drugs worth $150,000.

Operation Vikings officers targeted drug suspects in Taree and Forster on Saturday and yesterday. They also were after people with outstanding arrest warrants.

Police from the Manning Great Lakes Target Action Group, and detectives from Taree took part in weekend patrols.

The patrols, which included covert surveillance of suspects, led to five people being charged over outstanding warrants.

One 32-year-old man was charged after 73 cannabis plants, with a street value of $150,000, were allegedly found during a raid on his Gloucester home.

Among other arrests were five people wanted for outstanding warrants.

They included a 15-year-old boy wanted for an alleged breach of bail and driving a stolen car, and a 21-year-old man wanted for allegedly supplying the drug ice in Taree.

A 31-year-old man was charged after allegedly shattering the windscreen of a police car with a beer bottle in Taree yesterday.

He will appear at Taree local court on April 4.

From News.com.au


----------



## hoptis

_South Australia, Australia_

*Police hunt growers of big drug haul*
By TEGAN SLUGGETT
24 Feb 2006

IN the biggest outdoor cannabis bust in four years, police seized 900 cannabis plants at Billiatt Conservation Park on Wednesday.

Police and Drug and Organised Crime Investigation officers began a search of the 60,000ha park near Alawoona, east of Karoonda, on Tuesday as part of ongoing investigations, finding the crop at midday hidden in dense scrub.

Detective Inspector Peter Giles said the plants varied in maturity, from 70cm up to 2.4m in height.

Police spent yesterday removing the plants, which were in four main sites spread across 1sq km.

Several camouflaged tents were found, one concealing a generator and another set up as living quarters.

Det-Insp Giles said branches had been thrown over them as camouflage and a sophisticated water piping system had also been set up to water each plant. He said fertiliser had been used on some plants.

"We are satisfied no one was at the site when it was discovered on Tuesday," Det-Insp Giles said.

"But fresh food found indicated that people had been there a day before to attend the crop.

"This would be the biggest outdoor cannabis crop found in SA in four years.

"We have several positive lines of investigation to follow and are hopeful there will be arrests in due course."

He said searches were continuing but police were "pretty confident" they had found all cultivation sites.

Anyone with information regarding this incident or any other drug-related incidents should contact BankSA Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

The Advertiser


----------



## hoptis

_Sydney East, Australia_

*Rocks speed and cocaine bust*
February 24, 2006 - 1:26PM

Police believe they have cracked a large speed and cocaine supply racket in Sydney's east, following raids on a number of homes.

Three kilograms of amphetamines, 300 grams of cocaine and $200,000 in cash were seized in the busts at Bondi, Bellevue Hill and The Rocks yesterday afternoon.

Police from the NSW Crime Commission and organised crime squad have charged four men with allegedly conspiring to supply large quantities of the drugs in the eastern suburbs.

A 29-year-old from Bondi, a 30-year-old from Edgecliff and 28-year-old Bellevue Hill man were charged with supplying a prohibited drug and goods in custody.

A 28-year-old man from The Rocks was also charged with supplying a prohibited drug.

The four will appear in Waverley and Central Local courts today.

From Sydney Morning Herald


----------



## hoptis

_South Coast NSW, Australia_

*Police find drug lab in home*
February 24, 2006 - 1:21PM

Police have uncovered a clandestine drug lab in the laundry of a NSW south coast home.

Chemical operations and HAZMAT specialists joined Lake Illawarra drug unit officers in the raid on a home at Richards Place, Unanderra, about 8.30am (AEDT) yesterday, police said.

Police allegedly found drugs, suspected to be amphetamines, and a lab full of frying pans, flasks, funnels and other chemicals and liquids.

A 33-year-old woman was charged with conducting a drug house and possessing a prohibited drug.

She will appear in Wollongong Local Court on March 21.

A 30-year-old man, who was also at the house, was charged in relation to revocation of a parole warrant.

From Sydney Morning Herald


----------



## telgard

Well you sure do have the hook-ups to be getting all this information all day. Almost seems like that doesn't leave any... BOWL TIME


----------



## hoptis

_Sydney, Australia_

*Heroin stash found in Sydney woman's bag*
March 1, 2006 - 12:30PM

A Sydney woman is expected to appear in court after more than 2.5kg of heroin was allegedly found in the lining of her suitcase after she flew in to Perth from Singapore.

The 37-year-old woman arrived at Perth International Airport on a flight from Singapore yesterday, Australian Federal Police and Customs officers said today.

"She was selected for examination by Customs officers and an x-ray of her bags revealed anomalies consistent with a concealment," an officer said.

"Upon closer examination, customs officers discovered a white powder, which allegedly tested positive for heroin."

The exact quantity is yet to be determined, but is estimated to be more than 2.5kg, officers said.

Police have charged the woman with importing a border-controlled drug.

She is expected to appear in the Perth Magistrates Court today.

The maximum penalty for drug smuggling is a fine of up to $750,000 and or life imprisonment.

The woman's arrest comes just months after Victorian drug trafficker Nguyen Tuong Van was hanged in Singapore.

Singapore law stipulates the mandatory death penalty for anyone caught with more than 15g of the banned drug.

The city state executes more prisoners per capita than any other country with mandatory capital punishment for drug trafficking, murder, kidnapping and some firearms offences.

Between 1991 and 2000, 340 people were hanged in Singapore, according to official figures.

AAP

From Sydney Morning Herald


----------



## hoptis

_Sydney, Australia_

*Two arrested in Sydney ecstasy raids*
By David Braithwaite
March 2, 2006 - 5:24PM

Police have seized 23,000 ecstacy tablets worth $1.15 million and arrested two men in a series of raids across Sydney today.

The raids are continuing this afternoon at homes in Gordon and Woolloomooloo.

Drug Squad detectives today arrested two men alleged to be part of an organised crime group involved in high-level drug supply.

Detectives will also allege they seized prohibited drugs with an estimated potential street value of $1.15 million during a three-month covert operation.

The operation was part of Strike Force Left, set up in December last year after police received information about the supply of ecstacy in metropolitan Sydney.

Police said today's arrests were a result of inquiries by the State Crime Command Drug Squad, assisted by officers from the Harbourside Local Area Command.

A 28-year-old Woolloomooloo man was arrested shortly before midday in a car park at Crows Nest.

About 30 minutes later detectives arrested a 27-year-old man at a home in Gordon.

Both men were taken to North Sydney Police Station where they are being questioned by strike force detectives.

Officers say they seized 5000 ecstacy tablets during the early stages of the operation, with an estimated potential street value of $250,000.

Today a further 18,000 ecstacy tablets were seized at a Crows Nest car park, worth an estimated $900,000, as well as a sum of cash.

Search warrants are still being executed at an apartment in Cowper Wharf Road, Woolloomooloo, and a house in St Johns Avenue, Gordon.

Acting Drug Squad Commander Detective Acting Superintendent Mark Newham said the arrests would hit the supply of MDMA in Sydney.

"We will be alleging the men arrested today have been involved in the high-level supply of prohibited drugs," he said.

"It's alleged these tablets were destined for sale in Sydney and interstate and today's operation will go some way towards cutting down the availability of these drugs."

From Sydney Morning Herald


----------



## hoptis

_Brisbane, Australia_

*Fish fillet drug bust*
March 2, 2006 - 3:35PM

Customs have found heroin hidden inside fish fillets in a man's luggage at Brisbane Airport.

The drug was discovered after a Sydney man arrived on a flight from Cambodia yesterday, Customs said.

An Australian Customs spokesman today said officers found two plastic containers of fish fillets in the man's luggage after he was selected for examination.

A closer analysis of the containers revealed several condoms containing white powder, identified as heroin, sewn inside the fillets.

The matter was referred to the Australia Federal Police who later executed two search warrants, at residences in Inala, in Brisbane's south-west.

A small amount of cash was seized at one of the addresses.

The actual weight of the heroin is yet to be established.

A 40-year-old man is due to appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court this afternoon charged with importing a controlled drug.

AAP

From Sydney Morning Herald


----------



## hoptis

_Eastern Victoria, Australia_

*Cannabis crop raid*
03 Mar 2006

POLICE seized 442 cannabis plants in a raid on a property in Victoria's east.

The crop was discovered on Wednesday on an 81ha property near Cann River in a joint Victoria-NSW police operation. A Chandlers Creek man, 47, will appear at Orbost Magistrates' Court on March 30.

From Herald  Sun


----------



## MDMARI

These smugglers don't learn do they.....


----------



## hoptis

_Auckland, New Zealand_

*Alleged Aussie drug smugglers remanded in NZ custody*
March 3, 2006 - 11:24AM

Three Australians accused of trying to smuggle high purity cocaine from Auckland to Sydney have been remanded in custody until April.

Brothers Sergio Seguel and Dario Seguel appeared together in Manukau District Court today charged with importing, possession and attempting to export a Class A drug.

A third accused -- Maria Cristia -- appeared March 1 and was also remanded in custody until the trio's pre-depositions hearing on April 26.

Cristia was denied bail and defence lawyer for all three, Peter Winter, made no bail application for the brothers today.

All three are from Sydney and are aged between 41 and 43.

Customs officials allegedly busted the trio on February 16 with liquified cocaine concealed in three perfume bottles.

NZPA

From Sydney Morning Herald


----------



## ChemicalSmiles

Why would you tell them what it was?


----------



## ChemicalSmiles

In reference to the 2c-i article ^ ^


----------



## hoptis

_Sydney, Australia_

*Woman allegedly smuggled cocaine in armpit*
March 14, 2006

A woman who arrived in Sydney on a flight from Auckland allegedly had 200g of cocaine hidden in her armpits, customs officers say.

The 54-year-old Sydney woman was searched at Sydney international airport when she returned from New Zealand yesterday morning.

She allegedly had about 200g of cocaine strapped in her armpits and traces were also detected in her baggage, Customs said in a statement.

The woman was charged with importing a border-controlled drug and was granted bail to appear in Central Local Court in April 26.

From Daily Telegraph


----------



## hoptis

_Sydney, Australia_

*$800,000 worth of cannabis seized from house*
March 17, 2006 - 7:04AM

A man has been charged after 800-thousand dollars worth of cannabis was seized from a house in Sydney's west.

Police say Bankstown officers executed a search warrant at a house on Auburn Road at Birrong about 12.30 yesterday afternoon where they allegedly found more than 250 cannabis plants.

Other items associated with a hydroponics set-up were also found.

A police spokesman says the plants had an estimated street value of 800-thousand dollars.

A 42-year-old man was arrested over the seizure and charged with cultivating a commercial quantity of a prohibited plant.

The man has been refused bail and is due to appear in Burwood Local Court later today.

AAP

From Sydney Morning Herald


----------



## Tar Baby

SilverFeniks said:
			
		

> Reminds me of the cops in spun.
> 
> I love how this guy just has a 'drug problem' he's getting 'treatment' for, rather than being portrayed as some savage junkie who must be addicted and stealing infants for organ harvesting to feed their habit.
> 
> And I don't know much about meth, but from what I've read those prices aren't right.  That must be the police special.



I know, right? If a citizen got caught with 1/16th of an ounce it would be worth $500 lol and 1/16th is alot more than one or two doses to a non addict
thats almost 2 grams and would keep you up for days and days
but since the cop had it it was just a dose or two 
Typical media spin bullshit


----------



## hoptis

_Sydney, Australia_

*Raid uncovers steroid stockpile*
From: AAP

March 24, 2006

A SYDNEY man is being questioned over the importation of performance enhancing drugs, including human growth hormone and thousands of steroid tablets.
Australian Customs Service officers raided the 21-year-old's home at Curl Curl, on Sydney's northern beaches, yesterday following the interception of 11 packages of drugs during the past five months.

A customs spokesman said investigators had been monitoring the imports since November 2, when small packages containing steroids and growth hormones were intercepted at Sydney's Clyde International Mail Centre.

In the following months the amounts being imported steadily increased, culminating on March 17 with the importation of between 10,000 and 15,000 pink anabolic steroid tablets, and 50 injectable vials filled with human growth hormone.

The drugs had been imported from China, the US and Europe, the spokesman said.

Investigations were continuing and charges were expected to be laid soon.

There was nothing to suggest the drug hauls were connected with the Melbourne Commonwealth Games, the spokesman said. 

News.com.au


----------



## hoptis

_Melbourne, Australia_

*Large marijuana crop bust*
29 Mar 2006

POLICE from the Asian squad have found a large marijuana crop in a house in Melbourne's west.

Police swooped on a house in Eisner St, St Albans, yesterday, where they discovered 122 marijuana plants. 

From Herald Sun


----------



## gomer1985

hoptis said:
			
		

> _Sydney, Australia_
> 
> *Two arrested in Sydney ecstasy raids*
> By David Braithwaite
> March 2, 2006 - 5:24PM
> 
> Police have seized 23,000 ecstacy tablets worth $1.15 million
> 
> Officers say they seized 5000 ecstacy tablets during the early stages of the operation, with an estimated potential street value of $250,000.
> 
> Today a further 18,000 ecstacy tablets were seized at a Crows Nest car park, worth an estimated $900,000, as well as a sum of cash.
> 
> From Sydney Morning Herald



WTF????!!!! That math comes out to $50 per pill!!!!  I'm not familiar with AUS, but this seems impossible....


----------



## ChemicalSmiles

hoptis said:
			
		

> _Melbourne, Australia_
> 
> *Large marijuana crop bust*
> 29 Mar 2006
> 
> POLICE from the Asian squad have found a large marijuana crop in a house in Melbourne's west.
> 
> Police swooped on a house in Eisner St, St Albans, yesterday, where they discovered 122 marijuana plants.
> 
> From Herald Sun




Shit..... what are the penalties for growing just a few plants?


----------



## on_the_rise_5

gomer1985 said:
			
		

> WTF????!!!! That math comes out to $50 per pill!!!!  I'm not familiar with AUS, but this seems impossible....



Yes that is correct, that is the final cost that police record as.


----------



## hoptis

_Northwest Victoria, Australia_

*Border drug raids hit 20 properties*
Geoff Wilkinson
07 Apr 2006

FRUIT properties in northwest Victoria are likely to be confiscated after a major drug swoop on both sides of the border near Mildura yesterday.

More than 120 police seized amphetamines, cannabis and ecstasy during dawn raids on 20 fruit blocks in Victoria and NSW.

Ten people were arrested during the culmination of Operation Redmill, an eight-month drug investigation by police from both states.

Police said late yesterday all those arrested would be charged with drug trafficking or associated offences.

Confiscation applications would be made to the courts to have several fruit properties forfeited on the grounds they were tainted by criminal activity.

Cars and other property worth more than $200,000 were seized and will also be subject to forfeit.

Supt Fred Johansen said outdoor and indoor marijuana crops were found during yesterday's raids.

Firearms, about $40,000 cash, stolen farm equipment and stolen motorcycles were also recovered.

Supt Johansen said Operation Redmill would disrupt drug trafficking networks in the area.

"Illicit drugs are a blight on any community and people shouldn't dismiss this stuff as recreational or harmless," he said.

"These drugs are causing enormous problems in the shape of road crashes, suicides and other mental health issues as well as crime.

"The reality is they're killing people and the lives of others are completely ruined."

Police raided properties in the Mildura, Robinvale, Euston and Pooncarie areas.

Five men and a woman from Mildura and four men from Euston were arrested.

Victorian police involved in the raids came from Mildura, Bendigo, Shepparton and Melbourne.

Detectives from the major drug investigation division and the assets confiscation unit were also part of the operation.

The NSW police air wing and dog squad took part, along with police from as far away as Deniliquin, Broken Hill and Sydney.

From Herald Sun


----------



## hoptis

_Northern NSW, Australia_

*Seven held after ice bust*
From: AAP
April 07, 2006


A SYDNEY man has been refused bail after police busted what they believe may be the largest crystal methamphetamine laboratory ever found in Australia.

Vance Nastoski, 41, of Mortdale, faced Sydney's Central Local Court today after police reported finding the drug factory in a secret underground room at a property near Murwillumbah, in northern New South Wales.

Australian Federal Police (AFP) officers said they arrested Nastoski in Mortdale, in Sydney's south-west, while six other men were nabbed at properties in Eungella and Lennox Head, in northern NSW, and at Brisbane Airport.

Outside court, the AFP alleged the seven were members of a drug gang that manufactured large quantities of crystal methamphetamine, commonly known as ice.

AFP national manager border and international network, federal agent Mike Phelan, said the laboratory may turn out to be the biggest ever uncovered in Australia.

He revealed nothing more of the operation, other than to allege the arrests had disrupted a major NSW crime syndicate.

He said the AFP had used new anti-drug laws which target the illegal importation of substances used in the manufacture of commercial quantities of illegal drugs.

"These laws enable the AFP to continue leading Australia's fight to stop the flow of large amounts of precursors which produce significant amounts of drugs," he said in a statement.

Four men, aged 30, 32, 60 and 62, were to appear in Tweed Heads Magistrates Court today after their arrests at Eungella and Lennox Head.

Two others, aged 23 and 35, were to face Brisbane Magistrates Court today after being arrested at Brisbane Airport yesterday.

All have been charged under commonwealth law with conspiracy to manufacture commercial quantities of controlled drugs, and conspiracy to pre-traffic commercial quantities of controlled precursors.

Magistrate Allan Moore remanded Mr Nastoski in custody to reappear in the same court on June 14.

From News.com.au


----------



## hoptis

_Sydney, Australia_

*Hostie sacked after drugs found*
Shannon McRae
12 Apr 2006

A QANTAS flight attendant has allegedly been caught trying to smuggle drugs into Australia hidden in her armpit.

Suellen Patricia Cryer was arrested at Sydney airport and charged with importing a drug by the Australian Federal Police.

The Sydney woman, 54, who has been with the airline for about 25 years, had flown from Auckland to Sydney before her arrest. A Qantas spokesman said she was not on duty at the time she was arrested.

Ms Cryer was sacked immediately after the arrest.

In a letter to staff seen by the Herald Sun, Qantas head of customer services Lesley Grant last month warned employees they would be sacked immediately if they disobeyed strict conduct guidelines set by the airline.

"Last week a Qantas long-haul cabin crew member was searched by Australian Customs officers on arrival in Sydney and was found to be carrying a marketable quantity of an illicit substance," the letter said.

"The cabin crew member was subsequently arrested and charged by the Australian Federal Police."

Ms Cryer has appeared in Sydney's Central Local Court and been released on bail to appear again on April 26.

Herald Sun


----------



## hoptis

_Northern NSW, Australia_


*Bushwalkers uncover drug ring*
By Justine Parker
April 12, 2006

POLICE believe they have uncovered a major drug syndicate, seizing cannabis worth $1.3 million and illegal firearms in a series of raids in northern New South Wales, they said today.

Police found more than 500 cannabis plants and 30kg of cannabis leaf in three raids in the Glen Innes area between March 21 and April 3.

A man has been charged with drug and firearms offences in connection with the raids.

One crop was discovered on April 3, after two men were earlier shot at while bushwalking in the Mann River area, Detective Inspector Greg Stier said today.

"They may have been looking for a cannabis crop themselves," Det Insp Stier said.

The bushwalkers' camp site at the Mann River Nature Reserve was allegedly set alight later that day by members of the drug ring.

Police are seeking public help to identify a Swiss tourist couple that was camping at the reserve at the time of the incident.

The couple was allegedly intimidated and their vehicle damaged.

"They were also victims we believe of intimidation, and also victims of malicious damage ... by the people that burnt the bushwalkers' camps," Det Insp Shier said.

A 47-year-old Wytaliba man was arrested on March 21 and charged with cannabis possession and supply, and firearm offences following an earlier raid, police said.

He has been released on conditional bail and will appear at Glen Innes Local Court on May 9.

Investigations are continuing.

News.com.au


----------



## hoptis

_North West Queensland, Australia_

*Alleged trafficker arrested*
From: AAP
April 12, 2006

AN alleged drug trafficker has been arrested in north-west Queensland as part of an ongoing police operation.

The 39-year-old man was charged with trafficking drugs after a raid on a property in Abua Street, Mount Isa today.

A police spokeswoman said the man would face the Mount Isa Magistrates Court tomorrow.

She said more arrests were expected as part of Operation Delta Glacier, which is targeting the possession, production and distribution of illicit drugs in the Mount Isa region.

The operation, which began in November last year, had led to numerous arrests in the past four months.

Another Mount Isa man, 39, was arrested at Mount Isa airport in February for allegedly possessing a large quantity of amphetamines. 

News.com.au


----------



## hoptis

_Victoria, Australia_

*Police say raids hit drug syndicate*
Brendan Roberts and Katie Lapthorne
13 Apr 2006

POLICE say a series of drug raids will help stem the supply of illicit drugs in Melbourne's west.

The raids, which led to six arrests, follow an investigation into a drug syndicate allegedly responsible for the trafficking of heroin, amphetamines, "ice" and cannabis.

The arrests followed simultaneous raids on properties in Keilor Downs, Sunshine and Geelong, and on Phillip Island, on Tuesday afternoon.

Cannabis, hydroponic equipment and a quantity of cash were seized during the searches.

Police believe the syndicate had stayed under the radar by selling the drugs, mostly heroin and amphetamines, in small quantities, avoiding larger transactions.

Det-Supt David Newton said the network appeared to have been operating for some time, reaping high profits from its drug trafficking.

The six men appeared briefly in Melbourne Magistrates' Court yesterday on various drugs charges. Tuan Hoang Le, 28, of St Albans, Theodosis Koumis, 58, of Keilor Downs, and Barry Jones, 43, of Bell Post Hill, face multiple charges, including trafficking a commercial quantity of heroin.

Mili Bala, 44, and John Bota, 32, both of St Albans, and Benjamin Weymouth, 34, of Norlane, face lesser charges that include possessing the proceeds of crime.

Magistrate Paul Grant remanded all six until July. 

Herald Sun


----------



## hoptis

_North-West Victoria, Australia_

*Man faces Mildura court over 6,000 ecstasy tabs*
April 17, 2006 - 8:30AM

A man will face court tomorrow after he was caught allegedly carrying more than 6,000 ecstasy tablets at a Victorian airport.

The 29-year-old man was stopped at Mildura airport, in the state's north-west, last Thursday, police said today.

They alleged he was was carrying more than 6,000 ecstasy tablets and other drug paraphernalia.

The man, of no fixed place of abode, was charged with several drug offences, including trafficking and possession of ecstasy and trafficking and possession of amphetamines.

He was remanded in custody to appear in Mildura Magistrates Court on Tuesday, police said.

AAP

The Age


----------



## hoptis

_Alice Springs, Australia_

*Easter bikie raids net amphetamines, guns*
By Greg McLean
April 18, 2006

ALICE Springs police seized amphetamines and firearms in a series of raids targeted at associates of the Fink bikie gang.
Officers executed six search warrants between last Thursday and Saturday.

Three arrests were made.

The outlaw group's clubhouse was among the properties searched, with police also raiding a local business and four homes.

Police raids found and seized amphetamines, firearms, a variety of ammunition and a ballistic vest.

Knives and a baton were also confiscated.

Police arrested a 25-year-old woman for the possession of amphetamines and a 23-year-old man was arrested on outstanding interstate warrants.

A 51-year-old man from Adelaide, known to be a member of the bikie gang, was arrested for hindering and resisting police.

Another man will be summonsed for possessing firearms while unlicensed and other firearms-related offences, and a 33-year-old man will be summonsed for having ammunition while unlicensed.

NT Police said they would continue to monitor people and businesses that associate themselves with the Fink motorcycle gang.

The bikies have recently tried to establish themselves at Alice Springs.

The raids come less than a month after an Alice Springs-based member of the Fink bikie gang was arrested for his role in a violent brawl with rivals from the Hells Angels that left five people with knife and gunshot wounds.

Anyone who has or receives information about the outlaw bikie gang is urged to phone police on 131 444

News.com.au / NT News


----------



## hoptis

_Melbourne, Australia_

*11 to face court after raids*
By Selma Milovanovic
May 2, 2006 - 7:14AM

Eleven people will face Melbourne Magistrates Court today on drugs charges following raids in the Frankston area yesterday.

Ten men and one woman were remanded in custody late yesterday after police seized weapons, drugs and cash from properties in Seaford, Frankston, Pearcedale and Langwarrin.

Another 11 people were also charged.

Large quantities of amphetamines and cash, along with several rifles and other illegal firearms, were seized in raids on several houses in Frankston, Seaford, Pearcedale and Langwarrin between 1am and 7am.

The raids were part of a four-month investigation, codenamed Operation Ovine, which involved the Special Operations Group, the dog squad, regional response units and local detectives.

Sergeant Tom Nairn said police had uncovered a "very well-organised network".

"In terms of scale and breadth, at a local level, this was a significant operation," he said.

The illegal firearms seized included a centre-fire .303- calibre rifle, a centre-fire assault rifle, a .22 rifle, a sawn-off double-barrel shotgun and a small handgun.

Police also seized stolen property, including plasma televisions and computers.

The investigation is continuing.

Sergeant Nairn said the raids were not linked to the discovery of a sophisticated drug laboratory in Strathmore last week. Milad Mokbel, 38, brother of fugitive drug importer Tony Mokbel, was arrested and charged with trafficking amphetamines after last week's raids.

with AAP

From The Age


----------



## hoptis

_Sydney, Australia_

*Raid seizes $300,000 ecstasy stash*
May 4, 2006 - 9:24AM

Ecstasy worth $300,000 and chemicals capable of making kilograms of the drug speed have been seized during a police raid on a Sydney house.

Police stopped a car being driven a by 58-year-old man on the Hume Highway at Pheasants Nest, in Sydney's southwest, yesterday.

A search of the car allegedly revealed several ounces of amphetamine and a large amount of cash, police said.

Investigators then raided a house at Glenfield where they found about 10,000 ecstasy tablets, 450 grams of cannabis and precursor chemicals used in the illegal manufacture of amphetamine.

The ecstasy has an estimated street value of $300,000, while police believe the chemicals could produce several hundred kilograms of street amphetamine, otherwise known as speed.

A man has been charged with supply and possess a commercial quantity of prohibited drugs and goods in custody.

He will appear in Campbelltown Local Court today.

AAP

From Sydney Morning Herald


----------



## fruitfly

*Man charged with selling marijuana from diaper bag*
By Joseph Marks, staff writer, Albert Lea Tribune
May 10, 2006

An Albert Lea man was charged with selling and possessing marijuana Monday after he and a teenage girl were allegedly caught selling the drug while walking a baby in a stroller.

About nine grams of marijuana were confiscated from Matthew Rowand, 22, of Albert Lea, and about 71 grams were confiscated from a baby bag being held by the juvenile female, according to the criminal complaint issued in Freeborn County District Court.

The baby in the stroller was taken into protective custody, according to police.

Police first became aware of the incident when they received a call from an informant stating two individuals were selling marijuana at the McDonald's on Main Street in Albert Lea.

The caller described the man as short-haired with a black jacket, according to the complaint. The girl was described as having a blue scarf wrapped around her head and pushing a baby carriage.

The complaint states officer Ted Herman found two suspects matching those descriptions at the corner of Washington Avenue and West William Street. The man, who turned out to be Rowand, spoke and exchanged items with someone in a gray van, according to the complaint.

Officers searched Rowand and found two baggies of marijuana in one of his pockets and a scale in the other pocket, according to the complaint. Two large bags of marijuana were found in the female's baby bag, according to the complaint.

Rowand was charged with conspiring with a minor to sell marijuana in the third degree and fifth-degree conspiracy to possess marijuana.

The charges carry a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison and a $35,000 fine.

Link


----------



## hoptis

*Guns, drugs seized in truckie search*
May 16, 2006 - 1:42PM

About one in seven truck drivers pulled over by Victorian police as part of a multi-state safety operation was found to be carrying illicit drugs.

Victorian road safety taskforce highway unit officers patrolled Wangaratta, on the Hume Highway in Victoria's north-east, and Cobram, at the junction of the Murray Valley and Goulburn Valley highways in the state's north from May 9 to 13 as part of Operation Austrans.

Concurrent operations took place in NSW, Queensland and SA.

Police say they detected 167 offences in Victoria alone.

Taskforce officer Sergeant Allan Tickner said the haul included log book, illicit drug possession and driving-hours offences.

A 39-year-old man from Geelong, was found in possession of a loaded sawn-off shotgun which had the trigger guard removed and trigger filed down, with no safety mechanism, he said.

He was charged with possessing an unregistered handgun, failing to safely store ammunition, carrying a loaded firearm in a public place, possessing a firearm without a licence, possessing amphetamines and making a false log book entry.

Another driver was found with a trafficable quantity of amphetamines, while another possessed both amphetamines and cannabis, Sgt Tickner said.

About one in seven of heavy vehicle drivers who were pulled over as part of Austrans were detected in possession of illicit drugs, he said.

In all, 12 drivers were found carrying amphetamines alone, he said.

"This operation is quite well known throughout the heavy transport industry and yet despite awareness of additional scrutiny at this time of year, we've still detected an alarming number of offences," he said.

"Heavy vehicle drivers who use illicit drugs to combat fatigue threaten the safety of all other road users.

"Driving under the influence of illicit drugs significantly increases the likelihood of a collision. Operations like Austrans are designed to keep Victorian roads safe."

AAP

From The Age


----------



## Psychedelics_r_best

dreamgirlie19 said:
			
		

> http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/6285921.htm
> 
> On average, each plant produces one pound of street-ready marijuana a month, which sells for about $5,000.



  $5,000 a month! I never knew one plant could produce so much weed. Dont you dry out the whole plant at harvest though, necessitating that you plant a new one after each flowering? Doesnt it then take about 3 months for a new plant to mature? Is this information correct?


----------



## pin

hmm I would post the article but I cant find the newspaper right now. Anyhow, in franklin county Illinois a man died and they found 850 pot plants in his residence. Who knew someone was growing soo much in a county right next to me


----------



## speedfreaknorth

*Drugs Raid Haul Shock*

Sheffield Star 20th May 2006

DRUGS RAID HAUL SHOCK

DETECTIVES hunting a Far East criminal gang behind a large-scale drug production enterprise in Sheffield have discovered three cannabis factories in the city.

Plants worth half a million pounds were found in two terraced properties on City Road and one on Granville Road after police officers smashed their way inside.

The haul included cannabis bushes at all stages of the growing cycle to guarantee a constant supply of the drug. The houses had sophisticated factory set-ups complete with expensive hydroponics, lighting and feeding systems.

The plants were growing in every room of the Granville Road home and one of the City Road properties. In the other, the top floor was packed with plants. No-one was in any of the properties during the raid.

Drugs Squad officers from Attercliffe police station, working with officers from the Manor Safer Neighbourhood Team, replaced the doors to the factories after their surprise raids and lay in wait outside the houses hoping the "farmers" would return to check on their plants.

One man, believed to be an illegal immigrant from Vietnam, turned up at Granville Road later in the afternoon and was arrested after a short chase up the street. A second man, also believed to be an illegal Vietnamese immigrant, was arrested at one of the City Road properties after the raids. The raids came after officers burst into another two factories in neighbouring properties on City Road last month, arresting four illegal immigrants also from Vietnam.
On that occasion 800 cannabis plants with a street value of £400,000 were found - growing in every room of the houses, including the attics and cellars.
Two men were charged with drug cultivating offences and remanded in custody pending their court cases.

Detectives are now looking for possible links between the four factories. They suspect an organised criminal gang, run by Vietnamese nationals, could be behind them.

Forces elsewhere have seen a number of organised gangs from the Far East operating similar drug enterprises in their regions, netting hundreds of thousands of pounds for the masterminds.

The "Mr Bigs" running the criminal gangs pay employees at the bottom of the drug supply chain to run the factories and tend to the crops during the growing stages.

DS Bob Chapman from Sheffield's drugs squad said there could be similar factories elsewhere in the city.

He added: "The Metropolitan Police has a major problem with Vietnamese gangs running cannabis networks in London and forces elsewhere are reporting problems, so it appears as though they are trying to get a foothold in every major city in the country and with every factory set-up we uncover we are looking for links with other.
"We have had some huge successes in terms of ridding the streets of South Yorkshire of drugs, with around £1.25 million worth recovered in our district alone and other successes in other districts. Cannabis is big business at the moment.
"We will not tolerate enterprises like this operating and people benefiting from crime to the tune of hundreds of thousands of pounds.
"If they come here to set these factories up it is going to cost them because we will find them, we will seize their plants, equipment and assets.
"There is a strong possibility that all these gangs are linked], so we will work with other forces across the country to do all we can to smash them."

http://www.sheffieldtoday.net/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=58&ArticleID=1515516


----------



## hoptis

_South-West NSW, Australia_

*Traffic stop nets drug haul*
From: AAP
May 28, 2006

DRUGS worth about $65,000 have been discovered inside a car pulled over by police for speeding in NSW's south-west, police have said.

Officers stopped a white utility driving erratically on Wilga Road at Whitton, just south of Griffith, about 1.45am (AEST) yesterday.

Police searched the car and allegedly located a number of tablets of the party drug ecstasy and another substance believed to be methylamphetamine.

The drugs have an estimated street value of $65,000.

A 24-year-old Griffith man was charged with two counts of possessing a prohibited drug and two counts of supplying a prohibited drug.

He was refused bail to appear at Wagga Wagga Local Court on Monday.

From News.com.au


----------



## hoptis

_Sydney, Australia_

*Raid nets cash, heroin, gun*
From: AAP
May 27, 2006

HEROIN, cash, electronic scales and ammunition were seized by police during a raid on a Sydney home.

Police discovered a small amount of heroin on the driver of a BMW, pulled over in suburban Riverwood about 11.45am (AEST) yesterday.

A short time later, officers searched a house at Riverwood, seizing a loaded Smith & Wesson revolver, several sets of scales, heroin, restricted medication and cash.

A 39-year-old Greenacre man was charged with possessing an unregistered firearm, possessing ammunition, supplying a restricted substance, driving whilst disqualified, goods in custody and possessing a knife in a public place.

He was refused bail and is expected to appear in Parramatta Local Court today.

A 45-year-old man was charged with possessing a prohibited drug and was bailed to appear in Sutherland Local Court on June 22. 

From News.com.au


----------



## hoptis

_Sydney, Australia_

*Man charged with heroin import*
From: Reuters
May 27, 2006

A VIETNAMESE man has been arrested for allegedly trying to smuggle heroin into Australia inside a box containing tea and coffee.

The man, aged 46, was arrested at Sydney International Airport yesterday after arriving on a flight from Ho Chi Minh City.

"When Customs officers examined the passenger's luggage they found a cardboard box containing tea and coffee," Customs officials said in a statement.

"When emptied, the box felt unusually heavy."

A drug detector dog and X-ray confirmed 300 grams of heroin had been concealed inside the box.

Australian Federal Police charged him with importing a marketable quantity of a border controlled drug.

He is expected to appear in Parramatta Local Court today. 

From News.com.au


----------



## hoptis

_Christchurch, New Zealand_

*'Drug mule' has surgery to remove balloons*
From: May 30, 2006

AN Australian man has had surgery on his stomach in New Zealand to remove eight balloons allegedly containing ecstasy tablets.

Jade Patrick Kerehama Rauhihi, of the Gold Coast in Queensland, allegedly swallowed the balloons in a bid to smuggle the ecstasy into New Zealand.

Police say Rauhihi and Shannon Richard Dillon, of Christchurch, were caught at Christchurch airport.

After surgery and doses of laxatives, they admitted to carrying ecstasy with a street value of nearly $NZ80,000 ($67,140).

Rauhihi and Dillon, both 23-year-old labourers, have pleaded guilty to importing nearly 1000 tablets of the class B drug, police said.

Christchurch District Court judge Stephen Erber remanded them in custody for a Crown sentencing session for more serious cases on July 14. He also called for a pre-sentence report.

Police prosecutor Senior Sergeant Scott Richardson said that after the men were detained, Rauhihi had complained of feeling unwell.

Fearing one of the balloons might have ruptured inside him, Rauhihi was admitted to intensive care at Christchurch Hospital where CAT scans showed both men had drugs concealed internally.

Dillon was also admitted to hospital as a safety precaution.

Rauhihi underwent surgery to remove the balloons from his stomach and the two men were given laxatives to make them excrete other drug-filled balloons, police said. Dillon excreted 726 tablets and Rauhihi was concealing another 270, they said.

Rauhihi freely acknowledged the offence, police said.

They said he admitted to carrying the drugs to pay off a $NZ25,000 drug debt in Australia.

From News.com.au


----------



## dilated_pupils

hoptis said:
			
		

> _Christchurch, New Zealand_*
> After surgery and doses of laxatives, they admitted to carrying ecstasy with a street value of nearly $NZ80,000 ($67,140).*


*

Their approx. 1000 divided by $67,140 = $67.14 a tablet, correct me if I'm wrong.  Maybe their conversion to US dollars screws it up and just goes to show Australian's pay much more then us for ecstasy.*


----------



## boywonder

Damn you Aussies got a lot of ecstasy!  6,000 here, 10,000 there....Its a damn shame.


----------



## hoptis

_Darwin, Australia_

*Airport search finds drugs on baby*
14 Jun 2006

A 34-year-old man was charged after more than 19gm of cannabis was found in the clothes of a two-week-old baby in Darwin.

The drugs were found during a search by members of the Northern Territory's remote community drug desk and drug detector dog unit at Darwin Airport last Friday.

Police said a drug dog reacted to a woman carrying a baby.

The woman subsequently revealed cannabis concealed in the baby's jumpsuit.

After further investigation a man was arrested for the supply and possession of the drug, police said.

He will appear in the Darwin Magistrates Court on June 27.

From The Advertiser


----------



## hoptis

_Sydney, Australia_

*Cannabis plants found in home*
From: AAP
June 17, 2006

MORE than 150 cannabis plants and have been seized from the south-western Sydney home of two Serbian nationals who outstayed their visas, police said.
The plants were found after police executed a search warrant on the property in Gibson Avenue, Casula at about 10am (AEST) yesterday.

Along with the 153 mature cannabis plants, police allegedly found a sophisticated hydroponics setup in the garage and three upstairs bedrooms.

Two Serbian nationals, aged 27 and 33 have been charged with cultivating a prohibited plant, supplying a prohibited drug and possessing a prohibited drug.

They have been remanded in custody and are due to appear in Parramatta Bail Court later today.

Police said the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs also is taking action against the pair for overstaying their visas. 

From News.com.au


----------



## hoptis

_Sydney, Australia_

*$22m meth bust*
June 19, 2006

FOUR people have been charged after more than two million tablets containing pseudoephedrine were found in a container-load of wooden furniture shipped from Jakarta to Sydney.

Pseudoephedrine, an ingredient in cold and flu tablets, is a prohibited precursor chemical which can be converted to make amphetamine-type substances such as methamphetamine.

The seized tablets contain an estimated 120kg of pseudoephedrine, which has the potential to produce methamphetamine with an approximate street value of $22 million, police and Customs said.

Customs officers x-rayed a container which was unloaded at Port Botany in Sydney from a ship which had arrived from Jakarta on June 13.

The contents of the container had been declared as wooden furniture and accessories.

However, when the container was x-rayed, 139 cartons wrapped in brown paper and plastic were detected behind the furniture.

The cartons were found to be packed with cold tablets, manufactured in Indonesia, which are a prohibited import unless prior approval has been granted by the Department of Health, officers said.

Customs and Australian Federal Police (AFP) officers monitored the delivery of the container to a business address in Leichhardt, in Sydney's inner-west, on Saturday.

It will be alleged in court that a 44-year-old Drummoyne woman, assisted by her 47-year-old partner, took delivery of the package, Customs and the AFP said in a joint statement.

It will also be alleged two men, aged 44 and 38, turned up at the business premises and took possession of the boxes.

The two were later intercepted with the shipment in Chinatown by federal agents.

AFP and Customs officers conducted five searches in the Sydney suburbs of Drummoyne, Leichhardt, Cabramatta and the CBD late yesterday.

The Drummoyne woman was charged last night with importing commercial quantities of border controlled precursors contrary to section 307.11 of the commonwealth Criminal Code Act 1995, and the three men were charged with aiding and abetting the importation of a border controlled precursor contrary to section 307.11 of the Criminal Code Act.

The men and woman are expected to appear at Central Local Court today.

The maximum penalty for these offences is 25 years imprisonment and/or a $550,000 fine.

From Daily Telegraph


----------



## hoptis

_Sydney, Australia_

*Two charged after ecstasy haul*
June 19, 2006

TWO men were caught with "several kilos" of ecstasy tablets, a court heard yesterday.

Nicholas Jake Barton, 33, of Coogee and Rees Gerard Woodgate, 42, of Bondi Junction, faced Parramatta Bail Court accused of supplying the illegal drug after a police raid on Saturday.

The pair did not apply for bail and duty registrar Maria Albu formally refused it.

They will reappear in Central Local Court on July 17 each charged with supplying a commercial quantity of a prohibited drug in Coogee, several kilograms of which was found.

From Daily Telegraph


----------



## MDMARI

Wow I didn't know Australia were that strict about pseudoephedrine tablets.

25 years dam.


----------



## coulage v.2

hoptis said:
			
		

> _Sydney, Australia_
> 
> *Two charged after ecstasy haul*
> June 19, 2006
> 
> TWO men were caught with "several kilos" of ecstasy tablets, a court heard yesterday.
> 
> Nicholas Jake Barton, 33, of Coogee and Rees Gerard Woodgate, 42, of Bondi Junction, faced Parramatta Bail Court accused of supplying the illegal drug after a police raid on Saturday.
> 
> The pair did not apply for bail and duty registrar Maria Albu formally refused it.
> 
> They will reappear in Central Local Court on July 17 each charged with supplying a commercial quantity of a prohibited drug in Coogee, several kilograms of which was found.
> 
> From Daily Telegraph





is this the coogee bust made in a residential/family neighbourhood? 250 000 pills seized, plus a six figure sum of cash. authorities feel bust "will have a significant effect on sydney market, pushing street prices up and making ecstasy less accessible to recreational users" - according to ten news today.

what do they know. pft.


----------



## hoptis

*House made specially to grow drugs*
SAM RICHES
27 Jun 2006

STURT police yesterday uncovered an elaborate and expensive hydroponic cannabis operation in an Adelaide Hills house which had been extensively altered to accommodate the equipment.

Officers from Operation Mantle raided the house in Emmett St, Crafers West, to find the property being used as a "growhouse".

Detective Senior Sergeant Kym Hand said the raid was part of an ongoing investigation by Operation Mantle police.

"It is part of an operation linked to another property raided at Lower Mitcham last week," he said.

No arrests were made yesterday. Officers seized about 16 plants varying from "very mature" to smaller and nursery-sized plants in what appeared to be a two-staged operation with plants continually growing in cycle.

Police were unable to say how long the property had been operating specifically as a hydroponic growhouse.

"The matter of most interest is the cost that has gone into this," Den-Sgt Hand said.

"There was lots of expensive equipment as well as the cost to run in terms of it being ongoing."

He said those responsible did not appear to be part of a large organised crime group. The plants will be destroyed and police seized the equipment.

ETSA was called to the house before it was determined the power used to run the cannabis growhouse had not been bypassed.

Sen-Sgt Hand said the raid was one of a number of significant investigations by Mantle officers, with the public providing crucial information.

In separate raids in the past fortnight, two drug labs were found in northern suburbs homes, while police last week launched a blitz in the southern suburbs and Fleurieu peninsula.

On Friday, they uncovered a 38-plant hydroponic cannabis operation at a Hackham West house.

They also charged a number of people with drug and weapons offences, seizing cannabis, amphetamines and two firearms.

A drug laboratory was discovered on the same day in the northern suburbs, at Modbury north, in a house where drug making equipment was seized. Detectives charged two men with drug manufacturing.

From The Advertiser


----------



## hoptis

*High school teacher caught dealing drugs*
June 26, 2006

A CASUAL teacher at a Sydney high school has been charged with supplying drugs.

NSW Education Department Director-General Andrew Cappie-Wood said the male teacher was charged by police about four weeks ago.

The teacher was immediately dismissed from the school, the name of which has yet to be confirmed.

Mr Cappie-Wood said it was unclear whether the teacher was accused of selling drugs at the school.

"This one casual teacher in the school has been charged by the police with a variety of offences we believe," Mr Cappie-Wood told Southern Cross Broadcasting.

"Clearly we're obviously concerned about this, we send a very strong anti-drugs message through the department and the schools.

"It's distressing for us to have this position such as it is, and it's one that that we moved (to rectify) as soon as we knew about it, to make sure that teacher was no longer employed by the department.

"If he is proved guilty through the process of the courts, well then his file will be stamped never to be employed in any capacity in the education system."

Mr Cappie-Wood said some parents at the school had been informed of the police investigation, but Education Minister Carmel Tebbutt had not yet been told.

"Clearly we update the minister regularly about matters that are under investigation inside the department and that would be part of the next regular briefing to her on those matters," he said.

Mr Cappie-Wood said the police investigation was continuing.

A NSW Police spokeswoman said a media statement would be released shortly.

The teacher will face Ryde Local Court on July 19.

From The  Daily Telegraph


----------



## makinkbmxreturns

im interested to what type of drug it was...


----------



## technoHarmony

makinkbmxreturns said:
			
		

> im interested to what type of drug it was...


cannabis

well thats what i heard on the news tonight.
iirc he sold it to a boy in his class.


----------



## xedout

hoptis said:
			
		

> _Darwin, Australia_
> 
> *Airport search finds drugs on baby*
> 14 Jun 2006
> 
> A 34-year-old man was charged after more than 19gm of cannabis was found in the clothes of a two-week-old baby in Darwin.
> 
> The drugs were found during a search by members of the Northern Territory's remote community drug desk and drug detector dog unit at Darwin Airport last Friday.
> 
> Police said a drug dog reacted to a woman carrying a baby.
> 
> The woman subsequently revealed cannabis concealed in the baby's jumpsuit.
> 
> After further investigation a man was arrested for the supply and possession of the drug, police said.
> 
> He will appear in the Darwin Magistrates Court on June 27.
> 
> From The Advertiser



My dad used to tell me about how him and my mom would stash meth and dope in my diper.


----------



## lil angel15

Customs Media Release said:
			
		

> *350 kilograms of ecstasy seized - Friday, 30th June 2006*
> 
> A joint Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Customs operation spanning NSW and Victoria has resulted in the arrest of five people following the discovery of approximately 350 kilograms of (MDMA) ecstasy tablets hidden in a shipping container of ink.
> 
> The discovery of about 1.2 million ecstasy tablets, with an approximate street value of $40 million, is believed to be the second largest seizure of the prohibited drug in Victoria and one of the largest in Australian history.
> 
> Two men were this morning arrested in 11 simultaneous search warrants conducted across Melbourne and three men were arrested in Sydney yesterday afternoon following the execution of nine search warrants.
> 
> The container, which arrived from Canada, via Hong Kong, on 4 June 2006 was selected by Customs officers for examination. The container was x-rayed and unpacked at Customs' Container Examination Facility in the Port of Melbourne where plastic containers filled with liquid were uncovered.
> 
> On closer inspection of one of the blue plastic containers, Customs officers noticed a vacuum-sealed bag inside the container immersed in blue liquid dye. When removed, the bag was seen to contain tablets, which have tested positive for (MDMA) ecstasy.
> 
> Customs officers and AFP agents examined the remainder of the container and allegedly found more than 1.2 million tablets. Of the 180 containers of ink, 67 were allegedly found to contain ecstasy tablets.
> 
> The drugs were substituted for an inert substance and an extensive operation involving 50 AFP agents monitored the delivery to an address in Clayton where the boxes were unloaded and then transferred to Sydney.
> 
> They were yesterday accessed at a residential premises in Yagoona, Sydney.
> 
> Customs Regional Director Victoria Jaclyne Fisher said the sophisticated attempt to conceal the drugs was extremely unusual.
> 
> "We haven't seen an attempt to import drugs in this fashion into Victoria before. What it does demonstrate is that no matter how clever a syndicate might think it is, Customs is alert to even the most outlandish concealment.
> 
> "The find also reflects the strength of Customs risk assessment techniques and the effectiveness of Customs staff and our technology at our Container Examination Facilities," Ms Fisher said.
> 
> AFP National Manager Border and International Network Mike Phelan said today's arrests had disrupted a major drug supply, importation and distribution network.
> 
> "This investigation is a significant victory in the fight to stop ambitious drug syndicates supplying Australia's youth with a large amount of extremely harmful substances," Federal Agent Phelan said.
> 
> "The operation has resulted in the successful dismantling of an extremely sophisticated criminal syndicate spanning two Australian states with strong international links."
> 
> Two Melbourne men are currently being interviewed at AFP Headquarters. It is expected that the men will be charged this morning.
> 
> The Sydney men were charged with attempt to possess a commercial quantity of an imported border controlled drug.
> 
> The Sydney men are expected to appear before Sydney Central Local Court today at 10am.
> 
> The maximum penalty for these offences is life imprisonment.


----------



## hoptis

*Police raid covert drug lab*
By ROB MALINAUSKAS
04 Jul 2006

POLICE drug finds have doubled in the past 12 months.

There were 48 drug busts in the past financial year, compared with 25 in 2004-05.

This was revealed yesterday after yet another raid, on a clandestine drug lab in a Modbury house.

A Modbury man, 25, and a Redwood Park man, 35, were arrested by police at the Wright Rd property yesterday morning.

They appeared in the Holden Hill Magistrates Court charged with taking part in the manufacture of a drug of dependence.

Police made another large find at Sturt on Friday, after an operation in which a Marion Rd supermarket car park was kept under observation for 24 hours.

They arrested a Netley man, 51, and later searched his house, finding 12.7kg of cannabis worth about $120,000, 62 ecstasy tablets and about $40,000 cash in a hole in the floor.

The man was charged with selling a drug of dependence, possession of ecstasy for sale, possession of cannabis for sale, cultivation of cannabis and unlawful possession.

Detective Acting Chief Inspector Kym Hand said the haul was a significant find and thanked the general public for their help.

"We did receive a lot of information from members of the public over a period of time," he said.

"Although information you do give us isn't necessarily acted on immediately, investigations are conducted into it and the result in this matter is evidence of that."

In an unrelated incident during the supermarket operation, police arrested a Glenelg man, 31, for firearms offences after he was allegedly found in possession of the three stolen handguns.

From The Advertiser


----------



## Bauer095

*Meth bust in Minnesota (Long)*

*METH Inc.: The Route To Minnesota*

Minneapolis, Minnesota
July 9, 2006

Meet Alberto Zatarain. He was the local face of a highly organized Mexican drug cartel selling high-grade methamphetamine across Minnesota. Now he's behind bars. But his case shows how cartel trafficking is intensifying here -- and why it's tough to stop.

In the eyes of the federal agents who secretly watched him, Alberto Zatarain was a drug dealer who made all the right moves.
He had at least three aliases. He switched cell phones every month and drove ugly old cars to avoid notice. After dark, he holed up and watched TV inside a rented matchbox house in Richfield that rattled from low-flying jets. No clubs, no parties, no women.

And every few months, when another runner came up from Mexico, Zatarain handed off suitcases of cash -- profits from a booming business that stretched from metro suburbs to farm towns in the Red River Valley to Fargo.

He was selling methamphetamine, and demand never let up.

Operating a network of stash houses from Richfield to Brooklyn Park, and often delivering meth hidden inside jars of instant coffee to customers, Zatarain and his band of couriers at times in recent years reeled in $250,000 a month.

"He controlled Minnesota and North Dakota," a federal drug-enforcement agent said.

Zatarain, 23, wasn't an independent operator. He was a point man for a shadowy, cunning cartel in Mexico that federal authorities say now dominates the illicit meth trade besieging Minnesota and the Midwest.

The cartel, rooted in Mexico's Sinaloa region, is producing a highly addictive form of the drug in large clandestine labs south of the border, then shipping stockpiles of it here to dealers such as Zatarain through a cross-country smuggling system.

But his success made him careless. Today, Zatarain is in the Sherburne County jail, convicted on federal drug-conspiracy charges, sentenced to 15 years, and awaiting transfer to federal prison. He is one of only a few large-scale meth dealers in Minnesota with ties to the Sinaloa cartel to get caught in recent years.

Court documents obtained by the Star Tribune, along with interviews with federal agents and attorneys involved in Zatarain's case, illustrate in detail how he operated before his organization unraveled. Zatarain also pleaded guilty last month to a second set of drug charges, from deals he allegedly tried to make in the past year while behind bars.

The cartel, meanwhile, is still flourishing, undeterred by his arrest and apparently capitalizing on a new state law that's wiping out the small-time meth producers once prevalent in Minnesota. The law restricts the sale of cold medicines that contain a chemical commonly used to process the drug.

Federal authorities say Mexican cartels now control at least 80 percent of the meth sold in Minnesota and are filling the supply void being created by the demise of mom-and-pop dealers. The cartels are ever more responsible for a drug scourge costing the state several hundred million dollars a year.

Federal agents say that Zatarain's case, in which nearly a dozen others with ties to the cartel also were prosecuted, has shed new light on how the Sinaloa cartel works. But not enough to shut it down.

Midway through this year, a Drug Enforcement Administration task force fighting the meth trade in Minnesota is on a pace to confiscate more cartel shipments here than ever. Last year, the task force seized nearly 50 kilos (1 kilo is 2.2 pounds) of the drug. Already this year, nearly 40 kilos have been seized.

