riverside drug bust 2020

In the 80s and 90s, Riverside County was a hotbed for meth manufacturing, and meth labs flourished here, taking advantage of the countys empty spaces to hide the foul smell of urine and smoke produced by mixing chemicals. On Friday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at an Otay Mesa commercial facility in San Diego County seized more than 3,100 pounds of methamphetamine, fentanyl powder, fentanyl pills and heroin as part what the DEA characterized as the second-largest methamphetamine bust along the southwest border in the history of the CBP. At the end of the month, a stakeout of the property led to federal agents and police officers arresting a man who was carrying heavy boxes out of the house and placing them in a vehicle, according to the DEA. Over a three-year period that ended in September, the Riverside DEA Office, which also covers San Bernardino County, has seized about 6,500 pounds of meth and 770 pounds of heroin. Operation Crystal Shield is a nationwide effort involving 70 to 80 investigators in nine cities including Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix and Atlanta. Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Community Guidelines, EEO Report | FCC Applications | Do Not Sell My Personal Information, Daily News Headlines Jawara, Earlington lead San Diego to OT win over Riverside December 20, 2022 "A search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of 66 kilograms of cocaine and an additional seizure of approximately 3,552 pounds of methamphetamine from numerous boxes located in the garage," the agency stated. For all intents and purposes, its a proven drug dealer by the time we get up on their phones, Massino said. 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Agents from Southwest Border Group 2 began investigating a large scale drug trafficking organization with ties to the Sinaloa Cartel in SD Otay-Mesa area, allegedly involved in the transportation and delivery of large quantities of drugs. The truck driver, a 47year-old Mexican citizen, was arrested and turned over the custody of the joint investigative team from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations and the Drug Enforcement Administration. According to the DEA, agents worked in concert with the Fontana Police Department to interdict a drug supply operation run by the Sinaloa Cartel, with a residence in Norco serving as a major piece of the pipeline. The Southern California seizure occurred on Oct. 2, 2020 and included 893 pounds of cocaine, 13 pounds of heroin, and 2,224 pounds of methamphetamine. Agents seized more than 4,800 pounds of meth nationwide and are still working on more arrests, according to the DEA. The 2,224 pounds (1,008.7 kilograms) of methamphetamine was seized Oct. 2 during an investigation of a drug-trafficking organization with ties to the Sinaloa cartel, the DEA said in a statement. If they push an investigation far enough, there is an excellent chance its going to make it back here, said Tim Massino, a DEA spokesman. Her husband ran out the back door, vanishing into the desert. Anexample of one such house was uncovered in 2006, when the DEA raided a home in a far-flung corner of the Coachella Valley. DEA Acting Administrator Timothy J. Shea and other law enforcement officials displayed theevidence during a press conference at a DEA warehouse in Montebello. News Channel 3 is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation. Once smugglers pass Calexico, a majority follow one of two routes, DEA officials say. Authorities said it was the second-largest meth bust ever for Customs and Border Protection. The DEA decided this was the moment to strike. Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. 11/22/2022 12:00 AM. Authorities arrested eight defendants Thursday named in a federal grand jury indictment alleging their involvement in a drug trafficking organization operating in Los Angeles and Riverside. Federal agents announced what they called the largest methamphetamine bust in U.S. history Wednesday, displaying a 10-foot high pile of the confiscated drug representing a haul of more than 2,200 pounds seized at stash houses in Riverside County, along with cocaine and heroin. MORENO VALLEY, CA Federal agents on Wednesday announced what they called the largest methamphetamine bust by Drug Enforcement Agency investigators in domestic U.S. history, displaying a 10-foot-high pile of the drug weighing more than 3 tons seized at stash houses in Riverside County. They. The scope is enormous here, and then spreads through to everywhere, said a Coachella Valley DEA agent, who asked not to be identified to preserve his undercover work. Authorities said they found about 893 pounds of cocaine, 13 pounds of heroin and some 650 pounds of methamphetamine in the garage of a residence in Moreno Valley. The team, led by Detective Christopher MacAuley with the Sheriff's Office, included more than two dozen deputies accompanied by FBI and Homeland Security agents. Officers served a warrant at a home in the . "The bulk shipments of drugs are usually broken down into smaller quantities and transported to other states or distributed to local dealers.". All rights reserved. But Riverside police are fighting to make sure the area doesn't become known for an area riddled with illegal drug sales. Riverside County has become the single largest drug trafficking distribution center in the United States, built on a web of highways, nondescriptsuburbia and empty desert, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration. January 10, 2023 at 5:40 p.m. One of the suspects was on active parole for attempted murder. RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KABC) -- An early morning raid by federal and local authorities netted 12 arrests in the Riverside area on Wednesday, with authorities confiscating large amounts of weapons,. The DEA's big bust came just a week before another huge meth seizure. They say the operation was a direct result of complaints made by city residents and business owners, not just in the downtown area, but the Magnolia Center and La Sierra. Agents from Southwest Border Group 2 began investigating a large-scale drug trafficking organization with ties to the Sinaloa Cartel in San Diego's Otay Mesa area, allegedly involved in the transportation and delivery of large quantities of drugs. On April 5, 2011, Deputy Gerald Rohn, of the Riverside County Sheriffs Department, dug into the side yard of an abandoned house in Lake Elsinore. "These two seizures are more than