Tom Kelly, the head of the DEA's office in Minneapolis, said the cartel's reach is enormous. "You can't stop it at the border of Minnesota," he said. "It's a constant uphill battle."

El Grande kept calling. His real name was Emilio Flores, and he was a cartel connection in Denver, a regional hub for heroin and meth on its way to Minnesota from Mexico. He wanted Zatarain, nicknamed Beto, to stay in the Twin Cities for the winter.

Normally, to keep a low profile, the cartel rotated its distributors in and out of the metro area every few months. But business was too good for Zatarain to return home to Tepic, a city in western Mexico where the cartel has roots.

El Grande and Zatarain, federal agents listening in on wiretaps soon would learn, spent a lot of time on the phone, often talking in code about selling meth -- which is also known on the street as crystal, glass or ice.

Since 2002, Zatarain had worked throughout the Twin Cities for the cartel. Initially, he sold heroin. But it was impossible to ignore the shift in consumer demand for meth -- especially in the suburbs, where authorities say it now ranks alongside cocaine and marijuana as a drug of choice.

For every sale of heroin, DEA agents estimated, Zatarain could make 10 sales of meth. The difference could mean thousands of dollars. By mid-2004, meth, selling sometimes at $12,000 a pound, had become the focus of Zatarain's operation for the cartel.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Dunne, the head of the Minnesota office's narcotics section, said that the meth pouring into the state from Mexico has become the focus of law enforcement officials, too.

"It is the number one drug threat facing federal drug prosecutors and agents in the Midwest," Dunne said.

The cartel to which Zatarain reported, law enforcement officials say, studied the exploding demand for meth in Minnesota and the Midwest and created a sophisticated business plan to capitalize on it. In many ways, authorities say, the cartel's tactics resemble how a corporation enters an international market.

"The cartel is run like a regular business and set up like a Fortune 500 company," Kelly said. "It has people who work on the transportation side, the finance side, the communications side, and they all work in concert to move a product to where the demand is very high."

Far from the reach of the DEA, the cartel first built labs in Mexico capable of large-scale production. To get great quantities of the drug made quickly, federal investigators say, the cartel also illegally began importing tons of ephedrine, a key ingredient in meth, from India and China. One lab in Mexico soon could produce as much as 50 pounds of meth a week.

By contrast, homemade meth labs in Minnesota -- whose numbers have plummeted since the state restricted the sale of cold medicines last year -- produce only a small fraction of that amount in a week.

To get meth to the Midwest, the cartel began using underground distribution networks that had been set up to smuggle Colombian cocaine, Mexican heroin and marijuana across the border, federal investigators say. Los Angeles, San Diego and Phoenix became major distribution hubs for cartel-made meth.

Shipments of the drug usually reach Minnesota from the Southwest via interstate highways, in cars or trucks with secret storage compartments that cartel couriers constantly change to try to stay one step ahead of state troopers who are getting intensive new training on their smuggling tactics.

Kelly, who spent time working for the DEA in the Southwest, said it has been nearly impossible to stop smuggling along the border there.

"They send five cars through at one time, and if one gets caught it doesn't matter because the rest got through, and they're on the way north," he said.

In May, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales announced a partnership with Mexico to fight meth trafficking. The DEA and Mexico plan to form special investigative teams along the border and compile a most-wanted list of meth traffickers.

Dunne said federal prosecutions of meth cases in Minnesota are soaring. In the past five years, those cases have more than doubled -- from 43 to 104.

But, he said, "We are only catching the tip of the iceberg of the methamphetamine that is coming into Minnesota from Mexico."

Catching Zatarain took three years.

In 2002, the DEA's task force in Minneapolis heard of a heroin dealer in Minneapolis whose name had been mentioned on a federal wiretap in Denver. The dealer was called "Beto," and he was being supplied in part from Denver by Flores, the guy nicknamed El Grande, who was also later convicted on drug charges.

But the DEA didn't figure out who "Beto" was until the spring of 2004. Through an informant, federal agents learned that Zatarain had gone home to Mexico, but was expected to return soon to the Twin Cities.

"We found that Beto was taking his turn in the rotation," a former task force member on the investigation said. "They came up in teams and stayed for a few months. Everybody was expected to do their time. If you wanted the good life back in Mexico, you had to come north and take your turn."

Federal investigators say Zatarain was making so much money that even as he was sending his receipts to the cartel he was also wiring cash home to his family -- never under his name -- and was planning to buy a ranch in Mexico.

In the fall of 2004, after reviewing the DEA's emerging investigation into drug cartels, U.S. District Judge James Rosenbaum authorized the agency's request to use wiretaps in the hope of penetrating Zatarain's organization. The DEA task force soon realized it was not just pursuing a heroin case. It was on to what would become one of its most far-reaching meth probes.

By eavesdropping on Zatarain's calls, federal agents began learning his codes. When he talked about women, he was really talking about drugs. When he spoke of his "black girl," that meant he was moving black-tar heroin. Talk of "white girls" meant meth. References to the hassle of a broken window was another way of talking about "glass," slang for meth.

Heeding tips from traffickers who had come to the Twin Cities before him, Zatarain changed his cell phone every month and switched used cars about as often. He seldom moved drugs at night, reasoning that there were more police on the streets.

Once, when Zatarain's runners sensed they were being tailed -- and they were -- they simply drove off the freeway, got a hotel room along the Bloomington strip, and holed up for a few days.

On wiretapped phone lines, federal investigators say, Zatarain bragged about the vehicles he used for trafficking. They were outfitted with secret compartments that he said could get anything across the border unnoticed.

But he worried, too. Fearing detection from drug-detecting dogs that police often use on roadside stops of suspicious vehicles, Zatarain and his collaborators went so far as to put anti-freeze inside the plastic bolt that holds spare tires in the trunks of cars -- because they knew the odor throws off a dog's scent.

After spending thousands of hours listening to wiretapped conversations and conducting surveillance all the way from Lake Street in Minneapolis to the Red River Valley, the DEA was eager to learn whether Zatarain could, on short notice, deliver a large quantity of meth.

In January 2005, a Hennepin County Sheriff's deputy, working undercover, rang Zatarain's cell phone and placed an order. It was a call the DEA hoped would lead them to Mexico -- and his drug bosses.

According to court documents, Zatarain took the undercover officer's call and promised to deliver in two hours.

Then Zatarain called one of his meth couriers in Brooklyn Park. DEA surveillance teams tailed the courier to Zatarain's new apartment at 630 Quincy Avenue in northeast Minneapolis. There, other agents watched the apartment.

Close to noon, Zatarain left and drove to sell a half-pound of meth, as promised, to the undercover officer. He delivered it inside a jar of instant coffee, but he was not immediately arrested.

DEA agents soon learned Zatarain could deal almost 20 pounds of meth a month. But they heard nothing about his bosses.

By that time, as his business was peaking, Zatarain had begun breaking most of his own rules -- and his operation began to fall apart. He started working deals at night. Instead of buying a new cell every month, he would wait two.

"It became self-defeating," one investigator on the case said. "While he bought a new cell to avoid detection, he gave his old phones to his associates rather than rotating everybody's phones."

Agents simply listened in on the old phones to get Zatarain's new number.

Once, thinking he was on a secure line, he told someone not to call him Beto. Instead, he said, call him "Johnny." Agents wrote down his new street name.

T hree days after buying a half-pound of crystal meth from Zatarain, federal agents broke down his apartment door. It was dawn, and he and two other men were there sleeping. They acted bewildered, as if the agents had targeted the wrong men.

"They had their game faces on," one of the agents on the task force said. "They weren't going to concede anything."

Agents wanted Zatarain to identify his bosses in Mexico. They offered the standard deal -- less prison time if he gave them names.

They met with Zatarain three times as he sat with his federal public defender, Kevin O'Brien. Finally, Zatarain gave information to the DEA and the U.S. Attorney's office in Minneapolis about cartel operatives in Denver and Indianapolis, O'Brien said. Zatarain provided names, methods of operation, routes, and information about how the cartel recruited distributors.

And there his disclosures stopped. He would not identify the bosses who directed the operations. To do so would mean his family could be killed in retribution, Zatarain told DEA agents.

"My argument was that he was being manipulated by much bigger forces back in Mexico," O'Brien said. "He was very engaging, very bright, good-looking. He'd be successful in any business. He was a drug dealer for a reason: he was very organized, kept track of customers and he delivered. But he was just one of these kids who is used as cannon fodder."

Federal investigators say Zatarain was an example of what they call a "cell-head" -- someone who has a family relationship within the cartel's organization back in Mexico. That way, they say, the cartel has more control over keeping its far-flung operatives from cooperating with authorities.

"You could tell he wanted to talk," an investigator said, "but the last line of defense the cartel in Mexico has over them is that if you do talk, some of your family is going to end up dead. And he still has family back there in Mexico."

Zatarain, protecting his widowed mother and siblings in Tepic, stayed silent and pleaded guilty to drug-conspiracy charges.

While in jail waiting to be sent to prison for 15 years, Zatarain talked on the phone to his brother, Julio. In recorded conversations, they spoke about trying to sell encyclopedias and other books.

But it became clear to federal agents that they were trying to sell more meth. A second investigation began.

In January, a year after his arrest, Zatarain was indicted along with Julio and two others for allegedly trying to sell 500 grams of meth. He pleaded guilty last month and is scheduled to be sentenced in August. Under federal law, he could serve as many as 10 more years.

Federal agents say shutting down Zatarain's operation was a big victory. But they also know the cartel for which he worked is still in business in Minnesota.

"In the DEA, we always ask ourselves if we dismantled or if we only disrupted an organization," an agent who worked on the Zatarain case said. "Did we dismantle this operation? No."


----------



## hoptis

_Melbourne and Brisbane, Australia_

*Pair charged after drug raids*
July 11, 2006 - 9:04AM

Police say raids in Melbourne's west have disrupted a major heroin trafficking syndicate linked to the arrest of an Australian couple in Vietnam.

Detectives from the drugs taskforce carried out the raids following the arrest of Melbourne couple Hoang Le Thuy and her husband Nguyen Van Huy in Vietnam on Thursday.

Heroin was allegedly found hidden in bottles of medication in the St Albans couple's luggage at Ho Chi Minh City's Tan Son Nhut airport before they boarded a flight to Melbourne.

A substantial amount of cash, mobile phones, and methamphetamine were seized during the Melbourne raids.

A 34-year-old St Albans man has been charged with conspiracy to import a prohibited drug. He was remanded in custody to face Melbourne Magistrates Court today.

A 32-year-old Deer Park man was charged with trafficking in methamphetamine and bailed to face court at a later date.

Detectives said they were confident they had identified principal persons involved in the trafficking and importation of substantial amounts of heroin into Australia.

*Drug lab raided*

A 24-year-old man has been arrested after police discovered a drug laboratory at a home in Brisbane's west.

Police said officers searched the Riverview house about 3pm (AEST) yesterday.

The man will face Ipswich Magistrates Court on July 31 charged with producing a dangerous drug, possession of a dangerous drug and charges relating to break and enter offences at local schools.

AAP

From The Age


----------



## fengtau

*RM14mil of ‘ice’, Ecstasy pills seized*

KULIM: One of the region’s biggest and most sophisticated syabu producing laboratories with international links was busted when police seized syabu and Ecstasy pills worth a whopping RM14mil from a factory in Taman Makmur, Lunas, here. 

Twenty-one people, including a family of four, a Taiwanese chemist and a Hong Kong national, were arrested during a massive joint operation involving police from Bukit Aman and the Kedah narcotics department at about 4pm last Sunday. 

The family of four was a 48-year-old man, his 44-year-old wife and their two children, aged 21 and 19. 





_TAKING STOCK: Chemists looking through the drug processing equipment and chemicals at the factory in Taman Makmur, Lunas, yesterday. The factory is believed to have international links._

Federal Narcotics Crimes Investigation Department director Commissioner Datuk Najib Abdul Aziz said the laboratory was a manufacturing and distribution centre for syabu and Ecstasy pills, both for local consumption as well as export to foreign markets such as Australia, Hong Kong and Japan. 

“We found several drums containing chemicals such as methanol, iron chloride and sodium sulphate in the laboratory, which we believe had been in operation for the past three months,” he said. 

“Our officers also seized several cars, RM171,000 in cash and foreign currency in excess of RM70,000,” he said.  

It is learnt that police had placed the factory, which previously manufactured soap and cosmetics, under surveillance for about a month. 





_DEADLY STUFF: Kuala Muda narcotics chief ASP Ismail Abu (right) and Najib showing the seized syabu at the press conference._

In 2004, police had, in a well-coordinated operation involving Malaysian and Chinese authorities, smashed a major regional supply line of amphetamine pills following raids on a processing factory in Semenyih. 

They arrested two Chinese nationals and more than 20 Malaysians, and also seized syabu and drug-processing chemicals worth millions of ringgit. 

The bust was believed to be the biggest in South-East Asia.  

http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2006/7/11/nation/14796699&sec=nation&focus=1


----------



## hoptis

_Sydney, Australia_

*Ten people arrested in ice investigation*
From: AAP
July 12, 2006

AT least 10 people have been arrested after police seized drugs, stolen property, cash and a gun in raids across Sydney.

The arrests follow an investigation into the supply of methylamphetamine, also known as ice, in central Sydney, the inner west and eastern suburbs, police said.

The first arrested were three men at an inner-city apartment at 8.15pm (AEST) yesterday.

Simultaneous raids were then carried out on houses in Paddington, Eagle Vale, Camperdown, Waterloo and Ultimo.

Prohibited drugs, stolen property, cash, a firearm, and a range of chemicals were seized.

Cards made to manipulate electronic reading devices, a small amount of the drug MDMA, and more stolen property were seized in two more raids on hotel rooms in Sydney.

Police said four men, aged 33 to 49, and two women, aged 31 and 37, were charged with offences including supplying a prohibited drug. They were refused police bail to appear in court today.

A 40-year-old man charged with drug offences was bailed to appear in Downing Centre Local Court on August 2.

Police said another three people were questioned and released pending further inquiries.

From News.com.au


----------



## hoptis

_Adelaide, Australia_

*Heroin seized during Adelaide raid*
August 17, 2006 03:40pm
Article from: AAP

ABOUT 2000 street deals of heroin have been prevented following a raid on an Adelaide home, police said today.

Police seized 190g of heroin during their search of a house at Paralowie, in Adelaide's north.

They also seized a stolen firearm and ammunition.

Police said a 25-year-old man who lived at the house had been arrested and charged with possession of heroin for sale and firearms offences.

Four other Adelaide men were also arrested and charged with possession of heroin.

The arrested men will appear in court at a later date. 

From News.com.au


----------



## hoptis

_Adelaide, Australia_

*Two held over cannabis lab*
August 17, 2006 10:38am
Article from: AAP

TWO men have been arrested after the discovery of a clandestine drug laboratory north of Adelaide.

Police said the drug lab and a small number of cannabis plants were found at a property at Lewiston.

Two men, aged 58 and 61, have been charged with taking part in the production of a prohibited substance and cultivating cannabis.

They were expected to appear in court today.

Detectives said they would dismantle the laboratory this morning. 

From News.com.au


----------



## hoptis

_Sydney, Australia_

*$3.5m heroin haul found inside car*
August 21, 2006 07:22am

HEROIN with a potential street value of $3.5 million has been found after police stopped a car in Sydney's southwest.

A 41-year-old Fairfield East man was driving the car when it was stopped by officers at the corner of Short and Macquarie streets at Liverpool at 12.40pm (AEST) yesterday, police said.

A search allegedly found seven packages of heroin, weighing 2.74kg and worth an estimated $3.5 million.

A search of a property in Fairfield also found a large sum of cash, believed to the proceeds of the crime.

The man has been charged with supplying a commercial quantity of prohibited drug and was refused bail to appear in Liverpool Local Court today.

From News.com.au


----------



## hoptis

_Northern WA, Australia_

*Bali drug import arrest*
August 21, 2006 06:10pm

A NEW Zealand man was arrested at a West Australian airport after he flew in from Bali with 2kg of ephedrine taped to his body, customs officials said today.

Customs officers interviewed the 41-year-old after he arrived at Port Hedland International Airport in WA's north at the weekend.

When officers conducted a subsequent body search, they allegedly found four packs taped to the man's thighs and groin.

A preliminary test of the contents of the body pack tested positive for ephedrine, a prohibited precursor chemical which can be used to produce amphetamine-type substances, customs said in a statement.

The man was charged with importing a commercial quantity of border-controlled precursors.

He was due to appear in Port Hedland Magistrates Court today.

Investigations were continuing and further charges may be laid, customs said.

From News.com.au


----------



## hoptis

_Melbourne, Australia_

*Ecstasy charges laid after chase*
August 26, 2006 01:07pm

A 29-year-old man has been charged with trafficking drugs and endangering the lives of others following a police chase through the Melbourne inner-city suburb of Brunswick.

The Brunswick man was charged with trafficking a commercial quantity of ecstasy, possessing a commercial quantity of ecstasy, conduct endangering life and other traffic offences.

He was remanded in custody to appear at the Melbourne Magistrates Court on August 28.

From News.com.au


----------



## hoptis

_South Australia, Australia_

*Border drug, equipment bust*
August 26, 2006 12:00am
Article from: Northern Territory News

THREE men will face court after police busted them with cannabis and drug paraphernalia.

Members of the Substance Abuse Intelligence Desk searched the trio's Holden Statesman at Kulgera, near the South Australian border, this week as part of an ongoing operation to monitor drug trafficking.

Police found 141g of cannabis as well as an assortment of drug paraphernalia, including bongs and scales.

From News.com.au


----------



## technoHarmony

_Sydney, Australia_

*Three charged over 5000 ecstasy tablets*
August 31, 2006
THREE men have been charged with drug offences after police seized 5000 ecstasy pills from three western Sydney homes.

Police said the drugs had an estimated potential street value of $250,000.

Officers investigating the ongoing commercial supply of ecstasy around Cabramatta seized the pills after searching three homes in Fairfield, Green Valley and Cecil Hills.

They arrested a 33-year-old Fairfield man and a 24-year-old Green Valley man at Lansvale about 2pm (AEST) yesterday.

A 23-year-old man was also arrested a short time later at a home in Cecil Hills.

All three men were charged with supplying a prohibited commercial drug and refused bail to appear in Liverpool Local Court today. 

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20312142-29277,00.html


----------



## hoptis

_Darwin, Australia_

*Cops seize drug stash*
By Rebekah Cavanagh
September 01, 2006 12:00am
Article from: Northern Territory News

POLICE said they stopped $25,000 worth of cannabis from hitting the streets following a raid on a Darwin house yesterday.

Property Crime Reduction Unit detectives used a search warrant in the raid on an Alawa residence early in the morning.

They found about 500g of marijuana, believed to be for dealing, concealed in a plastic shopping bag along with more than $4000 cash.

They also seized a vehicle and a range of suspected stolen items including two car stereos, a portable stereo system, mp3 player, portable DVD player, computers and car wheels.

A 21-year-old man was arrested at the scene and was charged last night with possession of a trafficable quantity of cannabis.

He was also charged with stealing, supplying a dangerous drug, and unlawfully possessing stolen property.

A Drug House notice will be issued for the premises.

It was the second bust by NT police in under 12 hours.

About 6.15pm on Wednesday, 295g of cannabis and 0.2g of methylamphetamine was seized at a Wagaman home. A 45-year-old man was charged with several offences.

From News.com.au


----------



## hoptis

_Sydney, Australia_

*Man hid 160 heroin pellets in his stomach*
September 4, 2006 - 11:18AM

A Canadian-born New Zealander has been arrested at Sydney airport after allegedly trying to smuggle almost 160 heroin pellets in his stomach.

The 39-year-old was stopped by Customs officers when he arrived on a flight from Singapore on Saturday, Australian Customs said in a statement today.

After questioning him, officers became suspicious he may have been concealing a drug internally and took him to hospital.

The man later allegedly passed 159 pellets containing about 300 grams of a white power believed to be heroin.

He was charged with attempting to import a marketable quantity of a border controlled drug, which carries a maximum fine of $825,000 and/or life in jail.

AAP

From The Age


----------



## GABAlover

Good god, when will these idiots stop fighting a war they can't possibly win ?


----------



## hoptis

_Townsville, Australia_

*Charges after 2000 cannabis plants found*
September 07, 2006 08:28am

TWO men have been charged after 2000 cannabis plants were uncovered in north Queensland.

The plants, including more than 1200 mature plants, were found on Crown land at Giru, Townsville, about 5am yesterday, police said.

The men, aged 42 and 77, will appear in the Townsville Magistrates Court today charged with possession of a dangerous drug and production of a dangerous drug.

News.com.au


----------



## hoptis

_South East Queensland, Australia_

*Drugs, guns, money seized in raids*
September 07, 2006 03:50pm

DRUGS, guns and $66,120 in cash have been seized and three people were arrested after police raids in south-east Queensland today.

Police said the raids were carried out on homes around the town of Murgon and were part of an operation codenamed Echo Taboo.

State Drug and Property Crime Group's Detective Superintendent Brian Wilkins said the operation showed the commitment of the Queensland Police Service to disrupt drug trafficking networks throughout Queensland.

"The co-ordinated nature of this effort has resulted in significant drug seizures and the arrest of persons involved in the supply of illicit drugs," Det Supt Wilkins said.

Gympie District CIB Detective Senior Sergeant Paul Skillen the operation had significantly disrupted the supply of illegal drugs in the South Burnett area, particularly to the Murgon and Cherbourg communities.

Two men, aged 62 and 32, and a 30-year-old woman will face a total of 22 charges including trafficking, supply and possession of dangerous drugs charges and breaching of weapon licence offences.

They will appear before the Murgon Magistrates Court tomorrow. 

News.com.au


----------



## hoptis

_Northern Victoria, Australia_

*$4m heroin uncovered in booze bus stop*
By Mark Buttler
September 07, 2006 12:00am

HEROIN with a street value of $4 million has been seized from a car pulled over at a freeway booze bus in Victoria.

Seymour officers operating the bus arrested two people, then called in the Victoria Police drug taskforce after becoming suspicious and searching the vehicle on Sunday.

The Toyota Camry, containing two adults and their two young children, had been pulled over as part of .05 checking on the Hume Freeway at Avenel when officers decided to check it.

They found a suitcase containing eight packages of heroin weighing 3kg and with an estimated street value of $4 million.

A man and woman from Springvale, who were travelling in the car from Sydney to Melbourne, were arrested.

Police then searched a house in Springvale, where they found $80,000 that they believe was the proceeds of crime.

Insp Ross Smith yesterday praised the work of the officers operating the booze bus.

"Local police periodically conduct blitzes on the freeway and the alertness of the officers prevented illegal drugs being distributed to the community," he said.

A 41-year-old Springvale man has been charged with trafficking a large commercial quantity of heroin and possessing the proceeds of crime.

He was remanded in custody and will face Melbourne Magistrates' Court in November.

A woman, 40, was released and is expected to be charged on summons with similar offences.

News.com.au


----------



## TheOneForU

THat is really not going to make a dent in the market. There are plenty more places to get drugs and someone else will now start to pull tje big weight


----------



## hoptis

_Adelaide, Australia_

*Trio arrested for drugs offences*
September 12, 2006 12:23pm
Article from: AAP

TWO Victorians were among three people arrested for drugs offences during a police raid in Adelaide overnight.

The 43-year-old woman and 39-year-old man, both from Footscray in Melbourne's west, were arrested in a raid on a northern Adelaide house.

Both were charged with possession of heroin and methamphetamine for sale.

Also arrested was a 44-year-old man from Beverley in Adelaide's inner-north who was charged with possessing heroin for sale.

Police said they seized 10.5g of heroin, 28g of rock heroin and 84g of methamphetamine, commonly known as ice, during the raid of the Beverley house.

Those charged will appear in court later today. 

From News.com.au


----------



## kevz

*Brothers caught growing dope in park*

TWO brothers have been arrested on charges of growing a marijuana plantation in one of the biggest public parks in Palermo, Sicily.

Police say the men, aged 25 and 30, had grown about 20 marijuana plants each at least two metres high in the Italian city's Parco della Favorita, the Ansa news agency reported.

The pair was arrested as they carried watering cans to the site, which was hidden by vegetation. Police who raided their home found 3000 seeds, more marijuana and cash thought to be from sales of the drug.

The men's parents have also been charged in the case. 

http://drugpolicycentral.com/bot/article/news.com.au5779.htm


----------



## rocklobster

I want to slap each and every person that calls pot "dope."


----------



## phr

Exactly. I was mislead into clicking on this thread.


----------



## Church

^ Well what did you think--- that someone was growing "heroin plants?" I mean, come on...


----------



## hoptis

_Adelaide, Australia_

*Five arrested over drug haul*
September 13, 2006 02:40pm

FIVE people have been arrested after a large amount of cannabis was seized from a house at Wingfield, in the northern suburbs.
Police raided the house on Albion St and found the drug crop.

From The Advertiser


----------



## DarthMom

Church said:
			
		

> ^ Well what did you think--- that someone was growing "heroin plants?" I mean, come on...



yeah, you can't just grow papaver somniferum like a plant, crazy


----------



## Church

Silly girl. Papaver somniferum doesnt contain heroin.


----------



## DarthMom

ok i need to run with a quickness to drug basics, bc i thought heroin was a derivative of opium.


----------



## SteeleyJ

hahaha with a quickness

But heroin is the acetylated form of morphine if im not mistaken. So it's sortof there in a way but people haveto acetylate the morphine.


----------



## Church

My point was simply that the title of this thread shouldn't have been THAT misleading to people, because even though "dope" is _supposed_ to mean heroin, it obviously can't be about heroin because there's no such thing as a plant that contains acetylated morphine (at least, that we know of yet!)...


----------



## DarthMom

no, i got what you meant, i was just trying to tease you, and be funny, but instead i only pwnd myself :D


----------



## phr

Well, I assumed the article/user didn't know anything about manufacturing dope, and thus errored on the title. Well, there was an error, but it involved weed. Yuck.


----------



## Told of Reversal

Who the fuck would count out 3000 individual seeds? 

(And don't say they were prepackaged)


----------



## Church

But they might have been prepackaged!!! Like 300 10-packs, or 30 100-packs. 



			
				Darthmom said:
			
		

> no, i got what you meant, i was just trying to tease you, and be funny, but instead i only pwnd myself



LOL. That's why I love you Darthy! :D


----------



## kevz

I wasn't confused.. as everyone has stated above you can't grow a plant that contains heroin.  Just takes a bit of common sense..


----------



## rocklobster

Church said:
			
		

> My point was simply that the title of this thread shouldn't have been THAT misleading to people, because even though "dope" is _supposed_ to mean heroin, it obviously can't be about heroin because there's no such thing as a plant that contains acetylated morphine (at least, that we know of yet!)...


You're making a mountain out of a mole-hill here. No one thought this thread was about a magical heroin plant. You're reading too much into semantics.


----------



## Church

^ You're reading too much into my reading too much into things.  Simmer down.


----------



## rocklobster

You're reading too much into my reading too much into your reading too much into semantics of simmering down.


----------



## Church

I'm dizzy.


----------



## fruitfly

There's a Mega-Merged Drug Busts Thread for blurbs such as this one. Off it goes.


----------



## hoptis

_Sydney, Australia_

*Suspected drug-makers to face court*
September 16, 2006 12:23am
Article from: AAP

TWO men will face a Sydney court today charged with drug offences after police seized thousands of cold and flu tablets that can be used to make methylamphetamine, or ice.

A 32-year-old Wetherill Park man and 37-year-old man from Quakers Hill were arrested at about 1pm (AEST) yesterday in a carpark at Wetherill Park, police said today.

More than 4300 packets containing 100,000 pseudoephedrine-based cold and flu tablets were seized during the arrest, police said.

It's alleged the tablets could have been used to manufacture about three kg of pure methylamphetamine, with an estimated street value of $3 million.

The Wetherill Park man has been charged with supplying a commercial quantity of a prohibited drug and possessing a precursor intended to be used in the manufacture of a prohibited drug, and other offences.

The Quakers Hill man faces the same two charges and a number of stealing offences.

Both men have been refused bail and will appear in Parramatta Local Court today. 

News.com.au


----------



## hoptis

_South East Queensland, Australia_

*46 held in 73 drug raids*
September 15, 2006 08:12pm
Article from: AAP

ALMOST 50 people have been arrested after a two-day Queensland Police drug operation at Gympie in the state's south-east.

A police spokeswoman said 46 people were charged with a total of 87 offences after 73 addresses were raided in the Gympie area during operation Echo Gloat which concluded today.

She said police located quantities of chemicals and other items allegedly used to manufacture methylamphetamine during the raids.

The 46 people will face charges at Gympie Magistrates Court over the coming weeks including producing a dangerous drug, possessing a dangerous drug, possessing a utensil and unlawful entry.

News.com.au


----------



## hoptis

_Gold Coast, Australia_

*Fake IDs seized in pre-Schoolies raid*
September 15, 2006 07:18pm
Article from: AAP

POLICE believe they have smashed a fake ID racket aimed at Schoolies after conducting sweeping raids across the Gold Coast.

A bouncer found with counterfeit ID equipment, weapons and drugs was among 29 people arrested on more than 300 charges after 21 homes were raided on Wednesday and yesterday on the Gold Coast's south.

Police seized hundreds of fake IDs and a large amount of drugs they said were packaged and ready to be sold at this year's Schoolies event.

Detective Inspector Jim Keogh said the raids capped a three month operation aimed at cleaning up the Gold Coast in preparation for Schoolies.

"These are positive steps towards ensuring that we do have a lot safer Schoolies for this particular year," he said today.

"This operation has made a huge dent in the criminal activity on the southern end of the Gold Coast."

Police found a computer hard drive with a high quality fake ID template at the 35-year-old bouncer's home along with two loaded handguns, a stolen Subaru Impreza WRX, methamphetamines, cocaine and ecstasy.

The 35-year-old was contracted by a security company and had worked at Schoolies and underage events at a Surfers Paradise hotel, Channel Seven said tonight.

Seven also said another bouncer was arrested after police found amphetamines and ecstasy at his house.

The 35-year-old bouncer, from Worongary, was charged with numerous drug and firearm offences as well as possession of stolen property and unlawful use of a motor vehicle.

During the operation, two 15-year-old boys were issued notices to appear in relation to a number of alleged break and enter offences on the Gold Coast's south.

A police spokeswoman said one of the youths, from Currumbin Waters, allegedly committed a large number of offences in the Elanora area.

He has been charged with 18 break and enter offences, one unlawful use of a motor vehicle and drug offences.

The second 15-year-old from Palm Beach was charged with five break and enter offences, three stealing, receiving, unlawful use of a motor vehicle and drug offences.

Also arrested during the operation was an 18-year-old man for an alleged assault at a Palm Beach bus stop earlier this month.

He was charged with three counts of assault occasioning bodily harm while in company.

News.com.au


----------



## kevz

*Irwin deputies make drug bust*

September 16, 2006

Irwin County -- Sheriff's Deputies arrested an Ocilla man and woman for growing marijuana at their home.

Deputies found 86 marijuana plants at the home if 54 year old James Pounds and 39 year old Cindy Pounds. Officers also found 8 guns there.

The couple faces individual charges including manufacturing marijuana and posession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

This isn't the first time the couple has been in trouble with the law. Deputies arrested them before on drug related charges.

They are being held at the Irwin County Detention Center.

http://www.walb.com/Global/story.asp?S=5417983


----------



## kevz

*Arrests in Terrebonne interrupt drug shimpent*

GRAY, La. (AP) — A series of arrests at three north Terrebonne Parish sites interrupted a drug shipment, leading to the seizure of $20,000 in cash and suspected cocaine and the arrest of eight people, police said.

A group of Lafourche and Terrebonne residents allegedly involved in importing cocaine from Texas planned to be moving the drugs between the parishes Thursday night, but narcotics agents found out, the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff's Office reported Friday.

After watching them leave a trailer in Gray known as a "stash house" for the drugs, agents intercepted two vehicles on U.S. 90 carrying $10,000 worth of suspected cocaine. The agents then raided the trailer, where they found another $2,000 worth of cocaine and marijuana, $8,000 in cash and a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun, according to the Sheriff's Office.

"Hopefully, we can stop them from continuing to do this, but it's an everyday fight," said Terrebonne Sheriff Jerry J. Larpenter. "These people, it's all they do, but we're fortunate we got them off the streets."

Lafourche Parish narcotics agents received the original information about the drug transfer and called Terrebonne detectives, who set up surveillance at the trailer, according to a Terrebonne Sheriff's Office news release. Around 7:15 p.m., a 2007 Chevrolet Blazer stopped at the trailer, then left driving east on U.S. 90. When the agents stopped it, they found 20 grams of suspected powder cocaine and .7 grams of suspected crack cocaine, worth more than $4,000 on the street.

Two Cut Off residents in the SUV were arrested on charges of possession with the intent to distribute crack cocaine, authorities reported. Narcotics officers then stopped a 1996 Chevrolet Lumina on U.S. 90's La. 316 exit, where they found an ounce of marijuana, a half-ounce of suspected powder cocaine and half an ounce of suspected crack cocaine, all together with a street value of more than $6,000, the release states. Three people in the car were arrested.

With the drugs collected from the two vehicles, the narcotics agents then headed back to the trailer in Gray, where they had been told the suspects cooked the cocaine into crack and stashed the drugs. After knocking on the door and getting permission to enter, they searched the trailer and found 5 grams of suspected cocaine worth $1,000, 5 ounces of suspected marijuana worth $1,000, a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun, $8,000 in cash, several Pyrex containers with suspected crack-cocaine residue, a digital scale commonly used to weigh drugs and sandwich bags often used for packaging, the release states. Three more people were arrested.

http://www.nola.com/newsflash/louis...s-27/1158432541118200.xml&storylist=louisiana


----------



## kevz

*Drug bust led to raid*

Saturday, September 16, 2006
By Clint Confehr

Sheriff Randall Boyce and Police Chief Austin Swing -- seated, from left -- and, standing, 17th Judicial District Drug Task Force members Billy Ostermann, Tim Lane, Tim Miller and Shane George pose with some of the drugs confiscated Thursday night and Friday morning.
(T-G Photo by Clint Confehr)
[Click to enlarge]
Suspected cocaine with an estimated value of $32,500 was confiscated along with four scales, four guns and $4,700 Thursday night and Friday morning in Bedford County.

"This is a substantial amount of cocaine," Tim Lane, director of the 17th Judicial District Drug Task Force, said Friday afternoon. "The street value could be anywhere from $25,000 to $40,000."

Shawn Tyrone Wade, 29, of Nashville and Emmitt Russell McGee Jr., 22, and Neil Davis Greenway, 23, both of Wartrace-Bell Buckle Road, were each charged with possession of a Schedule II drug for resale.

"We had been making some undercover drug buys," Lane said as he described the chain of events that resulted in two charges against Greenway.

"As a result of his arrest, further investigation led to the execution of a search warrant at [the] Bell Buckle -- Wartrace Road [house] shortly after midnight on Friday morning. This residence was also occupied by his roommate," Lane said, referring to McGee.

A search led to the seizure of about a pound of suspected cocaine scattered throughout the residence, Lane said.

Also confiscated were four sets of digital scales, three bags of suspected marijuana weighing about an ounce, two semi-automatic pistols, a semi-automatic machine handgun, a sawed-off shotgun and nearly $4,700 in U.S. currency, the task force director said.

"When we examined the money we seized, a number of the bills were positively identified as bills we issued for previous drug buys," Lane said. "That's not a good thing for them if they were to claim this money was not from drug sales.

"That dog won't hunt."

Sheriff's deputies and Shelbyville police officers assisted with the operation, Lane said.

"I'm proud of you guys," Sheriff Randall Boyce said at the task force office.

"We're just getting started," replied Tim Miler, assistant director of the task force.

Boyce said one of his campaign promises was to increase drug law enforcement.

The three suspects were released on bond Friday morning and are set for an appearance in Bedford County General Sessions Court on Nov. 28.

Other charges could be filed against the trio by then, Lane said. 





http://www.t-g.com/story/1168586/photo/1061375.html


----------



## Skyline_GTR

Merged


----------



## hoptis

_Melbourne, Australia_

*More than 30 charged with heroin trafficking*
September 22, 2006 - 7:37AM

About 100 people have been charged with a range of drug and property offences following a long-term operation in Melbourne's west.

The operation, conducted over several months, targeted the drug trade in the Footscray area, a Victoria Police spokeswoman said.

It wound up today when police executed 12 search warrants.

Those arrested face a series of charges including possession, trafficking and cultivating, and property offences including theft, burglary, armed robbery, theft of a motor vehicle and theft from a motor vehicle.

About 30 of those charged face 140 counts of heroin trafficking, the Police spokeswoman said.

Thousands of dollars worth of cannabis, heroin, amphetamines and ICE allegedly were seized in the searches, along with weapons including swords and imitation handguns.

Those arrested and charged include:

- Khang Thoai Do, 21, of Brooklyn, remanded in custody on 24 counts of heroin trafficking.

- Thuy Pham, 23, of Thomastown, remanded in custody on 18 charges of heroin trafficking.

- Son Duc Nguyen, 22, of Sunshine North, remanded in custody on two counts of heroin trafficking and one count of armed robbery.

- Mark Nagle, 34, and Arlene Murphy, 39, both of Kingsville, remanded in custody on charges of burglary, theft and handling stolen goods.

- Michael Hedger, 22, of Footscray, remanded on a charge of possessing a pistol.

- An un-named 26-year-old Sunshine man has been charged with theft of a motor vehicle, possessing the proceeds of crime and handling stolen goods.

Detective Acting Sergeant Brendan O'Mahoney of Footscray CIU said the operation targeted both the street drug trade and suppliers.

"The aim of the operation was to disrupt the drug supply network in the inner-western suburbs," he said in a statement.

"We have seen in the past that restricting the flow of drugs to the local community can affect the overall crime rate.

"It was a joint operation with the local community and these great results were only made possible by its support."

AAP

The Age


----------



## Hot Budz

Police Charge 2 In Mesquite Pharmacy Raid

(CBS 11 News) MESQUITE A pharmacy franchise owner was the second person charged in a prescription forgery case.

Robert Tomasovic owns The Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy, which was shuttered after a month-long investigation revealed the shop sold drugs through forged prescriptions.

Mesquite police found records that showed the pharmacy sold 152,000 units of hydrocodone in the past six months. Officials said the largest chain in the city sold half that much.

Hydrocodone often is a key ingredient in cough medicine, and when combined with acetaminophen, the drug is prescribed as Vicodin® and Lortab® for moderately severe pain.

Officers removed boxes of Hydrocodone and Xanax, which is often used to relieve anxiety, nervousness and tension associated with anxiety disorders. Xanax is also used to treat panic disorders.

Police said Tuan Nguyen, 32, worked in a doctor's office and forged Xanax and Hydrocodone prescriptions.

Nguyen also is accused of directing his customers to Tomasovic’s The Medicine Shoppe. Drug Enforcement Administration officials said the pharmacy has sold twice as much hydrocodone this year than the largest drug store chain in Mesquite.

“He had a system of placing 10 prescriptions with 10 made up names and he would give them to individuals who would come up here and fill those prescriptions,” said Lt. Steve Callerman with the Mesquite Police Department.

Department officials believe there are more than 3,000 fraudulent prescriptions of the two drugs with a street value of $2.85 million.

Both Tomasovic and Nguyen are charged with engaging in criminal activity.

While legitimate customers left to find another drug store, police continue to question employees about what DEA officials label as the largest prescription fraud case in recent memory.

(CBS 11 News)http://cbs11tv.com/local/local_story_216080840.html


----------



## hoptis

_Far North Queensland, Australia_

*Raid nets 600 cannabis plants*
September 23, 2006 04:52pm
Article from: AAP

POLICE have found 600 cannabis plants during a raid of a property in north Queensland.

Two men and a woman were charged after the plants, up to 30kg of dried cannabis, hydroponic equipment, a large sum of money and a firearm were found at the Shute Harbour Road property at 9.30am (AEST) today, police said.

One of the men, 59, and the 56-year-old woman were charged with trafficking, the production and possession of drugs, possessing tainted property and with the unlawful possession of a weapon.

They will appear in the Proserpine Magistrates Court on Monday.

The other man, 43, has been charged with possessing cannabis and is due in court on October 16.

News.com.au


----------



## hoptis

_Sydney, Australia_

*Sting nets amphetamine dealers*
September 24, 2006 07:14am
Article from: AAP

FOUR men will face court today after a three-month undercover police operation into the sale of illegal drugs in western Sydney.

Officers from the Middle Eastern Organised Crime Squad Target Action Group launched Operation Crotty in the Bankstown area in July.

Several times over the last few months undercover police allegedly bought amphetamines and other drugs worth $128,000.

Yesterday they arrested two men in Marshall Street, Bankstown, who were allegedly selling ecstasy tablets worth $80,000.

Officers then raided a nearby hotel, arresting another two men and seizing drugs worth nearly $30,000.

The four men in their 20s will appear in Parramatta Local Court today charged with drug supply offences.

News.com.au


----------



## hoptis

_Central Queensland, Australia_

*Amphetamine raids net 25*
September 25, 2006 07:53am
Article from: AAP

TWENTY-FIVE people have been charged with 55 drug offences following a two-day police operation in central Queensland.

Mackay police raided various properties in the district on Friday and seized a  "substantial'' amount of amphetamines, a police spokeswoman said today.

She said 19 people were charged with 48 drug offences following the raids.

Police then searched a local nightclub and surrounding streets on Saturday with help from drug dogs, locating ecstasy, cannabis and LSD.

Of the 165 people detained for passive searches, a further six were charged with offences including major possession and supply.

The 25 people charged throughout the operation, involving officers from State Crime, State Flying Squad and Organised Crime as well as the Brisbane Dog Squad, are due in Mackay Magistrates Court next month.

News.com.au


----------



## hoptis

_Melbourne, Australia_

*Man faces heroin-smuggling charge*
September 25, 2006 06:57am
Article from: AAP

A MAN will appear in a Melbourne court today charged with trying to smuggle up to 3kg of heroin disguised as coffee through Melbourne airport at the weekend.

The 46-year-old Australian man arrived in Melbourne on Saturday from the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh, via Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, an Australian Federal Police (AFP) spokesman said today.

The man was stopped by customs officers, who allegedly found six 500g packets of coffee in his baggage, the spokesman said.

The customs officers were suspicious of the contents of the packets and found the presence of heroin in initial testing, he said.

AFP agents charged the man with one count of importing a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug.

The man was remanded in custody by a bail justice on Saturday and will appear in the Melbourne Magistrates' Court today.

If convicted, the man faces life imprisonment and/or a fine up to $825,000.

News.com.au


----------



## kevz

*Heroin Found at McDonalds Leads to Bust*

Sep 25, 2006 04:38 PM

A clarification to a story we first brought you on WLNS 6 News earlier. That story dealt with a drug-related arrest made at a Saginaw-area McDonald's after undercover officers observed drug activity near the restaurant late last week.

During that arrest, officers found a package of heroin stashed in the men's restroom. The suspect provided information that lead to warrants being served on two Saginaw-area homes. It was at those homes where police recovered several thousand dollars worth of drugs, cash and weapons.

We want to make it clear that no warrants were ever served on the McDonalds restaurant. In fact, Saginaw Police Chief Gerald Cliff says the only connection the restaurant has to the case is that is happens to be where they made the first arrest.

http://www.wlns.com/Global/story.asp?S=5455706&nav=0RbQ Newshawk:


----------



## realm

oh man what a good idea. imagine if the whole graveyard shift was dealing heroin from the drive through. people come up to the speaker like "ill have 2 sacks, and a small coke"


----------



## ravaged_eden

Haha, I'm with you Realm.

I must be going to the wrong McDonalds. :D


----------



## Rated E

realm said:
			
		

> oh man what a good idea. imagine if the whole graveyard shift was dealing heroin from the drive through. people come up to the speaker like "ill have 2 sacks, and a small coke"



"Would you like to upsize that small coke to a medium crack?"      






.... no?? ah well its the best i could come up with on such short notice.


----------



## Preme213

hahahah Saginaw is too grimey.


----------



## I Liquor All Night

i used to buy quarters of weed thru the Farm Store drive thur window, havent had it that nice since, parking and coppin sux


----------



## Wonderlandless

My friend always swore they laced their Parfaits with crack.

I never woulda thought.. :D


----------



## kevz

*Kenya: Tanzanian Drug Pusher Jailed for 10 Years*

A Tanzanian was yesterday jailed for 10 years for drug trafficking.

In addition, Jacob Segoa Mzinga, was also fined Sh1 million or a year in jail in default by Kibera principal magistrate Hellen Wasilwa.

Ms Wasilwa said the offence the accused committed was serious.

"Drugs have caused havoc in our country and should be discouraged," the magistrate said.

She added that she was satisfied that the accused committed the offence and dismissed his defence.

"The prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt," she said. In mitigation the accused said he was the sole bread winner of his family and prayed for leniency.

The prosecutor inspector Isaiah Oyoo treated him as a first offender.

Mzinga was charged with trafficking by conveying 1,901.4 grammes of heroin worth more than Sh1.9 million at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi on May 15, 2006.

In the same court, a 22-year-old man was jailed for seven years for simple robbery.

Martin Kimuti Angere was charged separately with robbing Ms Sarah Wanjiru Mwangi and Mr Daniel Karisa of items along Ndumaini Road in Riruta Nairobi on December 8 and 21, 2004 respectively.

The court heard that the accused committed the offences jointly with others not in court while armed with pistols.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200609290972.html


----------



## hoptis

_Sydney, Australia_

*Two women face heroin charges*
Date: October 1 2006
Amanda Carlin and Louise Hall

TWO Sydney women have appeared in court charged with attempting to import 400 grams of heroin in their shoes.

Thanh Nhu Ho, 35, of Bonnyrigg and Nhu Thi Hong Ho, 32, of Fairfield were arrested at Sydney International Airport on Friday after arriving on a Vietnam Airlines flight from Ho Chi Minh City.

In a statement yesterday, Customs said its officers became suspicious while searching the women's baggage and that detector dogs reacted to the women and an X-ray of their sneakers showed inconsistencies.

The statement said a trace particle analysis of the shoes allegedly tested positive for heroin. Both women were charged by Australian Federal Police with importing a border-controlled drug.

If convicted, the women face up to 10 years' jail.

The women did not apply for bail at Parramatta Bail Court yesterday and it was formally refused. They will reappear in Central Local Court on Tuesday.

SMH


----------



## hoptis

_NSW, Australia_

*Speed stop reveals 'ecstasy' stash*
David Braithwaite
October 2, 2006 - 10:26AM

Three kilograms of ecstasy valued by police at $500,000 were found in a car stopped for speeding near Goulburn, police say.

The Ford Falcon sedan was spotted driving at 131kmh in a 110kmh zone on the Goulburn bypass shortly after midnight today, police said.

The car was pulled over after a short chase and a radio check found it had been stolen from Sydney in July, police said.

Police said a search of the car turned up three kilograms of tablets believed to be ecstasy.

The 32-year-old male driver and 30-year-old female passenger, both from Bondi, were arrested and charged with supplying commercial quantities of drugs, police said.

They were refused bail and will appear in Yass Local Court tomorrow, police said.

Sydney Morning Herald


----------



## kevz

*Aarrest a 12 week-pregnant Venezuelan with 20 packets of heroine*

SANTO DOMINGO.- The National Drugs Control Agency (DNCD) arrested a 12 weeks pregnant Venezuelan woman, upon arriving in Dominican territory from Caracas with 20 packages of heroin or cocaine hidden in jeans inside 2 suitcases.

The foreigner, Yuliber Farías Zerpa, 31, arrived via the Las Americas International Airport (AILA), aboard Aerpostal flight 800, was arrested in the Customs area, where she was retrieving the suitcases labeled with her name.

Fariaz is being detained in the DNCD compound, and charges will be filed in the next hours by Santo Domingo province Prosecutor’s Office, but the investigation continues to locate the heads of the drug trafficking operation in the country.

DNCD spokesman Roberto Lebrón provided the information, and announced the dismantling of a large number of drug-selling points this weekend, especially in the Capital, San Francisco, Bonao, Maimón, Puerto Plata, Barahona, Mao, Baní, La Romana and Moca.

http://www.dominicantoday.com/app/article.aspx?id=18158


----------



## kevz

*Abaco police arrest two for possession of drugs*

Two residents of Fox, Town, Abaco, ages 25 and 31, are presently in custody at the Marsh Harbour Police Station after being arrested for possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply.

A police press statement said that at about 9:20 a.m. on Saturday, September 30, an officer attached to the Fox Town Police Station was on duty at the government dock in Crown Haven observing passengers disembarking from the ferry that had just arrived from McLean's Town, Grand Bahama.

When the 31-year-old came off the ferry, according to the police statement, the officer noticed that he was carrying a brown and black box and acted suspiciously when he saw the officer.

"This man quickly got into a waiting brown Cadillac car, driven by the 25-year-old, which sped off," the statement said. "The officer, assisted by a Grand Bahama police officer, pursued the two suspects and pulled them over near the Harvest Time Church."

Upon searching the brown and black box, the officers discovered a square taped plastic package containing two pounds of marijuana. As a result, both men were arrested and taken to March Harbour.

Formal charges are expected to be filed against the pair in Marsh Harbour this morning.

http://freeport.nassauguardian.net/national_local/287170894972874.php


----------



## Solksjaer

He couldn't get it all down his throat before the cop walked up.


----------



## Skyline_GTR

---> mega merged drugs bust thread.


----------



## hoptis

(different bust from the last one I posted)

_North-East Victoria, Australia_

*Routine check nets $2m drug haul*
Reko Rennie
October 3, 2006 - 1:45PM

Police found a kilogram of drugs valued at $2 million in a car during a routine traffic check in Seymour in Victoria's north-east last night.

A 33-year-old Sunshine man has been charged with trafficking a drug of dependence and was remanded to appear at Melbourne Magistrates Court today.

Forensic police are conducting tests on the white powder.

The drug bust follows another early yesterday in which up to $500,000 worth of ecstasy was seized by NSW police after they stopped a car for speeding.

Highway patrol officers stopped a Ford Falcon on the Goulburn Bypass, in NSW's south about 12.10am yesterday, after the car was detected travelling 131km/h in a 110km/h zone.

It is alleged a search of the car revealed three kilograms of tablets believed to be ecstasy, police said in a statement.

The 32-year-old male driver and a 30-year-old female passenger, both from Bondi in Sydney's east, were arrested at the scene, and later charged with supply of a large commercial quantity of a prohibited drug.

The pair were refused bail and will appear in Yass Local Court tomorrow.

The Age


----------



## hoptis

_Cairns, Australia_

*Drugs hidden inside book covers*
October 3, 2006 - 3:12PM

Eight books held an interesting story for customs officials who discovered a kilogram of drugs inside the covers.

Pseudoephedrine was found concealed inside the books, airfreighted from the Philippines and intercepted at Cairns International Airport on Friday.

Police were today questioning a woman who was believed to be the intended recipient of the package after search warrants were executed on a property in Edge Hill, Cairns, yesterday.

A customs spokeswoman said the books were searched after an X-ray revealed anomalies.

Pseudoephedrine is prohibited as it can be converted in clandestine laboratories from its legitimate use to produce illegal amphetamine-type substances, such as methamphetamine.

Charges have not yet been laid.

Importing a marketable quantity of border-controlled precursors can attract a maximum penalty of 15 years' imprisonment and a $330,000 fine.

The Age


----------



## lil_lolly_eater

Has anyone heard about the raid at Revolver in Melbourne Sunday night? was at love machine when the word started spreading, the bouncers were tellin ppl. is it true or ??


----------



## kevz

*Locked Up:  Cannabis Farmers in Triad Link*

*Locked Up:  Cannabis Farmers in Triad Link*
(Source:Northern Echo)

30 Sep 2006

United Kingdom
-------
EIGHT people who ran three huge North-East drugs factories believed to be linked to London-based triads were given jail sentences yesterday. 

The seven men and one woman, who are all of Vietnamese origin, had been involved in the large-scale cultivation of cannabis at three houses in County Durham. 

Newcastle Crown Court heard that each cannabis factory had the potential to yield crops worth UKP200,000 a year.  continued... 

Police were alerted to the operation when a member of the public reported suspicious activity at a house in Murphy Crescent, on the Woodhouse Close estate, in Bishop Auckland. 

Officers raided the property on September 10, last year, and were amazed to discover the house had been converted into a sophisticated cannabis cultivation operation. 

The property was jointly owned by Thai Thi Vu, 45, of Collingwood Street, Coundon, and Than Van Liu, 42, of Brancepeth Road, Ferryhill. 

They had bought the property in March last year with the sole intention of converting it into a cannabis farm, where 55-year-old sailor Hai Van Tran, an illegal immigrant, was employed as a "gardener". 

Within a week, police investigations led them to a series of other properties across the county. 

Almost identical factories were discovered at properties in Haig Terrace, in Ferryhill, owned by Kuay Khin Dip, 47, from London, and in High Street, West Cornforth, owned by Michael Quan, 43, of School Avenue, West Rainton, and Dip. 

More than 400 seedlings and 1.8 kilos of cannabis were discovered at the home of Thai Thi Vu and her 25-year-old husband, Quang Xuan Vu. 

Thien Van Nguyen, 24, had been paid to work as a driver's mate, delivering the equipment, and Nam Nguyen, 17, had taken a job as a gardener at Haig Terrace to repay a family debt. 

Forensic evidence also led police to the home of a ninth person, Phuc Danh San, 47, of Eden Close, Coundon, where they found growing equipment in the garage. 

Judge Michael Cartlidge said the group could be split into two, according to their level involvement in the operation. 

The "administrators" bought cheap properties with the sole intention of converting them into cannabis farms and the "gardeners" were employed to tend to the crops. 

He said: "Defendants Liu, Tran, Mrs Vu, Dip, Mr Vu and Quan were involved in conspiracy to produce huge quantities of cannabis. 

"There may be more important persons still to be arrested."

Thai Thi Vu, Dip and Quan, were each sentenced to six-and-a-half years in prison.  Liu was jailed for five-and-a-half years. 

Police have been unable to trace Quang Xuan Vu and believe he may have returned to Vietnam. 

He was convicted and sentenced to five years in prison in his absence. 

Tran, Thien Van Nguyen and Nam Nguyen, were sentenced to 24, 15 and four months respectively.  The teenager will serve his sentence as a detention and treatment order at a young offenders institution. 

The trio are expected to be deported after serving their sentence. 

Liu, Thien Van Nguyen and Nam Nguyen pleaded guilty at earlier proceedings, but the other six were convicted by a jury after a three-and-a-half week trial. 

Each was convicted of conspiracy to supply Class C drugs, except Thien Van Nguyen, who admitted being concerned with the production of cannabis. 

Sentencing of San was adjourned until Friday, October 27, for reports by the probation service. 

She was found guilty of conspiracy to supply, but Judge Cartlidge conceded she had been "put upon" by other defendants to store growing equipment in her garage. 

Detective Sergeant Lee Hurridge welcomed the sentences and said it should send a clear message to criminals that supply of any drugs would not be tolerated. 

He said: "I feel these sentences reflect the seriousness of what has been done. 

"The Vietnamese community is very tight-knit and we know there is a Vietnamese triad in London.  Whether it is involved we do not know for certain, but this was definitely part of a larger-scale operation. 

"The people here may have only kept a cut of the money and the rest could have been going into serious organised crime, such as higher class drugs, prostitution and people trafficking." 

http://www.mapinc.org/norml/v06/n1314/a07.htm?134


----------



## kevz

*2 tons of marijuana found in traffic stop*

October 03, 2006 - Posted at 11:21 a.m.

A traffic stop Monday evening resulted in the discovery of about two tons of marijuana hidden inside the trailer of an 18-wheeler.

About 9:20 p.m. Monday, Trooper Shawn Hallett was patrolling the area of U.S. Highway 59, south of State Highway 185. The trooper saw the 1999 Freightliner rig and noticed its trailer’s license plate light wasn’t working.

Hallett pulled the truck over just south of state Highway 185 and talked to the two men inside the rig.

Things didn’t add up, according to Hallett. The truck's paperwork wasn’t right for the load, and the men were acting nervous.

With backup officers already on the scene, Hallett got permission to search the truck. Hallett said 75 barrels were found inside the trailer.
Click here to view our website!

Following a hunch, Hallett opened one of the barrels and found a few of the marijuana bundles.

When all of the maijuana was revealed, the street value of it was estimated to be $2.6 million.

Each of the 23-year-old men in the truck were arrested on suspicion of delivery of marijuana, a first degree felony.

http://www.thevictoriaadvocate.com/428/story/5767.html


----------



## kevz

*25 pounds of Marijuana found in Laurel, MD*

According to Howard County Police, 25 pounds of marijuana were found in an apartment in the 9100 block of Bourbon Street in Laurel. A federal drug task force made the bust after police found drugs, money orders and cash in a card board box found earlier inside the resident’s pick-up truck.

Police say the residents of the apartment were under surveillance, and seen loading a suspicious cardboard box into their pickup truck. When they began to drive away officers quickly pulled the vehicle over and conducted an initial search with the help of a K-9 unit. After the dogs alerted, the search moved to the inside of the vehicle where police discovered $14,000 in money orders, $750 cash and marijuana inside the card board box.

In addition to more than 25 pounds of marijuana, police also discovered a semi-automatic handgun and a rifle inside the suspects’ apartment.

The two suspects, 33 year old Mark David Joseph of Frederiksted, Virgin Islands and 36 year old Sherrell Goring of the Bourbon Street address in Laurel were each taken into custody and charged with possession of marijuana, possession of paraphernalia and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. More charges in the case are still pending. 

http://www.abc2news.com/news/06-10-04-marijuana.html


----------



## kevz

*Pine Bluff police seize 6 1/2 pounds of cocaine*

LITTLE ROCK In a major drug bust, Pine Bluff police have seized six-point-six pounds of cocaine and 243 ecstasy pills. Police placed the value of the drugs seized at 285-thousand dollars.

The bust was made yesterday when drug investigators served a search warrant at a Pine Bluff residence on South Tennessee Street. Police also found a handgun, two digital scales and a small amount of marijuana while searching the home.

Officers detained a man who was inside the home, Tarrence McFarland, 29. Police released him for what they described as "existing health reasons."

McFarland faces two counts of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver plus other drug and weapons counts.

http://www.ksla.com/Global/story.asp?S=5491699


----------



## kevz

*Two jailed on drug conspiracy charges*

by STAFF REPORTS
published October 5, 2006 7:51 am

ASHEVILLE – Drug-enforcement agents arrested two men Wednesday on charges of conspiring to traffic marijuana.

Jose Juan Negrete-Cardenas, 17, and Jonesboro, Ga., resident Uriel Villalobos-Soto, 28, are to appear in court today.

Officers of the Metropolitan Enforcement Group said in warrants that the two men conspired with a third person to transport more than 50 pounds but less than 2,000 pounds of the drug.

Each was being held in the Buncombe County jail in lieu of an $80,000 bond.

http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200661005005


----------



## kevz

*Two arrested in Bethel on cocaine charges*

BY MICHELLE SHAW | COMMUNITY PRESS STAFF WRITER

BETHEL -- Anonymous tips led to the arrest of two Bethel residents on suspected drug charges.

Michael Schaffer, 36, and Rita Schaffer, 35, 138 Clare Street, were arrested Sept. 29 after the Bethel Police Department with assistance of the Clermont County Narcotic Task Force executed a search warrant and turned up an undisclosed amount of cocaine, $1,100 cash, several scales, a police scanner and other narcotics paraphernalia.

"If (someone) calls in a tip, we are going to work with it," said Bethel Police Chief John Wallace. "Sometimes it works on our side and other times we run against a wall."

The arrests came off of a three-month investigation by the department, Wallace said.

The two were both charged with trafficking in drugs, possession of cocaine, permitting drug abuse and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to the police report.

While Wallace would at some point like to have an officer to strictly focus on drug activity, the department works closely with the narcotic task force to investigate cases in Bethel and Tate Township.

"Eventually, I would like to dedicate someone to that realm since it is a huge problem throughout Clermont County," he said.

Although Wallace also pointed out that there is not a bigger problem in Bethel as compared to anywhere else. But, as was the case in this investigation, the police were led by tips from citizens.

"The one tip they've got could be the one we need to put it together," he said. "Sometimes you get lucky and all the stars and moons are in alignment."

http://news.communitypress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061005/NEWS01/610050325/1061/Local


----------



## kevz

*Man Charged After Chase:*

A Middletown man was arrested after a brief chase during which New Castle County police say he threw two bags of cocaine out of a window. Kelly Perkins sped away from police after they tried to stop him for a traffic violation at 6:21 a.m. at the Middletown Square Shopping Center, said spokesman Cpl. Trinidad Navarro. Perkins, 39, of the 100 block of E. Lockwood St. in Middletown, threw two bags of cocaine out the window, then pulled over, police said. Officers recovered the cocaine, which weighed 12.1 grams, Navarro said. Perkins was charged with trafficking cocaine, maintaining a vehicle for keeping a controlled substance, disregarding a police officer's signal, tampering with physical evidence, and traffic offenses. He is being held at the Young Correctional Institution in lieu of $53,501 bail.

http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060928/NEWS05/609280344/1010


----------



## kevz

*Ky. officials want to ban liquor devices*

ROGER ALFORD

FRANKFORT, Ky. - Kentuckians sip their bourbon, and have also been known to cook with it. But inhale it?

The very idea of bypassing the taste buds seems sacrilegious in a state that claims to produce the world's best bourbon, which generates more than $1 billion a year in sales.

State officials in the land of Old Grand-Dad, Jim Beam and Wild Turkey are pushing to ban a device that vaporizes liquor and allows people to inhale the intoxicating fumes for a quick high without the burn of hard liquor.

Teresa Barton, head of the Kentucky Office of Drug Control Policy, said banning alcohol vaporizers is a matter of public safety, not preserving the state's sipping whiskey industry. She said such devices could become "a real deadly trap" because they have "no purpose other than to get you drunk."

So far, 17 states have banned them, including California, New York, Florida, Illinois, Pennsylvania and Ohio, and several others are considering doing so, said Sherry Green, executive director of the National Alliance for Model State Drug Laws. Tennessee, the home of Jack Daniels, already prohibits the vaporizers.

"When you inhale alcohol right into the lung tissue, that gets drawn right into the blood supply immediately, so it's a very rapid onset of the intoxicating effect, and so has obviously very high abuse potential," said Robert Walker, an assistant professor at the University of Kentucky Center on Drug and Alcohol Research.

Walker said alcohol vaporizers bypass altogether the tactile pleasures of drinking wine with a fine meal or a cold beer with a pizza: "You're going strictly to the intoxicating effect of alcohol."

In addition, Green warned that the devices could provide a dangerous legal loophole for teenagers in states where current law forbids only "underage drinking," not "underage inhaling."

Kevin Morse, president of Spirit Partners Inc. in Greensboro, N.C., which markets the Alcohol Without Liquid, or AWOL, devices, said they are harmless.

"At the end of the day, it's just a new way for adults to enjoy alcohol in a different manner," said Morse, who sells single-user devices over the Internet for $299 each or multi-user devices for $2,500 each.

The devices, which resemble asthma inhalers, can be used for just about any kind of alcohol, including wine, vodka, even martinis.

Morse said attempts to ban the devices have been great for business. "We haven't spent the first dime on advertising," he said. "When these legislators start repeating these rumors, then we start selling them like crazy."

Neither the liquor industry nor anti-drinking groups take credit for the bans on the devices.

"Legislators are basically banning this on their own," said Amy George, spokeswoman for Mothers Against Drunk Driving. George said MADD has not taken an official position on the issue in any of the states that instituted bans because, she said, not enough research has been done to show that they are necessary.

One of the world's largest distributors of alcoholic beverages, London-based Diageo, with brands including Smirnoff and Crown Royal, has pushed for the bans, saying the vaporizers "could encourage alcohol abuse and drunk driving."

Ed O'Daniel, president of the Kentucky Distillers' Association, said he, too, supports a prohibition on the devices. A ban died in a state Senate committee in February, but O'Daniel said he believes it will pass in the next session.

Greg Brooks, a private investigator from North Carolina, said he tried the AWOL device in a New York bar a couple of years ago.

"You get a mild euphoria," he said. "It's like having one drink, maybe. It dissipates quickly. If you like getting drunk or getting a real heavy buzz, this isn't the thing for you."

http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/breaking_news/15686969.htm


----------



## kevz

*Driver arrested on drug charges*

By The Tribune Chronicle

GIRARD — A man was arrested Thursday afternoon after police said a motorist found him passed out behind the wheel of his car in the median of Interstate 80.

Daniel R. Law, 53, of Sharon, Pa., was charged with abusing harmful intoxicants, having physical control of a vehicle while intoxicated and operating a motor vehicle without control, a police report said. Law has 39 prior arrests for possessing and abusing chemical inhalants, the report states.

Motorists told police that while following Law about 3 p.m., they saw him travel from lane to lane and hit the guard rail at times before stopping in the median. One of the witnesses removed the keys from the ignition of Law’s pickup truck because he was attempting to leave, the report states.

Police said they found a gallon can of Toluene and a small rag in Law’s pocket. He was taken by ambulance to Forum Health Northside Medical Center for treatment, then booked at the police station and released with a court date of Oct. 10.

http://www.tribune-chronicle.com/News/articles.asp?articleID=9651


----------



## kevz

*Pot Grower Gets 3 Years*

*POT GROWER GETS 3 YEARS*

by Don Lajoie, Windsor Star, (Source:Windsor Star)
07 Oct 2006
Ontario
-------
Trafficker Hit With Record Prison Term For Grow-Ops

A convicted drug trafficker has been handed a three-year penitentiary term, the longest prison sentence handed down in an Essex County courtroom for operating a marijuana grow house. 

Sinh Kim Ho, 30, made no statement before sentencing and only looked straight ahead as his penalty was meted out by Superior Court justice Terry Patterson Friday on nine drug-related charges, including possession of controlled substances for the purposes of trafficking and theft of hydro electrical power. 

Noting that Ho had been in charge of grow house operations at three residences in the city and that police seized drugs with an estimated street value of $2 million, Patterson said the crimes called for a sentence that would satisfy the goals of deterrence and denunciation. 

"The RCMP is expressly and strongly concerned about grow house operations in residential settings and the involvement of organized crime," said Patterson.  "This obviously was a sophisticated, wholesale operation and it clearly requires a penitentiary sentence."

Federal prosecutor Richard Pollock said Ho came to the Windsor area from Toronto in 2004 and purchased four houses in the city.  Three of the properties, in the 900 block of Curry, the 2300 block of Mercer, and the 4000 block of Maple Leaf Crescent, were renovated to be "completely dedicated to the production of drugs."

In June, 2004, police were informed of suspicious activity and the Windsor police drug squad placed Ho under surveillance.  A search warrant was executed at the home Ho shared with his wife at [address redacted] on June 22, where officers seized sets of keys for the other addresses. 

At the Maple Leaf Crescent location police discovered a house that showed no signs of human habitation but, instead, had been turned into a hot-house drug factory.  They seized 455 marijuana plants at various stages of growth and 10 kilograms of marijuana with a total street value of $709,000.  They also found cultivation and growth equipment including lights, fans, ventilation systems and plant nutrients. 

They discovered that the electrical system had been bypassed to allow for the theft of power.  At least $5,000 worth of electricity had been stolen, Pollock said. 

At the Mercer address they found 361 plants, some approaching one metre in height, and 35 kilograms of marijuana with an estimated street value of $1 million.  They also seized hydroponic growth and cultivation equipment and evidence of bypassed electricity. 

At the Curry residence, officers found 153 plants, some of them more than two metres high, valued at $353,000, and evidence of electricity theft, including receipts made out to fictitious customers.  Pollock noted information provided by neighbours of those addresses placed Ho at those homes and in control of the properties. 

Pollock told the court Ho had invested heavily in the operation and his actions were "premeditated to profit from crime." He added that the size and sophistication of the illegal enterprise showed it was obviously for the purposes of moving large sales volumes, most likely for export. 

Defence lawyer Rob Dipietro said his client had pleaded guilty and it was his first offence in citing mitigating circumstances. 

Ho was one of seven people arrested that summer after police raided 11 houses and apartments and seized $5.5 million worth of marijuana.  Four women and three men, all related by blood or marriage, were arrested.  Ho's brother Trang Kien Ha, 34, has already been sentenced to 18 months. 

Charges against Ho's wife, Nhung Trang Nguyen, were dropped.  

http://www.mapinc.org/norml/v06/n1346/a08.htm


----------



## kevz

*Four arrested on marijuana and meth charges*

*Four arrested on marijuana and meth charges*
Posted on Mon, Oct. 09, 2006

Four Columbus residents were charged early Saturday morning with methamphetamine possession with intent to distribute and marijuana possession.

Around 12:30 a.m., Columbus police arrested the following at 5720 Old Dominion Road: Devorre J. Flowers, 29, of Yellowstone Court; Brittany Kokenzie, 26, of Old Dominion Road; Willie J. Davidson, 26, of Moon Road; and Samantha L. McQuagg, 21, of Veterans Parkway.

As of Sunday afternoon, they were in the Muscogee County Jail with bonds totaling $17,750 for Flowers and $12,750 apiece for Kokenzie, Davidson and McQuagg.

http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/mld/ledgerenquirer/news/local/15713027.htm


----------



## kevz

*Women charged with drug possession*

*Women charged with drug possession*
Posted on Mon, Oct. 09, 2006

Two women were arrested Saturday night on drug charges at 335 28th St. in Columbus.

Around 9 p.m., Columbus police arrested Teresa Holt, 34, of 16th Avenue in Phenix City, for possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and four counts of possession of a dangerous drug. Lovida Williams, 31, of 28th Street was charged with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana and violating the school attendance law. They were in the Muscogee County Jail on Sunday afternoon with bonds totaling $12,750 for Holt and $11,150 for Williams.

http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/mld/ledgerenquirer/news/local/15713027.htm


----------



## kevz

*Visitng Lawyer Accused of Drug Possession Pardoned*

*Visitng Lawyer Accused of Drug Possession Pardoned*
by Bassam Za'za', (Source:Gulf News)
06 Oct 2006


-------
Dubai: A Mexican lawyer who was being tried for illegally bringing in six seeds of cannabis has been pardoned by the Ruler. 

The seeds were found in his baggage at the airport.  The Dubai Court of First Instance dismissed the case yesterday after receiving a notice from the Attorney General.  The notice said that according to the Ruler's directives the case is to be dismissed. 

Lawyer Ali Abdullah Al Shamsi said that his client came to Dubai to spend two days at the Burj Al Arab. 

"He is a renowned lawyer in Mexico and works closely with the Mexican government," said Al Shamsi, who thanked the Ruler for pardoning his client.  

http://www.mapinc.org/norml/v06/n1349/a02.htm


----------



## kevz

*US and Canadian Cops Smash Alien Smuggling Ring*

*US and Canadian Cops Smash Alien Smuggling Ring*
October 10, 2006
Jim Kouri, NewsLog

by Jim Kouri

The last of 11 defendants arrested in February pleaded guilty to alien smuggling yesterday in U.S. District Court here. They had been apprehended in the United States and charged in a joint U.S.-Canadian takedown of a Northern Border alien smuggling conspiracy.

Nosh Gojcaj, 35, of Macomb, MI, pleaded guilty to an indictment charging him and 17 other individuals with Conspiracy to Smuggle Illegal Aliens into the United States, and Harboring and Transporting Illegal Aliens within the United States. The indictment was unsealed Feb. 14 with a joint, simultaneous U.S.-Canadian take down of the alien smuggling organization.

Earlier this year, nine other co-conspirators had pleaded guilty to the same conspiracy charge.

Co-conspirator Salah Rashem, 45, of Rockford, Ill., pleaded guilty to “Re-entry after Deportation” as an aggravated felon on Sept. 27.

The guilty pleas were entered before the Honorable Paul D. Borman, U.S. District Judge. Each of the convicted defendants face a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment and a $250,000 fine, with the exception of Rashem who faces a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.

Also charged in the indictment, but not yet apprehended by U.S. authorities are: Maitham Aziz Alzehrani, 34, of Windsor, Ontario; Kola Bajraktari, 34, of Windsor, Ontario; Fran Gashaj, 40, of Windsor, Ontario; Zef Shpati, 40, of Windsor, Ontario; Kai Zheng You, 40, of Toronto, Ontario; Duke Bracaj, 36, of Windsor, Ontario. Colin Price, 40, of Windsor, Ontario, jumped bond and fled the country after being arraigned in the United States.

The Canadian-based defendants will first answer to related Canadian charges before facing possible extradition to the United States.

The charges were based upon the interdiction of at least 74 illegal aliens smuggled into the United States by the organization, and more than 2,000 incriminating telephone conversations intercepted by ICE and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police  during in late 2005.

“Alien smuggling organizations are driven by greed with little regard to the health, well-being, dignity, or motivation of their human cargo,” said Brian M. Moskowitz, special agent in charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Detroit.

“Attacking and dismantling these criminal groups is critical to securing our borders and ensuring compliance with our immigration and customs laws. Smugglers should understand that we will not tolerate nor allow the U.S.-Canada border to be used as an opportunity for them to profit from their crimes. Rather we will use our shared border as an opportunity for our nations to work together to bring them to justice.”

http://mensnewsdaily.com/2006/10/10/us-and-canadian-cops-smash-alien-smuggling-ring/


----------



## kevz

*Police seize pot plants*

Post staff report

Police seized about 100 marijuana plants Tuesday afternoon in what investigators called a fairly elaborate indoor growing operation at a Fort Thomas home.

Fort Thomas police and agents from the Northern Kentucky Strike Force executed a search warrant about 1 p.m. at a rental home at 172 Brentwood Place in South Fort Thomas.

Inside they found at least three rooms filled with the illicit weed, some as tall as four feet, according to Lt. Mark Dill.

Ryan M. Jacobs, 32, who lived at the address, was arrested and charged with cultivating marijuana.

"It was a pretty sophisticated grow operation," Dill said.

"He had lights and power converters ... and he was measuring humidity and temperature in the rooms. He had an irrigation system to ensure the plants were properly watered at all times."

Jacobs was also charged with violating his probation in Ohio on a cocaine possession charge, Dill said.

The probe began after narcotics agents and police obtained information concerning activities inside the home. Plants were confiscated from the basement and second floor, but Dill said no money or guns were found in the search.

Investigators do not believe the illegal street drug was being sold out of the house. Rather, Dill said, the drug was harvested and transported elsewhere for sale.

http://news.kypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061011/NEWS02/610110374/1014


----------



## hoptis

_Melbourne & Sydney, Australia_

*Raids net drugs, cash*
Reko Rennie
October 12, 2006 - 4:04PM

A joint commonwealth and state law enforcement taskforce has raided 15 properties across Melbourne and Sydney and arrested nine men allegedly involved in two separate criminal syndicates involved in trafficking heroin and methamphetamine, also known as ice.

The nine men will be charged with trafficking in a commercial quantity of illicit drugs. Three of the men will also be charged with the importation of a commercial quantity of heroin, which relates to a 17 kilogram importation in 2005.

A cock-fighting pit and 500 fighting roosters were also uncovered at a Rockbank property, north west of Melbourne.

Justice Minister Senator Chris Ellison welcomed today's arrests.

"The operations of the past week have resulted in $1 million in cash recovered and further quantities of heroin, 'ice' and cocaine seized, which takes the total amount of illicit drugs seized by the taskforce (Gordian) to 7.5 kilograms - with an estimated street value of $7.5 million,'' Senator Ellison said.

Up to $300,000 in cash and four vehicles were also seized during the raids.

The raids follow on from nine arrests made last Friday, where five men and four women were arrested and charged with money laundering and drug trafficking offences for their alleged involvement in a criminal syndicate responsible for laundering $93 million overseas - the proceeds of drug trafficking.

Taskforce Gordian the multi-agency effort, comprised of the Australian Crime Commission, Australian Federal Police, Victoria Police, New South Wales Police, New South Wales Crime Commission, Australian Taxation Office, Australian Customs Service and AUSTRAC.

The Age


----------



## kevz

Damn.. they were some high rollers.. meth, coke n heroin, yum


----------



## kevz

*Six arrested in Jeff Davis busts*

*Six arrested in Jeff Davis busts*
From staff reports

Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics agents Thursday morning arrested six people on drug charges in connection with two separate and unrelated investigations into drug trafficking in Jefferson Davis County.

In one case, agents arrested Adrian Spikes of U.S. 84 West, Charlie Williams of Granby Road, and Nykea and Fyez Easterling of Lucas Warner Road, all in Jefferson Davis County, according to a bureau press release.

Narcotics Bureau spokesman Warren Strain said the arrests were the result of a seven- to eight-month investigation involving numerous drug buys by undercover officers.

"We believe these individuals moved in to fill the void created by the arrest of other mid-level drug dealers in Jefferson Davis County," Narcotics Bureau Director Marshall Fisher said in the prepared release. "We will continue this investigation and more arrests are possible."

Agents also seized a 2002 Mercedes Benz and approximately $2,300 in cash.

The agents were assisted by agents of the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, Bassfield Police officers and Jefferson Davis County Sheriff's deputies.

In the other case, agents arrested one adult and one juvenile, and are searching for Arthur McKinney of 38 Mission Lane in Jefferson Davis County.

Tracy Johnson, no age or address listed, was charged with possession of Lortab. The juvenile was charged with conspiracy to sell ecstasy.

The arrests were the result a three-month investigation. Agents searched McKinney's home and found 72 tablets of ecstasy and seven tablets of the prescription painkiller Lortab.

Agents also confiscated $4,500, two shotguns, an SKS assault rifle, two handguns and two vehicles.

Agents were assisted in the arrests by the MBN Special Response Team, Mississippi Bureau of Investigation and the Jefferson Davis County Sheriff's Department.

The arrests come about eight months after David "Super Dave" Warner pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Hattiesburg to drug charges involving a large cocaine and marijuana distribution system in Jefferson Davis County.

Warner managed to elude state and federal drug agents until his arrest 13 months after state and federal authorities raided his home. The drug case involving Warner was termed "one of the biggest cases in recent years," and federal officials labeled Warner as the state's "drug kingpin" because of the extent of his activity. 

http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061013/NEWS01/610130319/1002


----------



## kevz

*Three nabbed in cocaine bust*

*Three nabbed in cocaine bust*

By Elizabeth Dinan
edinan@seacoastonline.com

HAVERHILL, Mass. -- A pound of cocaine police said was planned for sale on the Seacoast was seized during a raid on a Massachusetts home by Portsmouth, Kittery, York and Haverhill police, as well as agents from the federal Drug Enforcement Agency, the Essex County (Mass.) Drug Task Force and the Cross Borders Initiative.

The Thursday raid resulted in the arrest of three men: Johnny Delgado, 30, of 257 Rivermore St., Haverhill; Ramone Rosario, 25, of the same address; and Jeremy Gagalias, 24, of 120 Howard St., Lawrence. All are charged with a felony count of trafficking cocaine over 200 grams, with Delgado facing the additional charge of being in possession of a .22 caliber rifle without a Massachusetts-mandated firearms identification card.

Seized during the raid at 257 Rosemont St., Haverhill, were a half-kilo, or 1.1 pounds, of powder cocaine and $20,251 in cash.

Portsmouth Police Capt. Janet Champlin said her department is considering filing additional charges and has an open investigation. That investigation began two months ago among the cooperating agencies, said Champlin.

"We believe this is a substantial step in making a dent in drug distribution in this area," she said.

"They are major suppliers to the area and part of a trail where the cocaine is coming from."

http://www.seacoastonline.com/news/10142006/nhnews-ph-p-coke.bust.html


----------



## kevz

*Cross-border ecstasy pipeline busted*

*Cross-border ecstasy pipeline busted*

CanWest News Service; Windsor Star
Published: Friday, October 13, 2006

WINDSOR, Ont. -- A six-month cross-border joint police operation has busted an extensive ecstasy and methamphetamine ring that ferried drugs from the Toronto area to Windsor and Michigan.

A total of 25 Canadian and U.S. residents are facing charges in the operation the Canada Border Services Agency, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and police departments in Windsor and Michigan.

The investigation identified an organization that was bringing drugs from the Toronto area to Windsor. Various methods were then used to courier the drugs across the border.

Authorities managed to intercept about 55,000 ecstasy tablets and analysis revealed some of the tablets also contained methamphetamine.

"Cooperation has made it possible for the police and law enforcement to work quickly and effectively on trans-border cases such as this," said RCMP Staff Sgt. Joe Kispal, the head of the Windsor RCMP drug unit.

"The results speak for themselves when we are able to seize illegal commodities on both sides of the border."

Facing charges are 16 Canadian residents, including 13 from Windsor and three from Toronto, and nine residents of the U.S.

http://www.canada.com/topics/news/n...=a5a20904-55c3-4a45-b986-9a308473ddd1&k=70582


----------



## hoptis

_South Coast NSW, Australia_

*Man charged over 'ice', cannabis*
October 15, 2006 09:12am

A 52-year-old man from the NSW south coast has been arrested for the possession of methamphetamine and marijuana, police have said.

Police executed a search warrant at a residence in East Corrimal north of Wollongong about 8.30pm (AEST) yesterday.

They charged the man with three counts of supplying a prohibited drug, four counts of possessing a prohibited drug and four counts of possessing goods illegally obtained.

The man was refused bail and will face Wollongong Local Court today.

News.com.au


----------



## kevz

*Suspected meth lab raided*

*Suspected meth lab raided*

By Dionesis Tamondong 

Local and federal agents raided an Agana Heights home yesterday where, authorities said, the drug "ice" was allegedly being manufactured.

Since about 3 a.m. yesterday, law enforcement agents have been at the concrete-wall, tin-roof home along Paasan Drive. Three canopies were erected on the narrow street in front of the house, where agents -- some in hazardous materials suits -- were situated.

Sgt. John Davis, of the Guam Police Department's Violent Street Crimes Task Force, said the U.S Drug Enforcement Agency, Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency, Guam Homeland Security and Guam Fire Department are involved in the investigation.
Davis said no arrests have been made but several people have been questioned and released. He would not say what items agents had confiscated from the home or the names of people that have been questioned.

The house is located less than a mile from Agana Heights Elementary School, the mayor's office and the busy Agana Heights gym, as well as Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church.

The investigation started around 2 a.m. after Hagåtña Precinct officers pulled over a couple of vehicles and found items containing pseudoephedrine and other chemicals and solvents used to make crystal methamphetamine, Davis said. Also known as 'ice,' crystal methamphetamine is a highly addictive drug that has been linked to many violent crimes on Guam.

Information obtained from the pullover led officers to the house on Paasan Drive. Davis could not provide the amounts of the suspected items or if more was found in the home and would not say who was driving or owned the vehicles that were pulled over -- a Nissan Pathfinder SUV and a Nissan Altima sedan -- or who owned the home, noting that the case is still under investigation.

As of 7 last night, a section of Paasan Drive remained blocked off by police -- from where the road intersects with Ulloa Untalan Avenue to Garrido Drive. Police used flood lights as they continued their investigation into the evening.

Police spokesman Officer Allan Guzman said agents were likely to remain at the scene throughout the night, as is done when investigating a suspected makeshift ice laboratory.

"They're dealing with dangerous chemicals and everyone has to proceed with caution," he said.

Makeshift drug labs are a recent but growing threat for Guam, officials said during the Pacific Law Enforcement Drug Summit in August.

Davis, during that conference, said such lab seizures are increasing in every state and in Guam because of the accessibility of ingredients needed in making crystal methamphetamine and the huge profits made from it.

In December, a law that places more restrictions on the sale of over-the-counter drugs containing pseudoephedrine was enacted.

Leonard Baza, 22, who lives two houses away from the home that was being investigated, described his neighborhood as a quiet one, with kids often seen playing along the street.

The University of Guam business student said he was a bit surprised to see the street cordoned off and several police vehicles in the area, but despite the investigation, he said he does not consider his neighborhood to be a dangerous area.

http://www.guampdn.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061017/NEWS01/610170302/1002


----------



## kevz

*Westbrook police conduct drug raid next to police station*

*Westbrook police conduct drug raid next to police station*
By Charlie Smith 

WESTBROOK (Oct 16, 2006): The Westbrook police seized marijuana, oxycodone and drug paraphernalia during a raid on Haskell Street on Oct. 13. 

According to police, Nicholas Demers, 20, was arrested on Friday morning and charged with drug trafficking. Normally a class B felony, Demers was charged with trafficking within 1,000 feet of a drug-free zone-the baseball field across Main Street-which is a class A felony. Westbrook police have passed the case onto the Attorney General's office.

Westbrook Police Chief Paul McCarthy said officers entered Apartment 3 at 9 Haskell St., which sits on the other side of Haskell Street in view of the Public Safety Building, with a search warrant on Friday morning. The officers found several ounces of marijuana, 1,300 milligrams of oxycodone, digital scales and drug paraphernalia, a number of double-edged knives and cell phones, and a large amount of cash, said McCarthy.

http://www.keepmecurrent.com/Community/story.cfm?storyID=26328


----------



## Hot Budz

n the streets of Muslim communities in Great Britain, local grocery markets legally sell a narcotic stimulant called khat (pronounced “cot”). Green bundles of the leafy plant wrapped in banana leaves sit inside beverage coolers next to Snapple and Coca-Cola.

Khat is chewed like tobacco to produce a euphoric state that can turn into an outburst of irrational violence according to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

It is imported from places like Yemen, Kenya and Somalia into Great Britain at the rate of some 30 tons per month. It is sold legally throughout Great Britain, mostly in neighborhoods densely populated by North African Muslim immigrants to whom khat chewing at home is as common as coffee drinking in America.

For the past year concern among counter-terrorism analysts has been rising. They have warned that huge, largely ignored, increases in khat smuggling from Great Britain into major U.S. cities, including Dallas, may be funding international terrorist groups. Khat is as illegal in the United States as cocaine and heroin but until today smuggling cases had been rarely prosecuted.

The DEA announced a record large seizure of 25 tons of Khat worth more than ten million dollars and the arrests of a forty-four member international narcotics trafficking organization. An 18-month investigation resulted in the indictment of a United Nations’ employee who is accused of using a secure diplomatic pouch to smuggle khat. The organization also allegedly smuggled khat using human mules on international flights and shipments by overnight express packages.

The investigation found that khat was then distributed from New York by land to the District of Columbia, Illinois, Ohio, Minnesota, Maine, Massachusetts, Utah, and Washington where it was sold on the streets.

According to the indictment, money was laundered through “hawalas” which are informal networks of money remitters commonly used in Africa and the Middle East to transfer money. Tentacles of the organization stretched from the United States to co-conspirators in Europe, Africa, Dubai, and the United Arab Emirates.

In January 2005, Harvey Kushner, director of the criminal justice department at Long Island University, dedicated a full chapter of a new book to raise alarm that American law enforcement was virtually ignoring a booming illegal khat industry almost entirely controlled by Middle Easterners from countries identified as terrorist safe havens.

In his book, “Holy War on the Home Front,” Kushner called for a congressional investigation into why America’s homeland security bureaucracy had not given top priority to an estimated $1.5 billion khat smuggling industry into the U.S., which produces an illegal cash flow back to Great Britain, Somalia, Kenya and Yemen.

British counter-terrorism experts say their country has in recent years become a hotbed for Islamic extremist groups that advocate killing Americans, recruit suicide bombers and raise money for terror operations. U.S. intelligence agencies have identified Yemen, Kenya and Somalia as havens for terrorist networks, particularly for Al-Qaida.

Sajjan Gohel, Director of International Security for the Asia-Pacific Foundation told CBS 11 News, “organized crime and terrorism are very common bed fellows. They work hand-in-hand. They are able to communicate their activities and assist each other. And that is a tragic irony in that you will find in the illegal drug trade that terrorism in not too far behind.”

In 2000, for instance, Al Qaida operatives blew up the USS Cole after it docked at a Yemeni port, killing 17 American servicemen. In 2002, the CIA piloted an armed drone into Yemen and blew up a car full of suspected terrorists. Kenya, also a major khat producing country, is where Al Qaida operatives in 1998 blew up the American embassy and in 2002 aimed shoulder-fired missiles at a departing Israeli passenger jet and also attacked an Israeli resort in Mombassa. In 2003, an Al Qaida plot was foiled to re-bomb the new American embassy in Kenya using a planeload of khat ostensibly headed for Somalia.

“You don’t have to make a quantum leap to link drug smuggling from the Middle East, to Middle Eastern communities and …the great possibility of that funding terrorist conspiracies, both here and abroad,” Kushner told CBS 11News in a January 2005 interview in New York City. “It’s certainly known worldwide that Osama bin Ladin was dealing with the (heroin) trade in Afghanistan … coming into this country. It’s great cash flow. It’s hard to trace and it’s quick money to support terrorist activities.”

CBS 11 News found that most police labs don’t have the capability to test khat and Kushner complained that awareness was so low that street-level cops most often think they’ve come across some kind of salad when they accidentally discover khat during searches.

The latest enforcement action dubbed “Operation Somalia Express” indicates that there is a new concerted crackdown on khat flowing into the United States.

In London last year, Officials of Her Royal Majesty’s Customs and Excise Department told CBS 11 News that most of the seven tons per week legally imported into Great Britain comes from Somalia, Kenya and Yemen.

But interdicting khat smuggling aboard U.S.-bound flights was not a priority because khat is considered a legal vegetable, even being classified as a bean in some countries.

Few outside the insular transplanted immigrant communities from the Horn of Africa and parts of the Arab Middle East even know what khat is. The leaf is probably best known in the U.S. as the ingredient that fueled the deadly true-life events portrayed in the movie “Blackhawk Down.” The movie depicted a 1993 battle between American troops and khat-fueled Somali insurgents, their teeth blackened from the drug. Drug experts, as well as those who use khat, say the leaf does not impair motor skills but rather creates a mild, amphetamine-like euphoria that heightens senses and self-esteem.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration warns that khat can be psychologically addictive and has been known to cause aggressive behavior and feelings of paranoia among chronic users.

Federal authorities with jurisdiction over the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and North Texas acknowledge making regular discoveries of khat - by happenstance. In fact, more than 2,800 pounds of khat has been seized at D/FW since 2000. Applying a commonly used rule of thumb that most commodity seizures represent only 10-percent of what actually gets through, an estimated 14 tons of khat could have made its way through D/FW Airport. Drug dogs are not trained to ferret out khat.

CBS 11 News has learned that North Texas customs enforcement investigators broke up a sophisticated khat-smuggling ring at D/FW Airport in 2003. The operation involved a local airline employee, conspirators in Great Britain and North Texas-based distributors. As a major refugee resettlement city, Dallas is home to thousands of Somali, Ethiopian and North African immigrants.

Abdulkadir Araru, a Kenyan journalist based in London, has written extensively about khat. He said he has chewed it for 25 years and once was employed as a “clearing agent” who helped transport the drug into Canada before that country criminalized it in the late 1990s. Araru said his group would fly students in to Great Britain, where they would pick up large suitcases packed with khat then fly it home to Canada for about $1,000 round trip.

Araru said young white British mules are used now to haul loads into the U.S. and probably get paid about $2,000 on average to make the trip. Such smugglers are considered not as likely to draw attention as would someone of Middle Eastern descent.

“There is lots of money in it,” he said, adding that the price goes up once it crosses into illegal American territory. “Compared to other serious drugs, it’s very, very marginal, but of course for anyone who is carrying it or selling it, you’ll make good money. There are quite a number of chewers in the United States: the Arabs and Somali refugees and more refugees from Ethiopia.”

In the U.S. khat use is most prevalent among immigrants from Somalia, Ethiopia, and Yemen according to the DEA. Kushner warns that khat has the potential to become the new crack epidemic in those communities.

http://cbs11tv.com/investigators/local_story_207215042.html


----------



## kevz

*Belgian grandparents convicted for heroin dealing*

*Belgian grandparents convicted for heroin dealing*

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - A Belgian court has sentenced two 73-year-old grandparents to two-year suspended jail terms this week after they were convicted of dealing in heroin and other drugs, the tribunal said on Wednesday.

The elderly pensioners had taken over the business of their grandson, who himself had been imprisoned for selling heroin, cocaine and ecstasy.

The court established that the couple had sold a variety of drugs to people, including one minor, who dropped by their apartment near the northern town of Aalst. Some even came by to make large orders, the court said.

"The only thing that counted for them was to continue the profitable drug dealing business of their grandson," the judges wrote in their ruling on Tuesday.

The couple, who had no prior criminal record, were also ordered to pay fines of 1,000 euros each.

http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=1545212006


----------



## kevz

*Cocaine seized in dawn drugs raids*

*Cocaine seized in dawn drugs raids*
19 October 2006
WEB EDITORIAL - webdesk@herts24.co.uk

SIMULTANEOUS drug raids took place at four homes in Cambourne in the early hours of last Wednesday ( October 18 ) morning.

Police wearing riot gear burst in to the properties in Swansley Lane, School Lane and High Street at 7.15am and seized a quantity of Class A drugs, namely cocaine.

Between 50 to 60 officers in eight marked police cars and vans and the police dogs section were involved in the biggest drugs burst Cambourne has every seen.

Detective Sgt Martin Brunning: "The raids were a huge success, we were acting on intelligence and made several arrests. This is part of an ongoing crack down on drugs in the Cambridge area."

Three arrests were made, a 35-year-old man from Cambourne was arrested and charged with possession of drugs and has been bailed until December 13. A 39-year-old woman was arrested on intent to supply class A drugs and was bailed until December 7. Allen Entwistler, 34, from Camborune was charged with theft to appear at Cambridge Magistrates Court on October 20.

One of the houses had been raided a couple of times in the past couple of years.

Cambourne is Cambridgeshire's newest development and has only 3,000 houses but it has been classed as a police priority after incidents of anti-social behaviour with youths from nearby villages gathering in Cambourne in groups of up to 100.

Only last month the town's only pub, The Monkfield Arms was ramraided in the early hours of the morning. Thieves crashed in to the side of building and removed a cash machine.

http://www.huntspost.co.uk/content/...y=NewsHPT&itemid=WEED19 Oct 2006 13:56:06:300


----------



## kevz

*Man sentenced to 20 years on drug charges*

*Man sentenced to 20 years on drug charges*
Pacific Daily News

James Dino, 55, was sentenced in the District Court of Guam yesterday to 20 years in federal prison after he pleaded guilty to drug charges.

Dino was charged in May 24, 2004, with possession of 50 grams of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. He pleaded guilty on May 24, 2004.

Dino was sentenced yesterday to 20 years -- the mandatory minimum sentence for his second offense.
Following his prison term, Dino must serve 10 years supervised release and 200 hours of community service, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

http://www.guampdn.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061020/NEWS01/610200309/1002


----------



## kevz

*Calhoun-Cleburne task force nets 66 drug-related arrests*

*Calhoun-Cleburne task force nets 66 drug-related arrests*

ANNISTON, Ala. At least sixty-six people are in custody today on drug-related charges and more arrests are expected during an operation spearheaded by the Calhoun-Cleburne Drug and Violent Crime Task Force.
Task Force Commander Richard Smith said Operation Fallout began about 4-30 a-m yesterday.

Officers are trying to arrest about 135 people on 170 warrants for charges ranging from possession to distribution and manufacturing controlled substances involving methamphetamines, cocaine, marijuana, prescription pills and other drugs.

Most of the arrests were in Calhoun County, but some suspects were located in Cleburne and Talladega counties. Officials said the investigations for some of the cases go back seven or eight months.

Smith said the majority of the suspects surrendered without incident, but one escaped by running out the back door of his residence and disappearing into the fog.

He said ages of those arrested range from 18 to 65, including a few minors.

http://www.wtvm.com/Global/story.asp?S=5562161&nav=8fap


----------



## hoptis

_Sydney, Australia_

*Hide-out stormed, accused dealer arrested*
By Kara Lawrence
October 21, 2006 12:50am

SURROUNDED by a 3m concrete wall and an electric fence, some secluded acreage in Sydney's west has been home to a wanted man.

Now Anthony John Michael Perish, 37, is behind bars after a 14-year search for the accused drug dealer.

Mr Perish - whose elderly grandparents Anthony Perish Sr, 91, and Frances Perish, 93, were shot dead at Leppington in a 1993 unsolved murder - had a warrant issued for his arrest in 1992.

His grandparents' murder remains unsolved and Mr Perish is not listed as being among numerous "persons of interest" in the murders.

However, police wanted Mr Perish for the alleged supply of 2.5kg of amphetamine -"speed" - on August 5, 1992.

Despite a lengthy national search, police did not arrest him until mid last month.

When the heavily-armed State Protection Group arrested him at his West Hoxton farmhouse, they allegedly found Mr Perish in possession a .22-calibre pistol.

Mr Perish was charged with supplying a commercial quantity of a prohibited drug over the 1992 amphetamine matter, as well as possessing an unregistered firearm.

He has not entered a plea and will appear in Liverpool Local Court on November 22. This week, Mr Perish was refused bail after making an application in the Supreme Court.

Mr Perish's lawyer Bill O'Brien told the court his client had been under police surveillance and had his phone tapped.

He argued the case against his client was weak and the identification of him flimsy.

Mr O'Brien argued that the drug charge was not enough to cause Mr Perish to have fled, considering his co-accused had not get lengthy sentences.

Justice Peter Hidden refused bail saying Mr Perish was a flight risk. 

Daily Telegraph


----------



## kevz

*Substantial Stephen Street marijuana grow-op busted*

*Substantial Stephen Street marijuana grow-op busted*
Oct 21 2006

One man is facing criminal charges following the bust of a "substantial" marijuana grow operation yesterday.

Mission RCMP executed a search warrant in the 9500-block of Stephen Street on Friday, Mission RCMP said in a news release, and seized 812 marijuana plants and three firearms.

Mission RCMP say they arrested 45-year-old Robert Pearse, and he is facing charges of production of a controlled substance and possession for the purpose of trafficking. As well, he faces three counts each of unauthorized possession of a firearm, contravening firearms regulations and unsafe storage of a firearm. 

http://www.abbynews.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=38&cat=23&id=754952&more=


----------



## hoptis

_Regional NSW, Australia_

*$150,000 worth of cannabis found in car*
October 22, 2006 08:09am
Article from: AAP

A MAN has been charged with drug offences after police found $150,000 worth of cannabis in a car in NSW.

Officers carrying out anti-drug patrols stopped a Ford Falcon travelling along the Barrier Highway, about 10km from Cobar, at about 11.20pm (AEST) yesterday.

They found two boxes in the back of the car containing what police believe to be 14kg of cannabis, with an estimated street value of $150,000.

The officers also discovered money in the vehicle.

A 31-year-old Adamstown man was arrested at the scene and taken to Cobar police station for questioning.

He was later charged with having goods in his personal custody suspected of being stolen, possession of a prohibited drug, supplying a prohibited drug and supplying cannabis of a more than indictable but less than commercial quantity.

Bail was refused and he is due to appear at Bourke Local Court later today. 

News.com.au


----------



## hoptis

_Hobart, Australia_

*Large haul of drugs, weapons found*
October 21, 2006 11:59pm
Article from: AAP

A POLICE drug bust at a house north of Hobart today unearthed a large haul of weapons and explosives.

Police said drug investigators found at the Broadmarsh house 800 ecstasy tablets, methylamphetamine and four cannabis plants, and also seized a sawn-off shotgun, a pistol, ammunition, explosives and about $6,000 in cash.

Police said the raid followed the arrest of a 34-year-old man in Queensland after he allegedly gave them information about the property. 

News.com.au


----------



## kevz

*Drug Precursor for Amphetamine Captured on Kalotina Customs*

23 October 2006

Sofia. The police and the customs officials captured a great amount of drug precursor – 500 kg, the Customs Agency announced. It is used for the production of amphetamines. The amount of that quantity on the black market could have reached BGN 100 million.

The quantity was discovered in a Volvo truck in 10 sacks each of 50 kg. The sacks were hidden between roof-tiles. The Serbian driver (37) was arrested and charges will be pressed against him.

http://www.modbee.com/local/story/12926700p-13583874c.html


----------



## kevz

*Brownville camp owner charged in marijuana trafficking case*

*Brownville camp owner charged in marijuana trafficking case*

By Diana Bowley

Monday, October 23, 2006 - Bangor Daily News << Back

By Diana Bowley
Bangor Daily News

DOVER-FOXCROFT - A tip from a game warden, weeks of surveillance, and a joint investigation has resulted in the arrest of a Bowdoin man and the seizure of more than 20 pounds of processed marijuana.

Darryl Dickey, 39, of Bowdoin and Brownville, was arrested last Wednesday for trafficking in marijuana. Dickey was released from the Sagadahoc County Jail after furnishing $1,000 cash bail. His initial court appearance is set for Nov. 30, at the West Bath District Court.

In May, a local game warden found a patch of marijuana growing off a woods road in Township B, Range 10 WELS, north of Brownville, and reported his find to the Piscataquis County Sheriff’s Department.

Through an investigation and surveillance, the department reportedly connected the marijuana patch to a Brownville camp owned by Dickey, according to Investigator Guy Dow of the Piscataquis County Sheriff’s Department.

Dow said marijuana plants were discovered outside Dickey’s camp. A search warrant was executed at the camp on Oct. 15, where small amounts of dried marijuana were found, he said.

Another search was conducted on Oct. 18 at Dickey’s Bowdoin home, where Piscataquis County and Sagadahoc County deputies found more than 20 pounds of dried marijuana, according to Joseph Manhardt, chief deputy of Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Department.

Manhardt said the marijuana had a street value of about $74,000.

"We’re extremely happy with the drug seizure," he said. The find was one of the largest in Sagadahoc County in recent years, he said.

Dow said Dickey was convicted of cultivating marijuana off the same woods road two years ago.

Manhardt said his department seized Dickey’s new all-terrain vehicle and a four-wheel drive pickup truck. He said the department would seek forfeiture. If the court sanctions the forfeiture, it is unknown if the proceeds from the sale will be shared, he said.

Also assisting in the investigation was the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency.

http://www.bangornews.com/news/t/penquis.aspx?articleid=142133&zoneid=184


----------



## kevz

*Ecstasy importer needed to pay off drug debt*

*Ecstasy importer needed to pay off drug debt*
25 October 2006

A Timaru man has been jailed for four years for importing nearly 3000 ecstasy tablets to pay off an English drug debt.

Kent Nicolson, who pleaded guilty to the charge, was sentenced by Justice Fogarty in the High Court in Timaru.

The court was told there was no evidence of large-scale dealing but that Nicolson's offending was a one-off attempt to settle the debt.

Nicolson told police he imported the tablets – he mailed them to himself from England to a Timaru address – to help pay a 6000 ($NZ16,825) debt.

He said he became addicted to crack cocaine in England and sent 2887 ecstasy tablets to himself from Worthing.

Customs intercepted the drugs in Auckland and a controlled delivery was set up.

Nicolson signed for the package and hid it in a garage.

The tablets had an estimated New Zealand street value of between $173,000 and $230,000. 

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3838802a12855,00.html


----------



## kevz

*Porterville police confiscate 100 pounds of marijuana*

*Porterville police confiscate 100 pounds of marijuana*

By Sarah Elizabeth Villicana, The Porterville Recorder

Porterville Police Department detectives made a major bust Tuesday morning, preventing between 80 and 100 pounds of marijuana and a half pound of peyote from reaching the streets.

At about 7:30 a.m., detectives with Porterville's Special Investigations Unit served a search warrant in the 2000 block of West La Vida Avenue. The warrant was obtained after a two-and-a-half-week investigation into suspected drug sales.
A handgun, scales, peyote and about 100 pounds of pot were confiscated Tuesday by Porterville police. (Recorder photo by John Tipton)


During a search of the home, officers reportedly found between 80 to 100 pounds of marijuana. Police said the marijuana was packaged for sale and had an estimated street value of $150,000.

Detectives also reportedly located packaging materials, pipes, scales and other narcotics paraphernalia.

Sgt. Jake Castellow called the bust the largest seizure of marijuana within the City of Porterville in about a year.

Even more unusual than the large quantity of marijuana was a half pound of the controlled substance peyote, also seized from the residence.

Peyote is a cactus that produces small buttons which can cause hallucinations when ingested.

“I've been in law enforcement 12 years and this is the first time I've seized peyote,” Castellow said.

No occupants of the residence on West La Vida Avenue were home at the time of the search and no suspects had been arrested in connection with this case.

Police were seeking several subjects, Castellow said.

Based on their investigation, authorities said they believe suspects were selling the drugs from the residence.

The case remained under investigation by the PPD Special Investigations Unit. Anyone with information regarding this case should contact Detective Marcial Morales or Sgt. Jake Castellow at 782-7400.

http://www.portervillerecorder.com/articles/2006/10/25/news/local_state/news4.txt


----------



## kevz

*Bust of Northern Colorado meth organization to be announced*

*Bust of Northern Colorado meth organization to be announced*
By Coloradoan staff

Federal and Weld County law enforcement officials this morning will announce the dismantling of a major Northern Colorado methamphetamine organization.

A press conference is scheduled for 10 a.m. in Denver at the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Participating law enforcement agencies include the U.S, Attorney’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Weld County Drug Task Force.

According to a press release, the organization distributed large quantities of high-quality methamphetamine, and often used buses to transport the illegal drugs from California to Colorado.

http://www.coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061025/NEWS01/61025009


----------



## kevz

*Major drug haul made in Afghanistan*

*Major drug haul made in Afghanistan*

KABUL (Reuters) - Afghan police and NATO troops have seized more than 9 tonnes of hashish in a southeastern province bordering Pakistan, a major smuggling route, the alliance said on Wednesday.

The drugs were found in a truck after the driver was stopped at a checkpoint in Zabul province and he became nervous as his vehicle was searched, NATO said in a statement.

The driver and three others in the truck were arrested.

Since April, more than 13.5 tonnes of narcotics have been confiscated by police in what the United Nations has said will be a record year for the production of opium, the raw material for heroin, in the world's largest produced.

Afghan officials say the growing Taliban insurgency is fuelling the drugs trade, which in turn helps fund the rebellion.