enough to provide a dose of meth for every man, woman and child in the United States and Mexico," Timothy Shea, DEA acting administrator, said. Smugglers will try every way possible to try and get their product across the border; and because of the partnership between CBP, Homeland Security investigations and DEA, this significant seizure occurred and we stopped them, said Anne Maricich, acting CBP director of field operations in San Diego. Man Accused Of Dumping Dog At Riverside County Cell Tower Arrested, Fill Up And Get A Fatburger To Go: Beyond Food Mart Coming To Beaumont, Big Bear Bald Eagles Lay First Egg of 2023. "The largest DEA domestic seizure of methamphetamine in history is a significant blow to the cartels, but more importantly, it is a gigantic victory for communities throughout Southern California and the United States that have had to deal with the torrent of methamphetamine coming into their neighborhoods," he said. In 2014, the county had 624 wiretaps, intercepting more than 2 million calls, texts and other communications involving more than 44,000 people. Federal agents announced what they called the largest methamphetamine bust in U.S. history Wednesday, displaying a 10-foot high pile of the confiscated drug representing a haul of more than 2,200 . The Riverside office also seized nearly $47 million in cash, vehicles and guns during that three-year span. . A total of 12 suspects have been arrested, with several more still outstanding. Our free newsletter is delivered at 8 a.m. daily. Vi, Yahoo, er en del av Yahoo-familien av merkevarer. Although this stash house was busted, no one knows how many remain undetected, small cogs in Riverside Countys gigantic drug smuggling machine. Roughly 1,600 pounds of meth were also located at a narcotics stash house in Perris, officials said. Police say all the suspects are now facing felony charges. The biggest haul was in Perris, where DEA agents and investigators from several . The drugs are alleged to have been stored in hidden compartments in their vehicles. We will continue to work together to disrupt drug trafficking organizations at every opportunity we are given.. LOS ANGELES - Authorities this morning arrested 16 defendants linked to an Inland Empire-based drug trafficking ring that used the U.S. They knew then it was probably dope.. The drugs seized at the location, which also included heroin and fentanyl, had a street value of about $7.2 million. That pipeline begins south of the border, in a region of Mexico controlled by the Sinaloa cartel. More than 70 investigators worked the two California cases, which included extensive fieldwork and surveillance. Massino, the DEA spokesman, insisted that everyday citizens would almost never have their conversations intercepted. Fine white powder sprinkled out of the tiny holes. Bill Bodner, special agent in charge of the DEA's Los Angeles Field Division, said Los Angeles is a major transshipment hub for Mexican cartels trafficking illegal drugs across the southwest border. Severe Weather ", Polar bear kills woman, boy in remote Alaska village, Man gets 30 years in prison in road rage killing of teen Astros fan, Video shows toddler waving handgun outside apartment; man arrested. HOPEWELL, Va. (WWBT) - Hopewell police arrested two people during an early morning drug bust. The house sat on Pace Lane in Indio Hills, behind a chain-link fence and a locked gate, miles from all but a few neighbors. The historic Southern California seizure stemmed from a shadowing operation on Oct. 2, when investigators observed a courier make a drop in a Sam's Club parking lot in Moreno Valley. This was a rare momentwhen Riverside Countys secret drug pipeline a cross-countryconduit for tons of meth and heroin accidentally exposed itself to the outside world. He pulled into the garage, then closed the door behind him. Copyright 2023 KABC Television, LLC. The end result is an invisible network, valued in the billions of dollars, that weaves through the county, hidden within the same shipping and trucking lanes that carry agriculture and commercial goods from Mexico. In total, CBP officers found approximately 3,014 pounds of methamphetamine, 64 pounds of heroin, 29 pounds of fentanyl powder and almost 37 pounds of fentanyl pills, worth an estimated $7.2 million. "I don't know how they hide that.". "Meth, heroin, cocaine," said city councilman Mike Gardner. Shea said he believed, anecdotally, that there had been an uptick in meth use and overdoses during the COVID-19 pandemic. "Study after study shows that where there is meth addiction, there is also an uptick in violent crime, including robberies, assaults and murders.". Mop the kitchen. NBC Universal, Inc. A record meth bust part of a national operation was announced Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2020. #DEA Acting Administrator Timothy J. Shea, Special Agent in Charge Bill Bodner & local law enforcement discussing the largest domestic methamphetamine seizure in #DEA history. DEA officials say the smuggled narcotics flow from Mexicos Sinaloa Cartel through Riverside County stash houses en route to sellers markets in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Canada. Troopers championed the case as the biggest meth bust in the history of Arkansas, but the truck had come from Riverside County. (Video), Easter, Passover Services In Banning, Beaumont, Riverside County: 2022. Narcotics detectives with the Fontana Police Department spotted the exchange. Thats nearly one fourth as much meth, and one tenth as much heroin, as was seized by the entire DEA nationwide from 2012 to 2014. "When someone is on supervised release, the expectation is that they will refrain from committing further crimes," said Diaz. The entrance to a drug tunnel discovered by federal authorities in Otay Mesa, March 30, 2020. The Southern California seizure occurred on Oct. 2, 2020 and included 893 pounds of cocaine, 13 pounds of heroin, and 2,224 pounds of methamphetamine. Massino cited Little Rock just as an example, but he couldnt have picked a truer one. This is a tough time for everybody, and some people turn to drugs to deal with that, he said, adding that many in-house-treatment options have been curtailed due to the coronavirus. CALIFORNIA, USA Federal agents announced what they called the largest methamphetamine bust in U.S. history Wednesday, displaying a 10-foot high pile of . Klikk Administrer innstillinger for mer informasjon og for administrere valgene dine. "These numbers are significant," said Kristi Johnson of the FBI. Twenty-five