This has been the bloodiest year of fighting in Afghanistan since U.S.-led forces ousted the Taliban's strict Islamic government in 2001 for refusing to surrender Osama bin Laden over the September 11 attacks in the United States.

More than 3,000 people have died, mostly militants but also civilians and more than 150 foreign soldiers.

British Defense Secretary Des Browne wound up a four-day visit to Afghanistan, like most high level foreign visitors a trip kept largely secret until it was over, due to security fears.

As part of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), Britain has charge of the southern province of Helmand, a Taliban stronghold and the heart of the Afghan drugs trade.

It has suffered several casualties since NATO took over the south from U.S.-led forces late this year.

Browne met President Hamid Karzai and other Afghan leaders. He gave no media conference in Afghanistan but in a statement issued in London paid tribute to U.K. forces.

"I am enormously proud of the work being done here by British forces. They continue to do an outstanding job in bringing security to the people of Helmand so that the rebuilding can begin," he said in the statement.

Browne also met NATO commander British General David Richards who has said that the coming winter will be the tipping point for the Afghan campaign, saying failure to step up reconstruction during the time will drive frustrated Afghanis to the Taliban.

http://today.reuters.com/news/artic...=&cap=&sz=13&WTModLoc=NewsArt-C1-ArticlePage2


----------



## kevz

*NATO, Afghan Police Seize Pot, Opium*

*NATO, Afghan Police Seize Pot, Opium*

By FISNIK ABRASHI

KABUL, Afghanistan - NATO-led troops and Afghan police seized over nine tons of marijuana from a truck in southern Afghanistan, the alliance said Wednesday.

Four people in the truck were detained, NATO said. No date was given for the seizure in Zabul province, on a road between the southern city of Kandahar and Kabul.

In the country's west, U.S. and Afghan troops recovered over 120 pounds of opium from a car in Farah province, another NATO statement said Tuesday.

The U.S. soldiers were supporting an Afghan army checkpoint when a car failed to stop, the statement said. An Afghan soldier noticed a suspicious bag where the spare tire was supposed to be and alerted the next checkpoint, where the car was searched and the driver and passenger detained.

Afghanistan grew 59 percent more opium this year, yielding a record crop of 6,100 tons, according to the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crimes.

The agency said that is enough to make 610 tons of heroin, outstripping world demand by a third.

Some 2.9 million Afghans, or 12.6 percent of the population, are involved in opium cultivation. The U.N. predicted revenue from this year's harvest would top $3 billion.

Opium cultivation has surged since the Taliban was ousted in late 2001. The former regime had virtually eradicated the crop with a ban it enforced by jailing farmers.

But Taliban-led militants are now implicated in the drug trade, encouraging poppy cultivation and using the proceeds to help fund their insurgency, Afghan and Western counter-narcotics officials say.

http://www.jg-tc.com/articles/2006/10/25/ap/international/d8kvjei81.txt


----------



## kevz

*Pharmacist charged in drug case*

*Pharmacist charged in drug case*
By AMY V. TALIT, The Bristol Press
04/20/2006

BRISTOL -- A local pharmacist was charged Tuesday with more than 40 counts of illegally distributing and supplying prescription drugs in connection with a case against two Ruth Street residents who face numerous counts of sale and possession of drugs, according to police documents.

John P. Skinnon, 34, of 52 Salvatore Ave. was arrested at the pharmacy where he works and charged with 20 counts of illegal distribution of a narcotic substance, 24 counts of illegally supplying a prescription drug and one count of illegal distribution of a controlled substance.

Police did not identify where Skinnon is employed.

Wesley Musumano and Diane Weidman, both 29, of 35 Ruth St., No. 30were arraigned Wednesday in Bristol Superior Court. Though bonds of $900,000 were set by the judge for each, Musamano posted bond late in the day and Weidman is expected to remain in prison until her next court date, according to court records.

Skinnon posted $50,000 bond and will be arraigned in Bristol Superior Court May 8, according to court records.

Details of his connection to the Musumano-Weidman case were not released by police, who said the investigation is ongoing with additional arrests anticipated.

According to police,Musumano andWeidman, both 29, of 35 Ruth St., No. 30 were the subjects of a drug investigation by members of the Bristol police Narcotics Enforcement Team and the Statewide Narcotics Enforcement Task Force, which culminated in their arrests Tuesday.

Court records indicate Musumano had made several sales of the prescription painkiller OxyContin to an undercover police officer on several dates between March 30 and April 11. On each date, according to court records, Musumano would meet the police officer at a public location and make the drug sale. The first several sales were of OxyContin, but court records show the last few sales included heroin.

When police went to the Ruth Street home Musumano and Weidman share to execute two search warrants, Musumano allegedly saw the officers’ approach and ran upstairs, where his 6-year-old son was. He reportedly threw a box filled with drugs and drug paraphernalia out of a window to the back yard, where officers were waiting, before attempting to escape capture by jumping from that window, according to records.

Police seized 45 bags of heroin with an estimated street value of $450; 41 OxyContin pills (80 mg strength) with an estimated street value of $3,200; 35 Oxycodone pills (30 mg) with an estimated street value of $1,050 and 45 methadone tablets (40 mg) with an approximate street value of $1,200. Also seized from Musumano was equipment used to allegedly forge prescriptions, including a computer and scanner and $7,000 cash.

Officers also searched a vehicle owned and operated by Weidman and reportedly found her in possession of 50 OxyContin pills (80 mg) with a street value of more than $4,000 and 30 bags of heroin with a street value of $300. They also reportedly found a weapon in the vehicle, though police did not specify the type.

Musumano was charged with three counts of possession of narcotics, two counts of possession of narcotics with intent to sell, three counts of conspiracy to commit sale of narcotics, sale of narcotics, interfering with police, destruction of evidence and risk of injury to a minor. He was held overnight with bond set at $1,100,000 until his arraignment Wednesday, where his bond was reduced to $900,000.

Weidman was charged with four counts of possession of narcotics, possession of weapons in a motor vehicle, three counts of sale of narcotics, three counts of conspiracy to commit sale of narcotics and interfering with police. She was held overnight with bond set at $620,000, an amount increased to $900,000 at her arraignment.

At Musumano’s arraignment, the prosecutor read a statement given by the man’s 6-year-old son to police in which the boy said, "Daddy brings medicine to his friends. His friends used to come to the house, but now daddy brings the medicine to his friends."

The minor child was taken into protective custody by agents of the state Department of Children and Families after the arrest, according to court records.

According to court records, Musumano has pending drug charges in another court.

Neither Musumano nor Weidman has any legal means of support as neither has a job, according to court records. Musumano nevertheless posted his $900,000 bond Wednesday afternoon. Both he and Weidman are scheduled to return to court May 17.

Members of the Hartford police department vice and narcotics units joined Bristol officers and statewide task force members to execute the search and arrest warrants, according to police.

http://www.bristolpress.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=16506076&BRD=1643&PAG=461&dept_id=10486&rfi=6


----------



## kevz

Older article but pretty interesting.  Since it pertained to painkillers and they are my fav, I thought I'd post.  Mmmmmmm.. opiates!


----------



## hoptis

_Sydney, Australia_

*City workers watch as lunch-time raid nets $1m ice pack*
Neil McMahon
October 26, 2006

A CITY street, lunch hour ticking to its end, office workers scurrying back to their desks - and in the middle of it all, a $1 million drug bust that police say cleared the streets of two kilograms of crystal methamphetamine.

Drug squad detectives swooped on a car in Park Street about 2pm on Tuesday and detained two men. They were cuffed and questioned, and their arrest was filmed on a hand-held camera as passers-by stopped to watch. Inside the car, police allege, was about two kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, known as ice.

A smaller quantity of the drug, with a street value of $7000, was seized during a later operation in Bondi, where a 49-year-old man was arrested. In connected raids in the city and Maroubra, police allegedly seized items linked to the supply of prohibited drugs.

The man arrested in Bondi was charged with offences including supplying a large quantity of a prohibited drug. Another man, 25, faced the same charge. A man, 21, was questioned but released.

The arrests were made by detectives from Strike Force Bronsgrove. It was set up in May to investigate the supply of the drug in Sydney.

Sydney Morning Herald


----------



## hoptis

_Sydney, Australia_

*Sydneysider charged over $250,000 drug haul*
October 27, 2006 - 7:04AM

Police have charged a Sydney man over a $250,000 cannabis haul.

Officers seized 126 hydroponic plants up to a metre high and a firearm during a raid on a home in Chamberlain Road, Padstow, in Sydney's south west, yesterday morning.

They had received reports about drugs being grown at the house.

A 27-year-old man has been charged with enhanced indoor cultivation of a plant for commercial purpose, possessing a prohibited drug, supplying a prohibited drug, possessing property suspected of being proceeds of crime and firearm offences.

He has been refused bail and will appear before Bankstown Local Court today.
AAP

SMH


----------



## MDMARI

The one about a half pound of peyote gettin seized was interestin.


----------



## MDMARI

And that dude in Mass is real fucked cuz Mass has the stricted gun laws in the nations and the combo will put him away for a very long time. Real rough.


----------



## Grep

*Snoop faces drug, gun charges*

Burbank, California - Snoop Dogg was arrested on suspicion of illegal drug and gun possession, police said.

The rapper, whose real name is Calvin Broadus, was arrested on Thursday at Bob Hope Airport, police said. Snoop Dogg posted $35 000 bail and was scheduled to appear in court on December 12.

Airport police officers stopped Snoop Dogg at a loading zone for a vehicle code violation. When officers searched the vehicle they found a gun and marijuana, police said.

"There was no basis for this arrest," the rapper's attorney, Donald Etra, said. "We believe that once this is cleared up, all charges will be dismissed."

The Orange County district attorney's office has been considering charges against Snoop Dogg after authorities last month discovered a 53-centimetre collapsible baton in his bags as he boarded a New York-bound flight from John Wayne International Airport.

The rapper was convicted in 1990 of cocaine possession and charged with gun possession after a 1993 traffic stop.

He pleaded guilty in exchange for three years' probation and a promise to make public service announcements against violence.

He was acquitted of murder in 1996 following the death of an alleged gang member who was killed by gunfire from the vehicle Snoop Dogg was travelling in. 

http://www.news24.com/News24/Entertainment/Celebrities/0,,2-1225-2108_2021519,00.html


----------



## Skyline_GTR

*Cocaine courier tried to blow evidence away*

*Evening Times
27 October 2006*

A DRUG courier caught red-handed with thousands of pounds worth of cocaine tried to blow away the evidence, a court was told. 

The High Court in Glasgow heard Mark Green, 31, of Toreness Street, Partick, Glasgow, ran away from the police, bit open the bag containing the drug and then began shaking it. 

But, the police caught up with Green, managed to wrestle him to the ground and grab the bag of cocaine. 
Yesterday judge Lord Hardie jailed Green for five years after he admitted being concerned in the supply of cocaine last November, at Lumsden Street, Glasgow. 

He also pleaded guilty to obstructing the police. 

Lord Hardie told Green: "You took steps to obstruct the police officers by running away and seeking to dissipate drugs into the atmosphere." 
Peter Hammond, prosecuting, told the court that the cocaine left in the bag had an estimated maximum street value of £6000. 

Billy Lavelle, defending, said: "The accused was was approached by a man and asked to take what he thought was amphetamine to someone he knew. He undertook to do this without thinking of the consequences." 

Green was caught because the police were looking for someone of a similar description who had an outstanding warrant. When they asked to check Green's details he panicked and ran off.

Link


----------



## kevz

*Two additional meth suspects captured*

(KIRKSVILLE)  Two meth suspects on the loose are now behind bars. 

The Adair County Sheriff's Department arrested 20-year-old William "Billy" Lewis of Kirksville and 20-year-old Lexis Lewis of Kirksville just after 6 p.m. Tuesday on a county gravel road.

Authorities had been searching for the pair since Thursday when three others were taken into custody in connection with a meth bust on Motter Hill Road that turned up an active meth lab, drugs, drug paraphernalia and other evidence. 

Both Billy and Lexis Lewis are charged with conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine. Investigators tell KTVO other charges are pending.

The two were spotted by an attentive motorist who saw them fighting on the front lawn of a residence Tuesday evening.

Timothy Atterbery of Kirksville recognized Billy Lewis and contacted the authorities.

The other three suspects already in custody in this case are 42-year-old Robert Pettibone of Kirksville, 42-year-old Jerry Mahurin of Kirksville and 44-year-old James Butler of Unionville, Missouri. All three face a charge of conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine.

http://www.ktvotv3.com/Global/story.asp?S=5616416&nav=1LFs


----------



## hoptis

_Adelaide, Australia_

*More than 500 cannabis plants seized*
SAM RICHES, POLICE REPORTER
November 02, 2006 09:06am

MORE than 500 cannabis plants were seized during a police raid on a north-eastern suburbs house last night.

About 8.30pm, Holden Hill police raided the house at Treweck Ave, Hillcrest, and a shed allegedly containing four separate grow rooms.

About 510 cannabis plants of varying maturity were seized. Police also allegedly found an esky containing about 15kg of dried cannabis and cash.

A 40-year-old man was arrested and charged with producing and possessing cannabis for sale and unlawful possession.

He also faces charges of theft of electricity, with police alleging the man bypassed an electricity meter to steal power for the grow rooms.

Police Confiscations Branch have also launched an investigation into the man's assets.

He was bailed to appear in the Holden Hill Magistrates Court at a later date.

The Advertiser


----------



## hoptis

_Sydney, Australia_

*Three charged after drug raid*
November 04, 2006 08:35am

TWO Sydney men and a woman have been charged after a drug raid on a house in the city's west.

Police raided the St Johns Road home in Canley Vale about Around 3.15pm (AEDT) yesterday and arrested a 20-year-old man, a 31-year-old man and a 28-year-old woman.

They seized an amount of white powder, believed to be heroin, drug paraphernalia, electronic equipment and mobile phones.

The 20-year-old man, from Auburn in Sydney's west, has been charged with being found in a drug premises and with possessing stolen goods.

He has been refused bail and will appear in Parramatta Bail Court later today.

The other man, from Casula in Sydney's south-west, and the woman, from the western suburb of Cabramatta, were also charged with being in a drug premises.

The man was refused bail and will appear in Parramatta Bail Court today while the woman was bailed to appear in Liverpool Local Court on November 24.

News.com.au


----------



## hoptis

_Alice Springs, Australia_

*Ecstasy, firearms seized at Alice Springs property*
November 03, 2006 12:00am
Article from: Northern Territory News

A 22-YEAR-OLD man has been taken into police custody after a drug bust at an Alice Springs property yesterday.

Police seized almost $10,000 in cash, 1.6 kg of cannabis and five ecstasy tablets from the house.

They also seized several firearms and weapons, including a 9mm pistol, a .303 rifle, a double-barrel shotgun and a .22 rifle.

The man is expected to be charged.

News.com.au


----------



## kevz

*Power Drain leads Police To Pot Bust*

04 Nov 2006

New Hampshire
-------
Nearly 1,400 Marijuana Plants Found

In the biggest marijuana bust in the state's history, the police found nearly 1,400 marijuana plants worth up to $7 million inside a vacant Epsom house Thursday. 

The police brought 1,396 plants out of the basement at 35 Woodcote Drive, the state police said.  They also seized grow lights, tools, industrial fans and transformer boxes used to divert electricity to the house, the police said.  Aside from the basement and closets full of equipment, the rest of the house was empty, said Sgt.  Ellen Arcieri of the New Hampshire State Police. 

Investigators have made no arrests and have no suspects, Arcieri said. 

Neighbors said that the ranch-style house was recently sold by David and Tracy Menard.  Sheets had been placed over the windows on the inside, said Jessica Towne, who also lives on Woodcote Drive.  Towne said she hadn't met or seen much of the new owner, who occasionally stopped by the house in a sedan, she said. 

Andy and Lisa Fries, who live across from Woodcote Drive on Center Hill Road, said the Menards had closed the sale on Oct.  23 and planned to move to Pittsfield.  The house was sold for about $450,000, the Fries said. 

The police discovered the plants because of a blackout at Towne's house.  Towne said she lost power Wednesday and called the power company, Unitil.  The company then discovered that 35 Woodcote Drive was using an inordinate amount of electricity, Towne said. 

"They were sucking so much electricity, they were using more electricity than Wal-mart," she said, repeating what a Unitil official told her. 

The power company reported to the police that the house was draining electricity, Arcieri said.  The police searched the house Thursday evening, around 6 p.m., and found the marijuana plants, Arcieri said. 

Members of the New Hampshire State Police, the Epsom police and the New Hampshire National Guard spent about eight hours gathering evidence at the house Thursday night.  The Epsom Fire Department set up floodlights and generators at the scene, since Unitil had shut off the electricity, Fire Chief Stewart Yeaton said.  The police and guardsmen filled a box truck and two Humvees with the evidence and didn't leave until after midnight, Arcieri said. 

The basement would have been able to support 4,000 plants, Arcieri said.  Closets held unused transformers, light bulbs, power cords, sump pumps, and hundreds of empty plant buckets, she said.  The plants had yet to mature, but each would have been worth between $3,000 and $5,000, she said.  The equipment was worth about $200,000.  

http://www.mapinc.org/norml/v06/n1494/a12.htm


----------



## kevz

*Afghanistan drug problem not that easy to solve*

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia A Pakistani man convicted of drug smuggling has been executed in Saudi Arabia by beheading.

The beheading took place yesterday in the capital Riyadh. Saudi Arabia follows a strict interpretation of Islam under which people convicted of murder, drug trafficking, rape and armed robbery can be executed.

Last week, two people from Nigeria and Afghanistan were beheaded for smuggling heroin and cocaine into the country.

Yesterday's execution brings to 20 the number of people beheaded in the kingdom this year. Saudi executions are performed with a sword and in public as a deterrent.

The kingdom beheaded 83 people in 2005 and 35 in 2004.

http://thechronicleherald.ca/Opinion/538817.html


----------



## kevz

*Bahrain, Saudi make big drug busts*

BAHRAINI authorities have seized about 300kg of hashish smuggled from Pakistan via Iran and destined for trafficking in Gulf Arab states, a police official said today.

The drugs, worth $US730,000 ($950,000), were seized after police, acting on a tipoff from Kuwaiti authorities, arrested two young Bahraini men and a 19-year-old Bahraini woman north of Manama on Friday night, Faruq al-Maawda of the criminal investigation department said.

The Kuwaiti interior ministry had been alerted to the haul by a citizen who was contacted by the Bahraini trio as a potential buyer, he said.

Mr Maawda said the drugs, “which were smuggled from Pakistan to Bahrain via Iran, were destined to be peddled” in the Gulf Arab states.

Border police in Saudi Arabia meanwhile aborted an attempt to traffic 143kg of hashish in the kingdom, the official SPA news agency reported today.

Police spotted the smugglers in the southern province of Najran and “confronted them”, it quoted the local chief of the border police as saying.

The smugglers fled back to where they came from, leaving behind the drugs, he said.

SPA did not specify the timing of the incident or the source of the hashish, but Najran lies along the border with Yemen, and Saudi authorities often report catching arms and drug smugglers in the area.

Saudi Arabia and Yemen agreed in 2004 to implement joint security arrangements to block infiltration and smuggling across their common border. 

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,20707620-1702,00.html


----------



## hoptis

_Nimbin, Australia_

*Charges over cannabis cookies*
November 06, 2006 06:29am
Article from: AAP

POLICE have charged a woman on the far north coast over the possession of cookies and chocolates made with cannabis.

Police were attending the break-in of several shops in Nimbin's Cullen Street yesterday about 1pm (AEDT) when they witnessed an alleged drug transaction in one of the shops.

While searching the premises, they seized bags of cannabis leaf, nearly 2kg of cannabis cookies and 89 chocolates wrapped in foil and made from cannabis butter weighing more than 1.3 kg, police said.

They also seized a sum of cash.

A 51-year-old woman from Jiggi was arrested at the scene and charged with three counts of supply a prohibited drug, two counts of possess a prohibited drug and one count of goods in custody.

She was granted conditional bail and will appear in Lismore Local Court on December 4, police have said.

News.com.au


----------



## reu_jkt

*World's 3rd largest ecstasy factory busted, 2 Indonesians sentenced to death*

Two Indonesians given death for huge drug operation
332 words
6 November 2006
02:49
Reuters News
English
(c) 2006 Reuters Limited

TANGERANG, Indonesia, Nov 6 (Reuters) - Two Indonesians were sentenced to death on Monday for masterminding one of the world's biggest drug operations, while a Dutchman and Frenchman who helped make the ecstasy and methamphetamine were jailed for life.

Police uncovered the operation last year in Banten province, just west of Jakarta. Officials said it was the largest in Southeast Asia and the third biggest in the world of its type, capable of producing one million ecstasy pills a week and various drugs with a potential street value of $600 million a year.

In the November bust, police seized 150 kg (330 pounds) of crystal methamphetamines and more than 60 tonnes of raw materials for making illegal drugs.

On Monday, nine defendants, seven of them foreigners, were found guilty of involvement in the operation, run from several factories and warehouses.

Prosecutors had sought death sentences for all nine, but the Tangerang court only handed down that penalty to the Indonesians who led the operation -- Benny Sudrajat and Iming Santosa.

"The defendants were proven guilty of collectively producing psychotropic drugs illegally and in an organised way," said presiding judge Zaid Umar.

The court also heard how the two used foreign workers as well as machinery to manufacture the drugs and had links to a regional drug syndicate.

Five Chinese nationals also each received 20 years in jail for working at the illegal drug factories.

Indonesia imposes the death sentence for many narcotic offences. Some 20 foreigners, mostly Africans, are on death row at the moment awaiting execution by firing squad.

Six young Australians were sentenced to death this year for heroin smuggling on Indonesia's Bali island, sparking anger in Australia where capital punishment has been abolished.

The most recent foreigners executed for drugs offences were two Thai nationals in October 2004. 



Tough sentences for Indonesian drug factory criminals
VT
441 words
6 November 2006
02:58
Agence France Presse
English
Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2006 All reproduction and presentation rights reserved.

TANGERANG, Indonesia, Nov 6, 2006 (AFP) -

A judge in Indonesia Monday sentenced two Europeans to life in prison for their role in running the world's third-largest ecstasy factory, while the two Indonesian co-owners of the plant were handed death sentences.

Judge Mulyanto found Dutchman Nicolaas Garnick Josephus Gerardus, 61, and French national Serge Areski Atlaoui, 43, guilty of producing dangerous substances.

In a separate trial at the same court building, Judge Zaid Umar Bob Said sentenced the two employers of the two Europeans, Benny Sudrajat and Iming Susanto, each to the death penalty.

Sudrajat, the court heard, had provided the land and buildings for the plant, while Santoso paid for the equipment and its operation.

Police seized more than 100 kilograms (220 pounds) of crystal methamphetamine, thousands of ecstasy pills and more than 300 drums of raw ingredients for drugs during a raid last November on the factory in Serang, 60 kilometers (35 miles) west of Jakarta.

Prosecutors said the plant was "the largest ecstasy factory ever found in Southeast Asia and the world's third-largest, after factories in China and Fiji", and recommended the judge pass the death sentence.

The factory was capable of producing one million ecstasy pills, worth 100 billion rupiah (11 million dollars) a week, they said.

The lawyer for both Europeans, Aprilson Purba, demanded time to decide whether to appeal. The prosecutors had recommended the death penalty for both men.

"No (not fair), because of the wrong publicity given by the media and because of the wrong publicity by the minister of justice," Garnick told journalists after the trial. He did not elaborate.

Atlaoui said he also thought the trial had been unfair, without explaining further.

The men were hired for their expertise in producing MDMA, the substance required to make ecstasy pills, the Tanggerang state district court heard.

Meanwhile, Judge Mahanikmah sentenced five Chinese nationals to 20 years in jail each for helping organise the production of drugs at the plant, in a separate trial held at the same court.

Prosecutors had recommended death sentences for the five, identified as Lhang Manquan, Chin Hongxin, Jiang Yuxin, Gan Chinyi, and Zhu Xuxiong.

Four other Indonesians were also to be sentenced in the same case.

Indonesian courts have increasingly handed down stiff punishments for drug crimes.

At least 43 people are now on death row for drug offences in Indonesia.

The majority of them are foreigners, mostly from Africa. Six Australians are also among those sentenced to death by firing squad for leading an attempt to smuggle heroin from Bali to Sydney.

vt/bs/jc


----------



## Splatt

what the fuck?  that hepatitis ridden chick has been selling those for years... along with many others... how did the police miss the 100 other people that sell pot on the way to the store?  oh yeah thats right the famous nimbin copper call...  why would they even bother busting someone for selling really.  I mean that cafe is full of dealers, and theres a bloody hemp bar across the road where everyone sm okes.. i mean.. if you live in nimbin.. you smoke weed... they should be getting rid of the H junkies.



			
				hoptis said:
			
		

> _Nimbin, Australia_
> 
> *Charges over cannabis cookies*
> November 06, 2006 06:29am
> Article from: AAP
> 
> POLICE have charged a woman on the far north coast over the possession of cookies and chocolates made with cannabis.
> 
> Police were attending the break-in of several shops in Nimbin's Cullen Street yesterday about 1pm (AEDT) when they witnessed an alleged drug transaction in one of the shops.
> 
> While searching the premises, they seized bags of cannabis leaf, nearly 2kg of cannabis cookies and 89 chocolates wrapped in foil and made from cannabis butter weighing more than 1.3 kg, police said.
> 
> They also seized a sum of cash.
> 
> A 51-year-old woman from Jiggi was arrested at the scene and charged with three counts of supply a prohibited drug, two counts of possess a prohibited drug and one count of goods in custody.
> 
> She was granted conditional bail and will appear in Lismore Local Court on December 4, police have said.
> 
> News.com.au


----------



## hoptis

_Sydney, Australia_

*Police raid nets drugs, cash, weapons*
November 08, 2006 04:39pm

THREE people have been arrested after a police raid allegedly netted cash, weapons and drugs including cannabis and heroin at homes in inner-Sydney.

Officers raided houses in Vine, Louis and Eveleigh Streets in Redfern just after 7am (AEDT) today, allegedly finding cash, knives and a samurai sword.

Police said a quantity of prohibited drugs, believed to be heroin, methylamphetamine and cannabis were also discovered, along with allegedly stolen credit cards, driver's licences and electronic goods.

A 59-year-old woman and a 51-year-old man were arrested at the Louis Street home and both charged with possessing a prohibited durg.

They were granted bail and are due to appear at the Downing Centre Local Court on December 20.

A 20-year man arrested in Eveleigh Street was detained for breach of bail.

He was refused bail and was expected to appear in Central Local Court today. 

News.com.au


----------



## hoptis

_Adelaide, Australia_

*Huge drug bust*
CHRIS SALTER
November 11, 2006 12:15am

POLICE yesterday uncovered one of the most extensive hydroponic drug productions in the state's history.

STAR group officers stormed a warehouse on Benjamin St, Newton, about 5.30am and seized more than $50,000 worth of hydroponic equipment and 70 seedlings.

Superintendent Paul Dickson said the find was significant, as the elaborate set-up had the potential to produce 21,000 street hits of cannabis every two to three months.

"It must be one of the most extensive hydroponic crop set-ups that's ever been located by SA police," Supt Dickson said.

"While the plants themselves weren't that big, it had the potential."

A man, 39, was arrested at the warehouse. Another man, 41, was arrested about 8am at Parafield Gardens.

Both were charged with cultivating cannabis, while the Parafield Gardens man was also charged with firearms offences after he was allegedly found in possession of two revolvers.

The Advertiser


----------



## Splatt

what are street hits?


----------



## seanhaupt

dreamgirlie19 said:
			
		

> theres so many better uses for the money but nooo theyll pay police dept expenses! fuckers..



fuckers. exactly.


----------



## hoptis

_Adelaide, Australia_

*Pair charged over drugs, cash find*
November 23, 2006 04:33pm

TWO men have been charged after police allegedly found drugs and cash in two cars stopped in Adelaide's southern suburbs.

Police said the cars were stopped at Reynella at about 2am (CDST) this morning.

They allege a search revealed 600 grams of amphetamine paste and more than $120,000 in cash.

The men, aged 31 and 32, were subsequently charged with possessing a drug of dependence for sale and unlawful possession.

“This significant seizure has prevented approximately 20,000 street deals of amphetamines circulating to the public,” a police spokesman said.

The two were refused police bail and were expected to appear in the Christies Beach Magistrates Court tomorrow.

News.com.au


----------



## hoptis

_Gold Coast, Australia_

*22 arrested in drug seizures*
November 29, 2006 04:02pm

HEROIN, ice and cannabis were seized and 22 people arrested in a police bid to stop drug-dealing on the Gold Coast and southwest Queensland.

Gold Coast detectives focused on the sale of methyl amphetamine, known as ice, and arrested three people.

Heroin, cannabis and a card-skimming device were found during searches of Gold Coast homes, police said.

Officers arrested a 47-year-old Currumbin Waters man at a Nergan car park today and charged him with trafficking a dangerous drug, supplying a dangerous drug and breaking and entering.

A 43-year-old woman of Currumbin Waters and a 36-year-old man from the Brisbane suburb of Birkdale also have been charged with drug offences.

They are due to appear in Southport Magistrates Court on December 13.

In southwest Queensland, 19 people have been charged with 53 offences after an operation that wound up this week.

The operation targeted drug trafficking to Charleville, Toowoomba and Quilpie.

Police said more arrests were expected.

Three Charleville people - two men, 41 and 28, and a woman, 56 - and a Quilpie man, 25, appeared in Charleville Magistrates Court today charged with trafficking cannabis.

The two Charleville men were remanded in custody while the woman and Quilpie man were granted bail.

News.com.au


----------



## hoptis

_NSW, Australia_


*Alleged drug-smuggling head arrested*
November 30, 2006 04:39pm

A MAN accused of being the head of a syndicate that tried to smuggle 30kg of cocaine into Sydney in 2004 has finally been caught.

Federal police arrested Les Mara, 53, at a property at Callala Bay, near Nowra on the NSW south coast, this morning.

Mr Mara, a former Balmain and South Sydney rugby league player, was charged with conspiracy to import cocaine.

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) said Mr Mara had evaded authorities worldwide for 18 months after escaping arrest with an alleged co-conspirator, a 59-year-old man, during federal police raids that smashed a major drug syndicate in May last year.

Mr Mara was allegedly involved in the plot, foiled in December 2004, to bring cocaine from South America.

The other alleged principal of the syndicate has been charged and is before the courts.

If convicted, they could face life imprisonment and/or a fine of $825,000.

News.com.au


----------



## hoptis

_Sydney, Australia_

*Five arrested and $1m cannabis seized*
November 30, 2006 03:33pm

CANNABIS with a street value of more than $1 million has been seized and five people arrested as police in Sydney busted an alleged Asian crime syndicate.

Three women and two men were arrested after more than 60 officers raided six houses in Ashfield, Bonnyrigg Heights, Belmore, Bankstown, Casula and Green Valley this morning.

Police said they found almost 400 hydroponic cannabis plants and dried cannabis with a street value of more than $1m.

"Police have uncovered and dismantled yet another Asian crime group involved in growing hydro cannabis, using a system that was first seen by authorities in Canada," police said.

The arrests follow a six-week investigation into the group and police believed some of the plants were ready for sale on Sydney's drug market within days.

Police arrested a 34-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman in Bonnyrigg Heights. An eight-month-old baby and a three-year-old girl that were found at the house are now in the care of relatives.

A 56-year-old Vietnamese woman, a suspected illegal immigrant, was arrested at Casula, while a 28-year-old man was taken into custody in Ashfield and a 29-year-old woman arrested in Green Valley.

The five are being questioned by police and charges are expected to be laid later today. 

News.com.au


----------



## hoptis

_Sydney, Australia_

*Dawn raids 'shatter major crime syndicate'*
December 06, 2006 04:41pm

A MAJOR Sydney crime syndicate has been smashed and its alleged kingpin charged with more than 60 drug offences.

A 25-year-old Campbelltown man was arrested with 12 other people during simultaneous dawn raids on 11 properties across Sydney's south-west and western suburbs today.

Police said those caught in the raids were members of a crime syndicate responsible for the sale and distribution of drugs including ecstasy, cocaine and cannabis throughout Sydney.

Assistant Commissioner Dave Owens, the South-West Metropolitan Region Commander, said police had dismantled a "sophisticated, well-established criminal enterprise".

More than 110 officers were involved in raids at homes in Campbelltown, Camden, Green Valley, Airds, Bradbury, Macquarie Links and Woodbine, all in Sydney's south-west, and at Seven Hills, St Marys and West Hoxton, in Sydney's west at about 6.30am (AEDT) today.

Officers attached to Strike Force Burraloo, established in March to investigate the alleged syndicate, seized more than $150,000 in cash.

They also allegedly seized cannabis, cocaine and ecstasy worth an estimated $60,000 and seven cars, including two Subaru WRXs, valued at more than $500,000.

A $60,000 boat and a jet-ski suspected of being the proceeds of crime were also confiscated, police said.

The alleged syndicate mastermind was charged with 60 drug supply offences. He was refused police bail to face Campbelltown Local Court tomorrow.

Of the remaining 12, eight men have been charged with more than 90 drug offences and were expected to face the same court today.

Strike force detectives have seized more than $250,000 in drugs and cash in the past two months and charged a further seven people with 28 drug offences.

Mr Owens said inquiries were continuing and further arrests were likely.

"This syndicate was a major player in the Sydney drug trade and we have shut them down," he said.

"Their operation was highly sophisticated and well-organised and this is an extremely successful result in our ongoing fight against illegal drugs."

The Advertiser


----------



## lil angel15

Ipswich, Australia

*Red face gave drugmaker away*
December 13, 2006 08:53am

A QUEENSLAND man has been caught red-handed, and red-faced, making drugs at an Ipswich home.

A 21-year-old man arrested in a raid yesterday had burns on his face and arms, allegedly suffered when he was making drugs, police said.

Police uncovered a home-made drug laboratory and chemicals and seized equipment from the house. 

A man was charged with possessing instructions to make methamphetamines, possessing prescription drugs without a prescription, and possession of a utensil. 

He is due in Ipswich Magistrates Court on January 4. 

NEWS.com.au


----------



## StagnantReaction

> Two Colombians, a Guatemalan and a Sri Lankan were arrested and taken to the United States, since *they were captured in international waters*, Berrocal said.



ILLEGAL!



> A man was charged with possessing instructions to make methamphetamines, possessing prescription drugs without a prescription, *and possession of a utensil.*






?

Oh and I think Snoop is to appear in court today


----------



## djfriendly

Ipswich says:  down with sporks!


----------



## lil angel15

Sydney Morning Herald said:
			
		

> *Over 90 arrested in European drug bust*
> December 16, 2006 - 5:59AM
> 
> Spanish police have helped break an international drugs ring in a joint operation with France, Germany, Italy, Ecuador and Colombia, leading to the arrest of 90 people across Europe, police say.
> 
> Over a tonne of cocaine and more than five tonnes of hashish were seized from the criminal gangs, most of it in Spain. The network supplied drugs to drug traffickers in Italy, police said.
> 
> "It was made up of some of the most prominent Neopolitan mafia gangs, and gangs from Colombia, Spain, Marseille and Bulgaria," the police said in a statement.
> 
> Spain, with its rocky coastline and cultural links to Latin America, is a major entry point to Europe for drugs.
> 
> Law enforcement agencies say cocaine is getting cheaper and more popular in Europe because of efforts to boost production by Colombian paramilitaries and rebels who need money for weapons.



SMH


----------



## THE_REAL_OBLIVION

*Big LSD bust in Quebec (2005)*

*5,067 LSD Blotters Seized by the RCMP*]
RCMP Newsroom

SHERBROOKE, Friday, April 22, 2005- Last Wednesday, Sherbrooke Detachment Royal Canadian Mounted Police conducted an operation to dismantle an LSD distribution ring in the Estrie region. A total of 5,067 LSD blotters and small quantities of hashish and cannabis were seized in a Compton residence. Three subjects in their twenties were arrested.

One of them, 29-year-old Compton resident [removed], appeared in court yesterday in Sherbrooke to face charges of possession of LSD for the purpose of trafficking contrary to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. The investigation is ongoing and could lead to further arrests and indictments.

This operation was performed in co-operation with the Canada Border Services Agency and Régie de police de Memphrémagog. The drug was imported from the Netherlands and transited through Vancouver for final distribution in the Compton region.

Although LSD may appear harmless to users, the RCMP wishes to remind the public that it is the most powerful hallucinatory drug and a central nervous system disruptor. Its wide-ranging health damaging effects include loss of motivation and interest, depression, anxiety and panic attacks, phobia and delusion. The use of LSD causes severe mood swings and may generate acute and persisting psychiatric problems. The price of LSD blotters ranges between five and seven dollars per unit.

The RCMP invites citizens to report any information on drug-related illegal activities by contacting Sherbrooke Detachment RCMP at (819) 564-5770. All calls will remain confidential.

Link

[Edited to include article. Read the GUIDELINES and post in the proper format! ff]
[EDIT: Name removed at person request. hoptis]


----------



## OzzBozz

that's alot of cid.

but not enough to really make a impact on the market outside of quebec

that sucks though


----------



## Trogdor

psshh... that's only half of a bible (which is 10,000 hits)... that's not a lot


----------



## nuke

yup it's nothing, medium size dealer and probably only halfway up the chain


----------



## THE_REAL_OBLIVION

I'm mostly surprised by the actual bust, that's why i post it, LSD seizures never happen anymore.


----------



## college_dropout

^^^I know what you mean. The only busts I look out for are acid busts because these days, they are very rare.


----------



## hoptis

_Melbourne, Australia_

*Heroin sting nets 13 arrests*
December 18, 2006 07:00am

THIRTEEN people have been arrested after a police operation targeting heroin traffickers in Melbourne.

A police spokesman said the Yarra Crime Investigation Unit conducted a week-long operation in and around Victoria Street, Richmond, targeting heroin trafficking.

Thirteen people were arrested and a string of charges were laid, including trafficking and possessing heroin and possessing cannabis.

Four of the alleged drug offenders were remanded in custody and are due to appear in court next year.

Two people were charged with trafficking heroin while caring for a child.

News.com.au


----------



## OzzBozz

college_dropout said:
			
		

> ^^^I know what you mean. The only busts I look out for are acid busts because these days, they are very rare.



the acid trade is tight, no room for error.


----------



## co.1nspire

Thats only 2 hours away

I wonder what blotters they were, I've only seen gatecrasher lions around mtl.


----------



## Ravr

that sucks


----------



## rm-rf

very sad, just sad 



> The RCMP invites citizens to report any information on drug-related illegal activities by contacting Sherbrooke Detachment RCMP at (819) 564-5770. All calls will remain confidential.


----------



## fruitfly

^ Thanks btw. 

This story is from *April 2005*, and it's not necessarily a *major* bust. Moving this to the Drug Busts thread.


----------



## hoptis

_Adelaide, Australia_

*Woman arrested over drug ingredient*
December 22, 2006 04:12pm

AN Adelaide woman has been charged with importing a chemical that makes the illegal drugs ice and speed.

Customs officers in Adelaide seized an air mail parcel from Malaysia yesterday afternoon.

They allegedly found up to 1.5kg of pseudoephedrine inside the base of a cardboard box in the shipment.

Pseudoephedrine is a chemical used to make amphetamines such as ice and speed, drugs commonly used at dance parties.

Pamela May Dodd, 28, of suburban Huntfield Heights, appeared before Adelaide Magistrates' Court today charged with importing a border controlled precursor.

The charge carries a penalty of up to 25 years jail or a $550,000 fine.

SA Police Drug Investigation Branch detectives arrested Ms Dodd late yesterday and said more charges were expected to be laid.

Customs national investigations manager Richard Janeczko said the arrest was the latest in an ongoing national campaign by Customs, Australian Federal Police and state police to combat drug crime.

Ms Dodd was remanded in custody and will reappear in court on January 19.

News.com.au


----------



## hoptis

_Darwin, Australia_

*Man charged after drugs raid*
December 27, 2006 01:03pm

A 52-YEAR-OLD man has been charged after police allegedly found a variety of drugs during a raid on his home.

Members of the Drug Enforcement Section executed a search warrant on the man's Smith Street unit in inner-city Darwin at about midday last Friday.

They allegedly found 128 ecstasy tablets, 3.6 grams of methylamphetamine, 31 grams of cannabis, two LSD tablets and eight unknown capsules.

Police also seized an amount of cash alleged to be connected with the drugs.

The man has been charged with four counts of possession of dangerous drugs and one count of possession of tainted property.

He was released on bail and will appear in Darwin Magistrates Court in the new year. 

News.com.au


----------



## hoptis

_Sydney, Australia_

*Cocaine find marks fifth drug bust*
January 03, 2007 09:40am

A GERMAN man has been caught trying to smuggle cocaine through Sydney airport in two pairs of wooden shoe moulds.

It is the fifth drug bust at the airport since December 24.

Customs officers stopped the man when he arrived on a flight from Argentina on New Year's Eve.

During a search of his bags, officers became suspicious of the moulds, inserted to preserve shoes when they are not being worn.

An X-ray revealed a hole in one of them and cocaine inside.

A man has been charged with trying to import a marketable quantity of a border-controlled drug.
He will appear in Sydney Central Local Court today.

Over the Christmas holiday, a Nigerian man flying from Dubai allegedly tried to smuggle cocaine in his shoes while two Australian men returning from Vietnam on different days were allegedly caught attempting to smuggle heroin.

A Canadian man flying from Canada on Boxing Day was allegedly caught smuggling cocaine in his underwear. 

News.com.au


----------



## erosion

Woman allegedly uses dog‘s name for drug


FARMINGTON, Conn. - A Burlington woman has been charged with trying to get painkillers from a drug store by using her dog‘s name. Kymberly Smith, 38, faces more than two dozen charges related to her alleged repeated attempts to fraudulently obtain painkillers at a Farmington pharmacy under her dog‘s name.

Simsbury police said Smith was also arrested in June after she was allegedly caught calling in a fraudulent prescription for the same drug.

She surrendered to police Dec. 29 and was released after posting bond.

http://localnewsleader.com/jackson/stories/index.php?action=fullnews&id=39617


----------



## hoptis

_Sydney, Australia_

*Drugs found in pursuit car*
January 05, 2007 06:48am

A MAN and woman were arrested and charged with drug and traffic offences following a car chase by police in southern Sydney last night.

The 27-year-old driver failed to stop after police saw his car making an illegal turn about 7.45pm (AEDT) on Box Road at Sylvania.

Police chased the car through several streets before the driver abandoned it in Koorooma Place and fled.

The Bankstown man was arrested soon after in Clare Street by a police officer with the help of a passer-by. His female passenger, 27, from Wentworthville, was arrested while still in the car.

A bag believed to contain drugs was found in the car.

The man was charged with reckless and dangerous driving, driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs, driving while disqualified, negligent driving, possessing and supplying a prohibited drug and resisting arrest.

The woman was charged with possessing and supplying a prohibited drug and breach of bail.

Both were refused bail and will appear in Central Local Court today. 

News.com.au


----------



## hoptis

_Adelaide, Australia_

*Two arrests over drug lab*
January 05, 2007 11:38am
Article from: AAP

TWO people have been arrested over the discovery of a clandestine drug laboratory in Adelaide's northwest.

Police found the laboratory at an Ethelton house today.

A man and woman, both 20, were charged with taking part in the manufacture of methylamphetamines.

"It will be alleged that prior to their surrender to police that chemical glassware was smashed within the house," a police spokesman said.

The woman was granted police bail to appear in Port Adelaide Magistrates Court at a later date.

The man was also charged over another drug laboratory discovered at suburban Semaphore South in December. He will appear in Adelaide Magistrates court today. 

News.com.au


----------



## hoptis

_Brisbane, Australia_

*Alert mum sparks raid*
Neil Hickey
January 07, 2007 11:00pm

A VIGILANT stay-at-home mum unwittingly helped police bust a major drug manufacturing operation at a southeast Brisbane home early yesterday.
Alexandra Hills mother-of-two Amanda Egstorf phoned police after she was woken about 2am when someone threw a pot plant through her neighbour's window.

Police arrived at the unoccupied Vienna St home a short time later to discover a hydroponic drug set-up.

Replete with lighting and a reticulated water system, all three bedrooms in the home had been modified for the exclusive manufacturing of marijuana, police said yesterday.

More than 90 marijuana plants carrying a street value of more than $180,000 were seized.

"There's been a lot of trouble gone into setting this up," Detective Sergeant Wayne Talbot said.

"A substantial amount of modifications to the house have occurred."

Ms Egstorf, 26, was yesterday coming to terms with her role as an accidental heroine.

She said she had been suspicious about the house but was shocked to learn she was living next door to such a large-scale illegal drug operation.

"(The owner) got the tenants to move out roughly 12 months ago and he told them he was renovating it to sell," she said.

"And he's been coming and going quite regularly and making noises in there that sound like renovation so no one was that suspicious about it, apart from the fact he's had an airconditioner running for the past 12 months.

"That was the only thing I was a bit suspicious about.

"I'd never seen him take in a huge handful of pot plants or anything like that and of course you couldn't see any light shining through the windows."

Ms Egstorf deflected praise for her actions and said she was glad she could help police.

"Anyone would have called the police to that sort of noise," she said.

"More fool him, really. I'm glad it's been discovered."

A 40-year-old man from Alexandra Hills was yesterday charged with three offences, including producing and possessing a dangerous drug.

The charged man was granted watchhouse bail and has been ordered to appear in the Cleveland Magistrate's Court on February 12.

Courier Mail


----------



## hoptis

_Adelaide, Australia_

*Six arrested over drug lab*
January 09, 2007 09:32am
Article from: AAP

SIX people have been arrested after the discovery of a clandestine drug laboratory in Adelaide's southern suburbs.

The lab was found in the kitchen of a house a Reynella East about 9.15pm (CDT) yesterday, police said.

Three women aged 21, 22 and 32 and three men aged 34, 36 and 37, were charged with drug offences and will appear in court today.

News.com.au


----------



## erosion

*Grocery staff finds drugs in banana boxes*

AMSTERDAM, Jan 10 (Reuters Life!) - Dutch supermarket staff found millions of dollars worth of cocaine stashed in banana boxes as they were unpacking them, police said.

The drugs, 50 kilos of cocaine, had a value of 5-6 million euros ($6.5-7.8 million), a police spokesman said.

The drugs were found in the towns of Hoensbroek and Brunssum in the province of Limburg.

Supermarket employees discovered the cocaine hidden under bananas in three boxes, the spokesman said.



It was unclear how the cocaine ended up in the supermarkets.

"There probably must have been a logistic mistake," the spokesman said, adding a Colombian label indicated a South American origin for the drugs.

http://today.reuters.com/news/artic...xml&WTmodLoc=OddNewsHome_C2_oddlyEnoughNews-1


----------



## erosion

*
Priest arrested in Covington by anti-drug unit*

A Catholic priest was arrested Monday in Covington by members of the Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force.

Rev. Thomas Gaeke, 58, was charged with possession of crack cocaine and a crack pipe, according to officials of the anti-drug unit.

Archdiocese of Cincinnati officials said Gaeke has been on medical leave the past six years and had been living in Tampa, Fla., although he also owned property in Covington.

Before going on leave, Gaeke was pastor of parishes in Dayton, Ohio

http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070110/NEWS02/701100367


----------



## hoptis

_Sydney, Australia_

*Four arrested in police raids*
January 11, 2007 11:53am

FOUR men have been charged after prohibited drugs, firearms and illegally imported cigarettes were seized in three separate operations in Sydney's southwest.

In the first raid, police from the Middle Eastern Organised Crime Squad seized drugs worth more than $40,000, prohibited weapons and an automatic pistol when they searched a home in Bankstown yesterday afternoon.

Ice, cocaine and a number of pills believed to be ecstasy were seized in the raid, as well as cash and a number of `ninja-style' throwing stars, police said.

Two males, aged 22 and 17, arrested at the house have been charged with supplying an indictable quantity of a prohibited drug, dealing with the suspected proceeds of crime and with possessing ammunition.

The teenager was also charged with possessing an unauthorised pistol, possessing an unregistered firearm, not keeping his firearm safely and with possessing a prohibited weapon.
He was refused bail and will appear at Parramatta Children's Court today.

The man arrested in the raid was also charged with possessing a prohibited drug and with resisting police.

He was also refused bail and will appear before Bankstown Local Court today.

Detectives from Strike Force Orcam - set up to investigate the supply of illegal drugs and tobacco in southwest Sydney - conducted the second wave of raids.

Officers raided houses at Beverley Hills and Padstow, and a tobacco store at Lakemba yesterday evening, leading to the arrest of a 31-year-old man.

Illegally imported cigarettes worth $90,000, an amount of cash and Viagra tablets were seized in the raid, police said.

A man arrested at the Lakemba store has been charged with possessing smuggled goods, dealing with property suspected of being the proceeds of crime, displaying drugs paraphenalia in the shop and possessing prescribed/prohibited substance.

He was granted bail to appear at Burwood Local Court on February 1.

A fourth man appeared in Burwood Local Court yesterday charged with supply a prohibited drug in a commercial quantity. He was granted bail to reappear on February 21. 

News.com.au


----------



## hoptis

_Sydney, Australia_

*Alleged dealer to face court*
January 11, 2007 06:14am

A MAN will face a Sydney court today charged with drug offences after police found drugs, cash and other items at a property in south west Sydney yesterday.

Police arrested a 44-year-old man at the property in the south west Sydney suburb of Revesby.

Officers allegedly found methylamphetamine, cannabis, drug paraphernalia, cash and other items.

The Revesby man was charged with drug offences including five counts of supplying a prohibited drug and six counts of dealing with property suspected to be the proceeds of crime.

He has been refused bail and will appear before Bankstown Local Court today.

News.com.au


----------



## hoptis

_Brisbane, Australia_

*Alleged drug trafficker denied bail by court*
Jasmin Lill
January 11, 2007 12:00am

A TOOWOOMBA man has been refused bail after police claimed he was the key player in a major drug trafficking operation.

Jamie William Williamson, 26, appeared in the Brisbane Magistrate's Court yesterday after he was arrested on Tuesday.

He faces 10 charges including trafficking, supply and possession of dangerous drugs.

Williamson applied for bail but police opposed it, saying his arrest was the culmination of a two-year investigation.

Large amounts of drugs, cash and guns were allegedly found during a police raid on a shed at Toowoomba in December last year. Another man has already been charged over the haul, but police allege he was a minor player.

Sergeant Estelle Carnes told the court that Williamson was the major drug player and controller of the operation.

She said police were concerned Williamson had links to outlaw motorcycle gangs, and should remain in custody for his own protection.

But defence lawyer Denis Lynch argued his client had no prior drug convictions and should be released.

Bail was refused and Williamson was remanded in custody to appear in the Toowoomba Magistrate's Court on February 13.

News.com.au


----------



## lil angel15

_Darwin, Australia_

*Major Top End drug syndicate smashed*
January 18, 2007 - 4:00PM

A major Top End drug syndicate has been smashed following raids on two houses and the interception of a road train and motorbike, police say.

More than $1 million of drugs were seized and five people were arrested in separate raids over nine days since January 7, police said.

"This is a significant drug haul for the Northern Territory and a major organised drug distribution ring has been dismantled," said Superintendent Peter Gordon of the Drug Enforcement Section.

More than 13kg of cannabis with a street value of $658,300 was seized during the operation, but Supt Gordon said it could be worth more than $1 million if sold in remote NT communities.

The combined methylamphetamine seized was valued at $224,000, he said, adding that detectives had cut off a major supply route.

"Not only are the drugs off the street, the alleged offenders have had substantial assets seized and restrained...

"We have effectively taken this syndicate out of business for a very long time."

On January 7, on a road train from Adelaide bound for Darwin, police allegedly discovered 3.7kg of cannabis and four grams of methylamphetamine.

They arrested two male truck drivers - aged 38 and 44 - and charged them with the possession and supply of commercial quantities of cannabis and the possession and supply of methylamphetamine.

On the same day, members of the Drug Enforcement Section arrested and charged a 34-year-old Darwin man following a search of the area near his car on the Stuart Highway at Acacia.

They allegedly found 2.3kg of cannabis along with $23,000 in cash, and charged him with the possession and supply of a commercial quantity of cannabis.

Nine days later, detectives arrested a 58-year-old man from Adelaide after a search of his motorcycle near Tennant Creek.

They seized 6.8kg of cannabis, 150 grams of methylamphetamine and over $7,000 in cash. He was charged with the possession and supply of a commercial quantity of cannabis and the possession and supply of a commercial quantity of methylamphetamine.

Later that day, police searched a house at Stuart Park in Darwin and allegedly located a further seven grams of methylamphetamine and a quantity of cannabis.

They arrested and charged a 39-year-old Darwin man with numerous drug offences, including a commercial quantity possess and tainted property. Bail was refused and he was remanded in custody.

Court dates for the other alleged offenders are yet to be set, said a spokeswoman for police media.

Supt Gordon said police would use the Criminal Property Forfeiture Act, which provides for all crime derived property to be restrained and subject to forfeiture, to destabilise the organisation.

"This legislation is used extensively by police to target criminals not only for criminal offences but also to seize their crime derived or unexplained wealth," he said.

"It is particularly effective in returning crime derived assets acquired by criminals to the community."

SMH


----------



## lil angel15

_Sydney, Australia_

*Two arrested on cafe drug supply charges*
January 19, 2007 - 11:09AM

Two men have been charged and a Sydney cafe briefly closed after police alleged the business was used to sell cannabis.

The men, aged 27 and 32, were arrested on Thursday by Kings Cross officers attached to Operation Brian, established to investigate mid-level drug trafficking.

Police allege the cafe, owned by the 32-year-old, was being used to sell cannabis.

A quantity of cannabis leaf was allegedly seized by officers during a raid on the cafe.

The men were arrested at the premises and taken to Kings Cross police station.

The 32-year-old Roselands man was charged with four counts of supplying a prohibited drug and one count of possessing a prohibited drug.

The 27-year-old Belmore man was charged with one count of supplying a prohibited drug.

Both were granted conditional bail to appear in Downing Centre Local Court on February 8.

The 32-year-old was also served with a Closure Order which, under the Restricted Premises Act, prevents the cafe trading for 72 hours.

SMH


----------



## erosion

*Tip leads DEA to marijuana growers in New Orleans*
_The Associated Press
January 17, 2007_

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Federal and state law enforcement agents, acting on a citizen's tip, found an elaborate marijuana-growing operation on one side of a shot-gun double, and busted two men living on the other side, U.S. Attorney Jim Letten said.

About 384 marijuana plants, along with chemicals, lighting and ventilation, were discovered during a court-ordered search by Drug Enforcement Administration agents and Louisiana State Police troopers, Letten said Friday.

The two men living at the house, identified as Christopher Crayton and Jason Relayson, both in their mid-30s, were booked on federal drug charges, Letten said.

Advertisement




The marijuana-growing operation is an example of "individuals who are trying to exploit the situation in New Orleans post-Katrina" and of the need for citizens to tell authorities about suspected illegal activity, Letten said.

William Renton, DEA special agent in charge, estimated the street value of the drugs at about $2 million.

Separately, another major drug seizure occurred Thursday on Interstate 12 in Hammond after a Tangipahoa Parish sheriff's deputy stopped a pickup truck being driven erratically.

DEA agents, with a drug-sniffing dog, found six kilograms of cocaine in the truck's door panels, federal officials said.

Letten said the truck's driver, identified as Sergio Villegas and as being in the country illegally, was charged with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute.

Renton put the wholesale value of the cocaine at $150,000.

http://www.nola.com/newsflash/louis...s-29/1169328257282260.xml&storylist=louisiana


----------



## erosion

*Doctor guilty in OxyContin prescription scheme*
_Associated Press_
_January 20, 2007_

BEAVER, Pa. - A former emergency room doctor pleaded guilty to illegally distributing the painkiller OxyContin.

Leon Egleston, 60, of New Wilmington, pleaded guilty Friday in Beaver County Court to illegal distribution of OxyContin, criminal conspiracy and racketeering.

Judge John McBride sentenced Egleston to three to 20 years in prison and banned him from practicing medicine for 20 years.

Prosecutors said Egleston, who worked at Aliquippa Community Hospital, wrote hundreds of fraudulent OxyContin prescriptions, charging up to $2,000 for each.

http://www.timesleader.com/mld/timesleader/16508000.htm


----------



## haribo1

High quality homegrown is called skunk. Even non-users know the difference between the crap Moroccan hash & the good stuff.


----------



## hoptis

_Adelaide, Australia_

*3000 ice deals off the streets*
MICHAEL OWEN
January 23, 2007 01:15am

POLICE say the seizure of more than 3000 street deals of the drug ice is a significant breakthrough.

Detective Inspector Peter Johns yesterday outlined a weeks-long investigation that resulted in three arrests and the seizure of ice, ecstasy, weapons and $36,610 in cash.

Det Insp Johns said investigations were ongoing and it was possible there might be more further arrests.

"From the number of street deals we calculate could have ended up on the streets, it's quite a siginificant seizure and we are pleased to be able to remove that potential amount of harm from the streets," he said.

"But we do not believe that we have a problem in terms of ice to the same degree in this state as on the eastern seaboard in recent years."

The latest breakthrough for police in its war on ice came on Friday when Drug Investigation Branch detectives arrested a Golden Grove man, 55, allegedly in possession of about 30 grams of ice.

He was charged and granted police bail to appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on April 27.

Later that day, detectives arrested a man, 37, and woman, 36, from Rosewater allegedly in possession of about 390 grams of ice.

Police also seized about 500 ecstasy tablets, a loaded .22 pistol and Taser stun gun.

They also were charged with offences including the unlawful possession of $36,610 and will appear in the Port Adelaide Magistrates Court in March.

The Advertiser


----------



## erosion

*U.S. frigate seizes cocaine on Costa Rican fishing boat*

A U.S. frigate seized a Costa Rican fishing boat with 2.5 tons of cocaine on board, local media reported on Tuesday.

The 2.5 tons of drugs were hidden inside the boat's freezers when seized. Three people were also arrested during the seizure, which took place on Monday in the course of an operation conducted under the Joint Patrol Agreement between Costa Rica and the United States.

All the arrested were taken to the Costa Rican Pacific coastal town of Puntarensas

On Jan. 16, Costa Rican authorities seized two tons of cocaine hidden in a boat that had been intercepted at about 185 km from Flamingo beach, Guanacaste, on the Pacific coast.

About 25.5 tons of drugs have been seized and 30 people have been arrested since 2006 in the Central American country. 

http://english.people.com.cn/200701/24/eng20070124_344223.html


----------



## Angelus

*from the latest DEA Microgram Bulletin*

INTELLIGENCE ALERT - 

DRIED OPIUM POPPY PODS IN FRESNO, CALIFORNIA


The DEA Western Laboratory (San Francisco, California) recently received 47 dried plant pods on short stalks, suspected opium poppy pods (see Photo 5). The exhibits were shipped from New York via a commercial carrier, and were seized in Fresno, California by personnel from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (no further details). The pods (total net mass 553.6 grams) averaged 5 centimeters tall by 2.5 - 3.5 centimeters in diameter, and each contained a mass of small black seeds. Following standard acid/base workup, analysis of methylene chloride extracts by GC/MS confirmed morphine and codeine (not quantitated), and also indicated thebaine, noscapine, and papverine, confirming opium poppy pods. This is one of the largest exhibits of poppy pods ever submitted to the Western Laboratory

* * * * *

http://www.dea.gov/programs/forensicsci/microgram/mg0107/mg0107.html


----------



## Astavats

^Add a link if you can, it mentions "Photo 5" but without a link I can't see it.


----------



## Angelus

sorry 'bout that, here it is.


http://www.dea.gov/programs/forensicsci/microgram/mg0107/mg0107.html


----------



## erosion

*Drug arrests at Sydney's Big Day Out
*



More than 70 people were charged with drug possession and supply at Sydney's Big Day Out music festival yesterday, New South Wales police said this morning.

Using drug detection dogs, police caught over 60 people allegedly in possession of cannabis and ecstasy. Two people were charged with assaulting police.

Later in the day, four people were charged with supplying prohibited drugs, one was caught allegedly taking drugs, and another three were caught with drugs in their possession.

Police ejected 22 people for minor offences.

A policeman from the Mounted Unit was injured while patrolling the entrance to the Homebush Bay venue, after the horse shied and bucked.

But he was not seriously injured.

http://ibnnews.org/national/drug_arrests_at_Sydney_big_day_out_26107_545678797200147010_000000.html


----------



## erosion

*N.J. state police, DEA break up South Jersey narcotics ring*
_By ANGELA DELLI SANTI, Associated Press
January 25, 2007_


TRENTON, N.J. -- State and federal authorities broke up a major South Jersey drug distribution ring Thursday, arresting 14 people in New Jersey and Arizona, and seizing 25 pounds of crack and powder cocaine.

New Jersey State Police Capt. Jeff Simpkins said the bust resulted from a 10-month narcotics trafficking investigation that began as street-level surveillance, then grew.

"We took this one down at the trafficking level," Simpkins said. "When you stop it at the kilo level, it doesn't filter down to the school-yard level. It keeps it (the drugs) out of our neighborhoods."

"It's the most effective way to fight the drug game," said Simpkins who oversees state police in southern New Jersey.

The cocaine was valued at about $15,000 per pound.

State Police Superintendent Col. Rick Fuentes said the information developed with the Drug Enforcement Administration during the joint investigation will be accessible to other law enforcement agents conducting future investigations through the Regional Operations Intelligence Center. The new facility nicknamed "The Rock," is where federal, state and local officials gather to share information on evolving cases.

"This information will have a value beyond the arrest of individuals," said Fuentes. "The information will be linked up with other potential cases and the vehicle for doing that is 'The Rock.' That's our clearinghouse."

Police from Gloucester Township entered six homes and three storage facilities in Gloucester, Camden and Burlington counties Thursday morning.

Three New Jersey men were arrested in Tucson, where the New Jersey suspects went to meet their supplier, police said. Eleven others were arrested in New Jersey, with the highest bail set at $500,000 and some defendants released without bail.

In Arizona, police found a vehicle with hidden compartments for drugs.

Authorities also seized $244,000 in cash and three guns.

Those arrested were charged with conspiracy in connection with the distribution of narcotics. The maximum penalty upon conviction is 10 years in prison and a $150,000 fine. Additional charges are likely, authorities said.

The investigation was code-named Operation Centerfield because one of the first suspects identified was Gary Maddox, who has the same name as the former Phillies center fielder.

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/ny-bc-nj--narcoticsbust0125jan25,0,3602421.story


----------



## MDMARI

Wish I knew that doctor mentioned above. lol j/k. I still see a shitload of doctors who are script happy who will just right you a script without even doing any type of testing and we wonder why perscription abuse is so rampart(yea my spelling sucks).


----------



## redmerc

Hey fellas, just letting you know Andrew Riddell was found guilty on wednesday the 31st.

Personally I find this complete bullshit but then again, I would.

- Red.


----------



## Madhatter4

redmerc said:
			
		

> Hey fellas, just letting you know Andrew Riddell was found guilty on wednesday the 31st.
> 
> Personally I find this complete bullshit but then again, I would.
> 
> - Red.



^^^Who the fuck is Andrew Riddell???


----------



## lil angel15

_Sydney/Cowra, Australia_

*Seven arrested in drug raids*
February 01, 2007 08:08am

SEVEN people have been arrested in police raids on houses in Sydney and in the western NSW town of Cowra.

The raids overnight - in which cannabis, ice and ecstasy were seized - followed a nine-month investigation in Cowra.

The drugs were sourced from Sydney, police said. 

A raid on a property at Condell Park allegedly turned up a hydroponic cannabis set-up with more than 100 plants with an estimated potential street value of $200,000. 

Police also raided a property in Marrickville, seizing 30 cannabis plants, worth up to $50,000. 

A woman and three children were at the premises. 

In one raid in an inner Sydney suburb three men were arrested, one of whom had entered Australia illegally. 

Another was charged with drug supply and money laundering. He will appear in Central Local Court today. 

The third man was granted bail to appear at a later date. 

A man and woman from Cowra and a man and woman from Condell Park were also arrested at a truck stop on the Great Western Highway at Lithgow. 

Police allegedly seized an amount of ice and some cash. 

The four were still being questioned.

News.com.au


----------



## erosion

Drug raids break ring; 32 charged
City, county, state team against NYC trafficking

ITHACA — The Tompkins County grand jury has charged 32 people, most of whom were arrested in December's county-wide drug raids, with taking part in two drug rings that bought cocaine in New York City and sold it locally.

The indictments allege the rings were task-organized, with members assigned various jobs ranging from cocaine sales and distribution to cocaine re-supply, transportation and intelligence-gathering on police activities.

ADVERTISEMENT 
Exciting Job Opportunity 	
Tompkins County District Attorney Gwen Wilkinson and New York Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo announced the indictments at a press conference held at Ithaca Police Headquarters Friday morning.
The attorney general's office identified the ringleaders as Isaac Butler, 32, of Ithaca, and Charlie Watford, 22, of Brooklyn, and said the investigation “led to the seizure of approximately two pounds of cocaine and more than $10,000 in cash.”

Butler, aka “Fee,” “Fee-Foe,” and “Big Man,” was indicted on a drug conspiracy charge and six other charges relating to the possession and sale of crack and powder cocaine, including a charge of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree, a class A-I felony, the attorney general's office said.

“If convicted of the most serious offense, Butler faces up to 24 years in state prison,” the attorney general's office said. “A total of 22 people were indicted on 86 conspiracy and narcotics trafficking charges based upon their involvement in the Butler drug organization.”

The attorney general's office said Watford, aka “Man” and “Little Man,” was indicted on a drug conspiracy charge and 19 other charges relating to the possession and sale of crack and powder cocaine.

“If convicted, Watford faces up to 15 years in state prison,” the attorney general's office said. “A total of 15 people were indicted on 45 conspiracy and narcotics trafficking charges based upon their involvement in the Watford drug organization.”

According to the indictments, some of the suspects belonged to both drug rings.

While some ring members bought cocaine and sold cocaine to street-level sellers, others transported ring-leaders to New York City to replenish the cocaine supply, bought vehicles to replace those seized by police, secured local hotel rooms for ring members to store and sell cocaine, sold cocaine for funds to bail ring leaders out of jail and gathered intelligence about police activities so ring leaders could avoid arrest, the indictments allege.

Wilkinson and Cuomo, along with Ithaca Mayor Carolyn Peterson, and Ithaca Police Chief Lauren Signer hailed the indictments as the culmination of a year-and-a-half long, joint investigation by the attorney general's Organized Crime Task Force, the New York State Police Community Narcotics Enforcement Team, and the Ithaca Police Department.

“This party started in our house,” Signer said. When the Ithaca Police began to see drug activity flowing in with other crimes, they reached out the New York State Police and attorney general for help, she added.

“Not only did they help, they let us run the show,” Signer said.

Wilkinson said the investigation involved sophisticated eavesdropping and numerous search warrants.

“This is a good day for the police and a good day for prosecution,” she said.

While emphasizing the suspects are innocent until proven guilty, Wilkinson said she's confident in the charges as they stand.

“It was a pleasure to be part of this collective effort,” Cuomo said. “We all worked together, we worked cooperatively and we made a difference.”

While Cuomo praised the cooperation between agencies that brought the drug rings down and said that Ithaca and Tompkins County are safer, he added that the battle continues.

“The war on drugs and gangs requires constant vigilance and attention,” he said.

He plans to make the “epidemic of gangs, guns and drugs across Upstate New York” a priority for his office, Cuomo said.

He also said he plans to address the flow of illegal drugs from New York into Upstate cities such as Ithaca. The drug ring indictments are part of that effort, he added, and drug dealers looking for a market in Ithaca are “exactly wrong.”

“If you're thinking of selling drugs in Ithaca, you better think again,” Cuomo said.

“This is has been going on for a long time,” a CNET investigator said about the New York City-Upstate New York drug connection after the press conference. “Even if it takes a sidetrack to Syracuse, it all links back to New York City.”

A dealer can buy a kilogram of cocaine for $15,000 to $20,000, the investigator said, adding that “it's all about supply and demand.”

“If you break that down to $80 to $100 a gram, you're going to make a killing in Upstate New York,” he said. That's the draw for drug dealers who face completion in New York City, he added — they see an opportunity for their business to flourish in Upstate New York.

Intelligence gleaned from this investigation will lead to investigation of other individuals, he said.

“This isn't a dead end,” the investigator said. “This will lead to more arrests in this city.”

In addition to a high amount of money and drugs, the investigation expanded beyond the county, meaning they faced jurisdictional issues, Signer said, and therefore called on other agencies.

“Our investigation was taking people to New York City,” she said. “Once you get into that market, you have to call on the state.”

Signer also spoke about crimes seen in Ithaca — such as petit larceny and assault — associated with drug activity.

While petit larceny is associated with users, assault is associated with dealers, she said.

“It's part of the business,” she said. She attributed some of the violence to turf issues or petty rivalries.

“In this culture, where weapons are so readily available, it escalates very quickly,” she said.

http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070203/NEWS01/702030371/1002


----------



## lil angel15

_Sydney, Australia_

*Stomach scans reveal smuggler's haul*
February 04, 2007 11:56am

A WOMAN will appear in court today charged over an attempt to smuggle heroin into the country concealed in packages found in her stomach.

The 47-year-old woman, believed to be from Vietnam was charged with trying to import more than half a kilogram of heroin. 

Australian Federal Police and Customs said the woman arrived at Sydney International Airport on a flight from Ho Chi Minh City on Friday morning. 

She was questioned by Customs officers soon after her arrival. 

An AFP spokesman said scans revealed the woman was concealing three packages in her stomach which contained nearly 600g of what it is believed to be heroin. 

The maximum penalty for drug offences of this kind is a $550,000 fine and/or 25 years' jail. 

News.com.au


----------



## erosion

*45 arrested in Sunshine Coast drug blitz*
Tuesday, 6 February 2007. 13:01 (AEDT)Tuesday, 6 February 2007. 12:01 

Police have arrested 45 people on 130 drug-related charges after a week-long operation on the Sunshine Coast.

Sunshine Coast police swooped on more than 50 properties across the coast, from Caloundra to Noosa, as part of Operation Garnett.

Police seized drugs, weapons and cash, as well as a number of laptop computers believed to be the proceeds of crime.

Two hydroponic set-ups and an amphetamine lab were also found.

Two people have been charged with drug trafficking, and a further 43 people face charges relating to the possession of drug manufacturing equipment and weapons and property offences.

Those charged are due to appear in Maroochydore, Caloundra and Noosa Heads courts over the next few weeks.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/items/200702/1841304.htm?sunshine


----------



## lil angel15

_Brisbane, Australia_

*Couple charged over huge ecstasy haul*
By Christine Flatley
February 09, 2007 03:16pm

A BRISBANE couple have appeared in court charged with attempting to import more than $3 million worth of ecstasy tablets intercepted in airmail packages sent from the UK.

David John Dehghani and Dawn Andrea Burling, both 41 and from Redbank in Brisbane's west, are two of four people charged in relation to the massive haul of 80,000 tablets that were seized by Australian Customs officials at Brisbane Airport on Tuesday.

Mr Dehghani and Ms Burling each face 12 charges including importing a commercial quantity of a border control drug, conspiracy to import the drug and dealing with proceeds.

Brisbane Magistrates Court was told customs officials intercepted the drugs, allegedly contained in four airmailed packages from the UK, on Tuesday night.

The packages also held a children's toybox and a shoebox, containing four vacuum-sealed bags of the tablets, destined for the same address in Redbank.

Commonwealth prosecutor Penny Floyd said Mr Dehghani and Ms Burling, who have three young children, returned from Britain that same evening, and were arrested last night after the parcels were delivered to their home.

The prosecution alleges Ms Burling was found tearing up consignment notes from the parcels when apprehended.

Ms Floyd said Mr Dehghani also was in possession of a blank South African passport, as well as a "sophisticated" lamination set, which included a holographic security seal.

The couple also are accused of undertaking suspicious transactions of more than $900,000, which the prosecution alleges were drug proceeds.

Defence barrister Sam DiCarlo said the money was gained through the sale of a pub in the UK and a successful business run by Mr Dehghani in Australia. 

Burling was granted bail this morning, under the condition she pay a $10,000 surety and surrender her passport.

The prosecution has opposed Mr Dehghani's bail application, on which a ruling is expected this afternoon.

The two other accused are also expected to front court later today.

News.com.au


----------



## lil angel15

_Sydney, Australia_

*Alleged drug courier charged at Sydney Airport*
Friday, 09 February 2007

Customs and the Australian Federal Police (AFP) have stopped an alleged attempt by a Sydney man to internally smuggle narcotics into Australia.

A 42-year-old man from Mount Pritchard appeared in court this morning after an alleged attempt to conceal approximately 450 grams of a drug, believed to be heroin, in his stomach.

Customs officers at Sydney International Airport selected the man for a baggage examination after he arrived on a flight from Vietnam on Wednesday 7 February 2007.

During the search Customs officers became suspicious that the man may have been concealing drugs internally.

He was referred to the AFP and taken to hospital for a medical examination.

The man then allegedly passed 115 pellets containing approximately 450 grams of a white powder believed to heroin.

The man appeared in Sydney Central Local Court today charged with importing a marketable quantity of a border-controlled drug under the under Section 307.2(1) of the Criminal Code 1995.

He was refused bail to re-appear on March 28 2007.

The maximum penalty for this offence is a fine of $550,000 and/or 25 years imprisonment.

AFP


----------



## boywonder

Is it just me, or does Australia have a whole hell of a lota drugs?  I mean article after article..not just petty small time stuff, but really big hauls.


----------



## Madhatter4

boywonder said:
			
		

> Is it just me, or does Australia have a whole hell of a lota drugs?  I mean article after article..not just petty small time stuff, but really big hauls.



^^^^I noticed the same thing ...but at the same time I've read multiple price lists for drugs in Oz and they are through the roof8(


----------



## lil angel15

_Melbourne, Australia_

*Crash led to motorcyclist drug charge*
February 11, 2007 06:53pm

A MOTORCYCLIST injured in a road smash has been charged with drug offences after Melbourne police found a bag of amphetamines at the scene of the accident.

Police say a Harley Davidson motorcycle ran into the back of a taxi on the Bolte Bridge at Docklands just after 7am (AEDT) yesterday. 

As they cleaned up the crash site, police found almost 1kg of amphetamines in a bag thought to have been carried by the motorcycle rider, a police spokeswoman said. 

The motorcyclist was taken to Royal Melbourne Hospital with a suspected broken ankle and was released today. 

The taxi driver and his passenger escaped injury. 

Today, the 30-year-old rider, from Oakleigh East, was charged with 13 offences, including trafficking a drug of dependence, handling stolen goods, possessing the proceeds of crime, unlicensed driving and other drug-related offences. 

He has been remanded in custody to face the Melbourne Magistrates Court tomorrow.

News.com.au


----------



## lil angel15

_Sydney, Australia_

*Three men arrested after cannabis plantation located - Blue Mountains*
11 February 2007

Three men will face court today after being charged in connection to a sophisticated cannabis plantation located in the Blue Mountains yesterday. 

About 9am, police acted on information and located up to 400 cannabis plants in bushland off the Bells Line Road at Bell. 

Later in the day, police arrested three men as they left the site. They were taken to Katoomba Police Station where they interviewed. 

A 60-year-old Doonside man and two men from Londonderry, aged 27 and 51, were charged with cultivate a commercial quantity of prohibited drugs. 

They were bail refused and will appear in Parramatta Bail Court today. 

The plants will be removed from bushland today and have an estimated potential street value of up to $800,000.

NSW Police Media Unit


----------



## technoHarmony

Madhatter4 said:
			
		

> ^^^^I noticed the same thing ...but at the same time I've read multiple price lists for drugs in Oz and they are through the roof8(


i think its because most of the people who update this thread are australian


----------



## lil angel15

_Sydney, Australia_

*Woman charged with heroin smuggling*
February 12, 2007 11:12am

POLICE have charged a Sydney woman after a medical examination allegedly found she tried to smuggle heroin into Australia.

The woman had her baggage examined by Customs officers at Sydney Airport on Wednesday after arriving on a flight from Vietnam with her partner. 

The pair were referred to the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and taken to hospital for an examination. There, the woman passed pellets allegedly containing 500 grams of a white powder believed to be heroin. 

A 44-year-old woman will appear in Sydney's Central Local Court today charged with importing a marketable quantity of a border-controlled drug. 

The AFP said her partner appeared in Sydney Central Local Court last week and was refused bail to re-appear in court against on March 28. 

The pair face a fine of up to $550,000 and 25 years in jail if convicted. 

News.com.au


----------



## lil angel15

_Brisbane, Australia_

*Two charged over ecstasy in DVD player*
February 12, 2007 09:07am

TWO British men have been charged after 6kg of ecstasy tablets were found inside a DVD player in luggage at Brisbane Airport.

Customs officers allegedly discovered a quantity of drugs on the men, aged 41 and 48, on Saturday, and referred the matter to the Australian Federal Police (AFP). 

The AFP allege their investigations led to the recovery of 6kg of ecstasy inside a DVD player in the luggage of the older man. 

They also said they discovered a small quantity of cannabis.

Both men have been charged with importing and conspiring to import a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug, and attempting to possess a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug.

The maximum penalty for these offences is life imprisonment.

The 48-year-old faces additional charges of importing a border controlled plant. 

That charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years. 

Both men are due to face Brisbane Magistrates Court today.

News.com.au


----------



## lil angel15

_Saigon, Vietnam_

*Australian on drug charges in Vietnam*
February 15, 2007 - 1:19PM

Vietnamese police have arrested an Australian woman of Vietnamese descent on drug trafficking charges, state media has reported.

The Saigon Giai Phong (Saigon Liberation) quoted officials as saying the 33-year-old woman was detained on Tuesday after trying to board a flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Sydney with 1,550 grams of heroin hidden in her shoes and luggage.

Trafficking of more than 600 grams of heroin is punishable by death or life imprisonment in Vietnam.

A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) spokeswoman said the department was aware of reports an Australian woman had been arrested in Ho Chi Minh City for alleged possession of drugs.

The Australian consulate-general is seeking to verify the reports, she said.

SMH


----------



## lil angel15

_Adelaide, Australia_

*Scrubland drug crop to be burnt*
February 16, 2007 12:20pm

ABOUT 300 cannabis plants growing on a scrubland plantation southeast of Adelaide will be destroyed after they were uncovered during a South Australian police bust today.

Detectives from the drug investigation branch and uniformed police swooped on the crop about 20km from the town of Meningie yesterday. 

About 50 of the seized crop were seedlings while the rest were mature plants up to 180cm tall. 

Police later dismantled an illegally-rigged tap from a water pipe was used to water the crop. 

Two men who arrived at the crop site today have been arrested. 

A third man was arrested in Meningie, about 150km southeast of Adelaide. 

The men, a 27-year-old from Ferryden Park, a 51-year-old from Loxton and a 46-year-old from Remark, have been charged with manufacturing a prohibited substance and will appear in court at a later date. 

The Courier-Mail


----------



## lil angel15

_Sydney, Australia_

*Man charged over $90,000 laundromat drug haul*
February 16, 2007 06:18am

A MAN faces a number of drug charges over a cannabis haul at a laundromat in Sydney's Kings Cross.

The 61-year-old man was arrested yesterday afternoon after police searched the premises and allegedly found 34 cannabis plants and numerous bags of cannabis leaf. 

Police estimated the haul had a street value in excess of $90,000. 

Officers also seized equipment including scales, growing apparatus, lights and transformers, NSW Police said today. 

The man has been charged with the cultivation of a prohibited plant, supplying an indictable quantity of cannabis and two counts of possessing an indictable quantity of cannabis.

He was granted conditional bail and will appear at Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court on 5 March. 

News.com.au


----------



## hoptis

technoHarmony said:
			
		

> i think its because most of the people who update this thread are australian



It's a bit of both really, there's a few of us (Aussies) who are fairly fond of this thread but also; per capita, Australia has one of the highest rates of ectsacy and methamphetamine use in the world. Still, it's a bit out of proportion considering we have 20 million people and the United States over 300 million.


----------



## lil angel15

_Melbourne, Australia_

*Drugs seized at Melbourne airport*
February 17, 2007 

CUSTOMS officers have seized a large package of illegally imported drugs at Melbourne Airport.
Australian Customs thwarted the attempted importation of about 10kg of the veterinary anaesthetic ketamine - also used in the manufacture of other illicit drugs - after x-raying a parcel from Malawi on Wednesday. 

Customs officers delivered a package to a house in Sunshine in Melbourne's west yesterday after swapping the ketamine with a harmless powder. 

They executed search and seizure warrants and detained three men at the house, one of which was taken into custody by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship. 

Charges have not yet been laid, but investigations are continuing. 

The maximum penalty for importing ketamine without permission is a $110,000 fine. 

Customs national investigations manager Richard Janeczko said ketamine was mainly used in veterinary medicine as a rapidly acting anaesthetic. 

But he said Australian law enforcement agencies were aware it was sometimes used as an adulterant in ecstasy or as a stimulant that could be snorted, inhaled or injected. 

"Because ketamine is a prohibited substance frequently connected to drug abuse, Customs is determined to detect and prevent illegal shipments from entering Australia,'' Mr Janeczko said.

The Australian


----------



## lil angel15

_Sydney, Australia_

*Sydney crime syndicate disrupted - South East Asian Crime Squad*
16 February 2007

 An alleged organised crime syndicate in Sydney has been disrupted by a strike force led by the South East Asian Crime Squad.

Strike Force Whitbeck was established in September last year with assistance from Burwood Local Area Command to investigate the alleged supply of prohibited drugs in north-western Sydney.

As a result of extensive inquiries, detectives raided a garage in Brown Street, Chatswood, about 6pm Wednesday where they allegedly seized more than four kilograms of cocaine, seven kilograms of MDMA (ecstasy) tablets and two kilograms of methylamphetamine.

The drugs have a combined estimated potential street value of more than $1.2 million. 

Two pistols, a silencer, automatic rifle, tazer gun, ammunition, steroids and a large amount of cash were also seized. A 23-year-old man was arrested at the scene and is currently before the courts.

Inquiries are continuing.

NSW Police Media Unit


----------



## ~*geNeRaTiOn E*~

Anaheim, CA

*Anaheim bust breaks brown heroin record
Drug enforcement officials say the seizure is the largest of its kind in California history. Six suspects, four from Mexico, are arrested.*
BY CINDY CARCAMO, ERIK ORTIZ, DENISSE SALAZAR AND MADIA JAVID-YAZDI
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

ANAHEIM – The working-class neighborhood near Anaheim Plaza was once known for drug dealing and crime. 

It was a place where out-of-town buyers and out-of-state dealers did business on a regular basis during the '70s and '80s. 

In the past two decades, however, the neighbors and the city had worked to clean it up. 

Drug dealing still took place from time to time. It was no surprise Friday to neighbors who heard about a recent drug seizure.

But they were taken aback after hearing that the Wednesday bust at a home in the 1400 block of Chevy Chase Drive found enough Mexican brown heroin to make it the largest seizure of its kind in California history.

Federal and drug officials confiscated 121 pounds of heroin, 34 pounds of marijuana and 3 pounds of what is believed to be methamphetamine, along with $3,500 in cash stuffed inside closets and cabinets in the home and garage. 

Agents arrested four Mexican nationals and two Anaheim women. 

Four boys and a girl, all 10 and younger, were also at the home. They are now with child protective services.

The heroin alone would have been worth as much as $6 million on the street, officials announced Friday in a news conference.

The heroin would have provided 700,000 doses ready to be injected.

"This would've been out in the street affecting 700,000 people," said William J. Hayes, assistant special agent in charge for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. "You can see the significant impact this would've had."

Officials said they didn't disclose the information about the drug bust earlier because they believed it would jeopardize their investigation.

It started Wednesday afternoon when a suspicious-looking vehicle tipped off border agents, officials said. Agents later determined the vehicle carried five bundles of heroin.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents alerted immigration enforcement agents, who followed the vehicle from the border to the Anaheim home and joined U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents and Anaheim and Irvine police to raid the home.

The children at the home were sleeping when officials made the bust.

An Anaheim police helicopter hovered above the home as agents, some with dogs, handcuffed the suspects and searched the home.

Police arrested Luis Alcantar-Zepeda, 28; Jose Casares-Macias, 22; Rosendo Churape-Cardenas, 37; and Jairo Ortiz-Diaz, 26, all of Michoacán, Mexico, officials said. 

The children's mothers, Rosa Soto, 26, and Jacqueline Pimentel, 31, both of Anaheim, were also arrested, officials said.

The relationships between the women and the men are unclear, officials said. All face felony possession with intent to distribute charges and could get life in prison sentences, if convicted.

"These people were significant players in this organization," Hayes said. 

It's unclear, however, how large the organization is and whether it has links to any large Mexican drug cartels. 

Agents are investigating whether the organization had links to Michoacán, where all of the male suspects are from. 

The heroin's purity is also unclear, and the drug will undergo testing that will ultimately determine its potency and even the origins of the poppies from which it was produced.

Investigators say the material that is believed to be methamphetamine crossed the border already packaged. Officials have seen a trend of packaged methamphetamine coming from south of the border, where ingredients, such as ephedrine, are easier to obtain than they are in the U.S., which has laws restricting sales of potential ingredients.

Local officials said they didn't recognize the branding on the packaging – a smiling sun with rays. Some organizations have used devils and stars in the past. 

"I can tell you there's more than six people involved in this," Hayes said. "This is obviously a major investigation."

On Friday, neighbors recalled the bad days of crime and drug dealing. Since then, the neighborhood went quiet, they said. Anaheim police said they have received only 25 calls for service since 2005.

Neighbors said they didn't know the men who lived at the house. They were the latest tenants of the one-story rental home, they added.

Alicia Martinez, a 20-year Chevy Chase Drive resident who lives next door to the home, said she warned the owner last year that she was suspicious about the tenants going in and out of the house. 

They had used newspapers to cover the front windows, she said. 

"I told the owner there's something weird going on in there," Martinez said.

http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/homepage/abox/article_1582975.php


----------



## hoptis

_Melbourne, AUS_

*Whopper crop from tip to cops*
Shannon McRae and Paul Anderson
February 28, 2007 12:00am






POLICE have uncovered a large hydroponic cannabis crop in the quiet leafy suburb of Balwyn North.
The police raid, carried out by armed detectives from Boroondara, was the result of a tip-off.

Cascade St residents noticed unusual activity at the house and alerted police to what turned out to be a sophisticated cannabis operation.

"These were premises where it appeared nobody was living but there were people coming and going at odd times of the day and night," Det Sen-Sgt Campbell Mill said.

Police swooped on the brick-veneer rental about 8.30am yesterday.

They found almost 80 cannabis plants, some growing to head height, on the property.

Detectives found a man asleep on a mattress surrounded by the plants.

The number of plants allowed no room for any furniture in the home, only the mattress.

Each room is said to have been filled with cannabis plants.

Detectives took several hours to remove them.

"It took them hours to empty the house," one witness said.

"Everything was laid out on the front lawn as they logged each piece of evidence. Some of the plants were more than 1m high and some were smaller and just coming on."

One witness said that when police went in he could smell a strong cannabis odour emanating from the house.

A witness said a sports car and taxis visited the home at odd hours.

A man, 21, was arrested and charged with cultivating, possessing and trafficking cannabis, as well as theft of power.

He appeared briefly at Melbourne Magistrates' Court yesterday afternoon and was remanded to reappear next month.

Herald Sun


----------



## Splatt

Australian Customs media release
Tuesday, 27th February 2007 

*Alleged internal courier stopped at Sydney Airport* - 
Joint media release - Australian Customs Service and the Australian Federal Police


A Cabramatta man appeared in court this morning charged with importing heroin following a joint Customs and Australian Federal Police (AFP) operation.

The 43-year-old man was stopped by Customs officers yesterday at Sydney International Airport for a baggage examination after arriving on a flight from Vietnam.
During this examination, officers became suspicious that the man may have been concealing drugs internally.

He was referred to the AFP where he was taken to hospital for a medical examination. He was found to have concealed four pellets containing over 140 grams of a white powder.

The AFP will allege in court that the powder initially tested positive for heroin. AFP agents charged the man with importing a marketable quantity of a border controlled drug under section 307.2(1) of the Criminal Code Act 1995.

The man was remanded in custody and will reappear in Sydney Central Local Court on Wednesday, 11 April 2007.

The maximum penalty for this offence is a fine of $550,000 and/or 25 years imprisonment.

Aus Customs


----------



## lil angel15

_Sydney, Australia_

*Soldiers charged over drug sting*
March 02, 2007 06:03am

TWO Australian Defence Force soldiers will appear in court today charged with selling large amounts of ecstasy tablets to undercover police officers in Sydney's southwest.

A 23-year-old soldier based at Holsworthy was allegedly caught selling 500 ecstasy tablets, with an estimated street value of $25,000, yesterday. 

Another soldier, 26, also based at Holsworthy, was arrested a short time later as he arrived home. 

Police then executed search warrants at the soldier's nearby homes and allegedly seized a quantity of illegal drugs and a large amount of cash. 

The arrests follow the three-month-long Operation Icecap by undercover police.

Both men were charged with numerous offences including commercial supply and ongoing supply of a prohibited drug.

The pair will appear in Liverpool Local Court today.

News.com.au


----------



## AmorRoark

> *New indictments for fentanyl sales*
> 
> By Jeff Coen
> Published March 1, 2007, 9:16 PM CST
> 
> Fentanyl produced at a clandestine Mexican lab made its way into the hands of the Mickey Cobras street gang and killed drug customers, federal prosecutors said Thursday.
> 
> Seven gang members have been blamed for five deaths linked to the painkiller, which was mixed with heroin and sold at Chicago public housing complexes, authorities said.
> 
> It is the first time authorities have linked Chicago drug sales —responsible for more than 250 deaths in the city last year—to the illicit lab, which was shut down last year in Toluca. The allegations came in the form of two superseding indictments unsealed Thursday in drug conspiracy cases.
> 
> Thirteen people were indicted in connection with the Mexican ring, prosecutors said. Six of them, including ringleader Felixito Vidana-Aispuro, are awaiting extradition.
> 
> The second indictment deals with the Chicago end of the pipeline. Seven Mickey Cobras, including the gang's alleged leader, "King" James Austin, or "Jaymo," were blamed for the fentanyl deaths of at least five people. That could mean a mandatory life sentence if some members are convicted, Assistant U.S. Atty. Jake Ryan said.
> 
> Federal prosecutors last year had charged 47 gang members and associates in a sweeping complaint that accused the Mickey Cobras of selling heroin and fentanyl at the Dearborn Homes complex. Some of the drug cocktail had been branded in what prosecutors described as cold-blooded street marketing with names such as "Reaper" and "Lethal Injection."
> 
> Assistant U.S. Atty. Terra Brown, who is prosecuting members of the Mexican network, said the new indictments establish the connection between those in her case and the city's case.
> 
> "Fentanyl was in fact being distributed to customers in the Chicago area, and in turn they were distributing wholesale quantities to the Mickey Cobras and their associates," Brown said.
> 
> Frank Limon, chief of the Chicago Police Department's organized crime division, said the cases show his department's collaboration with the federal Drug Enforcement Administration is working.
> 
> "Today's indictment reached across our borders to Mexico and indicted the alleged head of a drug trafficking organization," Limon said. "This shows what can be accomplished when federal and local agencies combine their efforts."
> 
> According to one of the new indictments, the Mexican organization in 2003 established a front company named Distribuidora Talios to order the chemicals used for making fentanyl, authorities said.
> 
> Officials last year said the industrial park lab was capable of producing millions of doses of the powerful drug. It was discovered May 21. Mexican authorities who shut it down reported finding a climate-controlled room stocked with tools and chemicals.
> 
> Large quantities of the finished drug were given to alleged ring members Guadalupe Moreno-Soto and Jesus Mario Fajardo-Trujillo to be distributed in Chicago and Detroit, which has endured its own string of overdose deaths, the indictments state. Some of the drugs went through Lutgardo Chavez Jr. in Chicago and on to defendants Isaiah Coleman and Jimmy Darden, who distributed them to the Mickey Cobras, the indictments state.
> 
> Chavez Jr., Coleman, Darden and two others pleaded not guilty in Chicago Thursday, as did James Austin and other alleged gang members charged after the fentanyl fatalities.
> 
> Last year a Chicago man became the first person in Illinois to be charged in connection with a fentanyl-related death. Corey Crump, 35, an alleged gang member, was charged with drug-induced homicide for selling the drugs to Joseph Krecker, 17, the son of a suburban deputy police chief.
> 
> Tribune staff reporter David Heinzmann contributed this report.



link


----------



## AmorRoark

There has been a lot of talk about fentanyl-related deaths throughout the Chicago-land area within the past few months. Personally, I'm very pleased that (now, hopefully) less people will buy Chicago street - told it's heroin and unknowingly ingest fentanyl.

I've read on other news sources that for the past few months this has been a growing problem all along the east coast as well. Perhaps this will lead to less distribution of fent-laced heroin in that region as well?


----------



## bingalpaws

AmorRoark said:
			
		

> I've read on other news sources that for the past few months this has been a growing problem all along the east coast as well. Perhaps this will lead to less distribution of fent-laced heroin in that region as well?


Why?  I see it leading to more awareness of potentially lethal opiate concentrations, but isn't fentanyl just starting to be made illicitly on a major scale?  If I'm properly understanding some of the things i've read, once clandestine production of it becomes more widespread, it's never going away


----------



## lil angel15

_Sydney, Australia_

*Cannabis worth $370,000 seized during raids*
March 7, 2007 - 6:12AM

Police have seized nearly 200 cannabis plants worth $370,000 in raids on two houses in Sydney's southwest.

Officers conducted simultaneous raids on two houses on Montgomery Road at Bonnyrigg and Chadwick Street, Fairfield West, yesterday.

Inside both homes police found cannabis growing in hydroponic set-ups.

Police arrested a 39-year-old man at the second house and charged him with cultivate a commercial supply of a prohibited drug, possess a commercial quantity of a prohibited plant and divert electricity without authority.

He will appear at Bankstown Local Court later today.

Police investigations are continuing.

SMH


----------



## hoptis

_Adelaide, Australia_

*Pair charged with using child as drug courier*
March 06, 2007 05:07pm

A MAN and woman have been charged with using a child to traffic drugs - a first under new federal laws introduced two years ago.

Australian Federal Police today arrested a man and woman in Adelaide for allegedly attempting to traffic marijuana between South Australia and eastern states in January.

Two houses in Adelaide's northern suburbs of Parafield Gardens and Modbury were raided today.

About 700g of cannabis with a street value of $4000 was seized from the properties, police said.

A 58-year-old man and a 30-year-old woman, both from Parafield Gardens, have been charged.

Police will allege the two organised for another man to courier an unspecified amount of cannabis out of Adelaide Airport on January 12.

A week later, the couple allegedly arranged for a 17-year-old to take another parcel of drugs out through Adelaide airport, bound for eastern states.

The pair were charged with trafficking a controlled drug, procuring a person to traffic a controlled drug and procuring a child to traffic a controlled drug.

Each could face up to 25 years in jail.

AFP border and international network national manager Tim Morris said the charges laid today were the first under new laws introduced in May 2005.

The man and woman will appear in court at a later date.

The Advertiser


----------



## hoptis

_Central Victoria, Australia_

*11 arrested in drug swoop*
March 07, 2007 12:00am
Article from: AAP

ELEVEN people are facing drugs related charges after a series of early morning raids in central Victoria today.

Four women and seven men were arrested after police swooped on eight properties in the Bendigo area about 6.25am (AEDT), police say.

Amphetamines and cannabis were seized, together with a Hyundai sedan and related car parts, a laptop computer, power tools, imitation pistols and mobile phones.

The 11 people arrested face multiple charges including trafficking and possessing amphetamines, cultivating cannabis, dealing with the proceeds of crime, theft of a motor car and firearm offences.

The arrests were part of Operation Yentes, an investigation which has been running in the Bendigo area since late 2006.

AAP

Herald Sun


----------



## lil angel15

_Sydney, Australia_

*Man, woman charged for drug offences*
March 8, 2007 - 6:34AM

A man and woman have been charged with drug offences after police found about $44,000 cash and a bag of white powder in a car in Sydney's west.

Police discovered the cash and drugs in a black Holden utility they pulled over for a traffic infringement about 1.50am (AEDT) on Wednesday.

A 44-year-old Smeaton Grange man was arrested and charged with supply a prohibited drug and two counts of possess a prohibited drug.

A 29-year-old Kings Cross woman was arrested and charged with drug offences, including possess and supply a prohibited drug as well as goods in custody.

Both appeared in Blacktown Local Court and were granted conditional bail to face the same court on April 19.

SMH


----------



## lil angel15

_Brisbane, Australia_

*False side of suitcase hides 2kg ephedrine *
Friday, 9th March 2007 
Joint media release - Australian Customs Service and the Australian Federal Police

A Malaysian woman will appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court this morning charged with importing about two kilograms of the precursor chemical, ephedrine.

Customs officers stopped and questioned the 40-year-old woman when she arrived at Brisbane International Airport on a flight from Kuala Lampur last night (8 March 2007). An x-ray of her bag revealed a possible concealment.

When Customs officers drilled the side of the suitcase, a white powder was found. A field test of the powder allegedly tested positive for ephedrine.

On closer examination, officers allegedly found about two kilograms of ephedrine concealed in the side and bottom of the suitcase.

Ephedrine is prohibited precursor chemical that can be converted from its legitimate use to produce amphetamine-type substances, such as methamphetamine.

The woman was arrested by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and charged with attempting to import a commercial quantity of a border-controlled precursor under the Criminal Code Act 1995.

The maximum penalty for an offence of this type is 25 years imprisonment and/or a fine
of $550,000.

Customs Media Release


----------



## hoptis

_Brisbane, Australia_

*Fake note' sparks drug arrests*
March 10, 2007 01:32pm

A PIZZA bought with an allegedly counterfeit note has led to the arrest of seven people in Brisbane.

A woman bought the pizza at Toowong on Thursday and the store owner notified police of the alleged false currency.

Police searched an apartment where the woman is believed to have been staying on Patricks Lane, Toowong, at 9am (AEST) yesterday and found methylamphetamines, ecstasy tablets, counterfeit Australian currency and a firearm, it is alleged.

Police also searched a vehicle at the apartment and found it to have false registration plates.

Methylamphetamines and ecstasy tablets were found inside the car, it is alleged.

Two men, aged 35 and 20, and a 20-year-old woman will appear in the Brisbane Magistrates Court today on charges including drug trafficking, possessing dangerous drugs, supplying dangerous drugs, possessing a concealable firearm and possessing counterfeit currency.

Notices to appear were issued to a 32-year-old man and two women, aged 18 and 20, for fraud, possessing counterfeit currency, possessing dangerous drugs and utensils.

Another man was issued with a drug diversion.

News.com.au


----------



## Madhatter4

This thread should be renamed Austrialian drug busts cause thats all I see8)


----------



## lil angel15

_Margaret River, Western Australia_

*Two men charged after cannabis seizure*
March 13, 2007 11:00am

TWO men have been charged after police seized more than a tonne of cannabis being grown in state forests in Western Australia's southwest.

Police said they discovered the cannabis, worth an estimated $1 million, at 15 different locations in state forests around Nannup, Augusta and Margaret River.

Police used a helicopter to locate the crops between last Wednesday and Friday.

Police have charged a 52-year-old Nannup man with cultivating cannabis with intent to sell or supply and possess cannabis with intent to sell or supply.

He will face the Busselton Magistrates Court on March 27.

A 48-year-old man, also of Nannup, was charged with cultivating a prohibited plant.

He will appear in the same court on May 2. 

News.com.au


----------



## lil angel15

_QLD, Australia_

*Police seize drugs, cash in raid*
March 13, 2007 04:31pm

POLICE seized tens of thousands of dollars worth of drugs and cash in raids today centred on the north Queensland city of Mackay.

Almost 30 search warrants were executed by police this morning - most of them in Mackay - netting more than $40,000 worth of drugs. 

Two searches were carried out at Gold Coast addresses as part of the large-scale operation. 

The raids turned up a variety of drugs, including methylamphetamine with a street value of more than $40,000, and $17,000 in cash. 

Computers and electrical goods were also seized. 

Six men and six women have been charged with 51 offences including trafficking, supply and possession of dangerous drugs and will face Mackay Magistrates Court during the next month. 

State Drug Investigation Unit Detective Inspector Marty Mickelson said the investigation had targeted drug networks supplying local communities. 

Police will continue operations to stop the development of drug networks in central Queensland, he said. 

More charges may be laid as a result of follow-up investigations after today's raids. 

News.com.au


----------



## lil angel15

_Sydney, Australia_

*Cannabis plants worth more than $1 million seized — Concord*
15 March 2007

 Two men have been charged and police have seized more than $1 million of cannabis following a raid on a Concord home overnight.

As a result of information received, police attended a home in Turner Avenue about 2pm yesterday. 

A search warrant was subsequently executed and in excess of 300 cannabis plants, as well as more than 100kg of cannabis leaf, were seized by police. The cannabis has an estimated potential street value of more than $1 million.

A 23-year-old man was arrested in the backyard of a Bradden Avenue home following a short foot pursuit and taken to Burwood Police Station. The Glebe man was charged overnight with:

• cultivating a commercial quantity of a prohibited plant
• possession of a prohibited drug
• use, consume, divert electricity, and
• supply commercial quantity of a prohibited drug.

Meanwhile, a 28-year-old Concord man was located underneath the house by police and subsequently arrested. The man was charged with:

• cultivating a commercial quantity of a prohibited plant
• possess prohibited drug
• use, consume, divert electricity
• supply commercial quantity of a prohibited drug

Both men have been refused bail and are expected to appear in Burwood Local Court today.

Detectives from the Burwood Local Area Command are continuing their inquiries. Forensic experts are expected to return to the house this morning to carry out further inquiries at the scene.

NSW Police Media Unit


----------



## lil angel15

_Sydney, Australia_

*Drugs discovered in duffle bags at Sydney Airport * 
Wednesday, 14th March 2007 
Joint media release - Australian Customs and the Australian Federal Police

Customs and Australian Federal Police (AFP) officers at Sydney International Airport have stopped an alleged attempt to import approximately half a kilo of heroin into the country.

A 20-year-old man from Woollooware and a 32-year-old woman from Sydney City were stopped by Customs officers when they arrived on a flight from Bangkok yesterday morning.

During a search of their baggage officers became suspicious of duffle bags being carried by the man and woman.

An x-ray of the luggage revealed a possible concealment of narcotics in the bottom of both bags. A Customs Detector Dog also reacted positively to the bags.

Customs officers drilled one of the bags, and discovered a white powder. A field test indicated the presence of heroin.

The man and woman were referred to the AFP who charged them with importing a marketable quantity of a border-controlled drug under the provisions of the Criminal Code Act 1995.

Both passengers will appear in Sydney's Central Local Court this morning. The estimated total weight of the drugs is yet to be determined by the AFP, but believed to be approximately 500 grams.

The maximum penalty for this offence is $550,000 fine and/or 25 years imprisonment.

Customs Media Release


----------



## lil angel15

_Sydney, Australia_

*Massive steroid seizure in Sydney*
Thursday, 15th March 2007 

Customs officers in Sydney have seized about 80 kilograms of what is believed to be performance and image enhancing drugs (PIEDs) in one of the biggest ever detections of the substances.

The investigation began on 3 March when Customs officers working at the Sydney Container Examination Facility examined a consignment of 24 cardboard drums from China.

The 24 drums contained about 40kg of white powder which allegedly tested positive for testosterone and nandrolene.

Both are considered performance and image enhancing drugs and cannot be imported without a permit from the Therapeutic Goods Administration.

As a result of the detection, Customs and NSW Police officers executed search and seizure warrants on five properties in the Rockdale, Ramsgate and Double Bay areas on Tuesday 13 March and Wednesday 14 March.

A further 40kg of white powder was seized by Customs. A preliminary field test of the powder tested positive for steroids.

Customs Acting National Manager, Doug Nicoll, said that this was one of the biggest ever seizures by Customs of performance and image enhancing drugs.

"The steroids seized have an estimated street value of in excess of $5 million," Mr Nicoll said.

"Customs continues to be vigilant in detecting and seizing performance and image enhancing drugs."

While Customs investigations into the importation are continuing, several men have been questioned.

The maximum penalty for importing performance and image enhancing drugs is a fine of $110,000 and/or five years imprisonment.

Customs Media Release


----------



## tambourine-man

*Police swoop in city's biggest-ever drugs bust
GARETH ROSE*

HUNDREDS of police officers today swooped on homes of suspected drug dealers across Edinburgh as part of the biggest operation of its kind in the city.

The raids, which began at dawn, were aimed at smashing around 80 street dealers who supply heroin and crack cocaine to the homeless and vulnerable.

Around 200 officers were involved in the operation which targeted dozens of addresses in Granton, Oxgangs, Sighthill, Drylaw, Restalrig, Niddrie, Leith, Pilton, and the Old Town. Within the first two hours, 22 arrests were made and a "significant" amount of heroin and crack cocaine was recovered.

Officers said intelligence gathered in the run-up to the raids had highlighted the increasing challenge of crack cocaine in the Lothians. Detective Chief Inspector David Bullen, who led the operation, said today's raids had been in the planning for about a year.

He said: "The focus of the operation has been towards those who have been supplying heroin and crack cocaine to the most vulnerable, needy and homeless people. It's not the top tier of criminality but the levels below that.

"This will be the most officers we've used on an operation. We will be searching, detaining and arresting today.

"We are talking about our most active dealers who have been using existing networks of supply. There's a ready market out there for heroin and crack cocaine and they've been exploiting that."

The officers left Fettes police headquarters in a convoy of marked and unmarked vehicles, many dressed in full body armour, carrying sledgehammers and battering rams, and armed with warrants allowing them to break down the doors of suspected dealers.

One of the first addresses targeted this morning was in Potterrow. One unmarked vehicle pulled into a car park behind a block of flats at about 5.45am.