duffel bags loaded with cocaine, heroin and meth were seized, according to the DEA. This is enough dope to prove a dose of meth for every man, women and child in the United States and Mexico, , DEA Acting Administrator Timothy Shea said. After the encounter at the Sam's Club parking lot, the officers got search warrants for two suspected stash houses one in Moreno Valley and the other in Perris. Ved klikke Godta alt godtar du at Yahoo og vre partnere vil behandle din personlige informasjon og bruke teknologier som informasjonskapsler, for vise personlig tilpassede annonser og innhold, for annonse- og innholdsmling, publikumsinnsikt og produktutvikling. Some suspects were already in custody on other charges. Other suspects are alleged to have then distributed the drugs to gang members across the Inland Empire. DEA cherishes our great law enforcement partners in San Diego, especially those who work tirelessly to protect our nations borders. . The Drug Enforcement Administration holds a news conference in Montebello, Calif., to announce the largest domestic meth seizure in the agency's history. Online Volunteer Info Session- Learn How to Advocate for Youth in Foster Care! With the generous support of readers like you, Times of San Diego publishes timely and accurate news coverage for a better-informed community. But danger still brews below the surface. This is real proof of a job well done.. Du kan endre valgene dine nr som helst ved g til personvernkontrollene dine. The amounts we are seeing are unfortunately on the rise, but we're also seizing more, getting more of this poison off the streets.. Like in Riverside, drug seizures along that stretch of border have gone up dramatically. The investigation led to the seizure of dozens of kilos of illegal drugs - including 21 kilos of suspected carfentanil. 11/22/2022 12:00 AM. Updated: 10:31 PM PDT October 14, 2020 CALIFORNIA, USA Federal agents announced what they called the largest methamphetamine bust in U.S. history Wednesday, displaying a 10-foot high pile of. RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KABC) -- Four gang members have been arrested for the murder of an innocent man in the Riverside neighborhood of Casa-Blanca following a large-scale gang bust. 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Well let me hang up.. Federal agents announced what they called the largest methamphetamine bust in U.S. history Wednesday, displaying a 10-foot high pile of the confiscated drug representing a haul of more than 2,200 pounds seized at stash houses in Riverside County, along with cocaine and heroin. Diaz says it illustrates frustrations he has with other aspects of the criminal justice system. No charges have yet been filed in the latest seizures, although authorities said cases would likely be prosecuted in both California and Washington, D.C. Todays seizure sends a message loud and clear, Shea said Wednesday. And these figures still don't account for all the drugs and cash seized in Riverside County. They are the number-one threat, Stinnett said. In the early-morning hours of August 19, 2020, as the rest of Santa Barbara slept, a platoon of law enforcement officers lay wide awake in the thick chaparral above Arroyo Quemada Beach. Convicted Felons Arrested with a Loaded Firearm and Narcotics. Informasjon om enheten din og Internett-tilkoblingen, blant annet IP-adressen, Surfe- og skeaktivitet ved bruk av Yahoos nettsteder og apper. "They can break the drug loads down and do distribution throughout the country," Bodner said. If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here. "The significant seizures thwarted drug traffickers' plans to profit from these dangerous drugs that cause incredible harm to our communities," Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian Rabbitt said. Approx. In all, more than 150 pounds of meth were seized, in addition to more than $31,000 in cash. Agents seized more than 4,800 pounds of meth nationwide and are still working on more arrests, according to the DEA. The DEA said the Los Angeles area is the preferred transportation hub for drug traffickers because it is north of the border and it is easier to blend into big cities. Quickly, Rohn found three plastic bags, buried shallow, each filled with a pound of white powder. No one knew where it had come from. Last year, four Coachella men were indicted as part of a conspiracy to move millions in Sinaloa drug profits from Canada to Mexico. This black pipe, which shut down I-10 for about 30 minutes on Aug.18, was filled with a half-pound of methamphetamine, and had almost certainly fallen off an eastbound truck smuggling narcotics. March 17, 2022 Trevor Montgomery. Cocaine and meth were being distributed throughout the region from the location, which investigators identified in September, according to the DEA. If Leon-Garcias truck had been stopped here, instead, the case would have been far less remarkable. RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KABC) -- Downtown Riverside is known throughout Southern California for its iconic festival of lights during the holidays. Justice officials fear nation's biggest wiretap operation may not be legal. This is the third-busiest port of entry on the U.S.-Mexico border, and likely the largest for smuggled narcotics. Narcotics seized during a bust Friday in Otay Mesa. Feds Bust Up Inland Empire Drug-Trafficking Ring . LA man receives 3 years in prison for $619,000 skimming scheme. Travel Safely and Make it to the Table for the Thanksgiving Holiday. Copyright 2023 KABC Television, LLC. Redding felon's drug sales arrest marks second drug bust in 11 days - Woman also arrested . But Chief Gonzalez points to other causes for the recent rise in crime. Alarmed, a construction worker called the cops, whosent a bomb squad. Bob Epps, the bomb squad supervisor. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Empty the trash in the bathroom. / KCAL News. A furry hero sniffs out one of the largest drug busts in Fontana. Finn ut mer om hvordan vi bruker informasjonen din i retningslinjene for personvern og retningslinjene for informasjonskapsler. Read more. All rights reserved. We are almost like the Costco warehouse of narcotics dealers, shipping this poison across the country, said Frank Pepper, assistant special agent in charge of the Riverside DEA Office. "Synthetic drugs like methamphetamine are highly addictive, dangerous and killing people at alarming rates," DEA Los Angeles Special Agent in Charge Bill Bodner said. Tuesday, the Riverside police department announced the results of a three-month narcotics operation, in which undercover officers would buy illegal drugs from drug dealers. San Diegos houseless residents deal with heavy rains, flooding, San Diego Unified launches new engagement website for students, Eagle delivers 2 eggs in California nest watched by web cam, Chula Vista Elementary District converts two campuses to community schools. First, they had caught a street-level dealer in Temecula with 33 grams. More than 40,000 plants are spread out. All rights reserved. The Riverside County Sheriff's Office will be hosting a Deputy Sheriff and Correctional Deputy Expedited Hiring Event on Saturday, February 18, 2023, at Palm Desert High School, 74910 Az. The investigation led to search warrants being served at narcotics stash houses in the Riverside County cities of Moreno Valley and Perris, east of Los Angeles. RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KABC) -- An early morning raid by federal and local authorities netted 12 arrests in the Riverside area on Wednesday, with authorities confiscating large amounts of weapons, cash and methamphetamine. A joint investigation by The Desert Sun and USA TODAY hasrevealed that narcotics investigations have transformed this region into the most wiretapped place in America. Acting on information from the DEA, CBP officials recovered more than 3,000 pounds of meth at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry in San Diego. The DEA says ruralareas are ideal for stash houses because they are difficult to monitor, but other experts said surroundings dont really matter. "This is enough dope to prove a dose of meth for every man, woman and child in the United States and Mexico," DEA Acting Administrator Timothy Shea said. The driver was Javier Leon-Garcia, 53, a Moreno Valley resident who police say drove the drugs cross-country before being snagged. The drugs were intended for distribution throughout the region, investigators said. The deputy was not surprised. Operation Crystal Shield has resulted in 2,800 arrests over the last six months nationwide, Bodner said. He earned his bachelors degree in journalism from the University of Arizona. Carfentanil . Authorities specifically mentioned two incidents of alleged drug smuggling along the southern border. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration announced a record-breaking bust Wednesday: roughly 2,224 pounds of methamphetamine recovered in Riverside County. Your dad just called, said Teresa Reyes, speaking to her daughter on a cellphone. People who live in the Inland Empire said it was scary not knowing if the stash houses were located in their communities. October 14, 2020 / 10:20 PM Authorities say the suspects were attempting to sell hard drugs to the undercover officers, not marijuana. Gone is the risk of meth lab explosions and violence between rival cooks and dealers. They didnt see it, they didnt think about it and it probably didnt have any effect on their lives at all, until it exploded., Our dope pipeline is kind of like that.. A man was arrested on multiple charges during a drug bust in Columbus. They know that some will get caught, but a lot of it's going to get through.". Agents seized more than 4,800 pounds of meth nationwide and are still working on more arrests, according to the DEA. Over a three-year period that ended in September, the Riverside DEA Office, which also covers San Bernardino County, has seized about 6,500 poundsof meth and 770 poundsof heroin. On Oct. 9, U.S. Customs and Border Protection stopped a truck crossing from Mexico into the United States at San Diego's Otay Mesa and found 3,014 pounds (1,367.1 kilograms) of methamphetamine, the agency said Sunday. Updated: 10:31 PM PDT October 14, 2020. The biggest haul was in Perris, where DEA agents and investigators from several municipal police departments last week confiscated 2,224 pounds of meth, 893 pounds of cocaine and 13 pounds of heroin, according to Shea. Over the last month and a half, the team, which began . For two months, Rohn and his partners at the DEA had been using wiretaps to chase a drug ring. From April to August 2020, Gomez and Rodriguez allegedly purchased methamphetamine from suppliers in Mexico as well as in Los Angeles and Riverside counties, according to investigators. He says to hurry up and clean there because I think hes going to take visitors.. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. "Study after study shows that where there is meth addiction, there is also an uptick in violent crime including robberies, assaults and murders.". "We continue to work with our state and local partners to attack drug trafficking at all levels, and this seizure sends a clear message that we mean business.". Agents seized more than 5,000 pounds of meth nationwide and are still working on more arrests, according to the DEA. Oct. 14, 2020. Download the News Channel 3 app here. Officials interdicting bundles of meth, heroin and fentanyl on Friday said it was the second-largest meth bust in Customs and Border Protection history. This California farm kingdom holds a key, Six people, including mother and baby, killed in Tulare County; drug cartel suspected, These are the 101 best restaurants in Los Angeles, New Bay Area maps show hidden flood risk from sea level rise and groundwater, Gina Lollobrigida, film star who conquered Italy, Hollywood and the world, dies at 95, Storm sets new L.A. rain records. A 20-year-old La Crosse man faces multiple criminal charges after a Dec. 17 traffic stop in La Crosse. "Wow," Lisa Serrano, a shopper, said. From the Sinaloa territory, drugs enter the country in Calexico, a border town in Imperial County. Instead, there isa low-profile,commercialized pipeline, where violence would only cut into high profits, DEA officials say. And, just this month, they started conducting surveillance on a drug courier who they believed was managing a stash house in an undisclosed neighborhood in Moreno Valley. "The cartels are aware of law enforcement efforts at the border, so what they'll do is they'll flood the border with multiple vehicles coming through," said FBI agent Andrew Sharp. Get up to speed with our Essential California newsletter, sent six days a week. The agency did not disclose whether any arrests had been made or were pending, saying only that the investigation is ongoing. Study after study shows that where there is meth addiction, there is also an uptick in violent crime, including robberies, assaults and murders.. Keep up with all the latest news, arts and culture, and