Five officers ran up to the second floor to watch the door. Seven more, part of a raid team, all dressed in body armour, silently followed. They lined up on the outside balcony of a one-bedroom flat containing two male suspects. The first noise was the rattle of the hydraulic door opening equipment loosening it from its hinges. The next was several loud bangs as a sledgehammer was used to force the door open and the shouts of "police" as the officers entered the flat.

Officers shouted "get down" as one of the occupants, who had a dog, confronted them. There was a struggle and he was restrained. Fifteen minutes later a man wearing blue jeans and a black leather jacket was led down the stairwell to a waiting car by officers and driven to police custody.

At about 7.30am another team raided a ground-floor flat in Niddrie. They forced open a door where a young couple and their daughter were living. Before arresting either of the adult occupants officers had to wait at the home for someone to come and look after the child.

Detective Chief Superintendent Iain Livingstone spoke to officers in the canteen of Fettes police station at 5am this morning before they went out on raids.

He told them: "The big prize for us is taking out the street dealing community. We've been planning this for many months. Today is a matter of getting out there and arresting people we know we have evidence against.

"This is not a speculative exercise. We have judicial warrants, we will be going through doors. This morning is critical to us as a force and policing generally across Scotland. Work started almost a year ago. The standard of professionalism I've seen has been of the highest standard - the technical knowledge and commitment shown has been of the highest standard. Today we are going to go out and cash in on that professionalism."

Officers working on the operation, which has not been named, planned to use stations all over the force area to interview suspects arrested today. They were all then due to be brought back to St Leonard's Police Station, where they would spend the night before appearing at Edinburgh Sheriff Court tomorrow.

It is hoped that targeting "low-level" dealers will lead to a fall in crimes such as theft, robbery, and burglary which are often committed to fund drug habits.

DCI Bullen, added: "We've been concentrating our efforts on Class A drugs, particularly on heroin and the emergence of crack cocaine. In the past we have targeted specific areas of the city. This time the operation is focused on individuals, so the raids will be taking place all over the city. But we will be concentrating on the centre of town.

"At the bottom end of the drugs market it's the user and first and second tiers of supply that will be targeted here. By taking out these individuals we will hopefully be reducing other forms of crime.

"Although this operation is looking at the middle and lower kind of dealer the focus will always be on the top-tier of criminality. Hopefully, this operation today will provide intelligence to tackle that."

Tom Wood, chairman of Edinburgh Drugs and Alcohol team, said the raids had highlighted Edinburgh's increasing battle against crack cocaine. He said: "The interesting thing and the challenging thing about this is the presence of crack cocaine - the inevitable consequence of the amount of cocaine that's been coming into Scotland and the UK over the last five years.

"Where there's cocaine eventually, to a lesser extent, you'll have crack cocaine. That means new challenges in the enforcement treatment and rehabilitation. We've got to match this by aiming more services towards cocaine and the mix of cocaine and alcohol.

"I predict over the next five years within Edinburgh and the east of Scotland we will very much be talking about cocaine as well as heroin."

City leader Councillor Ewan Aitken said the rise of crack cocaine was "particularly worrying". He said: "Edinburgh is a highly successful city but that can hide the challenges faced by the most vulnerable. We need to collectively work out how to deal with these drugs."


http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=395582007
Last updated: 13-Mar-07 13:48 GMT


----------



## lil angel15

_Gold Coast, Australia_

*Woman charged with importing cocaine*
March 16, 2007 - 5:24PM

A 38-year-old Gold Coast woman has been arrested after allegedly trying to import two kilograms of cocaine inside boxes of sweets mailed from Costa Rica.

The alleged importation came to the attention of Customs officers in Sydney on March 7 when they intercepted a package sent from Costa Rica to an address in Palm Beach on the Gold Coast.

Australian Federal Police (AFP) forensic experts allegedly found four boxes inside the package, each containing chocolates and clear plastic bags containing off-white lumpy powder.

Initial tests on the powder allegedly revealed the substance to be cocaine, with each box containing approximately 500g of the drug.

AFP officers substituted the cocaine with an inert substance and delivered the package to the Palm Beach address.

Officers searched three Gold Coast residences in relation to the alleged offence, and on Thursday night arrested the 38-year-old woman.

The woman has been charged with one count of possessing a marketable quantity of unlawfully imported border controlled drugs and one count of aiding and abetting in the import of a marketable quantity of unlawfully imported border controlled drug.

The woman is expected to appear in the Southport Magistrates Court on Friday.

The Age


----------



## lil angel15

_Armidale, Australia_

*Massive $1m crop of cannabis discovered*
March 16, 2007 - 4:28PM

A cannabis crop worth more than $1 million has been destroyed in a state forest in northern NSW, police say.

The 400-plant crop, in the Styx River State Forest, near Armidale, was allegedly uncovered after police arrested two men, aged 32 and 49, at their Armidale homes.

About $50,000 worth of cannabis was seized from the two homes, police said.

Both men were charged with a string of offences, including possession and supply of cannabis.

They have been granted conditional bail to appear in Armidale Local Court on April 5.

The Age


----------



## hoptis

_Perth, Australia_

*Boxer charged with drugs, firearms offences*
By Adam Gartrell
March 16, 2007 05:38pm

A RETIRED professional boxer with alleged links to outlaw bikie gangs has been arrested and charged in Perth with drug and firearm offences.

Police said they were targeting bikie gangs in Perth's north last night when they caught Benjamin Cruz, 26, allegedly selling drugs to a 43-year-old man in a shopping centre car park in Alexander Heights.

Police allege they seized several grams of amphetamines and about $1,000 in cash at the scene.

Police later searched Mr Cruz's home where they allege they seized another 13 grams of drugs, 200 rounds of unsecured ammunition and another $45,500 in cash.

Once known as "King Benny'', Mr Cruz is a former Australian junior lightweight champion who retired from pro boxing two years ago.

Acting Detective Sergeant Corey Dalton today said Mr Cruz is a "very close associate'' of both the Coffin Cheaters and Gypsy Jokers bikie gangs.

"This is an ongoing investigation by the gang crime squad to disrupt and dismantle organised crime and outlaw motorcycle gangs and their associates,'' Det Sgt Dalton said.

Mr Cruz was charged with selling a prohibited drug, possessing a prohibited drug with intent and failing to ensure safe keeping of ammunition.

He was given bail and instructed to appear in the Joondalup Magistrates Court on March 21.

The 43-year-old man caught with Cruz will be charged by summons with possessing amphetamines with intent, and will appear in the same court at a later date.

He has no known bikie links, Det Sgt Dalton said.

News.com.au


----------



## hoptis

_Perth, Australia_

*Bikie blitz undercovers drugs, weapons*
By Sonja Koremans
March 17, 2007 05:20pm

TWO men and a woman have been charged with weapon and drug offences after a police blitz on bikie gangs in Perth.

The arrests were part of a major crime squad push to disrupt and dismantle organised crime and outlaw motorcycle gangs and their associates in Western Australia, police said.

The arrests were made after police searched the north Perth Coolbellup home of a Coffin Cheaters bikie gang member at about 9.45am (WDT) today.

Police say officers found throwing axes, knives, a martial arts throwing star, a baton, sets of knuckle dusters, 21.7 grams of amphetamines, three grams of cannabis and more than $13,000 in cash, at the house.

Police also arrested a man visiting the house after finding dexamphetamine tablets and a throwing axe in his car.

A woman was arrested at the house after she was allegedly in possession of drugs.

A 35-year-old man and a 24-year-old woman have both been charged with possessing amphetamine with intent to sell/supply, possessing cannabis, possessing smoking implement, and possessing weapons.

A 42-year-old man has been charged with possessing prohibited drug and possessing a weapon.

All three were bailed and to appear in the Fremantle Magistrates Court on Wednesday. 

News.com.au


----------



## rashandreflex

tambourine-man said:
			
		

> ...The raids, which began at dawn, were aimed at smashing around 80 street dealers who supply heroin and crack cocaine to the homeless and vulnerable.
> 
> ...."There's a ready market out there for heroin and crack cocaine and they've been exploiting that."
> 
> ....It is hoped that targeting "low-level" dealers will lead to a fall in crimes such as theft, robbery, and burglary which are often committed to fund drug habits.



not that this particular raid is more retarded than the rest, but these officers sound stupider than usual with their blatant disregard for the demand of the drug. i am sure the homeless crack and heroin addicts are going to be thrilled to wake up and find their dealers gone...they'll probably be, like, 'i'll just give up my drug of choice and become a productive member of society now'8) ....if anything, now drugs are going to become more expensive, and the destitute will have to commit even more crimes to fund it. sorry i know everyone has heard this argument before, but the drug officials in this article really pissed me off 



> "Edinburgh is a highly successful city but that can hide the challenges faced by the most vulnerable. We need to collectively work out how to deal with these drugs."



um, drugs are a symptom of the problems in your city, not a cause.



> "The technical knowledge and commitment shown has been of the highest standard."



the technical knowledge may or may not have been on par, but the common sense was zero.


----------



## lil angel15

_Gold Coast, Australia_

*Traffic check led to ecstasy *
19Mar07 

A ROUTINE traffic check turned into a $300,000 drug bust at the weekend.

When two Palm Beach officers stopped a blue Toyota on the Gold Coast Highway on Saturday night they discovered it was stolen and had been fitted with false number plates.

But what they found when they searched the car was even more damning.

Burleigh CIB Detective Senior Constable Mark Buchanan said a search of the locked centre console uncovered about 973 ecstasy tablets.

A white backpack on the back seat contained another 5000 tablets.

Police said the 5973 tablets had an estimated street value of almost $300,000.

The 28-year-old driver has been charged with possessing a large quantity of a dangerous drug and suppling drugs.

Senior Constable Buchanan said other charges were pending.

He said detectives had not yet determined where the drugs came from or where they were going.

They have also been unable to determine where the car was stolen, but said it may have been from somewhere in Victoria.

Constable Buchanan said the discovery was a coup for the CIB and for the Palm Beach officers.

The driver, a New Zealand national who had been in Australia for some time, will appear in Southport Magistrates Court today.

Saturday night's find is just one of a recent spate of drug-busting traffic checks.

Panelbeater Selim Sensoy, 30, of Nerang, was pulled over when police became concerned about his erratic driving on March 13.

But when they searched his car, police allegedly found $40,000 in cash and 35g of the drug ice, which they said had a street value of about $16,000.

Olympic kayaker Nathan Baggaley could face a life ban from his sport and up to 20 years in jail if he is convicted of serious drug allegations after another routine check allegedly uncovered drugs.

Police raided a car in which he was travelling in Mermaid Waters on February 5, and allegedly found more than 700 ecstasy tablets.

Constable Buchanan said the rise in on-road drug busts had been attributed to tighter security at airports.

"The radical changes in airport security has forced drug couriers on to the roads," he said.

The ecstasy was not the only surprise for police at the weekend.

A routine call to a neighbourhood dispute led Coomera police to a stash of drugs and weapons.

Police were called to a Coomera home about 7.20pm on Saturday night to investigate reports of an assault in which two men were injured when a neighbourhood dispute got out of hand.

But when police arrived at the Musk Avenue address, they discovered something a lot more sinister. 

In one of the homes they uncovered a cache of steroids, cannabis, a syringe and nunchakus.

A 32-year-old man has been charged with possessing drug utensils, possessing a dangerous weapon and two counts of possessing a dangerous drug.

He will appear before Southport Magistrates Court on April 17.

Meanwhile, the two men involved in the assault were found to have suffered only minor injuries.

A police spokesman said police were continuing to investigate the incident.

The Gold Coast Bulletin


----------



## Tiesto

*19.4 TONS OF COCAINE*

EDIT - I realized there was already a thread about this.  But I put it in here, you know, just to add on to the mega drug busts..lol

PANAMA CITY, Panama (AP) -- Panamanian police seized a boat off the nation's Pacific coast carrying 19.4 metric tons of cocaine in one of the biggest maritime cocaine busts anywhere on record, officials said Monday.

National police working with agents from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency seized the boat on Sunday near the island of Coiba, said a police official who asked his name not be used because he was not authorized to speak on the record.

Police arrested 12 men on the boat, including Mexicans and Panamanians, and another two suspects in Panama City in connection with the drugs, the official said.

The boat, which was sailing under a Panamanian flag, was being transported to Panama City on Monday, he said.

Drug cartels often smuggle Colombian cocaine along Panama's Pacific coast en route to the United States.

In 2004, the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Navy seized 28 tons of cocaine from two fishing boats off the coast of the Galapagos Islands in what U.S. State Department officials then called their largest seizures ever during a one-week stretch.

In 2005, police in southwest Colombia seized 15 tons of cocaine from a jungle stronghold, in what national authorities called the largest haul ever on their soil.

Ecuadorean authorities said Monday they had fished 200 kilograms (440 pounds) from the Pacific after the crew of a boat carrying the cargo set the vessel ablaze after being intercepted by the U.S. Coast Guard.

Milton Lalama, director general of Ecuador's Merchant Marines, said crew members burned the boat "to make the evidence disappear" after it was intercepted last month. It was unclear how much cocaine was on the boat before it was burned.

The boat's crew of six Colombians and eight Ecuadoreans were transferred Monday to the Ecuadorean port city of Guayaquil, where the Colombians are in U.S. custody, Ecuador's counter-drug prosecutor said in Guayaquil.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/americas/03/19/panama.cocaine.ap/


----------



## lil angel15

_Launceston, Australia_

*Man charged over 'fantasy' import *
Thursday, 22nd March 2007 
Joint media release - Australian Customs and the Australian Federal Police

A 42-year-old West Launceston man was yesterday charged with the alleged importation of over half a litre of Gammabutyrolactone (GBL), known as the date-rape drug 'fantasy', following a joint Australian Federal Police (AFP), Tasmanian Police and Customs operation.

The man has been released on bail to appear in Launceston Magistrate's Court on Wednesday, 2 May.

On 24 February 2007, Customs officers in Melbourne seized a suspicious cylinder package with contents described as 'print head cleaner'. Customs referred the matter to the AFP for further investigation.

Forensic examination and testing revealed that the package contained a clear plastic bottle with 517 millilitres of GBL.

The man is alleged to have obtained the GBL from the United Kingdom.

The effects of 'fantasy' vary according to the purity and the amount taken, but include euphoria, dizziness, relaxation and loss of inhibition. Side effects also include vomiting, coma, disorientation and impairment of movement and speech.

The man was charged with importing a marketable quantity of a border controlled drug contrary to the Criminal Code Act 1995.

The maximum penalty for this offence is a fine of $550,000 and/or 25 years imprisonment.

Customs Media Release


----------



## lil angel15

_Sydney, Australia_

*Huge cocaine bust leads to Sydney arrest*
March 28, 2007 - 3:29PM

More than 140kg of cocaine with a street value of about $68 million has been seized at Sydney Airport, leading to the arrest of a Hong Kong national.

The Joint Asian Crime Group (JACG) seized the cocaine from an air freight shipment of two crates containing large water systems which arrived at Sydney Airport on March 15 from Hong Kong.

It was the second largest seizure of cocaine in Sydney and the fifth largest in Australia, the JACG said in a statement.

An examination by Australian Customs, one of the JACG agencies, revealed the cocaine concealed in the sub-frame of one of the systems.

The drugs were then substituted for a white substance before its scheduled delivery on March 26 to a business at Marrickville, in Sydney's inner-west, JACG said.

Late on Tuesday afternoon (AEST), a 59-year-old man allegedly accessed the crates and was arrested.

He was charged with importing a commercial quantity of cocaine and attempting to posses a commercial quantity of cocaine.

He is due to appear in Sydney Central Local Court on Wednesday.

The maximum penalty for the offences is life imprisonment.

JACG Acting Commander and NSW Police Force Detective Inspector Darren Sly said the seizure would impact the supply of illegal drugs in Sydney.

"The JACG will continue to target and prosecute individuals and organised groups involved in the importation and supply of prohibited drugs in NSW," he said.

JACG consists of members of Australian Customs, the Australian Crime Commission, the NSW Crime Commission and Australian Federal Police.

The Age


----------



## l0ckd0wn

Egg Harbor Police Bust Million Dollar Drug Ring

(CBS 3) EGG HARBOR, N.J. Police in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey arrested two residents and seized over $1 million of marijuana during a drug bust Monday.

Authorities said they executed a search warrant at a home in the 100 block of Jeffers Landing Road on March 26th.

Once inside the home detectives discovered an elaborate marijuana growing operation, including more than 500 living plants, dozens of bags of dried marijuana and manufacturing and packaging materials. Police said the estimated street value of the marijuana was approximately $1.1 million.

Residents of the home, Jonathan Sands, 34 and Erin McGee, 25, were arrested and charged in connection to the bust.

Sands was held on $250,000 bail and McGee's bail was set at $125,000.

(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

http://cbs3.com/topstories/local_story_087152256.html


----------



## l0ckd0wn

Local Drug Bust

March 28, 2007 04:28 PM 

An East Lansing resident is busted for possession of marijuana. Wednesday night, the tri-county metro narcotics squad searched a home after investigators received a tip that a college student was selling drugs. Authorities found approximately seven pounds of marijuana in the home and a large sum of hidden cash. The suspect has yet to be arraigned.

http://www.wlns.com/Global/story.asp?S=6293747&nav=0RbQ

^^^1.5 hours from my house... probably knew the guy lol


----------



## l0ckd0wn

Five arrested in drug bust

Staff Reports
March 28, 2007

Five area residents were arrested today in connection with a six-week long investigation conducted by the Douglas County Sheriff's Office Street Enforcement Team.
Arrested were Scott Fonger, 46, Cory Doan, 34, Samuel Want, 37, Bradley Bullion, 45, all of Gardnerville and Twila Leeling, 43, of Carson City.
All five are being held on trafficking charges. Doan, Want, Bullion, and Leeling are being held in lieu of $25,000 cash bail. Fonger is being held in lieu of $30,000 bail. He faces additional charges of sales of a controlled substance and possession of a hypodermic device.
All five are being held in Douglas County Jail, according to Sgt. Tom Mezzetta of the Douglas County Sheriff's Office.

According to Mezzetta the enforcement team conducted several purchases of methamphetamine. During one of the purchases, a suspect was armed. Some of the transactions took place within 1,000 feet of Lampe Park, which may lead to a higher penalty upon conviction.
In all, investigators purchased 83.2 grams of methamphetamine with a street value of $8,000. At least one of the sales involved more than 28 grams, which is the amount at which sales becomes trafficking. A conviction for trafficking carries with it the possibility of a life prison sentence with possibility of parole after 10 years or a prison term of 25 years with eligibility for parole after 10 years and a fine of not more than $500,000.

"Sheriff Ron Pierini is steadfast in his commitment to end the scourge of addiction in our community," Mezzetta said. "The sheriff's office seeks to accomplish this through education and prevention instruction or our youth. For those who have fallen to addiction, the sheriff's office can provide direction to the medical profesionals who will work with those seeking to free themselves from addiction. Lastly, the sheriff's office will aggressively pursue, arrest and prosecute those who choose to continue to abuse controlled substances. Addiction negatively impacts entire communities and families as well as the individual abuser and it will not be tolerated."

http://www.recordcourier.com/article/20070328/NEWS/70328004


----------



## l0ckd0wn

Mar 28, 2007 4:21 pm US/Pacific

Diamond Bar Sees 2nd Pot Bust In A Week

(CBS) DIAMOND BAR, Calif. Detectives seized 1,868 marijuana plants worth an estimated $10 million on the street from an upscale Diamond Bar home, the second such raid in the city in a week.

The plants were discovered about noon in the residence in the 500 block of Crooked Arrow Drive, where detectives served a search warrant as part of an investigation, sheriff's Sgt. Don Manumaleuna said.

No one was home at the time. No arrests have been made yet, Manumaleuna said.

"Detectives believe that because of the amount of plants, that this location could possibly be part of a larger-scale operation taking place in other affluent neighborhoods in Southern California," Manumaleuna said.

Last Wednesday, sheriff's narcotics officers raided another home in Diamond Bar and confiscated an estimated $12.5 million worth of marijuana.

A search warrant was served on the seven-bedroom residence in the 1500 block of Eldertree Drive, where investigators seized about 2,100 plants and arrested a man. That home was also equipped to produce high-quality marijuana plants.

Ten raids have been conducted recently by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration in Northern California at homes in upscale suburbs like Diamond Bar, authorities said.

(© 2007 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report. )

http://cbs2.com/topstories/local_story_087192533.html


----------



## lil angel15

_Sydney, Australia_

*Five charged for drug smuggling*
March 30, 2007 - 12:04PM

Five people will face a Sydney court on drug smuggling charges after 44 kilograms of the drug ephedrine were seized in Sydney.

Ephedrine is a precursor chemical that can be used to produce amphetamines. It is illegal to import it without permission.

Australian Customs Service (ACS) officers seized the drugs at the Sydney Air Cargo facility on March 14.

Ephedrine was found in 22 satchels concealed in two of three boxes sent from Vietnam and declared as cosmetics, a joint statement by ACS and the Australian Federal Police (AFP) said.

AFP officers replaced the drugs with an inactive substance and monitored the packages, which were delivered to a house in Tempe, in Sydney's inner-west, on Wednesday.

Four men, aged between 22 and 42, and a 29-year-old woman were arrested during raids on three properties and four vehicles in south western Sydney on Thursday.

All five were charged with importing a commercial quantity of a border controlled precursor, and attempting to possess a commercial quantity of a controlled precursor.

AFP national manager, border and international network, Tim Morris, said the alleged amount of ephedrine could be used to make a large quantity of amphetamines.

The five will face Sydney's Central Local Court.

SMH


----------



## lil angel15

_Sydney, Australia_

*Raid seizes drug stash on cruise ship*
Yuko Narushima
March 30, 2007 - 10:54AM

A police raid on a cruise liner leaving Sydney seized a stash of drugs, including LSD, amphetamines and the date rape drug GHB, police said.

One man has been charged and three others issued court attendance notices following the seizures on the P&O Pacific Sun at 1pm yesterday.

In the four-hour raid, sniffer dogs allegedly found five people, including a 55-year-old man, carrying illicit drugs. About 1200 passengers were on the ship, police said.

A 38-year-old Surry Hills man, who was allegedly detected with 20 tablets, was arrested and taken to City Central Police Station where he was charged with supply and possess prohibited drug.

A 37-year-old Darlinghurst man, a 26-year-old man from Yantirna, Victoria man and a 35-year-old man from Glenmore, Victoria and were all issued court attendance notices after dogs allegedly detected drugs including LSD, speed and GHB, which is used as a date rape drug.

They will all appear at the Downing Centre Local Court on Tuesday 24 April.

A 55-year-old man was issued a cannabis caution notice after 1 gram of cannabis was allegedly detected in his possession.

Sergeant John Cox, Marine Area Command, said: "Police will continue to conduct similar operations based on information we gather and we will continue to arrest and charge any person in possession of illicit drugs."

The cruise set off on a three-day sojourn off the NSW coast from Wharf 8, Darling Harbour at 6pm last night.

SgtCox said they launched the search on "risk assessment and intelligence.''

A spokeswoman for P&O Cruises said: "We have a zero tolerance policy regarding the possession and use of recreational drugs and we report all criminal matters to police.'' 
P&O said the raided cruise liner had been hired out to a separate company.

"It's a P&O ship, but it's not a P&O voyage,'' the spokeswoman  said. "It was a three-day charter cruise that has been specifically chartered by a company called AllGayCruises.''

AllGayCruises were unavailable for comment. However, the company's website states: "Guests come from all over the world, a diverse group that's representative of the large segment of gay men who love to travel, socialize and experience new things.''

SMH


----------



## lil angel15

_Adelaide, Australia_

*Cannabis smuggling operation smashed*
March 30, 2007 02:15am

A MAJOR interstate cannabis trafficking operation has been smashed with the arrests of a man and a woman and the seizure of thousands of dollars worth of property east of Adelaide.

Police arrested the pair on the Dukes Highway near Tailem Bend just after 10pm on Wednesday and allegedly found 27kg of cannabis concealed in the floor of a van. 
Drug squad detectives searched a property on Blacktop Rd, Hillbank, about 5.30am yesterday for more than four hours as a result of the arrests. 

They seized more than 20 items including a new Mercedes Benz and a Holden Commodore ute. Investigators broke open a safe inside the home in search of evidence. 

It is believed the cannabis had been prepared for sale in the eastern states. 

Police expect further arrests in South Australia and interstate. 

The man and woman appeared in Mt Barker Magistrates Court yesterday and were refused bail. They are expected to reappear in court early next month.

AdelaideNow


----------



## lil angel15

_Melbourne, Australia_

*Crystal methamphetamine seized in stationery*
Thursday, 29th March 2007 

Two men will appear in the Melbourne Magistrates Court this afternoon charged with the importation of one kilogram of crystal methamphetamine in an air freight consignment.

A joint Customs and Australian Federal Police (AFP) operation resulted in the arrest of the two men in Collingwood this morning.

Customs officers intercepted the air freight consignment from Canada in Sydney on 21 March.

Customs examined the consignment which contained three lever arch folders. A white crystalline substance was identified in a vacuum-sealed bag concealed in bubble wrap in one of the folders.

Initial tests on the crystals indicated the presence of methamphetamine.

The AFP substituted the drugs for an inert substance and monitored the delivery of the consignment to a residential address in Collingwood where the consignment was received and the arrests were made by AFP agents.

This result illustrates the efforts of both agencies to effectively intercept and prevent illegal drugs from reaching the Australian community.

The street value is estimated to be $400,000 subject to forensic testing to determine purity of the substance.

A 36-year-old man from Melton South, Victoria, and a 24-year-old man from Bridgewater, Tasmania, were both charged with aiding the importation of a commercial quantity of methamphetamine contrary to subsections 11.2(1) and 307.1 of the Criminal Code Act 1995 and attempt to possess a commercial quantity of methamphetamine, contrary to subsection 11.1(1) and section 307.5 of the Criminal Code Act 1995.

The maximum penalty for these offences is a fine of $555,000 and/or 25 years imprisonment.






[URL="http://www.customs.gov.au/site/page.cfm?c=8736]Customs Media Room"[/URL]


----------



## hoptis

_Melbourne, Australia_

*Police arrest five in drugs seizure*
Leo Shanahan
April 4, 2007 - 5:18PM

Police seized a large amount of drugs, chemicals and a pistol and arrested five men in a raid on two underground drug labs in Melbourne this morning.

Two earlier raids on March 15 led to today's arrests and the seizure of 6 kilograms of powdered methamphetamine as well as a large amount of chemicals used to make drugs in properties in Kilsyth and Hallam.

Police also seized a pistol as well as drug making equipment.

Codenamed CRASES, the raids were conducted as part of a special joint operation between the Australian Crime Commission (ACC) and Victoria Police Drug Taskforce.

Authorities say that the drug haul and arrests are part of the dismantling of a "significant organised crime syndicate involved in the manufacturing and distribution of drugs within both metropolitan Melbourne and interstate," a police spokesman said.

Police have charged a 30-year-old man from Kilsyth, a 45-year-old man from Mooroolbark, a 43-year-old man from Taylors Lakes, a 33-year-old man from Broadmeadows and a 50-year-old man from Bayswater with drug manufacturing offences.

The Age


----------



## fruitfly

*Ukrainian woman smuggled dope in vibrator*
By Lester Haines, The Register
Published Thursday 5th April 2007 

A Ukranian woman failed in a bold attempt to smuggle marijuana from New Delhi to Kiev, despite hiding her stash in a vibrator's battery compartment on the grounds that "no one would ever think of touching it, let alone looking inside it".

According to Ananova, 26-year-old Svetlana Ivanyshka was cuffed after being asked to empty her suitcases at Kiev airport "after guards got a tip off that a young woman on her flight from New Delhi was carrying drugs".

The dope was quickly discovered, prompting a police spokeswoman to say: "She was obviously unaware of how thorough our officers are in their searches."

Link


----------



## hoptis

_Melbourne, Australia_

*Police arrest two in huge drug haul*
April 6, 2007 - 2:26PM

Federal police have seized Australia's largest haul of phenylacetic acid, which is used in the manufacture of illicit drugs.

Australian Federal Police (AFP) seized more than 125kg of the substance and arrested two men in raids across Melbourne's northern suburbs last night.

Phenylacetic acid is a precursor chemical used in the manufacture of amphetamines.

The haul could have made almost 90kg of speed with a street value of more than $10 million, police said.

Houses in Eltham North and Coburg were searched as well as a business premises in Thomastown under a joint operation with customs officials.

The raids came after a customs strike team identified a suspicious shipment of phenylacetic acid, originating from India, early last month.

The AFP monitored the shipment's delivery to a business premises in Thomastown on March 22.

Officers last night allegedly seized five containers of phenylacetic acid from the property as well as documents and computer equipment.

More than $21,000 in cash was allegedly seized in a separate raid on an address in Eltham North, where a 37-year-old man was arrested.

A 35-year-old man was arrested in a search on a Coburg house.

AFP Assistant Commissioner Tim Morris said the operation had successfully dismantled a well organised syndicate.

"This amount of precursors could potentially have made nearly 90kg of speed with an approximate street value of more than $10 million," he said.

Customs acting national director of enforcement and investigations Brian Hurrell said a national strike team was working with partner agencies to detect illegal overseas shipments.

"Customs and police will continue to work together to disrupt attempts to import precursor drugs into the country and investigate those responsible," he said.

A 37-year-old Eltham North man and a 35-year-old Coburg man have each been charged with pre-trafficking a controlled precursor.

The Eltham North man is also charged with importing a controlled precursor.

The maximum penalty for these offences is 25 years' jail.

The pair appeared in Melbourne Magistrates Court early today and were remanded in custody to reappear in court on April 10.

AAP

The Age


----------



## hoptis

_Perth, Australia_

*Crash biker had drugs in undies, helmet scanner*
April 08, 2007 12:00am

By NICOLE COXA MOTORCYCLIST who allegedly had drugs hidden in his underwear tried to avoid police by wiring a police scanner to his helmet and mounting a radar detector on his bike.

But his alleged elaborate set-up unravelled when he fell off while negotiating a roundabout near Bunbury on Monday night.

Police said they were alarmed at the lengths the man went to avoid being caught. "It's a huge concern that people go to such a degree to not be detected, especially in a climate where a lot of motorcyclists are being killed (on the roads)," South-West District Superintendent Mick Sutherland told The Sunday Times.

"This is the first time we've seen something like this."

Officers detected the motorcyclist travelling at 86km/h in a 70km/h zone along Estuary Drive, Bunbury, but lost sight of him when he sped away.

Another officer later found the man pinned under his machine near the Preston River bridge. Kyal Hiron, 32, of Eaton, was taken to Royal Perth Hospital with broken ribs, a fractured collarbone and internal injuries. He was in a stable condition.

Police allegedly found white powder, believed to be amphetamines, in clip-seal bags in his underwear, along with tablets.

Police say Mr Hiron will be charged by summons with reckless driving, failing to stop, driving on a cancelled licence, driving an unlicensed vehicle and possessing amphetamines.

Further charges may be laid pending results of a blood test.

Sunday Times


----------



## hoptis

_Perth, Australia_

*Men severely injured in drug lab blast*
April 13, 2007 10:44am

THREE men have been severely burnt in a suspected drug lab explosion south of Perth.

Police and emergency crews were called to a unit in Armadale last night after after the explosion blew out windows and tore off part of the roof.

Three men, aged 28, 30 and 47, were injured in the blast.

"All three had suffered severe burns and were subsequently conveyed to Royal Perth Hospital burns unit," a police spokesman said.

All three were in serious but stable condition.

During an inspection of the unit, emergency crews found evidence of a clandestine drug lab, the police spokesman said.

News.com.au


----------



## fruitfly

*101-year-old Zambian man nabbed over cannabis cultivation, trafficking*
People's Daily Online
April 20, 2007

Zambia's Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) has arrested a man aged 101 for allegedly cultivating and trafficking cannabis, local newspaper Zambia Daily Mail reported Friday.

DEC spokesperson Rosten Chulu confirmed the arrest of Timothy Chilekwa, a peasant farmer of Namembo village in Southern province who was born in 1906.

Chulu said the old man was nabbed for alleged unlawful cultivation of cannabis weighing 1.2 tons.

He was also found trafficking two sacks of cannabis weighing 6. 95 kg, Chulu said.

The spokesperson said the 101-year-old would appear in court soon.

In the meantime, the DEC also arrested several other suspects from all over the country for trafficking cannabis, a drug that is widely seen in Zambia's rural areas illegally planted for quick money. 

Link


----------



## easyzstreet

*Ecstasy Bust*

There was a large bust, over a million pills monthly, this is what the DEA had to say about it..... 

"Ecstasy is anything but what its name implies – it offers only addiction, pain, and in some instances, death.” Administrator Tandy said."

Glad to know he knows what hes talking about. Thats our government for ya  

Source:
http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/pubs/pressrel/pr111705.html


----------



## MazDan

Im going to move this over to Drugs in the Media easystreet......... Once there I suspect it will be added by the mods to a drug busts mega thread.

Cheers.


----------



## AmphetamineNinja

Oh know ecstasy is bad!. Im scared, me mum was right im taking scoops out of my brain. I must be to dull to know im addicted. Pray for me to have the strength to deal with this terrible afliction.


----------



## dilated_pupils

AmphetamineNinja said:
			
		

> Oh know ecstasy is bad!. Im scared, me mum was right im taking scoops out of my brain. I must be to dull to know im addicted. Pray for me to have the strength to deal with this terrible afliction.



Not to burst your bubble, but you said "Oh know" rather than "Oh no" which is fine, this is just the internet, I make mistakes all the time.  But my point is, drugs definitely don't help.  Not saying I'm anti-drugs, I'm pro drugs, or at least drug education..


----------



## Kalash

Did you know that over 43% of ecstasy users are addicted?

And over 34% are ecstasy abusers?


Yeah... it's addictive alright...

If you consider once a week an addiction.

As for abuse...
I blame ignorance.
Higher doses don't equal a greater high... with MDMA they obliterate the good feelings.

A little education could go a long ways.
Unfortunately we don't get the education... and drugs get further criminalized...



And... anyone know what study they're referring to?
With the damage 7 years later?

That one been debunked yet?


----------



## jykkE

This was posted in 2005.


----------



## Kalash

Side note - apparently "addiction" had to be re-defined to apply to ecstasy...

From NIDA's site...

Addiction: A chronic, relapsing disease characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use.


Ah... maybe not... the term they used was "dependant" not addicted.



			
				NIDA said:
			
		

> A survey of young adult and adolescent MDMA users found that 43 percent of those who reported ecstasy use met the accepted diagnostic criteria for dependence, as evidenced by continued use despite knowledge of physical or psychological harm, withdrawal effects, and tolerance (or diminished response), and 34 percent met the criteria for drug abuse.




Though... I'm having trouble distinguising dependent and addicted...


			
				http://www.thefreedictionary.com/dependent said:
			
		

> de·pend·ent (d-pndnt)
> adj.
> 1. Contingent on or subordinate to another.
> 2. Relying on or requiring the aid of another for support.
> 3. Hanging down.
> 
> Thesaurus...
> 5.	dependent - addicted to a drug




So... if dependency is equal to addiction...
How does their statement add up?
Diminished response (tolerance), known risk/harm, and withdraw effects are now mandatorily referred to as "dependency"?

People that drink once can get a hangover, know it isn't good for them... etc...
The only thing missing is tolerance... 
And that builds up pretty fast.

That doesn't mean one is addicted to alcohol if they drink every weekend...

It means that they enjoy drinking when they don't have to worry about being at work/school.

Why is ecstasy so different?
And what's that 34% abuse thing?  Just another number (ironically 43% reversed because it's made up?) to make you think it's even WORSE for those people?

How do you abuse ecstasy?
By not knowing that an increased dose won't work for you?


Continued use is a far cry from dependency or addiction.
And why do alcohol and tobacco continue to get a double standard?


----------



## Kalash

jykkE said:
			
		

> This was posted in 2005.




The drug bust was.
The website I'm quoting (NIDA - some governmental drug thing... I'm sleepy and wanna go pass out...) was updated in Aug. 2006.

Still quoting Dr. Ricaurte's studies that were retracted if I'm not mistaken (and I may be... note I said I was tired... and not sure if that 7 year report on the monkeys was disproved or not...)

They're still valid arguments..

Why does ecstasy get a special definition for addiction?


----------



## lalalaa

*megamegamegadrugbust*

http://www.expatica.com/actual/article.asp?subchannel_id=1&story_id=40115

23 May 2007

AMSTERDAM (AP) - Dutch authorities said Wednesday they had carried out the largest drugs bust in the Netherlands' history, seizing 2.5 million Ecstasy tablets and enough raw materials to make 8 million more.

In addition to the 210 kilograms (463 pounds) of materials for making Ecstasy, authorities also found 270 kilograms (595 pounds) of speed and 210 kilograms (463 pounds) of hashish in a warehouse in an industrial park in the southern city of Veldhoven.

''The drugs were packed in buckets and wooden crates,'' the national prosecutor's office said in a statement, estimating the total value of the haul at ''several tens of millions of euros.''

No suspects have been arrested yet, the statement said. The drugs were destroyed after several samples were taken as evidence.


----------



## [eK]

lalalaa said:
			
		

> http://www.expatica.com/actual/article.asp?subchannel_id=1&story_id=40115
> 
> 
> AMSTERDAM (AP) - Dutch authorities said Wednesday they had carried out the largest drugs bust in the Netherlands' history, seizing 2.5 million Ecstasy tablets and enough raw materials to make 8 million more.
> 
> In addition to the 210 kilograms (463 pounds) of materials for making Ecstasy, authorities also found 270 kilograms (595 pounds) of speed and 210 kilograms (463 pounds) of hashish in a warehouse in an industrial park in the southern city of Veldhoven.



man amsterdam would be an easy place to score


----------



## Junglistvibe

Banquo said:
			
		

> POLICE were today celebrating Australia's second-largest ecstasy haul after seizing tablets with an estimated street value of $37 million from crates imported from Germany.
> 
> Agents arrested two men and seized about 532,000 tablets during yesterday's bust in Sydney's south.


Pills cost $70??!


----------



## CloudyHazeD

County agents arrest 12 in suspected Ecstasy ring

JLea@News-Herald.com
06/07/2007

With 12 arrests, 750 Ecstasy pills, 21/2 pounds of marijuana, a half-ounce of cocaine and more than $10,000 in cash confiscated - the Lake County Narcotics Agency has been busy the last few months.
Dan - or Special Agent 76, who requested his full name not be used - said he and other narcotics agents have been infiltrating an Ecstasy ring on the west side of Lake County since October.
"These people were the main suppliers in Lake County, even Euclid and parts of Cleveland," Dan said.
He said the investigation began when someone introduced Dan to Melissa M. Westmoreland, 19, of 325 E. 200th St. in Euclid, who sold Dan Ecstasy twice in October and November.
"I met with her on one occasion and bought 90 pills and then bought 92 pills another time," Dan said.
Through Westmoreland, Dan met some of her associates, Beth A. Christiansen and Roy K. Rodriguez.
"I think Roy was with Missy (Westmoreland) one of the times I bought from her, but I can't be sure," Dan said. "He had his hood pulled up."
Rodriguez, 20, of 26101 Country Club Road, Unit 707, in North Olmsted, was very leery to sell to anyone he did not know, but still sold 47 pills to an undercover agent in November in Willowick, Dan said.
Dan said most of the people in the Ecstasy ring got their pills from Christiansen.
Christiansen, 20, sold Ecstasy to Dan twice in October and November, including a time when she had children in the back seat of her car, he said.
Each new connection led to more staged buys. Agents were introduced to Beth's older brother, Andrew Christiansen, 23, who sold marijuana on three different occasions to undercover agents, Dan said.
Andrew's supplier - Eric M. Burrington, 20 - unknowingly sold marijuana to agents four times in the last six months, Dan said.
Burrington, whose address is listed as 789 Charles St. in Willowick, also faces a cocaine possession charge from Willoughby Police Department.
Kevin W. Cole, 18, of 37356 Second St. in Willoughby, sold 55 pills of Ecstasy and marijuana to agents, Dan said.
"It's one big group," Dan said. "They're all friends. They all interact."
Tushar T. Patel, 21, of 359 E. Overlook Drive, Eastlake, also sold marijuana to agents on three separate occasions, Dan said. Michael D. Niederkorn, 21, 552 Kalene Court in Eastlake, who Dan said drove Patel during one of the sales, pleaded guilty to attempted trafficking, a first-degree misdemeanor, in Willoughby Municipal Court.
Joseph R. Nicholson, another friend of Beth's, sold 220 Ecstasy pills to agents during three buys in March and April, Dan said. Nicholson, 20, of 32126 Dickerson Road in Willowick, introduced Dan to Amanda L. Kish, the agent said.
Kish, 19, of 34830 Lake Shore Blvd., Eastlake, sold Ecstasy to agents twice in April and May, Dan said.
All of the members of the Ecstasy ring were arrested in quick succession in May, Dan said.
The investigation came to an apex when narcotics agents and the West Lake County SWAT Team executed a search warrant May 8 on the Christiansen's house at 28926 Edgewood in Willowick.
As agents entered the home, Beth and her boyfriend, Benjamin G. Boncser, 26, of 1426 E. Miner Road, Mayfield Heights, ran upstairs and began flushing drugs down the toilet, LCNA Sgt. Brad Kemp said.
Agents searched Beth's bedroom and found 30 Ecstasy pills, psychedelic mushrooms, $2,000 in cash and a digital scale, Kemp said.
Norman Christiansen, 55, Beth and Andrew's father, was also arrested and charged with permitting drug abuse. He pleaded guilty in Willoughby Municipal Court.
When the arrests were made, the impact on the Ecstasy trade in Lake County was immediate, Dan said.
After the raid on the Christiansens' house, agents set up a buy with Kish.
"I only have 17 (Ecstasy pills)," she said, according to Dan. "This is the only Ecstasy left in Lake County."
All of the people implicated in the Ecstasy ring have been arraigned and are waiting to be bound over to Lake County Common Pleas Court.
Westmoreland was charged with two counts of trafficking Ecstasy, a first- and second-degree felony. If convicted on both charges, she could be sentenced to up to 18 years in prison and $35,000 in fines.
Beth was charged with two counts of trafficking, tampering with evidence, possession of Ecstasy and possession of criminal tools. If convicted on all counts, she could be sentenced to 29 years in prison and $47,500 in fines.
Rodriguez was charged with one count of trafficking. If convicted, he could receive five years behind bars.
Cole was charged with two counts of trafficking marijuana and one count of trafficking Ecstasy. If found guilty, he could be punished with 10 years in prison.
Burrington received four charges of trafficking marijuana. He could be sentenced to five years in jail if convicted.
Patel could be sentenced to 31/2 years in jail if convicted of three charges of trafficking marijuana.
Nicholson could serve 24 years in jail if convicted of three counts of trafficking Ecstasy.
Kish could be sentenced to a maximum of 13 years in prison if convicted of two counts of Ecstasy trafficking.
Boncser was charged with tampering with evidence and could be sentenced to five years in jail if convicted.
Dan credited several other law agencies for helping during the investigation. He thanked the Euclid, Mentor, Kirtland, Painesville, Wickliffe, Willoughby and Willowick police departments, DEA and West Lake County SWAT Team.
"It's a cooperative effort. Without these other agencies, we wouldn't exist," Dan said.
Dan said he expects people to replace the dealers who were arrested, but any new dealers will know the narcotics agency is looking for them.


http://www.news-herald.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18439885&BRD=1698&PAG=461&dept_id=21849&rfi=6


----------



## bingalpaws

isn't this thread for major busts?  And why the hell are they all about listing these people's home addresses??


----------



## phr

They do that here too. If you're suspected of shit and it's in the news they give your address, at least the block number.


----------



## phr

> *Police seize suspected heroin in Pratt St. raid*
> 
> After more than a month of surveillance, plainclothes police officers raided a house early yesterday in Southwest Baltimore, arrested three men and seized a large amount of suspected heroin packaged for street sale.
> 
> A police spokesman said the officers found 3,200 gel caps and a loaded handgun in the basement of a home in the 2500 block of W. Pratt St. when they entered about 6:45 a.m. The men were involved in a heroin-dealing operation that received large quantities of the illegal drug twice a day, police said.
> 
> Agent Donny Moses, the spokesman, said the seized drugs represented a half-day's worth of the quantity normally sold out of the house. "This was the morning supply," he said.
> 
> Related Links
> 
> * Police raid nets large heroin seizure Video
> 
> Police displayed several bags of the gel caps on a pool table in the station house basement.
> 
> Officers said that drug buyers come from the neighborhoods and from across the city and the region - even as far away as Tennessee.
> 
> The gel caps were filled with what appeared to be a white granular substance, and Moses said it would be tested to see if it is indeed heroin. Dozens of gel caps filled small plastic bags that were each labeled "3.5" or "2.5" - the officers said they did not know what the labels meant. Each cap costs about $10 on the street.
> 
> The three men arrested at the house were charged with possession of heroin with intent to distribute and handgun violations. They were identified as Thomas P. Hill, 55, of the 200 block of N. Calhoun St.; Maron B. McDonald, 22, of the 3400 block of Spelman Road; and Arnold Burton, 40, of the 2500 block of W. Pratt St.
> 
> Hill pleaded guilty to an intent-to-distribute charge in 2004 and received a suspended sentence with probation. The next year, he violated his probation and was ordered to spend a year in prison.
> 
> Burton was charged with drug possession last June and was given one year of probation by a city District Court judge. That probation ended July 24.
> 
> Link!



Apparently they busted one of the largest heroin distributors, at least in SW Baltimore. There's a video of what they seized. They got 3200 gel caps of scramble. The cop in the video claims it was just their morning supply, and that they typically get two of these packages a day. At one point in the video the officer even smiles and says something along the lines "this probably isn't even a dent."


----------



## 'medicine cabinet'

^yea man, 3200 isnt shit on the street. ive seen G pack sell out in like 5 minutes before when the dope is good. im pretty sure i know where they raided, at least the general vicinity.

least it wasnt the good raw shit

believe it or not, scramble sells way more than raw. its easier to find scramble on the street over raw. ow some dealers will have both, but if you are in the jects its almost always scramble. a lot of the raw is around the city and county line on the west side. for some reason there seems to be more raw dope over on the west side of bmore....

at these scramble spots they usually make all the fiends stand in line and they hitr everyone off like that. like everyone will be wondering around trying to not looks suspect, then someone will yell line up and everyone forms a single file line and the slanger and his muscle will hit everyone off. meanwhile you have dopesick junkers pushin up in the line, ppl yelling keep the line! if its a long line they will usually only let u get a max of 5 pills, that way they get more ppl served and out of there cause the whole place is hot as shit, they want the buyers out of there asap.

i got chased out of a hole by the undercovers one afternoon, i was waiting in line for like 10 mions cause there was a lot of ppl and they kept running out, they wernt putting a max on the pills that day, one dude bought like 50...so it was a mad house. all of the sudden these 5 big ass guys in bulletproof vests come charing, everyone scattered and took off. i was next in line to cop too, so i didnt get my dope, but i got away, and for me, that was a fair trade.


----------



## monstanoodle

*UK - Sheffield - Drug money laundering gang jailed*

*A Jamaican drugs gang who laundered more than £1m in drugs money through a newsagent's shop have been jailed.
*
*BBC News*

Ten gang members were sentenced to a total of just over 26 years for their part in the scam in Sheffield.

Rajia Iqbal, 43, who ran Spital Hill News in Spital Hill, Sheffield, was jailed for 11 years for laundering the cash on behalf of the drugs barons.

Iqbal was found guilty at Sheffield Crown Court of conspiracy to launder money in the crime involving his shop.

Judge Patrick Robertshaw said the men were guilty of "offending on a massive scale" and had brought misery to many.

'Calculated and chronic'

He told Iqbal: "You were the lynchpin. Without your agency this could not have happened.

"Your breach of the responsibility for which you were entrusted was flagrant, calculated and chronic.

"Is it possible to envisage a worse case? It is, but only just."

The court heard funds from the sale of drugs were sent via money transfer to relatives of the gang in Jamaica, where it funded a lavish lifestyle.

Iqbal had allowed more than 1,500 payments to go to Jamaica through the money transfer service he operated from his newsagents.

'Message to criminals'

Among the others sentenced on Thursday were 35-year-old drug dealer Carl Hinds who was jailed for eight years for money laundering and drugs supply offences.

Richard Blake, 28, received a five-year sentence for similar offences.

Det Insp Andy Bishop, who was involved in the five-year police investigation, said: "This sends a message to Jamaican criminals coming across here to take wealth out of the country through drug dealing that we are prepared to pursue them not only locally but internationally as well."




A Jamaican drugs gang who laundered more than £1m in drugs money through a newsagent's shop have been jailed.....

_Please follow the thread Guidelines. You included links to two different articles, so I only posted the first one._


----------



## phr

*2nd Major Drug Seizure in 2 Days*

Clayton County police officers found a half-million dollars worth of cocaine at a shipping company on Tuesday. On Wednesday, investigators found millions worth of cocaine at another shipping company.

Two days in a row, police stopped the cocaine shipments at the company that was paid to ship it. On Tuesday, it was a full crate of cocaine -- 167 kilos, almost 400 pounds worth, sniffed out by a K-9 unit at a shipping company in College Park. The next day, another cocaine bust at another shipping company.

"One of the delivery services in Forest Park called, saying they suspected two packages might contain drugs," said Clayton County Police Deputy "Chief Tim Robinson. "Our uniformed officers went to that location, brought in one of our canines, who alerted on that package."

The results this time -- six kilos of cocaine snared.

Hartsfield-Jackson moves more freight than anyone else anywhere in the world. That, they said, attracts business of all kinds.

Large shipping companies like FedEx, DHL, UPS, have been used to move the illegal product in and out of Atlanta. It was an employee at the company who became suspicious -- possibly because of the prior cocaine bust, and called police.

Link!


----------



## phr

*Dutch police seize huge cocaine shipment, arrest 3 suspects
The AP*

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands: Dutch authorities seized *1,674 kilograms* (3,690 pounds) of cocaine concealed in a shipping container filled with coffee from Costa Rica, officials said Friday.

The drugs were detected by a sniffer dog two weeks ago, and the transport was allowed to proceed from the Port of Rotterdam to its destination in the southern city of Weert, authorities said.

Three men — aged 25, 40 and 59 — were arrested earlier this week in connection with the investigation, the national public prosecutor's office said in a statement, without identifying the suspects by name.

The cocaine, which had an estimated street value of around €80 million (US$110 million), was destroyed, the statement said.

The bust announced Friday was unusually large, but not the largest or most valuable in Dutch history. In September 2005, customs officials at Rotterdam seized 4,600 kilograms (10,000 pounds) of cocaine hidden inside massive reels of steel cable on a ship from Venezuela.

Link!


----------



## phr

*Spain seizes 3.2 metric tons of cocaine in high-seas raid
The AP*

MADRID, Spain: Spanish authorities have seized 3.2 metric tons (3.5 US tons) of cocaine from a wooden fishing boat in a high-seas raid in the Atlantic, officials said Friday.

The drugs were confiscated Tuesday in international waters 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from the Canary Islands and had a street value of €190 million (US$270 million), said the government's Tax Agency. It is in charge of customs and contraband and has its own flotilla of ships and helicopters to fight drug trafficking.

It was the agency's fourth raid this year that netted more than 3 metric tons (3.3 U.S. tons) of cocaine, the agency said in a statement.

The 20-meter (66-foot) boat was Venezuelan-flagged and its crew of six Venezuelans and one Ecuadorean were arrested without resistance.

Spain is Europe's main conduit for cocaine smuggled from Latin America.

The agency said that, so far this year, it has seized 115 metric tons (127 U.S. tons) of hashish and 20 metric tons (22 U.S. tons) of cocaine.

Link!


----------



## bingalpaws

hmm, are these major coke busts because the kingpin of norte del valley just went down?  Seems like some heavy seizures in a short time period!


----------



## 'medicine cabinet'

^yea those are some big hauls....who cares if all the coke gets stopped anyways, coke sucks lol....give me some heroin.


----------



## phr

bingalpaws said:
			
		

> hmm, are these major coke busts because the kingpin of norte del valley just went down?  Seems like some heavy seizures in a short time period!



I don't know. Bingalpaws, check this post and thread out: http://www.bluelight.ru/vb/showpost.php?p=5376140&postcount=4


----------



## bingalpaws

Ah, it could just be them testing unfamiliar waters and messing around bigger in other areas!  Although, in regards to the linked post, I disagree that they're gonna move product away from here to europe - I think they'll just make more coke.  Just because they can get 25% more over there doesn't mean they don't still make ridiculous bank satisfying american demand.  More markets = more cocaine production, not starving some markets to feed others.  As long as there's customers willing to pay in the US, and pay more than what it costs to produce/process/transport to the end buyer (which will never happen lol!), they will still want to work with us.  Thankfully for all ya'll who actually like coke!



			
				medicine cabinet said:
			
		

> ^yea those are some big hauls....who cares if all the coke gets stopped anyways, coke sucks lol....give me some heroin.