TV highlights from KPBS. Local authorities charged a California man and woman Thursday in a massive drug bust that found more than 46 pounds of a lethal and potent synthetic opioid, multiple sources reported. Straighten up the sofa. "Meth is pouring into the U.S. through our southern border, and it's destroying too many communities," Shea said. It looks just like someone coming home from work.. Since June, couriers and a stash house for the drugs were identified through ongoing surveillance, much of it conducted by Fontana Police Department personnel, authorities said. It is not uncommon for a case that was initiated across the country say in Chicago, Atlanta or Little Rock to ultimately lead back to this area.. 5, 2020 at 11:29 AM PDT. Agents from Southwest Border Group 2 began investigating a large scale drug trafficking organization with ties to the Sinaloa Cartel in San Diego's Otay-Mesa area, allegedly involved in the transportation and delivery of large quantities of drugs. A total of 23 arrests . The Southern California seizure occurred on Oct. 2 and included 893 pounds of cocaine, 13 pounds of heroin and 2,200 pounds of methamphetamine. 9/21/2022 8:50 PM. Just last month, authorities arrested another Moreno Valley truck driver, Ricardo Benitez-Serrano, a fugitive who had been caught hauling $2.9 million in suspected drug profits in 2013 and 305 pounds of cocaine in 2014. The narcotics were all packed away in approximately 25 duffle bags. Originally from Miami, she holds a masters degree in journalism from USC. They probably didnt even know there was a pipeline beneath their feet, Moore said. Federal agents announced what they called the largest methamphetamine bust in U.S. history Wednesday . In April, Arkansas State Police found 275 poundsof meth worth an estimated $10 million hidden in a semi-truck on Interstate 40, about 10 miles east of Little Rock. And some of it, concealed inside duffle bags, was apparently passed between cars in public including at a Sam's Club parking lot in Moreno Valley. In one case, smugglers brought more than 90 pounds of meth across the border undetected at a border checkpoint. Kathy Vara reports for the NBC4 News at 4 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 7, 2020. Meth seizures rose from 1,567pounds in fiscal year 2013 to 2,546 pounds in fiscal year 2015, and heroin rose from 150 poundsto 395pounds in the same timeframe. Wiretaps are requiredto be last resorts for law enforcement, used only when surveillance, informants and other investigatory tools have failed. "That's a bad combination.". Each suspect was charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Industrial-sized labs moved to Mexico, where American laws are meaningless, and cartels now smuggle their product to their customer base in the U.S. Superficially,the shift has made Riverside County safer. (DEA) MORENO VALLEY, CA Federal agents on Wednesday announced what they called the largest methamphetamine bust by Drug Enforcement Agency . The investigation led to search warrants at multiple narcotic stash houses in Moreno Valley and Perris in Riverside County, officials said. Dylan Bingham was charged Jan. 9 in La Crosse County Circuit Court with felony counts of . Between the two homes, detectives seized 25 duffle bags of drugs containing 2,200 pounds of meth, 460 kilograms of cocaine and six kilograms of heroin. LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) A pyramid of methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin standing 10 feet tall with an estimated street value of $18.5 million was confiscated during two recent drug trafficking. Riverside County wiretaps have increased eight-fold since 2010, and now outnumber any other county or federal district by more than three to one. 11/22/2022 1:58 PM. Authorities said the Oct. 2 take, which involved two locations, in Moreno Valley and Perris, represents the largest domestic seizure of the narcotic in the agencys history. MORENO VALLEY (CBSLA) - Deputies from the Riverside County Sheriff's Department seized over a thousand marijuana plants from an illegal grow house in Moreno Valley on Friday. Officials say the change was spurred by lawmakers, in Sacramento and Washington D.C., who created aggressive laws restricting access to the chemicals used to make meth, commonly called precursors. Withoutingredients, small-scale meth labs became unfeasible. More than 1.5M positive COVID-19 cases since 2020. USA TODAY reporter Brad Heath can be reached at bheath@usatoday.com or on Twitter @bradheath. His identity was not provided. And finally, back in 2010, a DEA-led task force caught a semi-truck on Interstate-10, headed from the border to a warehouse in either Riverside County or San Bernardino County. 1/15/2023 Moore, Ezekiel Age: 34 Sex: M Arrest Date\Time: 1/15/2023 4:48:00 AM Case Number: 13-004901 PARMELE ST Rockford, IL 61104 Arrest Location: Rockford, IL We'll send you the top local news stories every morning at 8 a.m. By clicking subscribe, you agree to share your email address with Times of San Diego to receive our free newsletter and breaking news alerts. 11/22/2022 12:00 AM. We dont see many of those anymore.. (Credit: DEA), another seizure earlier this month in San Diego. "Someone who's responsible for this quantity of drugs is someone who is very, very trusted by the cartel," Bill Bodner, the special agent in charge of the Los Angeles DEA, said. Border Patrol officials said this summer that the quantity of meth and heroin theyre intercepting now is 10 times higher than it was a decade ago. It gradually destroys the body and mind of people who use it, and eventually it kills them.. According to the DEA, an investigation into transportation and supply of illegal drugs flowing into the country from south of the border focused on the Sinaloa cartel, which has been operating in the Otay Mesa area. Postal Service and private vehicles to ship large quantities of cocaine and other narcotics to buyers across the country. All you really need is a big garage and a garage door opener, Moore said. Behind him was a 10-foot pyramid comprised of contraband. The drugs were intended for distribution in Southern California, including Los Angeles, according to DEA officials, who displayed the haul at the agencys warehouse in an undisclosed location in Los Angeles County. Tuesday, the Riverside police department announced the results of a three-month narcotics operation, in which undercover officers would buy illegal drugs from drug dealers. The pipeline quietly moved gas towardSan Francisco for