I care!  I wouldn't want to see my fellow citizens denied their drug of choice!  Just like I'd hope they wouldn't want to see me deprived my drugs of choice!  But of course they do want to see that, otherwise I'd have some opiates in my system lol!!!


----------



## dankstersauce

*Drug bug bust*

"Drug bug bust

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands | As drug mules, bugs don’t carry much. And they didn’t get by customs in the Netherlands.

A customs officer who took a close look at a consignment of more than 100 large dead bugs sent from Peru to the Netherlands discovered cocaine in their backs.

“It looked like they were cut open, the drugs hidden in their backs, and then they were glued back together again,” said customs spokesman Kees Nanninga.

The insects held only about 10 ounces of cocaine, worth about $11,000, Nanninga said."

It's from the AP.^^^
http://www.kansascity.com/news/nation/story/304060.html

fucking weird huh?  makes you think twice before you put that shit up your nose or in your vein.


----------



## phr

*Heroin seizure in city is a record*
*
By Vernon Clark
Philadelphia Inquirer

A savvy Northeast drug ring had 8.4 pounds worth $1.4 million, police said. Four raids led to two arrests.*

Philadelphia police said yesterday that they had seized a record amount of heroin, some brought to the city in the soles of shoes, and shut down a sophisticated drug ring in the Northeast.

Officers confiscated 8.4 pounds of heroin, with a street value of $1.4 million, in raids on four homes Wednesday, Capt. Chris Werner said at the police narcotics division in Hunting Park.

"This is the largest seizure of heroin in the city," he said.

On a table in front of Werner were a plastic food-storage bag filled with brown powered heroin and two bags with about 11/2 inches of compressed heroin in the shape of a shoe. It and similar parcels likely were transported in someone's shoes, Werner said.

Two other bags contained hundreds of glassine packets stamped with "The Wire" and "Push." A .40-caliber handgun was also confiscated, Warner said.

Search warrants were served at 7158 Bustleton Ave., 230 W. Sheldon St., 5263 Montour St., 3836 J St., and two vehicles, Werner said.

In 2003, police confiscated 7.7 pounds of heroin during an investigation in the Northeast.

Arrested Wednesday were Juan Severino, 29, a Dominican national who lives in the 5200 block of Montour Street, and Robert Rosario, 35, of the 600 block of Brill Street.

Other arrests are likely in the continuing investigation, Werner said.

He said police thought the drugs had come from Puerto Rico.

"It was a rather sophisticated operation where the heroin was stored in different locations around the city," Werner said.

Werner then displayed a mechanical device - a black metal unit the size of a shoe box - that he said had been used to operate secret compartments inside the homes. He said the device could be triggered by a remote control or another type of switch.

Werner said the work of narcotics investigators Richard Wertz and Brian Myers had been crucial to the case.

Narcotics field-unit officers identified a heroin distribution network that supplied the Kensington and Lower Northeast sections of the city, and undercover officers made four buys of heroin before the raids, Werner said.

The information in the case will be presented to the U.S. Attorney's Office, he said.

Asked how long the ring had operated, Werner said he was not sure.

"That's a significant amount of heroin to bring into any city," he said. "They didn't do that overnight."

Link!


----------



## phr

They got popped with 3.8keys.

Someone fucked up and either sold the UC cop weight or informed him about upper level business. Dickheads.

Two things stick out though.

1. Packaging of the heroin in soles. It's not the first time this is seen, but it's rarer than the typical swallowed packets.

2. Location of the mills. Typically, the mills were located in the shittier neighborhoods. These mills were in the near NE. Locating them in the shittier neighborhoods allows for shorter driving times needed for distribution, as the majority of the heroin is sold in North Philly. But, putting them in the NE, evades detection. Every corner junkie won't know that "that's the stash/mill house."

This is certainly not a new trend. The upper level dealers have been slowly moving farther away from the badlands for years, if not decades.


----------



## 'medicine cabinet'

^damn man, thats a pitty....that much dope off the street. i would think the dope was still uncut at that point if it was still in the shape of  a shoe insole. i wonder what the purity % on it was...while this is a pretty big bust, its not going to do a damn thing in the long run. this will probably inconvience a bunch of ppl, but in a nother few weeks their operation will be back on.

bags called the wire, i bet those were pretty good haha....yeaaa bmore


----------



## jdizzle

*Gonna be some sick folks in the town*

Authorities stage drug raids in Oakland
Henry K. Lee, Chronicle Staff Writer

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

(10-24) 08:50 PDT OAKLAND -- 

Law enforcement officials raided numerous locations in Oakland today as part of a multi-agency investigation into heroin trafficking, authorities said.

The citywide busts occurred at 6 a.m. and involved Oakland police officers, Alameda County sheriff's deputies and agents with the federal Drug Enforcement Administration and the FBI. 

San Francisco police and Internal Revenue Service agents also were involved, said Officer Roland Holmgren, an Oakland police spokesman.

The raids focused on a tar heroin trafficking organization based in the Central Valley with distribution cells in Oakland and elsewhere in the Bay Area, Holmgren said. The group had the capacity to distribute between to 50 and 100 pounds of tar heroin a month, police said.

Officials plan to release more details at a news conference this afternoon. 


E-mail Henry K. Lee at hlee@sfchronicle.com. 

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/10/24/BARMSVCR2.DTL


----------



## jdizzle

Now can someone fill the demand with some nice SA, or SWA, or SEA POWDER? Plz


----------



## jdizzle

*related article*

Mexican heroin gang targeted in 26 Oakland raids
By Harry Harris, Staff Writer
Article Last Updated: 10/24/2007 09:29:39 AM PDT


Oakland police, state and federal officers fanned out across Oakland this morning, conducting 26 raids beginning at 6 a.m. aimed at shutting down a large Bay Area Mexican heroin smuggling ring.
There were also raids and warrants served in many other localities, includng Hayward, San Leandro, Tracy, Pittsburg and Vallejo. There were numerous arrests and at least two pounds of heroin seized, police said.

The drug gang was described as a major drug ring that brought heroin from Mexico into the Central Valley and distributed it throughout California.

Agencies participating included the Oakland Police, the San Francisco Police, federal Drug Enforcement Agency and Internal Revenue Service agents and investigators from the state Department of Justice.

Oakland police spokesman Roland Holmgren said that what began as a routine drug operation became a major series of raids. 

"They got one door open," Holmgren said. "It led to more and it turned out the amount of (heroin) business being conducted was pretty significant," Holmgren said. He was unsure how many arrests have occurred, but some of the suspects being sought have been indicted by federal grand juries.

No one was hurt in the Oakland raids, he said. More information will be available at a press conference scheduled for 3 p.m. this afternoon by Oakland police.

http://www.insidebayarea.com/localnews/ci_7267562


----------



## phr

^
Merged with drug busts thread.


----------



## E-llusion

*RCMP dismantle huge ecstasy lab*

RCMP dismantle huge ecstasy lab

Stock possibly worth up to $40 million found in northeast Toronto home

Oct 20, 2007 09:19 PM 
Amy Fuller, Joanna Smith and Josh Wingrove 
Staff Reporters

An ecstasy lab was found today in the garage of the same house where Toronto police discovered a marijuana grow-op last year. 

Officers seized about 2 million units of ecstasy from what they said was a pill-pressing lab on Pipers Green Rd., in the Brimley Rd. and Finch Ave. E. area, around 1 p.m. today. 

“This is the end of the production line,” said Insp. Rick Penney, the officer in charge of operations for the RCMP’s GTA drug squad. “The next step is in the mouth.” 

Penney would not say how much the pills were worth but since the drugs can sell for $20 a unit, the seizure could be worth up to $40 million on the street. 

The driveway was lined with cardboard boxes and plastic bags filled with ecstasy tablets and powder while officers dressed in white suits sorted through the lit garage. 

RCMP Supt. Ron Allen said officers raided the premises following a bust in a car they stopped as part of an ongoing investigation on Friday night. Three adult men were arrested in connection with the van bust, police said. 

Soon after pulling over the car, investigators surrounded the home, which police said was also a former marijuana grow-op. Officers entered with a warrant around noon today, where they found the large ecstasy lab and two more men were arrested at the house. The ecstasy was likely headed for the United States, Allen said. 

“It wasn’t something that we happened to dance across. It was an ongoing investigation,” said Allen, head of the Toronto Drug Section. 

While stopping short of confirming it as the largest drug bust in Toronto history, Sgt. Brent Hill, commander of the RCMP chemical diversion unit, said last night: “It’s on the top shelf of large drug busts.” 

RCMP Clandestine Laboratory Team investigators are sorting through the volatile contents of the house this weekend, under supervision from Health Canada officials. One nearby house has been evacuated this weekend as a precaution, said RCMP Insp. Rick Penney, who is leading the on-site investigation. 

The house was busted as a marijuana grow-op in May 2006. “The pots from the grow-op are still on the side of the house,” Penney said at the scene. 

The house still belongs to the person who owned it during the previous bust but it was being rented out and police said they have no indication if the owner is involved at this point. Neighbours reported seeing people going in and out of the house, but said no family lived there. 

Tracey Wilson was watching the action from behind yellow police tape down the street, where she was out walking her dog last night. She remembers being surprised by last year’s drug bust, so she said she felt very “strange” this time around. 

“It’s very nice here,” she said. “You’d never know this was going to happen.” 

Toronto residents Yan Shi, 31, Wei Qion Ma, 29, Yao Quan Jian, 20, and Shu Qiang Wu, 37, face drug charges. New York resident Wan Shan Ling, 50, was also charged. 

http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/268808


----------



## phr

*11 tons of cocaine seized in Mexico*
*Press TV*


Mexican officials have seized over 11 tons of cocaine at a port on the country's Pacific coast, one of the largest-ever hauls in Mexico.

Police discovered the narcotics, the second major haul this month, on board a Hong Kong-flagged container ship from Colombia at the Manzanillo port in Colima state.

Mexican authorities seized at least 10 tons of cocaine earlier this month in a town on the nation's Atlantic coast.

Last month, a privately-owned jet with some four tons of cocaine aboard crashed into a southern Mexican jungle, considered to have been forced to crash-land by the army, according to reports.

Over 2,000 people have been killed this year in violence involving rival drug gangs and the government.

ABZ/FH 

Link!


----------



## phr

^
Now they're saying it's 23 tons!


----------



## phr

*4 plead guilty to cocaine conspiracy*

*4 plead guilty to cocaine conspiracy*
*KITTY CAPARELLA
Philadelphia Daily News*
*11/21/07*


Four co-defendants of onetime Philly hip-hop kingmaker Omar Teagle pleaded guilty this week to conspiracy to distribute 210 kilograms of Mexican cocaine - worth up to $40 million in street sales - from New York to Maryland.

In separate hearings yesterday, Ramon Alburg, of Crofton, Md., and Donnell Ball, 34, and George Rodgers, 36, both of Philadelphia, entered guilty pleas before U.S. District Judge R. Barkley Surrick - as did Raoul Alburg, of Somerset, N.J., on Monday.

Only Teagle, 34, who operated a South Street-area recording studio and hip-hop clothing store, and co-defendant Roland Alburg, 37, are left to face the music.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Curtis Douglas said that Teagle, a West Philadelphia native now living in Townsend, Del., is expected to plead guilty to the same charges in mid-December after his New York attorney finishes an unrelated trial.

And on Nov. 29, Roland Alburg, of Holtsville, N.Y., is also expected to enter a guilty plea to federal drug charges, said Douglas.

Roland and Ramon Alburg are brothers, and Raoul Alburg is their cousin.

All six face up to life in prison and multimillion-dollar fines.

Two others, who assisted in transporting the cocaine from Los Angeles to Somerset N.J., pleaded guilty to related state charges in New York.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Leo Tsao outlined each defendant's role in the high-level drug conspiracy:

In November 2005, Teagle, Ball, Rodgers and the three Alburgs allegedly decided to purchase Mexican cocaine from a California supplier.

Roland Alburg allegedly put up $1 million, and Ramon Alburg $1.5 million, for a total of $2.5 million in proceeds from prior drug transactions, said Tsao.

During his plea, Raoul Alburg admitted that he delivered the $2.5 million during several trips to Ball and Rodgers.

With defense attorney David Mischak beside him, Ball admitted that he gave the money to an unnamed person, who traveled with Raoul Alburg from Philadelphia to Los Angeles on March 24, 2006.

Meantime, Ball admitted, he flew to L.A., where he helped Alburg load 210 kilos of cocaine into the back of a trailer attached to a recreational vehicle.

Then, Raoul Alburg admitted that he and two associates drove the cocaine shipment cross-country to his Somerset, N.J., home on March 28, 2006, where his cousin, Roland Alburg, allegedly picked up 55 kilos the next day and headed back to New York.

The remaining 155 kilos were allegedly to be divided among Raoul, Ramon and Teagle.

After monitoring calls during the cross-country trip, authorities from federal, state and local law-enforcement agencies in four states fanned out to arrest the eight on March 29.

Authorities seized the 155 kilos in Somerset, N.J., and the 55 kilos in New York.

In a Colorado Street house in South Philadelphia where Rodgers lives with his mother, search teams found six cocaine parcels: 85 grams of crack cocaine, 183 grams of cocaine, 146 grams of cocaine in the living room, 10 grams on the dining room table and two bags - 35 grams and 74 grams - under a white bucket outside the back door.

Also found were five high-powered handguns, scales and the furniture in which the cocaine was hidden during the cross-country trip.

During his guilty plea, Rodgers admitted that the parcels of cocaine and guns were his. The judge granted attorney Gregory Pagano's request to reserve the right to appeal two motions as part of Rodger's plea agreement.

Rodgers pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, possession with intent to deliver 183.7 grams of cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

During Ball's plea, he also admitted to money laundering as part of his agreement to cooperate with authorities.

Rodgers is not cooperating with the feds.

The investigation is continuing.*

Link!


----------



## phr

> Roland Alburg allegedly put up $1 million, and Ramon Alburg $1.5 million, for a total of $2.5 million in proceeds from prior drug transactions, said Tsao.
> ...
> Meantime, Ball admitted, he flew to L.A., where he helped Alburg load 210 kilos of cocaine into the back of a trailer attached to a recreational vehicle.



They paid $11,904.76 per kilo. About $11.90 per gram. Sounds about right...


----------



## bingalpaws

damn!!!   11.9/key when you buy @ over 100 keys?  So, are you honestly telling me, that when the rapper young buck says in his songs he has keys for $10k each, he was lying?!  Am I missing something here?!   <lol jk, obviously>

phrozen, as always, thanks for the articles, please please please keep them coming, ditm articles seem to be slowing lately, I'm not liking it!

<<btw, if you have good sources where you find these links and want someone else to help find more, give me sources and I'll scout for more articles too>>


----------



## phr

^
I mostly use Google News, and search the papers I read(Philly Inquirer, Philly Daily News, NY Times, Washington Post, ...).


----------



## phr

*3 nabbed in 32G heroin bust in S. Phila.*
*DAVID GAMBACORTA
Philadelphia Daily News
11/29/07*


Tony Soprano must be rolling over in his cannoli.

Undercover narcotics cops captured three young men who were transporting $32,000 worth of heroin in a minivan in South Philadelphia Tuesday night, said Narcotics Capt. Chris Werner.

Although the cops expected the suspects to be toting a sizable stash of heroin, they were surprised to find thousands of plastic packets that were going to be sold on the streets, all labeled "The Sopranos," Werner said.

The labels actually have nothing to do with the fictional mob family. Big-time drug suppliers sometimes will name their products to give them brand recognition and to earn repeat clients, said Narcotics Field Unit Officer Brian Myers.

"That's how an addict will know the heroin's good and where to get it. Heavy drug users remember what's good and will go back," said Myers.

He noted that in other parts of the city, dealers have used TV characters or movie titles as labels for their drugs.

Tuesday's bust resulted from an ongoing investigation into a large drug organization, Werner said.

Myers and his partner, Officer Rick Woertz, trailed Hanife Cook, 20; Terry Chambers, 22, and William Mahoney, 21, while they allegedly were transporting the 98.7 grams of heroin in a rented Chrysler Town & Country.

Highway Patrol officers stopped the minivan on Columbus Boulevard near Christian Street about 7:45 p.m. while a police helicopter watched overhead.

Cook, Chambers and Mahoney, all of South Philly, were charged with possession of narcotics with intent to deliver, Werner said. 

Link!


----------



## phr

> Myers and his partner, Officer Rick Woertz, trailed Hanife Cook, 20; Terry Chambers, 22, and William Mahoney, 21, while they allegedly were transporting the 98.7 grams of heroin in a rented Chrysler Town & Country.
> 
> Highway Patrol officers stopped the minivan on Columbus Boulevard near Christian Street about 7:45 p.m. while a police helicopter watched overhead.



They most certainly used a CI, and they probably pulled over the van for some BS traffic violation.


----------



## i_amnotted

*Police Find Cannabis in Nunnery*

Holy smoke! Police find cannabis in Nunnery

ATHENS (Reuters) - A Greek Orthodox nunnery was turned into a marijuana plantation by two men posing as gardeners for elderly nuns, police said on Tuesday.

Acting on a tip-off, officers raided the nunnery in the village of Filiro, near the northern port city of Thessaloniki, and found more than 30 large cannabis plants in the enclosed garden.

"Two unknown men had told the two elderly nuns in the nunnery they would like to help them with the garden and then proceeded to plant the cannabis," a police official told Reuters.

"The nuns did not know what they were and assumed they were large decorative plants," he said.

Police did not arrest the nuns and have launched a hunt for the culprits.

(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; Editing by Sophie Walker)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071204...ce_cannabis;_ylt=AghhgEMGj8gLtmqLO9fnzsus0NUE


----------



## jdizzle

That is awesome on so many levels. Pass the blunt dog.


----------



## fruitfly

-----> merging with Drug Busts thread.


----------



## phr

*Newark cop among 6 arrested in heroin drug ring*
*The AP*




NEWARK, N.J. - Federal and state law officers said Wednesday they have busted a drug ring that laundered about $7 million from the sales of heroin.

The three-year investigation culminated in the arrest of six people, including several of the ringleaders as well as a Newark police officer, the Drug Enforcement Administration said. Four others remain at large.

Officer Michelle Davis, 35, was charged with money laundering, accused of helping a ringleader cleanse the cash.

In a statement, city Police Director Garry F. McCarthy said, "It is disappointing to me that a police officer willfully violates the very oath that they take. We will continue to have a zero tolerance for rogue police officers and corruption and they will be investigated fully."

Newark police had no immediate comment on her status with the department.

Authorities believe the ring operated in Essex and Union counties. Sports cars, semiautomatic weapons and $50,000 in cash were seized during raids that involved more than 100 officers in an operation called "Follow the Money."

Link!


----------



## phr

*A more detailed version...*

*Agents arrest 6 after probe of North Jersey heroin ring*
*George Anastasia
Philadelphia Inquirer
12/06/07*


NEWARK, N.J. - They had all the trappings of successful businessmen - nice homes, fancy cars and bulging bank accounts.

What they didn't have, federal authorities allege, was a legitimate source of income.

Capping a three-year investigation dubbed Operation Follow the Money, the Drug Enforcement Administration announced yesterday that it had shut down a multimillion-dollar North Jersey heroin-trafficking ring with the arrests of six individuals, including two men who were believed to be the driving force behind the operation.

A Newark policewoman, charged with making straw purchases to launder money for the group, also was charged.

"We knocked out their working capital and proceeds," said Gerard P. McAleer, special agent in charge of the New Jersey Division of the DEA.

McAleer said the organization moved about $2 million in heroin a month, primarily in the Essex and Union county areas, and generated about $7 million in profits annually.

He said the decision to track the financial end of the operation, including several money-laundering schemes, was part of an aggressive economic approach to combating drug traffickers.

The Internal Revenue Service and several other law-enforcement agencies also were involved in the probe.

Authorities identified Rasheem "Rosco" Small, 30, of Newark, and Abdullah "Rock" Myers, 33, of Cranford, as the principal targets of the investigation.

Each was charged with drug dealing and money laundering.

Small was described as the head of the heroin operation. Meyers, identified as a ranking member of a Newark-based set of the Bloods street gang, was accused of making major purchases and then using a network of distributors, including at least two other alleged members of the Bloods, to coordinate street-level sales.

Authorities arrested Small, Myers, policewoman Michelle Davis and three others during a series of raids yesterday in which $50,000 in cash, three handguns and five vehicles were seized.

Four other targets of the probe, including a New York man described as Small's main supplier, also were charged, but had not been located. They were listed as fugitives.

At a news conference here yesterday, authorities alleged that Small and Meyers had purchased properties and set up "legitimate" businesses as fronts, using drug proceeds.

Small opened a contracting company and Meyers started a trucking firm, but McAleer said neither appeared to have any customers.

Both men, however, lived well.

"They had all the bling that goes along with drug trafficking," said McAleer, describing jewelry, plasma televisions, custom-built motorcycles and other high-end vehicles - including a Porsche Cayenne SUV - seized in yesterday's raids.

Meyers, whose alleged gang operations were based in Newark, lived in a $600,000 home in Cranford.

Authorities said that Small had two personal bank accounts and that investigators had tracked deposits of $2.5 million into one and $2.27 million into the other.

Small's cars - often purchased through straw buyers - included a Mercedes-Benz SL500, a Range Rover and a Bentley.

Meyers owned a Lamborghini, a Dodge Viper and a Mercedes-Benz SUV at different times during the investigation, authorities alleged.

A wiretapped conversation cited in the criminal complaint made public yesterday detailed a discussion Meyers had last December about the possible purchase of a "James Bond Vanquish." The conversation included talk about a $72,000 down payment for the Aston Martin vehicle, which had a sticker price of $480,000.

Investigators also tracked Small to Atlantic City, where he allegedly used casinos to launder drug proceeds.

Between 2003 and 2006, the criminal complaint alleged, Small bought $3.1 million worth of casino chips. He gambled some, investigators said, but often would give other members of his organization the chips to cash in as winnings, sometimes even paying taxes on the earnings. 

Link!


----------



## phr

*Drug-ring leader gets life term, dad gets 12 years*
*KITTY CAPARELLA
Philadelphia Daily News
12/07/07*


Teddy Young was the man to see in Germantown if a dealer wanted to buy bundles of heroin to sell, authorities said.

Young, 37, bought 25 kilograms of heroin from a supplier in Philadelphia and two from New York city and oversaw a "cut" house where four workers diluted and repackaged the heroin - stamped "Midnight," "SUV" and "All Natural" - for resale throughout the city, according to authorities.

What was unusual for the ringleader of a $6.24 million heroin trafficking organization, employing 18 others, was that Young delivered the bundles himself to neighborhood dealers and picked up the drug proceeds from November 2000 to June 2002, authorities said.

If a dealer couldn't see Teddy, he might talk to his father, Theodore Young Sr., 74, who taught his son everything he knew about the drug business.

"We believe Theodore taught Teddy the acquisition, processing and trafficking of heroin," said assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Velez, who prosecuted the father-son team and co-defendant David Lee in a four-week trial last April.

Yesterday, U.S. District Judge Lawrence Stengel sentenced Teddy to life in prison, and his 75-year-old father to 12 years behind bars.

Last May 2, the three defendants, all of Germantown, were convicted of conspiracy to deliver heroin within 1000 feet of a school - J. B. Kelly Elementary, on Pulaski Street near Hansberry - and related offenses. The ring's cut house operated near the school.

The trio also was found guilty of possession with intent to deliver more than 100 grams of heroin and use of a communications facility - for which Teddy was convicted of multiple counts.

The convictions were the culmination of a six-year investigation by local, state and federal drug agents.

Earlier, Lee, in his late 30s, was sentenced to 25 years in prison, after selling heroin at Chew and , said Velez.

Fifteen others, who served as street dealers, suppliers, cuthouse workers and facilitators, entered guilty pleas or were found guilty. Their sentences ranged from a year and a day to life imprisonment.

The 19th co-defendant, heroin addict Frank Robinson, 52, died in 2002, after serving as Teddy's "tester" to determine the opiate's quality. *

Link!


----------



## trychomes

*Bust in Billings, MT (LSD, MDMA)*

http://www.kpvi.com/Global/story.asp?S=7415918

KULR-TV
updated 10:34 p.m. ET, Thurs., Nov. 29, 2007

Police served a search warrant at 1817 Rehberg Lane Friday. There they discovered 1,800 ecstasy pills, more than 2,000 hits of LSD, $6,700 in cash, a small amount of marijuana, and drug paraphernalia.

BILLINGS - A major drug bust on Billings west end has a South Dakota man sitting in the Yellowstone County jail Tuesday.

Twenty-six-year-old Robert Hauge is at the center of the investigation. Police served a search warrant at 1817 Rehberg Lane Friday. There they discovered 1,800 ecstasy pills, more than 2,000 hits of LSD, $6,700 in cash, a small amount of marijuana, and drug paraphernalia.

Billings Police, Yellowstone County Sheriff's Department, and U.S. Immigration and Customs all took part in the investigation.




Wonder why customs got involved.  Theres more to this, I suspect.


----------



## Pharcyde

Customs is involved because of MTs border with canada, i think


----------



## Madhatter4

Wow 1800 hits of E and over 2000 hits of LSD!!!!  Poor poor guy he is going to Federal prison for no less than 10 years


----------



## trychomes

and hopefully he has some integrity and the busts stop with him.


----------



## bingalpaws

More than 5 tons of pot seized in ICE raid

EL PASO, Texas — Federal immigration agents have seized more than 5 tons of marijuana and arrested four people in connection with the drugs, federal agents said Friday.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents seized 10,907 pounds of marijuana in two searches Wednesday.

Investigators said the first seizure, 1,460 pounds of marijuana, was made after agents found the drugs hidden in a car being driven by 20-year-old Humberto Hernandez Jr.

Agents later served a warrant at a warehouse in the El Paso suburb of Horizon where they found 9,447 pounds of marijuana, ICE officials said.

Investigators said the drugs are thought to belong to a cartel in Ciudad Juarez, across the Rio Grande from El Paso. The marijuana, with a street value of about $8 million, was to be sent to Chicago and New York for distribution, investigators said.

Hernandez, a U.S. citizen, and Mexican nationals Aaron Marquez Banderas, 25, Heber Martinez Garcia, 20, and Jorge Trejo Torres, 43, were all arrested on charges of possession with intent to distribute marijuana and conspiracy to possess and distribute marijuana.

All four men are being held at the EL Paso County jail without bond. Jail records do not show if the men have lawyers.

If convicted, the men face up to life in prison.

link


----------



## phr

*N.J. man gets prison for deadly heroin sold in Pittsburgh area
The Associated Press
1.4.08*



PITTSBURGH - A New Jersey man has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for supplying a batch of deadly fentanyl-laced heroin in western Pennsylvania in 2006.

Thirty-six-year-old Alfurgan Simon, of Newark, was convicted in July of conspiring to distribute more than 2.2 pounds of heroin and possessing the drug with the intent to distribute it.

At least 18 people died in Allegheny County from heroin laced with fentanyl, a drug that is legally used as a powerful painkiller for cancer patients.

Prosecutors say Simon's drugs were sold by a Pittsburgh ring from June to November 2006. The drugs were labeled "Get High or Die Trying" and "Burnout."

Link!


----------



## phr

*77-year-old charged as meth dealer
DAVID GAMBACORTA
Philadelphia Daily News
1.17.08*


Maybe Melvin Fulton just isn't the retiring type.

At an age when many of his peers enjoy gardening and going for quiet Sunday drives, Fulton, 77, found an edgier way to keep busy, police say - by running an apparent methamphetamine lab out of his West Oak Lane basement.

Undercover narcotics cops bought meth from Fulton on Tuesday, and made another purchase at his home on Tulpehocken Street near Rodney yesterday, said Narcotics Field Unit Capt. Chris Werner.

Cops returned for a third time, with a search warrant, and found what appeared to be a meth lab in Fulton's basement, Werner said. Fulton - whose arrest history stretches back to 1968 - was charged last night with possessing and selling narcotics, Werner said. Even though Fulton "indicated that he was cooking meth" when the officers arrived at his house to make buys, the lab did not appear to be active last night, Werner said.

The Department of Homeland Security and the Fire Department were called to the scene because the lab could've posed a fire risk, Werner said.

Several neighboring houses were evacuated as a precaution, but the residents all later returned. Werner said investigators recovered drug paraphernalia and a World War II-era Japanese machine gun.

"He's less than cooperative," Werner noted. *

Link!


----------



## Ragingkids

*Nice*

There would be nothing else more i would rather do at the age of 77, Besides the meth....


----------



## AfterGlow

*Colombia makes $540m cocaine haul*
Story from BBC NEWS
2006/03/19 01:38:17 GMT



The Colombian authorities have seized a shipment of cocaine with a street value of $540m (£300m) on board a ship in the Caribbean port of Cartagena.

They found the cocaine, weighing 2.7 tons (2,700kg), in a disinfectant container during a routine inspection.

The police said the Italian-registered vessel was bound for Mexico.

Since January, three tons of cocaine have been seized in Cartagena, 1,100km (685 miles) north of the capital Bogota, police said.

It also comes less than a year after authorities seized 15 tons of cocaine valued at $3bn, in what was described as the single largest drugs haul ever.

The cocaine was thought to belong to the main right-wing paramilitary group, the AUC.

Colombian police estimate paramilitary groups control as much as 40% of the country's illegal drugs trade. 

link


----------



## bingalpaws

lol, so that's what, $200,000 per kilo to get to half a billion?  LO fucking L.  And if that's really auc product being grabbed in colombia, damn, I'm sure there'll be some violent fallout


----------



## MDMARI

I wonder if you can fill a swimmin pool with 15 tons  . That would be crazy.


----------



## phr

*No fooling. Cops seize $22 million of cocaine*
*Sam Wood
Philadelphia Inquirer
4.2.08*


Philadelphia police last night seized more than 600 pounds of cocaine during an April Fool's Day raid, authorities said.

A press conference is scheduled for 3 p.m. today to announce the bust which captured 300 kilograms of coke with a street value of over $22 million, police said.

Link!


----------



## phr

The tv news showed parts of the press conference. They said it was worth $28 million and it was the largest coke seizure ever for Philly. They also found a gun and a few hundred grand.


----------



## Angus_Khan

> Police said they believe the four men arrested Thursday ran a pot-growing ring that, with 700 mature plants, could have produced $14 million a year in profits.
> 
> On average, each plant produces one pound of street-ready marijuana a month, which sells for about $5,000




Ahahahahaha! Yeah i love those indoor plants that produce a pound each, something tells me this grow ring would be growing clones in a residential housing area, and even if you are a pro and use the best equipment, you are looking at maybe 2 oz per plant, definitely not a freaking pound. I would say 1oz per plant in a decent indoor clone grow would be a realistic average. Aah, you have to love inflated drug prices that make the cops and feds look good! No actually you don't gotta love it, fuck them, lying to the people and using the media to spread their lies! o.k, rant finished.


----------



## AfterGlow

*Man faces prison time for selling 100,000 ecstasy pills*

2008 Deseret News Publishing Company
Friday, April 25, 2008 1:11 a.m. MDT

A Murray man convicted of selling more than 100,000 tablets of the club drug ecstasy has been sentenced to serve 13 years in federal prison.

Long Bao Ngo, 32, declined to say anything to the court before a federal judge imposed his sentence on one count of drug distribution.

Ngo was charged with selling the drug MDMA, known on the street as ecstasy, between 2001 and 2006.

In accepting a plea deal last February, Ngo pleaded guilty to the drug possession charge. Federal prosecutors said the plea deal was a compromise in a case which was built on the statements of others and the fact that Ngo faced an even higher sentence if he took it to trial and was convicted by a jury.

U.S. District Judge Ted Stewart also granted Ngo's request for in-prison drug treatment.

link


----------



## Madhatter4

AfterGlow said:
			
		

> 2008 Deseret News Publishing Company
> Friday, April 25, 2008 1:11 a.m. MDT
> 
> A Murray man convicted of selling more than 100,000 tablets of the club drug ecstasy has been *sentenced to serve 13 years in federal prison.*
> 
> Long Bao Ngo, 32, declined to say anything to the court before a federal judge imposed his sentence on one count of drug distribution.
> 
> Ngo was charged with selling the drug MDMA, known on the street as ecstasy, between 2001 and 2006.
> 
> In accepting a plea deal last February, Ngo pleaded guilty to the drug possession charge. Federal prosecutors said the plea deal was a compromise in a case which was built on the statements of others and the fact that Ngo faced an even higher sentence if he took it to trial and was convicted by a jury.
> 
> U.S. District Judge Ted Stewart also granted Ngo's request for in-prison drug treatment.
> 
> link





^^^13 YEARS IN PRISON!!! Thats just disgusting, considering violent criminals, rapists and child molestors get less time in jail.... another life ruined in the name of the good ole "war on drugs"


----------



## bingalpaws

ya it's pretty fuct that we view getting stoned / supplying others with highs as worse than a plethora of violent, disgusting acts


----------



## tekkeN

a little old but interesting:

*Underground drugs factory found *
Sunday, 30 March 2008

A massive underground drugs factory, where hundreds of cannabis plants were nurtured, has been found by police. 

Eight shipping container units had been buried to contruct a labyrinth of plant-growing chambers. 

The whole complex had then been covered by a layer of earth several feet thick - with just one container and a caravan left above ground in the Sussex field. 

Police uncovered the site, which contained 300 plants, after a fire in the caravan at Goddards Green. 

Officers are now guarding the site, which was connected to an electric generator. 


It is believed the drug gang scrambled down into the underground complex through a hatch cut in the bottom of the container unit which was in a field. 

Once down below, the plants were cultivated using artificial lighting and the gang members could move between the container units, which were inter-connected by ladders and hatches. 

A spokesman for Sussex Police said the site appeared to have been "deliberately designed" for producing illegal drugs. 

He said the operation to move and bury the cargo containers - and to arrange a large generator providing heat and light - would have been a "significant undertaking". 

Cabling was found connecting the generator with the underground units at the site on land close to Leigh Water Mill Farm on Cuckfield Road, between Ansty and Hickstead. 


A ladder led from the overground unit to an underground container 

The spokesman said: "This is clearly the undertaking of more than one person and would have taken a period of time and numerous resources to construct." 

Forensic examination of the site is still under way and a "high volume" of specialist fire and police officers have been involved in making the site safe, he added. 

He said there have been two suspected arson incidents at the site in the past month, and work is under way to find if they are linked to the factory. 

No-one has been arrested, but police are hoping witnesses who may have seen unusual activity will come forward. 

Officers also want to speak to professionals who may have been involved in the supply of materials unknowingly


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/sussex/7320358.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/north_east/7367598.stm (crack bust)


----------



## malakaix

*45kg of ecstasy powder seized*

May 20, 2008 10:53am

POLICE and customs have seized 45kg of powdered ecstasy which investigators say would have made more than 150,000 tablets.

The seizure, from a house in Perth, is the largest of MDMA in Western Australia.

Authorities raided a house yesterday in east suburban Lockridge where an organised crime syndicate was setting up a $4.7 million drug lab to process the powdered ecstasy into tablets, police alleged.

The syndicate would have manufactured and supplied more than 150,000 ecstasy tablets, they said.

"Syndicate members were closely monitored and investigators believe the drug lab was being set up to distribute ecstasy tablets across Australia," police and Australian customs said.

Three men were arrested at the Lockridge house.

A 58-year-old Sydney man and a 31-year-old Melbourne man will appear in Perth Magistrates Court today charged with importing and attempting to possess a commercial quantity of MDMA.

A 39-year-old man from Queensland has been charged with attempting to possess a commercial quantity of MDMA and will also appear today.

The operation involved the Australian Federal Police (AFP), WA Police, the Australian Crime Commission and the customs service.

Houses were also searched in the Perth suburbs of Armadale and Balga, and at Randwick in Sydney and Thomastown in Melbourne.

AFP Perth manager Jamie Strauss said the arrests highlighted the co-operation between state, federal and overseas law enforcement in fighting international drug smuggling.

"This is a very significant seizure, not just for Western Australia but for Australia, saving the community $13 million in associated health and social costs," Mr Strauss said. 


http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23728381-1245,00.html

 I live in Perth too

Just noticed it was posted in the Australian Drug Discussion also. Oops


----------



## waterheart776

fruitfly said:
			
		

> The state police are "literally drooling," too?




Yeah. Probably because they smoked too much of what they confiscated.


----------



## ChemicalSmiles

*Man Refueling Plane, gets nabbed*

*Refueling stop in Texas leads to pilot's drug arrest*

A pilot tailed by airborne officers and arrested during a refueling stop in rural East Texas is jailed on nearly two million dollars bond in a drug case.

http://www.topix.com/news/drugs/2008/06/refueling-stop-in-texas-leads-to-pilots-drug-arrest


----------



## ChemicalSmiles

*LSD free Bonnaroo? I think not.*

*Police seize $11,000 of LSD possibly headed for Bonnaroo*

By MARK BELL A routine traffic stop by a Murfreesboro police officer Wednesday led to the arrest of a La Vergne man for possession of 637 hits of LSD.

http://www.topix.com/news/drugs/2008/06/police-seize-11-000-of-lsd-possibly-headed-for-bonnaroo


----------



## Damien

lol at first I thought "Why didn't he post the whole article?"


----------



## phr

Please keep articles like the above in this thread. They don't need their own thread, as they most likely won't generate any worthwhile discussion. Thanks.


----------



## c00kiemonsta

ChemicalSmile said:
			
		

> *Police seize $11,000 of LSD possibly headed for Bonnaroo*
> 
> By MARK BELL A routine traffic stop by a Murfreesboro police officer Wednesday led to the arrest of a La Vergne man for possession of 637 hits of LSD.
> 
> http://www.topix.com/news/drugs/2008/06/police-seize-11-000-of-lsd-possibly-headed-for-bonnaroo



Mega bust?  Ive seen personal stashes bigger... pffft


----------



## dankstersauce

^^^word.  637 hits for 90,000ish people?  Not a bust at at.

$11,000 bucks for 637 hits?  17 dollars a hit?


----------



## phr

*Honduran, US coast guards seize 4.6 tonnes of cocaine*
*AFP
6.29.08*


TEGUCIGALPA (AFP) — US and Honduran Coast Guard patrol boats Saturday seized 4.6 tonnes of cocaine stowed aboard a Honduran-flagged vessel in the Caribbean Sea north of Honduras, said the Honduran commander of the maritime raid.

The cocaine shipment apparently originated from Colombia and the seizure dealt "a harsh blow to drug trafficking" operations in the region, said Captain Juan Pablo Rodriguez.

He said six people, including the ship's captain, were arrested during the joint operation.

"The final destination of this drug is always consumer countries north of us. We're just serve as a bridge, or maritime route over which the drugs are carried," Rodriguez said.

The seizure was carried out under a drug fighting cooperation agreement that call for joint US-Honduran patrols of the Caribbean Sea. 

Link!


----------



## HartfordCT

Its crazy reading about all these fuckin huge busts, and realizing its not even a drop in the bucket...


----------



## bingalpaws

to put it in perspective, I believe *total* intercepted drugs are about 1% of what actually goes through, so yeah, it's not even a friggin drop.


----------



## MDMARI

637 i wonder if he was on 23 lol.......hes fucked...feel sorry for him...recently found one of my aquaintances got popped in fl with 7 sheets.


----------



## Atlien3

LARGEST METHAMPHETAMINE BUST EVER IN THE EASTERN USA


ATLANTA - Federal officials on Monday announced a "record-breaking seizure" of crystal methamphetamine buried in the back yard of a suburban home that they say was operated by a Mexican-based drug ring.

Drug Enforcement Administration agents found 187 1/2 pounds of suspected meth and 41 1-kilo bricks - just over 90 pounds - of suspected cocaine during a search last week, said Sherri Strange, special agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Agency's Atlanta office.

She called it the third largest meth seizure in the U.S. this year, with an estimated total street value of $25 million to $50 million.

"Atlanta continues to be a hub for meth distribution in the Southeast," Strange said.

Four men have been charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine: Eduardo Castro Torres, 43, of Michoacan, Mexico, also a resident of California; Julio Ruesga Barajas, 28, of Santa Ana, Calif.; Ignacio Castro Torres, 39, of Buford, Ga.; and Enrique Medina, 25, of Madalena, Mexico. All four were at the home in Buford at the time of the seizure. Buford is 33 miles northeast of Atlanta.

A notebook found in a hidden compartment of a Nissan Quest found on the premises is believed to detail transactions involving large quantities of meth and cocaine.

Strange said the agents were watching the house Wednesday and saw two of the men uncovering something in the backyard. The cache was hidden in duffel bags inside 55-gallon trash cans that were buried so that the tops were flush with the ground.

She called the case unique because the house itself was pretty "clean" - everything was hidden outside.

Law enforcement officials found a money counter and digital scales buried in a Rubbermaid container next to the garage. Inside the garage, they found $30,000 in cash wrapped in a clear plastic vacuum-sealed bag.

Officials said the operation in Buford was part of a Mexican drug ring that imports and distributes multi-kilogram quantities of meth and cocaine from Mexico by moving it through California and Texas to points throughout the U.S.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Thomas said the seizure "underscores the increasing significance that Atlanta plays in the world of drug trafficking.


----------



## phr

Thanks for posting it in the right thread.


But please include a link in the future.


----------



## phr

*911 call leads to big drug bust in Frankford*
*Allison Steele 
Philadelphia Inquirer
7.24.08*


Police said they arrested three city men and seized more than $2.6 million worth of heroin and $22,300 worth of crack cocaine from a house in the Frankford section late last night.

Edwin Melendez, 23, Luis Alvarado, 26, and Pablo Marajo, 23, were taken into custody shortly after 10:30 p.m. and were subsequently charged with narcotics offenses, Police Lt. Frank Vanore said today.

Police discovered the cache of drugs after someone called 911 to report a burglary in progress at a house on the 1300 block of Kennedy Street, Vanore said.

"Someone must have seen something they thought wasn't right," he added.

When police arrived, the men were leaving the house through the back door and carrying a large box. When they saw police, they threw the box into the front seat of a car and ran off, Vanore said. Officers caught up with them and found that two of the men were armed.

In the box, officers found 7,839 grams of heroin - about 17.3 pounds - as well as 232 grams of crack cocaine. They also found a 9mm handgun, a gas-powered BB gun, and $71 in cash.

The three were charged with possession with the intent to deliver, manufacturing, and other related narcotics offenses. Alvarado and Melendez were also charged with robbery.

The house was Marajo's, police said. None of the men has been charged with burglary.

Link!


----------



## phr

Yeah, I'm sure someone called 911 to report a robbery and they just happened to be walking out the house. Ha.


----------



## 'medicine cabinet'

daaamn, thats a lot of dope. 71$ in cash lol? They must have just reupped on  everything, thus the shortage of cash. I wonder how that is going to hurt the trade in philly. Its not a ton of dope but seems like enough to make some ppl feel the sting.

oh yeah, the link isnt active.


----------



## phr

Thanks. Fixed the link.


Going by previous similar seizures, it won't really have an effect.


----------



## MDMARI

unless it was 71000 til the cops got their hands on it


----------



## panda_behr

Man busted with 14k hits of Acid in Oregon.

"An Oregon man is sitting in a Schenectady County jail cell after being arrested over the weekend at the Camp Bisco Music Festival.

There were thousands of music lovers on hand for the three-day festival in Mariahville and police say Jonathan Taylor had more than enough LSD to go around -- about 14,000 hits of acid. The Portland man is charged with three counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance, two of which are felonies."

http://wnyt.com/article/stories/S519475.shtml?cat=300


----------



## MDMARI

^---now thats just sad makes me wanna cry.....but hes real dumb at the same time u know


----------



## MORPHINE4PAIN

why don't they use some of the money for homeless  & hungry people ?


----------



## TheAppleCore

Arrrgghhh... I can't stand to read about the LSD busts.  I mean, any drug bust is a pity, but the fact that people are being imprisoned for distributing something that (*in my opinion*, & many others') has a huge potential to benefit our society really makes me sad.

It boggles my mind -- what makes psychedelics so frightening, that the government feels that it's their duty to remove anybody involved with them permanently from our society?? 8( 

Really, what makes the government think it's their duty to interfere with ANY one's personal decisions?


----------



## jimmyHIP

wahhh it sooo bad for people to sell heroin but not lsd!  its helping society!

so, do you now see what a stupid ass you sound like?

thanks

also while im here you might as well go to college and cut your hair because LSD will not be paying for your house or retirement, scrub.


----------



## TheAppleCore

I didn't say it was "so bad" for people to sell heroin man. Don't get me wrong -- I said that ANY drug bust is a pity. I don't think anybody should go to jail for selling drugs.

But I *personally* value psychedelics more than other drugs. So, basically, I'm saying that psych busts seem sort of ironic to me... police thinking they're helping society by imprisoning the psych dealers...

Peace and love,
TAC.


----------



## 100MillionYearTrip

jimmyHIP - why are you being a prick for no reason. there is a huge difference between HEROIN, a narcotic that kills people and ruins lives, and LSD, a psychedelic that can greatly enhance someones understanding and enjoyment of life - and not just while they are on it. also, you are a fucking douche. but thats just my opinion. and apple, you misunderstood. he doesn't think LSD is helping, that was sarcasm....


----------



## TheAppleCore

100MillionYearTrip said:
			
		

> and apple, you misunderstood. he doesn't think LSD is helping, that was sarcasm....



Right, yeah I got that. I think jimmy was just trying to say that it was closed-minded to say that it's O.K. to bust H dealers but not acid dealers (and he's right)... was just a simple misunderstanding of the intent of my post. I think we're all good now though. 

Also - acid can certainly ruin lives if abused. Everything in moderation is the key...


----------



## phr

jimmyHIP said:
			
		

> wahhh it sooo bad for people to sell heroin but not lsd!  its helping society!
> 
> so, do you now see what a stupid ass you sound like?
> 
> thanks
> 
> also while im here you might as well go to college and cut your hair because LSD will not be paying for your house or retirement, scrub.


Keep it civil and without ad homs, please.


----------



## drscience

Last Sunday, Toronto police intercepted a transport truck that they believe was hauling 20 kilograms of cocaine from Vancouver to Toronto.

Among the drugs seized during the investigation were:
• 31 kilograms of cocaine worth about $3.1 million;
• Six kilograms of heroin worth about $1.8 million;
• Four kilograms of ecstasy worth about $400,000;
• Two kilograms of crystal methamphetamine worth about $200,000 and;
• Five kilograms of marijuana worth about $20,000.


Ketamine, GHB (a known date rape drug), steroids, Viagra, three homes, 18 vehicles and more than $400,000 in cash were seized, police said.

this after 2 cops were arrested.... 

link    http://www.yorkregion.com/article/79192


----------



## oohcow

^ 6 ks of H is worth 1.8 million huh..... suhweet.


----------



## ojw1121

Camden County Cops Warn of Faux LSD Use
By KSPR News

Story Created: Sep 8, 2008 

Story Updated: Sep 8, 2008 

Three reported overdoses in two weeks in Camden County had police worried about an influx of LSD to the lake area.

Turns out LSD had nothing to do with the reports.

Instead, police believe the reports stem from something called Harmala Alkaloid -- a legal substance found in the Syrian Rue plant.

"This drug, when taken with alcohol, other drugs or medications, or even some foods, especially foods such as certain cheeses, wines, could also be fatal," the sheriff says in a news release.

The Harmala extract is being peddled via eye dropper in Camden County, according to the news release.

People who want to know more are being asked to contact the Camden County Sheriff's Office at (573) 346-2243.


(I'm not allowed to post clickable text or I'd post the link)


----------



## bingalpaws

*link*


----------



## phr

> (I'm not allowed to post clickable text or I'd post the link)


Are you serious? Is this because you're a greenlighter?




Thanks, bingalpaws.


----------



## ojw1121

phrozen said:
			
		

> Are you serious? Is this because you're a greenlighter?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks, bingalpaws.



It seems so, after this post I'll need 13 more and then I can post images and url's.

And thanks bingalpaws for the link.

BTW, great thread.  I have my igoogle page set-up with pretty much just drug news stories by substance.


----------



## amor fati

panda_behr said:
			
		

> Man busted with 14k hits of Acid in Oregon.
> 
> "An Oregon man is sitting in a Schenectady County jail cell after being arrested over the weekend at the Camp Bisco Music Festival.
> 
> There were thousands of music lovers on hand for the three-day festival in Mariahville and police say Jonathan Taylor had more than enough LSD to go around -- about 14,000 hits of acid. The Portland man is charged with three counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance, two of which are felonies."
> 
> http://wnyt.com/article/stories/S519475.shtml?cat=300



I can only imagine the type of person to get busted with 140 sheets at bisco8)


----------



## ojw1121

'Major’ Sydney dealer pleads guilty 


Wed. Sep 10 - 5:48 AM

SYDNEY — A Sydney man considered to be a "major player" in the Cape Breton drug scene pleaded guilty Tuesday to multiple charges of drug trafficking.

Geoffrey Brent Bidart, 33, of Champlain Avenue smiled at family members in court before pleading guilty to trafficking large quantities of drugs including cocaine, ecstasy, LSD and marijuana.

Judge Peter Ross set Oct. 21 as the sentencing date and ordered that a presentence report be compiled.

In July, Cape Breton Regional Police saw Mr. Bidart in his parked car in downtown Sydney and suspected he was conducting drug deals while a child was in the back seat. 

According to court evidence, Mr. Bidart soon recognized the narcotics officers and drove off quickly when they triggered the siren on their unmarked vehicle. As he drove, he began tossing drugs out the window. He eventually stopped the car and took off on foot through the Wentworth Park area, leaving the child in the back seat.

Police eventually chased down Mr. Bidart and retrieved the drugs from the street and also from his parents’ home after getting a search warrant. They also seized $11,000 in cash, believed to be the proceeds of crime.

Crown attorney Dave Iannetti told reporters Tuesday he plans to recommend a five-year prison sentence for Mr. Bidart, who was sporting a freshly shaved head in court.

"He was considered a significant problem in the community by police," Mr. Iannetti told The Chronicle Herald later.

"He’s had similar convictions several years ago, and he’s considered a major player in the area.

"Cocaine, ecstasy and acid (LSD) are all huge problems in this community, you see it every day in the courts and the detrimental effects it’s having on our local youth and families." 

Two drug trafficking charges laid at the time of Mr. Bidart’s arrest were dropped in exchange for his guilty pleas Tuesday. 

In total, he was found to be in possession of 320 grams of pure cocaine, 632 ecstasy pills, more than three kilograms of marijuana and 200 tablets of LSD.

Mr. Bidart was sentenced in October 1998 to 30 days in jail for drug possession and in 2002 to five months for trafficking marijuana.

Family members in court Tuesday included Maurice Bidart, who last week helped stop a flood in the courthouse from getting worse after a prisoner destroyed a sprinkler head in the basement lockup. Mr. Bidart was in the building for Geoffrey Bidart’s original sentencing when he heard the alarm and rushed to help, despite an order to evacuate. 

The sentencing was then postponed to this week.

( tcamus@herald.ca)



[Source: from the Chronicle Herald of Nova Scotia


----------



## kzorro

"In total, he was found to be in possession of 320 grams of pure cocaine..."
lol pure cocaine 8)


----------



## ojw1121

*Forgot the text*

SEP 17 -- (WASHINGTON) – Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey and DEA Acting Administrator Michele M. Leonhart announced that 175 individuals were arrested today and on Sept. 16, 2008, on charges related to an international drug trafficking cartel in a coordinated enforcement action by hundreds of international, federal, state and local law enforcement officials throughout the United States and Italy . Including the operations announced today, a long-term investigation of one of Mexico’s largest drug trafficking cartels and its U.S. and international distribution networks has resulted in the arrest of more than 500 individuals in the United States, Mexico and Italy to date.

“Project Reckoning,” a multi-agency law enforcement effort led by the DEA, targeted the Mexican drug trafficking cartel known as the Gulf Cartel. Among those indicted are the three alleged leaders of the Gulf Cartel: Ezequiel Cardenas-Guillen, Heriberto Lazcano-Lazcano and Jorge Eduardo Costilla-Sanchez. These individuals, each designated as Consolidated Priority Organization Targets (CPOTs) by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), have been indicted in U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia on charges that they conspired to import drugs into the United States from Mexico . A CPOT designation is reserved for significant narcotics traffickers who are believed to be the leaders of drug trafficking organizations responsible for the importation of large quantities of narcotics into the United States.

The Gulf Cartel is responsible for the transportation of multi-ton quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin and marijuana from Colombia, Guatemala, Panama and Mexico to the United States, as well as the distribution of those narcotics within the United States. The Gulf Cartel is also believed to be responsible for laundering multiple millions of dollars in criminal proceeds. Individuals indicted in the cases are charged with a variety of crimes, including: drug trafficking charges related to cocaine and marijuana; solicitation and conspiracy to kidnap; attempted murder; conspiracy to use a firearm in a violent crime; conspiracy to kill and kidnap in a foreign country; interstate and foreign travel in aid of racketeering; money laundering; and other related crimes.