more than 50 years, until 2010, when a rupture sent a fireball spewing skyward, destroying three dozen homes. The department said members of its DEA task force has been on the trail of the massive drug ring with ties to the Sinaloa drug cartel since June. The DEA's bust was just one of two massive meth seizures by federal authorities in October. Desert Sun reporter Brett Kelman can be reached by phone at (760) 778-4642, by email at brett.kelman@desertsun.com, or on Twitter @TDSbrettkelman. Police say most of the suspects arrested have prior criminal records. The truck also contained 64 pounds (29 kilograms) of heroin, 29 pounds (13.1 kilograms) of fentanyl powder and almost 37 pounds (16.7 kilograms) of fentanyl pills, the agency said. The US Customers and Border Protection on Oct. 9 recovered 3,014 pounds of the drug from a truck. The statistics are not perfectly comparable because the Riverside seizure totals were provided only by fiscal year and national totals were provided only by calendar year. Brett Kelman, The Desert Sun, and Brad Heath, USA TODAY. A total of 23 arrests were made late last week during a warrant sweep. On Jan. 10, 2006, a DEA wiretap intercepted a call to the house, which seemed mundane. The DEAs Timothy Shea, left, and Bill Bodner stand next to a pyramid comprised of 2,224 pounds of methamphetamine, 893 pounds of cocaine and 13 pounds of heroin. Federal authorities on Wednesday showed off results of Southern California raids early this month that led to the biggest domestic seizure of methamphetamine in U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration history. "This massive seizure likely saved lives and prevented the Sinaloa Cartel from doing business and profiting on the lives of people in our communities.". You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here. Hayley Smith covers breaking news in California with a focus on wildfires, drought and climate change. Jeff Moore, the former narcotics prosecutor, compared the countys drug trafficking network to the San Bruno natural gas pipeline. City News Service contributed to this report. 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Another tap led further up the supply chain, to Armando Garcia Beltran, a Lake Elsinore man who smuggled narcotics across the border. We won't use your email for any other purpose, and you can opt out at any time via an unsubscribe link. "The greater Los Angeles area is a major transshipment hub where illegal drugs coming from the southwest border are stored in local warehouses, storage units and residential properties," according to the DEA. Another suspect allegedly sold drugs to undercover officers, just two hours after being released from jail on other charges. NWS releases preliminary reports on 13 Alabama tornadoes from Jan. 12. YREKA, Calif., For the fourth time in just over five weeks, members of Siskiyou County's new Domestic Highway Enforcement (DHE) Team made a significant drug bust while patrolling the I-5 corridor through Siskiyou County last Thursday, March 10. They either head north on Highway 86, into the eastern portions of the Coachella Valley, or head west to the I-15, which runs north towards Temecula, Corona and Riverside. In another seizure earlier this month in San Diego, customs and border patrol agents confiscated 3,000 pounds of meth, 29 kilograms of heroin and 29 kilograms of fentanyl-laced powder and pills. Homeland Security special agent who sexually assaulted two women, telling them he was ""above the law," was found guilty Wednesday of violating their civil rights, federal prosecutors said. Beltran, who was convicted in 2013, was sentenced to four years in prison. Representatives of the Riverside Police Department, Riverside County Sheriff's Department, FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration attended the news conference. Then Reyes rattled off a list of chores. This massive seizure is testament of what law enforcement agencies can do when we combine forces prevent over $7 million worth of deadly drugs from entering our country, thus saving countless lives from addiction and overdose deaths, said DEA Special Agent in Charge John W. Callery. The arrests were announced during a news conference in Riverside Wednesday morning, where authorities said violent crime has risen dramatically during the pandemic. There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Polar bear kills woman, boy in remote Alaska village, Man gets 30 years in prison in road rage killing of teen Astros fan, Video shows toddler waving handgun outside apartment; man arrested. Authorities said the Oct. 2 take,. Operation Crystal Shield has been a nationwide effort involving 70 to 80 investigators in multiple cities, including Perris, Fontana, Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix and Atlanta. Two years before that, Riverside resident Hiram Granados Alvarez was sentenced to 27 years in prison for attempting to ship 220 pounds of cocaine to a drug ring in Baltimore. "It's just a risk they take. DEA agents make historic $33M drug bust in Riverside County DEA Los Angeles A nearly two-ton seizure of methamphetamine in Norco was the largest meth seizure documented by the U.S. Drug. Coronavirus Updates, 2023, Gulf-California Broadcast Company Palm Springs, CA USA, Download the News Channel 3 News app here. "The drugs that will kill you.". Stephanie Lai was a 2020 intern for the Los Angeles Times. Seized heroin has been mostly white powder, rather than black tar, and officials believe these shipments are intended for East Coast markets, where white powder heroin is more popular. In total, 1088. Contests & Promotions pic.twitter.com/gdeO80nGNK. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration announced a record-breaking bust Wednesday: roughly 2,224 pounds of methamphetamine recovered in Riverside County. Authorities said the Oct. 2 take, which involved two locations, in Moreno Valley and Perris, represents the largest domestic seizure of the narcotic in the agency's history. Also seized were 893 pounds (405 kilograms) of cocaine and 13 pounds (5.9 kilograms) of heroin. First published on October 14, 2020 / 10:20 PM. The recently seized drugs stemmed from the Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation cartels in Mexico, Shea said. There's more guns on the street than I've ever seen in my career, and there's thousands of people who should be incarcerated who aren't incarcerated right now," said Gonzalez. Traditionally, L.A. is the transportation hub, he said, noting that the city is north of many immigration checkpoints and is home to four airports, numerous freeways and countless package distribution centers. Click Here to Download the News Channel 3 app. A nearly two-ton seizure of methamphetamine in Norco was the largest meth seizure documented by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's Los Angeles Division, it was announced today. Now beyond the reach of the Border Patrol, the drugs settle into stash houses, which masquerade as family homes and legitimate businesses in the innocuous suburbs. Had they not been seized, the drugs would have infiltrated Los Angeles within a day, according to Bill Bodner, special agent in charge of the DEAs Los Angeles Division. Andres Jesus Morales, 30, and Christine Ponce, 27, were charged with four drug-related felonies with the intent to sell a controlled substance, the Riverside . "Drugs make people make bad decisions," said Riverside Police Chief Larry Gonzalez. Reyes surrendered. The drugs were intended for distribution in Southern California, including Los Angeles, according to DEA officials, who displayed the haul at the agency's warehouse in an undisclosed location in Los Angeles County. However, even raw numbers reveal Riverside County as a centerpiece in U.S. drug trafficking, rivaling the nations largest cities. The DEA's big bust came just a week before another huge meth seizure. At Otay Mesa, agents said they confiscated 64 pounds of heroin, 29 pounds of fentanyl powder and roughly 35 pounds of counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl. Absent from these totals are countless seizures made by Border Patrol, local police and DEA agents from Los Angeles, San Diego and the East Coast, which routinely tracethe source of their drugs back to Riverside County. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Officials discover 3,000 pounds of meth at Otay Mesa Port of Entry, Im afraid for her life: Riverside CC womens coach harassed after Title IX suit, Want to solve climate change? Chief Sergio Diaz made the announcement during a news conference at Riverside city hall, flanked by law enforcement personnel, community leaders, and elected officials. But officials were also careful to point out that the targets of the seizures were cartels and drug dealers, not addicts. On Oct. 9, U.S. Customs and Border Protection stopped a truck crossing from Mexico into the United States at San Diego's Otay . Thats why traffickers prefer to get the drugs here.. Ok, mom, her daughter said, brimming with enthusiasm. Breaking News There seemed for a long time to be a rise of mom and pop meth labs in their homes, or out in a shack someplace, said Steve Harmon, the Riverside County Public Defender, who has practiced law here for nearly 40 years. Privacy advocates described the large number of Riverside County taps as a "red flag," but the DEA said the taps arereasonable considering the breadth and complexity of drug trafficking in this region. Even if Sinaloas dont move the drugs themselves, they tax any other cartel that ships narcotics through their territory, like a smuggling tollbooth. The loose dirt turned easy. The list of chores had been a code get the hiding places ready. Heres a timeline, Crusading vet treats some of L.A.s most cherished residents: The pets of skid row, The Times podcast: How the California GOP lost its national sway, Veterans claim anti-vet bias in Metros choice of muralist for a new VA station, California faces catastrophic flood dangers and a need to invest billions in protection, Caregiver sentenced to life in prison for unspeakable sexual abuse of disabled children. The DEA said it represented the single "largest seizure" of meth that the agency's Los Angeles personnel had ever made. The largest DEA domestic seizure of methamphetamine in history is a significant blow to the cartels, but more importantly it is a gigantic victory for communities throughout Southern California and the United States who have had to deal with the torrent of methamphetamine coming into their neighborhoods, Shea said. It was the quintessential pipe bomb, about a foot long and an inch-and-a-half wide, with caps on both ends. Federal authorities on Wednesday showed off results of Southern California raids. Help us grow with a monthly contribution. The Sinaloas have been linked to 90 percent of the drugs that move through Southern California, said Dave Stinnett, an intelligence analystwith the DEAs Los Angeles division. He previously was a reporter and assistant city editor for the Daily Pilot, a Times Community News publication in Orange County, and before that wrote for the Santa Clarita Valley Signal. Im proud of the CBP officers dedication to our mission; they continue to stop dangerous drugs from entering our communities.". We dont fish.. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. The seizures by the two agencies are more than enough to provide a dose of meth for every man, woman and child in the United States and Mexico, Timothy Shea, acting administrator of the DEA, said Wednesday at a warehouse in Montebello. Whoops! Two duffel bags replete with narcotics allegedly changed hands. Drug profits, often in bales of cash, follow the same path back to Mexico. "That's what's scary.". LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) A pyramid of methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin standing 10 feet tall with an estimated street value of $18.5 million was confiscated during two recent drug trafficking investigations in the Inland Empire representing the largest Drug Enforcement Agency meth bust in U.S. history. "The Justice Department is committed to making our neighborhoods safer by aggressively disrupting drug cartel operations in the United States.". Please reload the page and try again. Then they followed a wiretap to his supplier, who had 1.8 ounces in an RV in Perris. A team of agents cut the fence and stormed the home, guns drawn. The investigation led to search warrants at multiple narcotic stash houses in Moreno Valley and Perris in Riverside County, officials said. Around 9:45 a.m. Friday, a driver arrived at a cargo border crossing with a tractor-trailer shipment that was manifested as medical supplies. By Scott Schwebke. "The total seized drugs have an estimated street value of $33 million.". They wheeleda bomb-disposal robot toward the pipe, pointing a shotgun-like weapon designed to destroy any explosives inside. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. Without knowing it, Beltran had told them exactly where to dig. A raid by federal and local authorities netted 12 arrests in the Riverside area, with authorities confiscating large amounts of weapons, cash and methamphetamine. "This is enough dope to provide a dose of meth for every man, woman and child in the United States and Mexico," DEA Acting Administrator Timothy Shea said. "The chemicals involved, you hear of places blowing up," Rivas said. 9/21/2022 8:33 PM. INDIO, Calif. The black plastic pipe lay under the overpass, resting against the center median of Interstate 10, one of the nations busiest highways. "When you hear a story like this, where a guy is out for two hours and is slinging dope, it is somewhat demoralizing. The DEA said it was not revealing the locations of the stash houses because detectives were still working on making arrests. Later that day, Reyes husband returned to the house, driving a pickup truck. RIVERSIDE, California (AP) A former U.S. Sheriff's Administration Posted on: January 10, 2023 Homicide Reporting Deputy: Sergeant Richard Carroll File # WI230090039 Details: Fifteen years ago, men like Beltran would have been cooking meth, not smuggling it. By NBC12 Newsroom. Published: Jun. Police listened as Beltran described how he got the meth in Mexico, then buried it at the abandoned house in Lake Elsinorefor safekeeping until it could be sold. Police arrested 23 people in an operation designed to crack down on illegal drug sales in downtown Riverside. 2023 www.desertsun.com. Luke Money is a Metro reporter covering breaking news at the Los Angeles Times. The robot eased closer, eyeing the powder with a camera. Enter address: This website, like most media sites, uses small files called cookies to anonymously customize the advertising that you see. Hailing from Temecula, she previously covered Riverside County and the Inland Empire and is now focused on Orange County. Suspect arrested in Sexual Assault. The Riverside County District Attorneys Office has pointed to this bust as an example of the importance of local wiretaps, but the case also shows how drug trafficking has changed in this region. RIVERSIDE - In what is believed to likely be the largest seizure of carfentanil in Riverside County, a Perris man and woman have been charged by the DA's Office with four drug-related felonies after a lengthy investigation by the Riverside Police Department. 893 pounds of cocaine, 13 pounds of heroin & 2,224 pounds of methamphetamine. The officer referred the driver, truck and shipment for a more intensive inspection, which is when the illicit contraband was discovered, according to the DEA. Be the first to know when news breaks in Coachella Valley. "I can't bear to think about families coming here and shopping and knowing this is going on," Tanya Rivas, another shopper, said. That's nearly. Over the past three years, the Riverside Office has seen a significant rise in meth and heroin trafficking, according to seizure statistics provided to The Desert Sun. "The defendants were able to smuggle the drugs across the border during COVID, when it was more difficult to do.". Successful seizures like these save lives and reduce the exploitation and victimization of our local communities, Bodner said. The parties involved were detained, culminating in a search warrant being obtained and served at the courier's Perris residence. The massive methamphetamine seizure was part of Operation Crystal Shield, a nationwide effort the DEA launched in February. According to the indictment, between April and August of 2020, the lead defendants Timoteo Gomez, 48, of Riverside and Javier Rodriguez, 54, of Riverside, bought meth from their suppliers in Mexico, as well as in Los Angeles and Riverside counties. RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KABC) -- Authorities busted one of the largest marijuana cultivations ever uncovered in the city of Riverside, officials said Friday. Riverside. As trafficking has expandedin Riverside County, so have efforts to stop it. Operation Crystal Shield is a nationwide effort involving 70 to 80 investigators in nine cities including Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix and Atlanta. REDDING, Calif., For the second time in less than two weeks a Redding felon, who was already on probation for drug sales, was busted again for fentanyl possession and sales yesterday after a citizen's tip led officers to an apartment the man . If convicted, they face mandatory minimum sentences of 10 years in federal prison, with a possible maximum sentence of life in prison. Morning Forecast Inside was a mountain of drugs 2,650 pounds of cocaine, 66 poundsof heroin and 19 tons of marijuana, stacked on pallets. The robot fired, and tin and copper flak perforated the pipe like buckshot. A total of 19 suspects were indicted. Posted Wed, Jan 29, 2020 at 2:22 pm PT. "The more dope we can take off the street, the safer a community it is for us.". 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. How To Sign Up, Name That Species: What In The World Is This Strange Creature? Learn more about how we use cookies in our cookie policy. The entire operation lasted nearly two years. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration announced a record-breaking bust Wednesday: roughly 2,224 pounds of methamphetamine recovered in Riverside County. Despite the significant number of arrests, they said the massive size of these criminal drug rings is discouraging. Meth is an especially vicious drug, he said. Another blast is on the way. (Renee Schiavone/Patch) RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA Authorities Wednesday arrested 16 defendants . My guys are all cops, and they could tell it wasnt explosives, said Sgt. Banning Double Homicide: Arraignment Scheduled Wednesday, Major League Soccer Preseason Kicks Off In Coachella Valley, Banning Child Porn Arrest: Desert Hot Springs Man Pleads Not Guilty, 5 People Killed In Desert Crash Identified By Coroner, 2 Candlelight Vigils Honor Slain RivCo Deputy Darnell Calhoun, Are You Registered For Alert RivCo In Banning? In the pickup, agents found the visitors. Twenty-nine pounds of heroin were hidden in a secret compartment. However, another federal agency, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, netted an even bigger amount of meth the following week. Shea said the United States saw a 25% increase in meth overdoses last year alone and emphasized the drugs damaging effects on communities, which often see an accompanying uptick in violent crimes including robberies, assaults and murders.

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