To date, Project Reckoning has resulted in the arrest of 507 individuals and the seizure of approximately $60.1 million in U.S. currency, 16,711 kilograms of cocaine, 1,039 pounds of methamphetamine, 19 pounds of heroin, 51,258 pounds of marijuana, 176 vehicles and 167 weapons. Project Reckoning, a 15-month investigation, combined into one centrally coordinated effort several multi-district enforcement operations that all involved individuals with close ties to the Gulf Cartel. Operation Dos Equis , Operation Vertigo, Operation Stinger and Operation The Family as well as numerous local operations combined to form Project Reckoning.

“By spreading dangerous drugs and resorting to brutal violence, international drug cartels pose an extraordinary threat both here and abroad,” said Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey. “The scope of the threat demands a deliberate and sustained response and the success we have had, such as the takedowns announced today, is due to the combined efforts of federal, state, local and international law enforcement. Although I am pleased with the efforts so far, we cannot and will not rest on these successes. The threat posed by international drug cartels is too great. It will take all of us working together to prevail.”

“We successfully completed a hard-hitting, coordinated and massive assault on the powerful and extremely violent Gulf Cartel,” said DEA Acting Administrator Michele M. Leonhart. “We have arrested U.S. cell heads, stripped the cartel of $60 million in cash, imprisoned their brutal assassins and significantly disrupted their U.S. infrastructure. DEA will continue our relentless attack against this cartel, aiming to dismantle them and stop the violence they inflict on Southwest Border communities.”

“Metro Atlanta unfortunately continues to be a major drug distribution center for the Southeast and beyond. The DEA and our many other law enforcement partners continue to aggressively investigate all aspects of the drug trade,” said U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia David E. Nahmias. “This major case is another example of their effective, coordinated efforts. The two cartel cells indicted in Atlanta acted like many shipping businesses, coordinating the transportation of truckloads of hidden drugs and millions of dollars in currency across the country and to and from Mexico . Through our sophisticated investigation and prosecutions, we have disrupted these organizations, seized large amounts of their poisons and proceeds, and now will work hard to lock up their members for many years to come.”

“This operation exemplifies the European vision of the international fight against drug trafficking.” Said Dr. Nicola Gratteri, Italian Public Prosecutor for the Anti-mafia District Attorney's Office of Reggio Calabria , Italy.

These cases are being handled by attorneys in the Northern District of Georgia; Southern District of Texas; Northern District of Texas; Western District of Texas; District of New Jersey; Eastern District of Louisiana; District of New Mexico; Southern District of Florida; Eastern District of North Carolina; Southern District of New York; and the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section and Office of International Affairs. In addition, local prosecutions in this case will occur in the states of California , Georgia , Illinois , North Carolina and Missouri.

The investigative efforts in Project Reckoning were coordinated by the Justice Department’s Special Operations Division, the DEA, FBI, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Marshals Service and attorneys from the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section. More than 200 federal, state, local and foreign law enforcement agencies contributed investigative and prosecutorial resources to Project Reckoning through the OCDETF. Significant assistance was also provided by a coalition of international investigative agencies spearheaded by DEA offices located in Colombia , Guatemala , Mexico , Panama and Italy with assistance from foreign counterparts in each of those countries.

An indictment is merely an allegation and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. 


http://www.google.com/search?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.usdoj.gov%2Fdea%2Fpubs%2Fpressrel%2Fpr091708.html&rls=com.microsoft:*:IE-SearchBox&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7TSHB


----------



## ojw1121

*Suicide attempt at Earth Dance said to have followed LSD dose*

Ukiah Daily Journal Staff
Article Last Updated: 09/17/2008 12:07:39 AM PDT


The Daily Journal
LAYTONVILLE * Witnesses say an attempted suicide by a 23-year-old San Francisco woman attending Earth Dance north of Laytonville came after she took a dose of LSD.

Medical personnel at the Earth Dance Festival were with the woman when Mendocino County Sheriff's Office deputies arrived, a Tuesday sheriff's report stated.

A large knife that the woman reportedly stabbed herself with was recovered at the scene, the report stated.

Witnesses told deputies the woman began acting strangely after taking the drug LSD. Before she could be restrained , the woman reportedly jumped up and stabbed herself once in the abdomen.

She was flown to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital and her condition was not known at press time.

http://www.ukiahdailyjournal.com/ci_10484980


----------



## ojw1121

*Police return medical marijuana to Calif. man*
1 day ago

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. (AP) — A medical marijuana user has his pot back, nearly three years after police in Huntington Beach, Calif., seized it.

A judge Tuesday ordered police to return about four ounces of marijuana to Jim Spray.

Spray says he used the pot to relieve back pain. He was arrested but charges were dropped.

Police have been struggling to decide how to deal with California law allowing marijuana use for medical reasons but federal law that prohibits it. 


http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hNT6i-Qb4dBkaY815R3QBL5_0-mgD938LHH01


----------



## phr

*Phila. meth ring busted*
*Robert Moran
Philadelphia Inquirer
9.19.08*


Law enforcement agents today busted a Philadelphia drug ring that smuggled crystal methamphetamine manufactured in Mexico that was later hidden in porcelain dolls and dropped off at an Old City shoe store.

The ring trafficked $6.6 million of meth in Philadelphia, Bucks, Montgomery and Chester Counties, said Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett.

"This is a significant operation," Corbett said, noting that the organization is believed to have distributed more than 100 pounds of meth.

Thirteen people were arrested in connection with the drug trafficking operation, including a California woman who acted as a go-between.

The woman who allegedly was the Mexican source of the drugs was killed during the investigation.

Estela "Monica" Elenes was kidnapped the weekend of June 20 by four gunmen in the state of Sinaloa in western Mexico.

Elenes was later found decapitated with several gunshot wounds to her head.

Law enforcement officials believe she was one of 19 people murdered by drug cartels that weekend in Culiacan, the capital of Sinaloa.

After Congress in 2005 placed restrictions on the availability of the chemicals needed to make meth, cartels in places such as Mexico created "superlabs" to manufacture bulk amounts of the drug to be smuggled into the United States, said Timothy J. Ogden, special agent in charge for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency's Philadelphia office.

The DEA, Philadelphia Police Department, and the Chester County district attorney and sheriff assisted the attorney general's Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement in the investigation.

Code-named "Operation Broken Doll, the probe was launched in January and targeted Christopher McDaniel, 54, of the 800 block of South Second Street in Queen Village.

Flor Amaya, 31, of Chino, Calif., took payments from McDaniel and shipped meth she received from Mexico inside porcelain dolls to Philadelphia via commercial services such as UPS and FedEx.

The majority of shipments were sent to Ben's Shoes at 231 Market St., where they would be picked up by McDaniel's associates.

No one at the store has been charged, but the investigation is ongoing.

The charges recommended by a statewide investigating grand jury allege that McDaniel paid Elenes $22,000 a pound for the meth and then resold each pound for a $13,000 profit.

Each pound would later be diluted for street sales.

Among the individuals arrested today were James "Jimmy Nutt" Ballezzi, 46, of the 1300 block of Warnock Street, and Joseph "Kokomo Joe" Brabazon, 34, of the 8200 block of Frankford Avenue.

Two of the people arrested also were charged with trafficking anabolic steroids.

Link!


----------



## Trey

Frankford-area man charged with growing marijuana

The News Journal

Frankford, DE - A 56-year-old man faces drug charges after he was allegedly found growing marijuana in a Frankford-area field, police said.

Wednesday afternoon, members of the Delaware State Police Troop 4 Sussex Drug Unit, Sussex Governors Task Force and Delaware State Police Aviation South were conducting marijuana eradication operations. During their aerial search, they discovered what appeared to marijuana in a field behind a property in the 30,000 block of Frankford School Road, southeast of Frankford.

During the investigation, troopers contacted the owner of the property, Stephen L. Rogers. A search of the property was conducted, and troopers located and seized 16 marijuana plants growing on the property and four marijuana plants inside his residence.

Combined, the marijuana plants weighed a total of 17 pounds In addition a Ruger .357 handgun, three shotguns, two rifles, and drug paraphernalia were seized from the residence. Stephen L. Rogers was arrested for trafficking marijuana, manufacturing marijuana, maintaining a dwelling, possession of deadly weapon during the commission of a felony and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was released on a $42,000 unsecured bond.

http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200880918024

pic1
pic2


----------



## Trey

Delaware
Wilmington Police Confiscate Heroin with Street Value of 10-Grand

Vice units set up surveillance and find 22-year-old man with more than one thousand bags of Heroin in two trash cans

_By Joe LeCompte 1450 Wilm Newsradio_

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Wilmington Police set up the sting operation on Tuesday in the area of Pleasant and VanBuren streets, just before three in the afternoon. Master Sergeant, Steve Barnes says, Officers witnessed 22-year-old, David Coston allegedly selling drugs from two trash cans. “Well over a thousand bags of heroin. Over 650 of the bags were stamped with a Smiley Face and more than 350 were stamped with Diamond Dust.” The drugs have a street value of more than 10-grand. David Coston, of the 200 block of Lower Oak street in Wilmington, faces charges of trafficking heroin, and possession with intent to deliver heroin within 1000 feet a school and 300 feet of a park. Coston is being held in the Howard Young Prison after failing to post 120-thousand dollars bail.
End.


Damn


----------



## ojw1121

http://www.press-citizen.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080929/NEWS01/80929002/1079#pluckcomments 

September 29, 2008


Man charged for lacing gum with LSD

Lee Hermiston
Iowa City Press-Citizen 

Police arrested an Iowa City man for allegedly delivering LSD-coated chewing gum to a police informant.

According to Iowa City Police reports, on July 28, a confidential informant took a pack of gum containing 14 sticks to Dustin Hammes, 23, of 927 S. Van Buren St. Police said Hammes put one drop of LSD on 13 sticks and two drops of LSD on one stick and returned it to the informant.

LSD is the more common name for lysergic acid diethylamide a semisynthetic drug that causes hallucinations when ingested. It is also known as "acid."

Police arrested Hammes, who allegedly admitted to delivering the gum to the informant. A narcotics search warrant was executed at Hammes’ apartment on July 29 and officers found marijuana and smoking pipes in his bedroom. Hammes told police he had just smoked marijuana before the officers arrived.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Poor guy


----------



## Delsyd

*Drug agents seize 165 poounds of methamphetamine*

NEWARK, N.J. - Authorities say they seized 165 pounds of crystal methamphetamine when members of a Drug Enforcement Agency task force pulled over a refrigerated tractor-trailer on Route 80 in West Paterson.

The driver of the truck was arrested. Authorities say he is a member of a Mexican drug organization. He is being held on $5 million bail, facing charges of possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance.

The head of the DEA's New Jersey division estimated the shipment was worth $11 million.

Crystal methamphetamine, known as "ice," is a highly pure form of the drug usually produced in Mexican labs.

Authorities say they began tracking the truck driver, 38-year-old Alberto Olguin, in September.

When they stopped the truck on Monday, they found the drugs in plastic food storage containers intermingled with the truck's cargo of produce.

http://www.philly.com/philly/wires/...ugagentsseize165pooundsofmethamphetamine.html


----------



## XperienceMe

thats alot of meth....


----------



## Delsyd

it will be all over the NE soon.

this is the biggest bust the NE has ever seen.

its definately spreading.


----------



## XperienceMe

It already is in NY/NJ...

alotta people make it down in rural NJ, Rural NY and PA

and bring it to the city..Its pretty damn easy to make too


----------



## phr

Merged.


----------



## Delsyd

XperienceMe said:


> It already is in NY/NJ...
> 
> alotta people make it down in rural NJ, Rural NY and PA
> 
> and bring it to the city..Its pretty damn easy to make too




i know its around here.
but definately not like in west coast.

In LA i found meth as easy to find as pot.
That certainly isnt the case in the NE.

But i think it is only gaining in popularity.

There are alot of drug fiends here.


----------



## h0ppinlowrider

*$12mil MDMA Bust in AUS*

Police have smashed a large-scale drug processing operation in Sydney’s south-west over the weekend, seizing tablets and powder worth in excess of $12 million.

It is believed the illicit drugs would have been destined for sale in Sydney over the Christmas-New Year holiday season.

Acting on information received from a member of the public, Bankstown Local Area Command officers raided a home in Weenamana Place, Padstow, about 8pm on Friday (12 December).

Inside the house officers located more than 200,000 tablets believed to be MDMA (ecstasy), as well as more than 50kg of un-pressed MDMA powder.

The combined estimated potential street value of the illicit substances is at least $12 million.

Commander of Bankstown LAC, Superintendent Stuart Wilkins, said one room of the house had been devoted to a pill-pressing operation, with various tablets stored in containers in the kitchen.

“This was a large-scale illicit drug processing operation which has been smashed as a result of information from the public,” Superintendent Wilkins said.

“We have been astounded at its size – it is amongst the largest I have ever seen,” he said.

“It took two days to dismantle this operation and involved officers from my command, assisted by specialist forensics officers and detectives from the State Crime Command’s Drug Squad.

“There is little doubt this massive seizure will have a significant impact on the availability of illicit drugs in Sydney over the festive season.”

Three pill presses have been seized, as well as precursor chemicals and a large volume of pseudoephedrine-based products. Almost 1kg of MDMA powder was located inside a vacuum cleaner.

No arrests have been made; however, Bankstown LAC detectives are continuing their inquiries to locate two men who had been living in the house.

One man is described as being of Middle Eastern/Mediterranean in appearance, aged 28, about 172cm tall, with a solid build, olive complexion, black hair and brown eyes.

The second man is described as being of white/European appearance, 30 years old, 180-185cm tall, medium to solid build, 90-100kg, with dark hair and with blond highlights.

Any members of the public who know the whereabouts of the two men are urged to contact Bankstown Police Station on (02) 9783 2199 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Meanwhile, Detective Superintendent Nick Bingham, Commander of the State Crime Command’s Drug Squad, has re-issued a warning about the dangers of illicit substances.

“With the festive season upon us it is timely to remind the community of the potentially fatal consequences of taking prohibited drugs, such as MDMA. There are no quality controls, you don’t know what is contained in these substances, or what your reaction will be to them.

“People should also be vigilant in contacting ambulance officers immediately if their friends show any adverse effects after taking illicit drugs. A friend’s life should be the first priority, not whether they will get into trouble with police,” Detective Superintendent Bingham said.

He added that the success of the weekend’s search warrant also showed the importance of information from the community.

“Members of the public play an important role in helping police to arrest people responsible for the manufacture and supply of prohibited drugs.

Source: http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/news/m...nb3YuYXUlMkZtZWRpYSUyRjQzNDIuaHRtbCZhbGw9MQ==


----------



## SnailS1904

200k tabs...wow




> “People should also be vigilant in contacting ambulance officers immediately if their friends show any adverse effects after taking illicit drugs. A friend’s life should be the first priority, not whether they will get into trouble with police,” Detective Superintendent Bingham said.


i think its good he mentioned that though.


----------



## phr

Merged.


----------



## BB1

I almost fell off my barstool laughing when this came on the tv:

Saturday, Sept. 13, 2008:

A makeshift submarine loaded with $187 million in cocaine was seized in a harrowing drug bust off Costa Rica, authorities said Wednesday. The U.S. Coast Guard intercepted the steel and fiberglass vessel in the dark of night and arrested four Colombian smugglers and confiscated 7 tons of cocaine.

OMG. a Drug Sub!  

here's the full article from cnn:

http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/09/19/drug.subs/index.html


----------



## trainwreckmolly

^^I've heard these are becoming more and more popular.  This isn't the first submarine bust I've heard about.


----------



## Ungoliath

*Toronto man charged in huge cocaine bust In Saint John 276kg*

This Happened About an hour away from my house
(I think just the large amount warrents its own thread, and the smuggling method, if not feel free to merge)

Short and Skinny of it, East Coast Canada, You know those really skinny cocaine bricks we get? the 1-2" thick ones? Finally we know why they look so weird, and there getting shipped here from from South America.

Also, not mentioned here, this cocaine goes from An hour from my house, St. John, To Toronto, Maine, and a few other states. I didn't know my little province was so big in the drug trade.


http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2008/12/23/nb-cocaine-bust.html?ref=rss






Finally, An explanation for those thin bricks that i've always wondered about, bricks I see pictures of from Miami and New York are always so much thicker but not ours, finally I get my answer.

Info From My Newspaper. 276kg monthly, Going to Ontario, New Brunswick (Obviously), Maine (for Drugs), Vermont and New Hampshire.

Wow



> A Toronto man has been charged after the Canada Border Services Agency seized 276 kilograms worth of cocaine with an estimated street value of $40 million at the Port of Saint John in New Brunswick.
> 
> The investigation known as Project Falcon involved months of work by the CBSA, Saint John police, RCMP and Durham Regional Police, resulting in the largest drug seizure ever in New Brunswick by the CBSA.
> 
> The cocaine was discovered by border services officers on Dec. 11, during the search of a marine container from Guyana. The ship makes regular trips between Saint John and the Caribbean.
> 
> The CBSA officer uncovered 1,653 packages of cocaine that were tucked inside the corrugated lining of 551 cardboard boxes holding other food shipments.
> 
> The discovery was aided by X-ray technology and a detector dog.
> 
> "The dog alerted us that it was definitely something there. Then our X-ray technology actually narrowed down to where it was and then our officers worked very hard," said Don Collins, a CBSA district director..
> 
> "I have to say I'm very proud of them because they do such hard work on a daily basis, taking the stuff apart, carefully weighing it and getting it ready for evidence."
> 
> The cocaine tested to be almost 80 per cent pure.
> 
> There have been three drug seizures in Atlantic Canada this year by the CBSA.
> 
> Project Falcon started with the intention of finding the source of cocaine landing in the hands of gang members.
> 
> Investigators removed all but two kilograms of the cocaine and conducted a controlled delivery of the container to Ontario.
> 
> Mahendrapaul Doodnauth, the 45-year-old owner of Caribbean International Food Distributors in Etobicoke, was arrested on Dec. 19.
> 
> Doodnauth has been charged with several offences, including importing cocaine and conspiracy to import cocaine.
> 
> But Insp. Darrell Scribner of the Saint John police said making a bust this big will affect the city.
> 
> "All of this cocaine did not end up on the streets here in Canada, some of it which may have been destined back here to Saint John," he said.



THIS MAN HAD A WICKED IDEA FOR SMUGGLING HE WOULD HAVE NEVER GOTTEN CAUGHT WITHOUT INFORMANTS, I KNOW FOR A FACT I HAVE HAD SOME OF THAT COCAINE BECAUSE THE BRICKS MY DEALER HAS ARE ALWAYS VERY THIN AND ROCK HARD EXACTLY LIKE PICTURE


----------



## phr

Merged.


----------



## Hammilton

You people are always so quick to blame informants when with something like that I'd give 99-1 odds that this was just dogs reacting to what was moving through.

Look at the heroin they find literally impregnated in clothing, this would be a cinch.


----------



## Ungoliath

Hammilton said:


> You people are always so quick to blame informants when with something like that I'd give 99-1 odds that this was just dogs reacting to what was moving through.
> 
> Look at the heroin they find literally impregnated in clothing, this would be a cinch.



In my local paper it said they used police informants.


----------



## FrostyMcFailure

I tried to read this first page & i got stopped in my tracks, way too depressing.



> Police said they believe the four men arrested Thursday ran a pot-growing ring that, with 700 mature plants, could have produced $14 million a year in profits.
> 
> On average, each plant produces one pound of street-ready marijuana a month, which sells for about $5,000.


 Whoever came up with those numbers deserved to be sentenced to life in a Chinese jail cell.

p.s. fuck informants, even the police got no respect for their kind.


----------



## trainwreckmolly

*Panama Seizes 53 tonnes of drugs in 2008*

*Panama seizes 53 tonnes of drugs in 2008*
January 5, 2009
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5j1AZaj9Al8RVfbmFSiUh1DnyzdZw

PANAMA CITY - Panama seized 53 tonnes of drugs in 2008, took over 42 bank accounts, confiscated 700 cell phones and 209 vehicles connected with drug trafficking, prosecutors said in an annual report Monday.

Drug seizures were slightly below the previous year, which saw a record haul from a cargo ship of 20 tonnes in March 2007, said drug prosecutor Edwin Guardia.

The 2008 haul included 51 tonnes of cocaine and two of marijuana.

One tenth of the seizures were in joint naval operations with the United States in international waters, the report said.

Police also seized more than three million dollars in cash linked to drug trafficking and confiscated 1.5 million from 42 bank accounts.

A total of 540 people were charged in connection with drug trafficking; mostly Panamanians, but also Colombians and Mexicans, the report said.

"Colombian cartels concentrate on the production of illicit drugs," while Mexican cartels are "transport cartels working on bringing illicit drugs to the United States and Europe," said chief drug prosecutor Jose Abel Almengor.


----------



## AfterGlow

trainwreckmolly said:


> *Panama seizes 53 tonnes of drugs in 2008*
> January 5, 2009
> http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5j1AZaj9Al8RVfbmFSiUh1DnyzdZw
> 
> PANAMA CITY - Panama seized 53 tonnes of drugs in 2008, took over 42 bank accounts, confiscated 700 cell phones and 209 vehicles connected with drug trafficking, prosecutors said in an annual report Monday.
> .
> .
> One tenth of the seizures were in joint naval operations with the United States in international waters, the report said.
> .
> .



Who exactly has jurisdiction in international waters?  I thought that if I was n possession of drugs on my own privately owned vessel beyond the oceanic borders of any country, then I was not bound to any laws provided I was not trying to kill or steal from somebody who was a declared national.   no?


----------



## thinctwo

AfterGlow said:


> Who exactly has jurisdiction in international waters?  I thought that if I was n possession of drugs on my own privately owned vessel beyond the oceanic borders of any country, then I was not bound to any laws provided I was not trying to kill or steal from somebody who was a declared national.   no?



Article 108 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and article 17 of the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances lay the foundation of narcotics being illegal in international waters, but as pirates (think Somalia, Malacca, not RIAA) have shown whoever has arms and the will to use them ultimately has jurisdiction at sea (anywhere really).


----------



## AfterGlow

thinctwo said:


> Article 108 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and article 17 of the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances lay the foundation of narcotics being illegal in international waters, but as pirates (think Somalia, Malacca, not RIAA) have shown whoever has arms and the will to use them ultimately has jurisdiction at sea (anywhere really).



Aren't there some nations who are not members of the U.N.?   And does this apply to ALL oceans.  What if I owned my own island?   Would the rest of the world try to assert some soft of control over MY sovereignty?


----------



## forestxfaerie

this is so sad. no wonder why its so hard to find shit nowadays.


----------



## trainwreckmolly

*Sixteen Arrested in Small Town America Drug Trafficking Ring*

Sixteen Arrested in Small Town America Drug Trafficking Ring
January 16, 2009
By Jodie Underwood
http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/pubs/states/newsrel/2009/seattle011609b.html



JAN 16 -- (Seattle) – DEA Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Arnold R. Moorin and the United States Attorney for the Western District of Washington, Jeffrey Sullivan, announced that on January 16, 2009 , sixteen people were arrested following a year long investigation of a drug distribution conspiracy centered in Skagit County , Washington . It is alleged that the drug ring smuggled pound quantities of heroin and five to ten kilograms of cocaine per month into the United States .

Law enforcement searched five residences and seized approximately five pounds of heroin, two pounds of cocaine, $23,000 in cash, seven vehicles and two firearms. Eight of the defendants have been indicted by a federal grand jury and seven others detained are facing either charges in Skagit County Superior Court of immigration proceedings. One defendant likely will be processed as a juvenile. Investigators utilized court authorized wire taps and confidential sources to infiltrate the organization as it recruited people to transport cocaine from Tijuana , Baja , California , Mexico into the United States .

The defendants have been indicted by a federal grand jury:

Alfonso Gutierrez-Orozco, a/k/a “Saul”, 25, of Mount Vernon , Washington ,
Fernando Hernandez-Salazar, a/k/a “Tino”, 20, of Mount Vernon , Washington ,
Abel Orozco-Gutierrez, a/k/a “Kalvin”, 34, of Tacoma , Washington ,
Joel Vasquez-Vasquez, 21, of Mount Vernon , Washington ,
Luis Miguel Campos-Alvarado, 18, of Mount Vernon , Washington ,
Samuel Vaca-Garcia, 26, of Bellingham , Washington ,
Jessie Smith, 26, of Sedro Woolley , Washington ,
Tammy Zorotovich, 39, of Bellingham , Washington


----------



## Tchort

A lot of successful drug dealers live out in the suburbs and rural 'Main Street' towns, but conduct business elsewhere. There was a big local media frenzy about evidence that the small rural Main Street town I lived in at the time was home to several similar operations as the one mentioned in the news article above. While this town was in a rural area and as redneck as it gets, it is only 30 miles to Washington D.C. and maybe 30-40 miles to Baltimore (and not far from any of the big cities in Virginia, and NYC).


----------



## phr

Merged.


----------



## thinctwo

*DPS finds 9,210 pounds of marijuana in abandoned school bus*

DPS finds 9,210 pounds of marijuana in abandoned school bus

Austin American-Statesman

Tuesday, February 3, 2009, 08:25 AM

From The Texas Department of Public Safety:

The Texas Department of Public Safety is asking for the public’s help after finding almost five tons of marijuana in an abandoned school bus in Webb County.

A DPS Highway Patrol trooper on routine patrol saw the school bus on the side of the road Saturday morning on U.S. 59 and went to investigate. He discovered more than 9,210 pounds of marijuana worth $3.9 million. The 560 bundles of marijuana were hidden under cardboard and in a secret ceiling compartment.


This is the second largest marijuana seizure by DPS during routine traffic enforcement since 1997.

The bus may have experienced engine problems. No suspect has been identified at this point, and DPS Narcotics is now conducting the follow-up investigation. Anyone with information about the case is urged to call DPS Narcotics at 956-728-2201.

Link


----------



## cvillian

*Nine Arrested, MDMA, LSD, Marijuana, Guns, and U.S. Currency Seized*

[/B]Nine Arrested, MDMA, LSD, Marijuana, Guns, and U.S. Currency Seized*

Attorney General Brown and Mendocino County Sheriff Shut Down Ecstasy Ring

MENDOCINO- Attorney General Edmund G. Brown along with the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Major Crimes Task Force today announced the arrest of nine people involved in a “dangerous drug ring” that operated ecstasy (MDMA) labs throughout Northern California.

“This drug ring, operating throughout northern California, posed a threat to people and the environment” Attorney General Brown said. “Today’s bust marks an end to the activities of this dangerous drug ring.”

In November 2008, the Attorney General’s Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement teamed up with the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office after an anonymous tip alerted law enforcement agents of a possible MDMA lab operating in Mendocino County.

Agents monitored the suspected lab location and identified the cook as Jonathan Passel from El Cerrito. Passel was followed to several locations including: a residence in Willits and Redwood Valley, a warehouse in San Rafael, a residence in El Cerrito, a residence and warehouse in Oakland, and an extremely remote location in northwest Mendocino County.

On January 23, 2009, Agents from the Department of Justice Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement, the Mendocino County Major Crimes Task Force, Santa Rosa Drug Enforcement Agency, West Contra Costa Narcotic Enforcement Team, Lake County Narcotics Task Force, California Highway Patrol, Sonoma Narcotics Task Force, Ukiah Police Department, Willits Police Department, and the Marin County Major Crimes Task Force served nine warrants in four counties.

Jonathan Passel, 46, and Mia Miller, 44, were arrested at the lab site in Mendocino County. Agents seized a .45 handgun, thousands of dollars worth of chemicals, commercial grade laboratory glassware, and over one-hundred gallons of toxic, poisonous, and flammable liquids and solids. Hazardous chemicals and laboratory equipment filled forty large barrels with an estimated disposal cost of $35,000.

Very little waste product was found at the lab site, raising concerns of illegal dumping of toxic, poisonous, and flammable substances in the surrounding area. Illegal dumping of chemical waste can be extremely dangerous to the land, animals, and people living near a dump site.

“This is the best example I’ve ever seen of a 3-month investigation being coordinated by multiple agencies and coming to a very successful conclusion.” Mendocino County Sheriff Tom Allman said.

Also seized were approximately 44 kilograms of MDMA (ecstacy), worth an estimated $1,936,000.00,

Paul Passel, 64, Jonathan Passel’s brother, was arrested in El Cerrito but was cited at the scene due to medical issues. Agents seized 1 ½ pounds of marijuana and lab glassware.

Phillip Crosby, 35, Jared Coil, 28, Kayla Kashtiban, 19, and Justin Spilis, 21, were arrested in Willits. Agents seized 600 marijuana plants, LSD, MDMA, and several firearms.

Leon Haskell, 34, and Tappie Dufresne, 37, were arrested in Oakland. Agents seized approximately 44 kilos of MDMA, 28 pounds of psyliocibin mushrooms, 30 pounds of marijuana, and approximately $500,000 in cash.

http://current.com/items/89765439/nine_arrested_mdma_lsd_marijuana_guns_and_u_s_currency_seized.htm*


----------



## cvillian

Thanks to bluelight member, _Mr Trips_, for the article I posted above.  He didn't follow the DiTM guidelines and didn't post this in the DiTM drug bust section and it was closed by a MOD.  I went ahead and re-posted it here for him.


----------



## colors

*CANADA to NYC pot ring bust*

*Six men charged in pot pipeline
TWO-YEAR PROBE: Marijuana moved through reservation
By DAVID WINTERS
Watertown Daily Times
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2009*
link

Federal authorities charged six people over their alleged roles in an international marijuana smuggling operation that moved thousands of pounds of pot through the St. Regis Mohawk Reservation, netting the crime syndicate about $100 million.

The two-year investigation exposed a pipeline bringing about 50,000 pounds of marijuana into the U.S. and distributing it to several cities, including Syracuse, Rochester, Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan, federal prosecutors said Wednesday. The syndicate is alleged to have moved the marijuana through the reservation from January 2003 to last month.

"We won't see the impact from this for a few weeks," Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven L. Tiscione said.

The Eastern District of New York, which covers three New York City boroughs (Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island) and Long Island, is handling the case.

The ringleaders of the operation allegedly were Randolf "Randy" Square of Hogansburg and David Sunday of Snye, Quebec. Mr. Sunday goes by the nicknames "Snook" and "Snookty." Both were accused of running a "continuing criminal enterprise" — a racketeering statue that's generally used to prosecute organized crime rings.

If convicted on the criminal enterprise charge, both of them face mandatory imprisonment of at least 20 years. A life sentence is the maximum possible, as are fines of up to $2 million each.

Mr. Square, who was arrested Tuesday on a federal search warrant executed at a McGee Road home in Hogansburg, was arraigned Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Plattsburgh and has a detention hearing scheduled for Friday in Albany. Mr. Sunday was arraigned on the charges Monday in Brooklyn.

Four other people — Walter Baus, Guy Gantz, Andrew Kagan and Carmelo Ruiz — were indicted on charges of conspiracies to distribute and possess more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana and money laundering. Mr. Square and Mr. Sunday also face those charges. A redacted federal indictment was unsealed Tuesday.

Several federal, state and area law enforcement agencies assisted in the investigation. Authorities seized an unknown amount of drugs, weapons, vehicles and cash. Prosecutors also are looking to seize several properties in Quebec, Hogansburg and Middle Village.

The investigation is continuing and more arrests are pending.


----------



## kamikaze213

*DEA Seizes MDMA Lab in the Glassell Park Area of Los Angeles*

DEA Seizes MDMA Lab in the Glassell Park Area of Los Angeles
By: SA Sarah Pullen
February 19, 2009

FEB 19 --– (LOS ANGELES) On February 19, 2009, Timothy J. Landrum, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Los Angeles Field Division announced the seizure of a MDMA (also known as ecstasy) laboratory and the arrest of two men involved in the manufacturing and distribution of MDMA.

On February 19, 2009, law enforcement officers in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties served federal search warrants at six locations in Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, Van Nuys, Venice and La Verne, resulting the arrest of two men and the seizure of an operation MDMA laboratory in the Glassell Park area of Los Angeles, approximately 500 MDMA tablets, a quantity of powder believed to be MDMA and a substantial amount of chemicals used for the manufacture of MDMA.

 “Ecstasy is a serious threat to our communities, and particularly our teenage children and young adults who are often unaware of the significant harm this drug can cause,” said Timothy J. Landrum, DEA Special Agent in Charge. “MDMA laboratories, like methamphetamine laboratories, are highly toxic, not only for the user, but the community as whole. These labs impact our precious natural resources, since their toxic by-products are often discarded without regard to whom or what maybe impacted.”

Mason Lyte, 60, of Santa Barbara and Kalib Kersh, 32, of Venice, were taken into federal custody by special agents of the DEA and are charged in a criminal complaint for violations of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 846 and 841(b)(1)(C), conspiracy to manufacture and to distribute a controlled substance, namely, MDMA.

 MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) is a synthetic, psychoactive illegal drug that acts as both a stimulant and psychedelic. Although MDMA is known universally among users as ecstasy, researchers have determined that many ecstasy tablets contain not only MDMA but also a number of other drugs or drug combinations, including methamphetamine.

This investigation is being prosecuted by the Los Angeles United States Attorney’s Office. The defendants arrested are expected to make their initial appearances on February 20, 2009, in United States District Court in Los Angeles. 

 This operation caps an eight month investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and in conjunction with the Santa Barbara Police Department, Los Angeles Interagency Metropolitan Police Apprehension Team and the Torrance Police Department.

A criminal complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/pubs/states/newsrel/2009/la021909.html


----------



## FrostyMcFailure

> “Ecstasy is a serious threat to our communities, and particularly our teenage children and young adults who are often unaware of the significant harm this drug can cause,” said Timothy J. Landrum, DEA Special Agent in Charge. “MDMA laboratories, like methamphetamine laboratories, are highly toxic, not only for the user, but the community as whole. These labs impact our precious natural resources, since their toxic by-products are often discarded without regard to whom or what maybe impacted.”


 Fuck him, hes a lyng piece of shit(aka DEA)& uses the "we care  umm.. children!" excuse. Yeah, this dudes only interested in fund raising. Hell why dont you do something valuable with your time & go check out who the real #1 dealer is, small branch of the USA gov..


----------



## 8ft-Sativa

kamikaze213 said:


> “Ecstasy is a serious threat to our communities


QFT

Teenagers dancing to trance music and hugging random people have no place in our society!


----------



## nuke

You should post the pictures too.  I like their ghetto fume hood (a big fan next to an open window).

It appears they were making a small amount of MDMA gelcaps.


----------



## kamikaze213

nuke said:


> You should post the pictures too.  I like their ghetto fume hood (a big fan next to an open window).
> 
> It appears they were making a small amount of MDMA gelcaps.



seriously, as a manufacturer bust I'd expect there to be much more than half a boat of mollies on premises.

DEA 1       Smallfish 0


----------



## crowbar

According to comments on this article, these guys were friendly hippies.

http://www.thedailysound.com/022109ecstasybust


----------



## FrostyMcFailure

*Marijuana, $95k seized in Parsippany NJ*



> PARSIPPANY -- Police shut down an alleged drug dealer's pot depot Monday, seizing more than five pounds of marijuana and more than $95,000 in cash and arresting the 25-year-old seller after a month-long investigation, Morris County Prosecutor Robert A. Bianchi said.
> 
> Ben Cohen was charged with possession of marijuana, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute in an amount greater than five pounds, possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of a school and various paraphernalia offenses, Bianchi said.
> 
> Cohen remains in the Morris County Jail in lieu of $100,000 bail.
> 'Collaboration'
> 
> Bianchi attributed the success of the operation to "the collaboration of local, county and federal authorities seamlessly working together."
> 
> The agencies involved in the bust at Cohen's Vail Road residence included the Morris County Prosecutor's Special Enforcement Unit, U.S. Postal Inspector's Office, Parsippany police and the Morris County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigations Section and K9 Unit.


 http://www.dailyrecord.com/article/20090224/COMMUNITIES/902240324&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL


----------



## thujone

*really disappointed and annoyed sigh*


----------



## phr

Merged.


----------



## Huaca

*Cebu News Drug Operation Gone Wrong: Snitch killed, girl shot in police raid *
By Nina Chrismae G. Sumacot Updated March 02, 2009 12:00 AM  
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=444847&publicationSubCategoryId=107

CEBU, Philippines – An arrested drug suspect who was leading police in a raid on the house of more drug suspects was shot and killed in a burst of gunfire coming from that house early Saturday night in Mandaue City.

A stray bullet from the same burst of gunfire hit a 13-year-old girl and as of press time last night she was fighting for her life in the hospital.

Inspector George Aninon of the Mandaue City police homicide section identified the slain drug suspect as Rodulfo Sabrozo Jr., 21, a resident of Mantuyong who was arrested by a team from the Mandaue City Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force allegedly in possession of 10 packs of shabu (methamphetamine) in varying sizes.

Mandaue City police chief Senior Superintendent Orlando Ualat confirmed that there was such an operation and that it was led by a certain PO3 Benedict Modina.

On interrogation by the team of Modina, Sabrozo allegedly admitted his involvement in illegal drug activities.

According to the police account, Sabrozo promised to reveal the identity of a “shabu queen” operating in the area in exchange for his freedom.

It was not clear if the police promised Sabrozo anything, but by the police’s own account, Sabrozo was with the raiding team proceeding to the house of the supposed “shabu queen,” whose name he divulged as a certain Inday (family name withheld by The FREEMAN pending the filing of appropriate charges), when the shooting incident happened.

The police account of the incident went on to say that as the team approached the house of the “shabu queen” with Sabrozo in tow, shots suddenly rang out, and Sabrozo fell to the ground mortally wounded.

It was not also clear if the police raiding team managed to fire back, but as quickly as the gunfire from the house erupted, the house just as suddenly fell silent.

By the time police managed to storm the house, they found it already empty of occupants, who appeared to have escaped through the backdoor, leaving only the telltale signs of some illegal activity going on — packs of shabu and other drug paraphernalia.

Police believe the “shabu queen” and an assistant were repacking shabu when the raiders arrived. They also believe it was the assistant who may have fired the shots.

Police said they are checking if the “shabu queen” is related to the girl wounded by a stray bullet since they seem to have the same family name.

Sabrozo, the girl, and the “shabu queen” are all said to be neighbors.

The girl was hit in the stomach and remains in critical condition. — /JST (THE FREEMAN)


----------



## chrisinabox

^ugh


----------



## cvillian

Yeah.  I hope that 13 year old girl is gonna survive.  That's terrible.


----------



## Huaca

*P34.2-M marijuana destroyed in Cordillera*
03/10/2009 | 07:59 PM 

MANILA, Philippines — Anti-drug operatives in the Cordillera region destroyed some P34.2 million worth of marijuana plants in Kibungan town in Benguet province Tuesday.

Radio dzRH reported the burning followed four days of drug eradication operations by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and Police Regional Office-Cordillera.

Operatives destroyed 165,440 fully grown marijuana plants and 27,800 seedlings during the operations.

PDEA Cordillera spokeswoman Tessie Sarmiento said the eradication operations were conducted March 4 to 7 in 26 areas in Kibungan.

The Dangerous Drugs Board said the drugs destroyed were valued at P34.2 million. 
- GMANews.TV
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/152146/P342-M-marijuana-destroyed-in-Cordillera


----------



## Huaca

The towns downwind of the burning marijuana have experienced absolutely no crime or domestic disturbances in the days since the burning. All the townspeople have been in happy moods and are inquiring when the next burning will be.


----------



## iloveironcrosses

Alleged drug dealer remanded in custody


An alleged drugs dealer was yesterday remanded in custody after he appeared before the Magistrate's Court in Derry charged with committing six drugsoffences.
Jason Villa (21), from Elaghmore Park, is accused of possessing 600 ecstasy tablets and with supplying and intending to supply the tablets. He's further charged with possessing, supplying and intending to supply cannabis.

The defendant, who is alleged to have committed the offences between January 1 and 20 of this year, made no reply to the six charges.

Opposing bail, a constable told District Judge Barney McElholm that he believed the defendant would likely re-offend in a bid to recoup lost monies and he added that the defendant had admitted during police interviews that he was an habitual drugs user.

Refusing bail, the District Judge remanded the defendant in custody until February 12.


http://www.derryjournal.com/court/Alleged-drug-dealer-remanded-in.4905990.jp


----------



## Huaca

Don't admit anything to the cops. You have the right to remain silent. They will try to use everything you say against you.


----------



## Bomboclat

*Meth Lab Found on Bell Mayor's Property*


> Meth Lab Found on Bell Mayor's Property
> KTLA News
> 7:24 PM PDT, June 6, 2009
> 
> BELL -- Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputies raided a house Friday night on property owned by the mayor of Bell.
> 
> Mayor Oscar Hernandez owns the property at ________ Avenue where a meth lab was reportedly found.
> 
> The property has two houses. The mayor's son and daughter live in the front house, and the back house was being rented.
> 
> Mayor Hernandez's son, Agustin, told KTLA that a Sheriff's deputy showed up at his door this morning with his gun drawn. But they quickly realized the address on the warrant was for the back house.
> 
> Hernandez said a couple with two daughters, ages 2 and 3, are renting the two-bedroom house, and the young mother is about 8 months pregnant. He also said the parents of one of the renters is also living in the house.
> 
> The two children were placed with the Department of Children and Family Services.
> 
> Hernandez said they didn't know much else about the family. Mayor Hernandez said neither he, nor any members of his family, have any ties to the suspects, other than they are renters in a house he owns.
> 
> A hazardous materials team was on site early Saturday morning, and Sheriff's officials confirmed that a narcotics operation did take place at the residence.



http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-bell-meth-lab,0,7119328.story


----------



## colors

*Border stop in Massena nets $1.5m in Ecstasy*

ONTARIO MEN HELD: About 50,000 star-shaped pills confiscated
By DAVID WINTERS
TIMES STAFF WRITER
FRIDAY, JULY 3, 2009

MASSENA — The star-shaped drugs resembling the marshmallows in Lucky Charms weren't destined for cereal bowls.

Two Ontario residents face federal drug charges for allegedly attempting to smuggle about $1.5 million in Ecstasy across the border at the Massena port of entry.

Customs and Border Protection officers Wednesday night stopped Cornwall Island residents Mitchell David, 53, and Silas Benedict, 50. A closer inspection of their pickup truck found 50 sandwich bags containing about 50,000 star-shaped Ecstasy tablets stuffed in a spare tire. Each pill has a street value of about $30.


----------



## JahRed24x

^ 30 bucks for one XTC pill?! where do they get these numbers. More like $5


----------



## beatsme

more like $25000 wholesale and a couple mill if u sold each pill @ $10 a pop


----------



## nowdubnvr6

prolly BZP anyways no thx keep those worthless things


----------



## Huaca

*During arrest of bigtime "drug pusher": Residents shoot, stone PDEA agents*
Updated July 14, 2009 12:00 AM  
THE FREEMAN

CEBU, Philippines – Residents of Barangay Tangke, Talisay City stoned and fired shots at the agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in their aim to prevent the operatives from arresting a couple, who are known drug pushers in the area, last Sunday afternoon.

Anti-drug operatives succeeded in arresting Marbee Torion, 23, but her husband Ramon “RJ” Torion, 27, was able to escape.

Yogi Filemon Ruiz, deputy regional director of PDEA said they were stoned by the neighbors of the couple and were even shot at five times using unknown caliber of firearm. Nobody among his team got hurt but the back glass of their L300 van was broken.

Ruiz said they already identified the house where the gunshots came and promised that they will be back “even if people power will occur” during their operation.

“Mag-anad mana sila kung mahadlok ta aning people power sa mga silingan sa pusher, ang ato to intensify sa illegal drug campaign,” he stressed.

Prior to the operation, PDEA has received information from Talisay City police chief Henry Biñas, who asked assistance against the illegal activities of the Torion couple.

PDEA agents had conducted surveillance operations for two weeks before the buy bust operation where they confiscated 62 sachets of shabu (methamphetamine).

Ruiz said the couple can be considered as level three drug pushers because according to the information they received, the couple could dispose 10 to 15 grams of shabu a day. Their customers allegedly come from the nearby barangays like Tabunok and Bulacao and even as far as Minglanilla.

During interrogation, Marbee admitted that they are into the illegal activity but only just for a month. She refused to tell where they get their supply.

“Igo lang mi hatdan ug namorsiyento lang mi,” she said.

The Torion couple has three children. Their eldest child is aged 4, second is 3 and the third still months old.

“Nagmahay man ko sir pero ulahi naman ang tanan,” Marbee added while crying inside the PDEA-7 detention cell.
- Christopher Gabriel C. Bonjoc/WAB (THE FREEMAN)
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=486619&publicationSubCategoryId=107


----------



## Huaca

^ They are facing life in prison for distribution of "dangerous" drugs. If they can't afford to post bail, they will be in jail for 2 to 3 years waiting for a trial.


----------



## colors

*operation iron curtain*

Smugglers moved $1b in pot
INDICTMENT UNSEALED: More than 45 people charged nationwide in bust through Operation Iron Curtain
By DAVID WINTERS
TIMES STAFF WRITER
WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2009

PLATTSBURGH — Federal authorities have charged more than 45 people nationwide over their alleged roles in an international drug-smuggling operation that moved $1 billion worth of marijuana.

The two-year investigation exposed a pipeline moving thousands of pounds of marijuana each month from the north country to numerous U.S. cities, including Boston, New York and Miami, prosecutors said. The crime syndicate is alleged to have moved the marijuana, which came from Canada through the St. Regis Mohawk Reservation in Franklin County and near Churubusco in Clinton County, over the past four years.

Several federal, state and local law enforcement agencies participated in Operation Iron Curtain, which seized $6 million in cash, more than 5,000 pounds of marijuana and 55 pounds of cocaine. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration led the investigation.

"They are partners in dismantling a 300-pound-per-day marijuana operation which likely moved in excess of 250 million dollars a year of marijuana for the past four years," Franklin County District Attorney Derek P. Champagne said.

The ringleader of the operation allegedly was Steven "Goofy" Sarti, 23, of Brossard, Quebec. He was accused of running a "continuing criminal enterprise" under a racketeering statue that's generally used to prosecute organized crime rings.

Zachary Gouchie, 24, of Montreal, Edward Kener, 31, of Weston, Fla., and John Belanger, 27, of Hartford, Conn., were accused of recruiting people and directing the movement of the marijuana along the East Coast. All three face various drug charges. None of the people charged in the case resides in Franklin or St. Lawrence counties. The U.S. District Court in Albany is overseeing the case.

A federal indictment unsealed Tuesday noted several times when marijuana was moved from Hogansburg, including a 300-pound shipment on Jan. 21, 2008. A drug ledger that was confiscated noted the group had moved about 4,400 pounds of marijuana and smuggled $10.3 million in cash over a 16-day period in February 2008.

The Major Traffickers Strike Force in Franklin County and Adirondack Drug Task Force in Clinton County assisted in the investigation.

The indictment also seeks the forfeiture of $25 million in illegal drug proceeds.


----------



## Huaca

^ A very enterprising group of young men. At least they are trying to make a living rather than sitting at home collecting unemployment checks and food stamps.


----------



## Trey

*Police: 2 found with 7,000 bags of heroin*

Police: 2 found with 7,000 bags of heroin




Undercover effort seizes drugs near Elsmere

By TERRI SANGINITI
The News Journal

Two men were found late Monday with nearly 7,000 bags of packaged heroin worth more than $90,000 during an undercover operation outside Wilmington, city police said.

The arrests came about 9:10 p.m. after officers in the 1000 block of Montgomery Road, off Faulkland Road, near Elsmere, spotted the driver of a 2002 Chevrolet pickup pull into the driveway of a home and go inside.

A man across the street was seen "pacing around on his cell phone and looking in all directions, as if he were waiting for someone to arrive," police said in court records.

The pickup driver came out of the house minutes later carrying a large paper bag with handles and delivered it to the man standing across the street, said police Master Sgt. Steven Barnes.

The man, later identified as 29-year-old Alfred Evans, got into a white 1998 Buick and started to drive off.

Officers checked the vehicle's registration and found that the owner of the Buick was driving with a suspended license, and stopped it at Del. 100 and Faulkland Road, Barnes said.

The paper bag contained several logs of suspected heroin and was found in Evans' lap, according to court records.

There were 6,495 heroin bags that were stamped with the words "Versace" and "Goya."

Heroin has become the drug of choice in the city, over-shadowing cocaine and crack, said Lt. William Wells, who heads the vice unit.

"There seems to be more of a demand for heroin," he said. "I would imagine that these arrests will put a temporary dent in the heroin trade. We're pretty confident we stopped that source. But there always seems to be somebody willing to step up and take someone's place."

Evans, of the 200 block of Madison St., was charged with trafficking heroin and three other offenses and is being held in Young Correctional Institution in lieu of $288,000 bail.

The Montgomery Road home of Anderson Vazquez -- the man in the pickup -- was raided about 11:37 p.m. and an additional 390 glassine bags of heroin were found in the garage.

Vazquez, 39, denied meeting with Evans or selling drugs, police said in court records.

He was charged with trafficking heroin and three other offenses and committed to Vaughn Correctional Institution after failing to post $299,000 bail.

-------------------------------------------------------------

That was right down the street. daaaaamn!

picture of all the bags spread out...:





makes me sad 

EDIT: it was stated in a different article about the same thing that it totaled around 170 grams I believe.


----------



## Huaca

*298 kg of marijuana seized, two people arrested*
Writer: AMNART THONGDEE 
The Bangkok Post 
Published: 16/08/2009 at 12:00 AM 

CHUMPHON : Police yesterday seized 298kg of marijuana worth almost 9 million baht in Chumphon's Sawi district.

Pattana Robru, a highway police inspector, said his team was tipped off about the marijuana trafficking. They set up a checkpoint on the Asia 41 Road in tambon Wisaitai.

The team found the drugs hidden under a pile of fertiliser bags in a pick-up truck.

Officers arrested Samran Bunyok, the 35-year-old driver, and Taopudsa Chaiyawongsa, 36, a Lao national.

Pol Lt Col Pattana said the two suspects confessed to trafficking the marijuana from an area along the Thai-Lao border in Nong Khai province.

They planned to deliver the drugs to a man identified only as Bang in Songkhla's Hat Yai district.

The marijuana has a street value of around 30,000 baht per kilogramme, according to Pol Lt Col Pattana.

He said highway officers this year have already caught four groups of marijuana traffickers carrying more than 100kg a time.

The highway police team handed the two suspects and the seized marijuana to Sawi police to take further action.





BARS OF IT: Bars of marijuana, weighing a total of 298kg, seized yesterday from a pick-up truck. The Thai driver and a Lao woman were detained by highway police in Chumphon.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/22127/298kg-of-marijuana-seized-two-people-arrested
© Copyright 1996-2009 The Post Publishing Public Company Limited


----------



## Huaca

*Malaysian, Singaporean held for drugs*
990 kg of marijuana
The Straits Times Singapore
Aug 20, 2009

BANGKOK - POLICE in Thailand said on Thursday they had arrested a Malaysian and a Singaporean on charges of trafficking one tonne of marijuana to a European country.

Malaysian national Phoon Ken Huat, 26, was arrested on Wednesday in a housing estate on the eastern outskirts of Bangkok along with Singaporean Danny Lim Kian Hong, 37, and a Thai man from a hill tribe.

Police found 990 bars of compressed marijuana in their rented house which they were preparing to send by air freight to the Netherlands, Thailand's deputy national police chief General Jumpol Manmai said.

He said they had confessed that the shipment of drugs, which they bought for 10,000 baht a kilo (S$425) from neighbouring countries, was destined for the Netherlands where it would have fetched six times the price.

The two foreign suspects face charges of possession and trafficking of drugs with a maximum penalty of 15 years jail. -- AFP

http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking+News/SE+Asia/Story/STIStory_419254.html


----------



## JohnnyRedlight

*Pill bust in LA (the state)*

Has anyone heard about this? seems like a pretty big bust. 


http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/69587047.html

A narcotics arrest by the Baton Rouge Police Department on Saturday uncovered a cache of drugs with a street value of $2.6 million dollars.

Police made the narcotics arrest on around 11:30 a.m. on I-12 eastbound near Sherwood Forest Blvd.

An 18-wheeler was stopped for a traffic violation and the uniformed officer became suspicious of the driver's activities after a brief interview.

An East Baton Rouge Sheriff narcotics dog was called to the scene and 74 pounds of MDMA (Ecstasy) was located in two duffle bags inside the cab with an estimated street value of 2.6 million dollars.

The driver, Douglas Jerry Akhigbe, 45, 59 Whiteface Crest, Brampton, Ontario, Canada, was placed in East Baton Rouge Parish Prison and charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Ecstasy.


----------



## Cosmic Charlie

That sure is a pretty pile of pills :D


----------



## ResinTeeth

Let's hope they were all piperizines and the cops were actually doing us a favor.


----------



## Vader

^The article says a sniffer dog found them so I doubt they're pipes.


----------



## justhope420

sucks for him...


----------



## Rogue Robot

Homeless -> DiTM


----------



## eon_blue

justhope420 said:


> sucks for him...



Sucks for all of us


----------



## Azatos

Yerg said:


> ^The article says a sniffer dog found them so I doubt they're pipes.


They could be methbombs.


----------



## phr

Merged.


----------



## Vader

> They could be methbombs.


Indeed they could. I just said that I found it unlikely that they were piperazines, as to my knowledge dogs are not trained to detect them.


----------



## phr

1000.

New version: http://www.bluelight.ru/vb/showthread.php?t=473156


----------

