Defendant Healer engaged in an armed stand-off with law enforcement today. DPS and HPD bust suspected drug lab in NW Houston . Carlos Avila, age 38 of Buckholts; Federal agents arrest more than a dozen local residents named in drug trafficking and firearms indictments, Assistant district attorney from Williamson County suspended after DWI wreck in Hewitt, New non-profit coming to Bell County in fight against homelessness, Change was like night and day: Mother testifies in retrial of ex-Waco day care owner charged in childs overdose death, Impacts of four-day week on school support staff. Major Susan Cotter (@HCSO_Patrol) September 1, 2021 This is no Tenaha PD joke-of-a-bust . It was recently . The amount of drugs seized was so large, a hazmat crew from the Houston Police Department were called in to assist.4, Investigators with Homeland Security Investigations conducted what they claimed to be the largest meth seizure in Houstons history. If convicted, Oliphint faces up to 20 years in federal prison. Greg Abbott said he planned to soon sign a bill that had passed the Texas Senate, as overdose cases on the synthetic opioid spike. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. While meth and cocaine are central nervous system (CNS) stimulants that increase activity in the brain, opioids like heroin reduce nerve activity in the brain, producing a euphoric and calming high. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The seizure took place on October 8, but the DEA is only now sharing the details. Indictment #1 U.S. v. Gutierrez, et al. Frank Medina Jr, age 43 of Temple; We are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to stop the widespread harm these illicit substances cause our friends, families, and neighbors.. The alleged leaders of the drug distribution ring, Jose Maldonado-Ramirez, 33, and his fianc, Iris Amador-Garcia, 30, of Bellflower, California, were arrested October 28, 2021. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. Law enforcement officers seized nearly 40 pounds of methamphetamine, 26 ounces of marijuana, nearly $18,000 in suspected drug proceeds, a Glock pistol and an AR-15 style weapon. Investigators did not reveal the name or location of the business or say where the alleged meth lab was located. The operations resulted in the confiscation of some 451 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, and 192 kilograms of liquid methamphetamine, or a total of 1,414 pounds. For overdose and related medical emergencies please dial 911. Let's put the drug bust into perspective. The Drug Enforcement Administration led the multi-agency investigation of this case, which also included the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland . ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Later that evening, officers encountered a daily express consignment truck hauling a shipment of vinyl samples arriving from Mexico. Marshals returned to Brady on Tuesday morning in an attempt to stop the gigantic drug ring that is supplying narcotics across Texas according to sources with the federal court system. Screenshot from Bexar County Sheriff video. Additionally, on August 17, 2021, law enforcement seized 22 pounds of methamphetamine that conspirators attempted to mail to Fiji. OVer the past two days, federal, state and local authorities arrested 13 of the above defendants. We can help! March 27, 2021 3:10 PM in News. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. Eduardo A. Chvez, a special agent in charge of the DEAs Dallas office, said that the meth was smuggled across the border by traffickers working with the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), which is led by Nemesio Oseguera-Cervantes, who is nicknamed El Mencho.3. 4 men arrested after DPS troopers announce fentanyl bust in NW Houston. Both were charged with engaging in organized criminal activity, a first-degree felony. Packages containing 114 pounds of cocaine seized by CBP officers at World Trade Bridge. Secure .gov websites use HTTPSA lock ( U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Office of Field Operations (OFO) officers carried out three unrelated seizures last week, two of which occurred in the same day. Homeland Security said the bust was part of a joint operation that included the DEA, ATF, Houston police and fire, Texas DPS and Harris County Pct. Domestic Cannabis Suppression / Eradication Program, Red Ribbon Toolkit - Resources For Your Community, DEA National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, Intelligence Research Specialist Job Announcements, Schedule A Hiring Authority: Intelligence Research Specialist, Privacy Impact Assessment and Management Information Systems, Victim Witness Assistance Program Resources. Im just proud of our officers and the work they put together with other agencies We want to make it as difficult as we can for them to get their dope.. Sheriff's say after an investigation and surveillance they located a lab where liquid meth was being converted into crystal meth. If youve heard of heroin but dont know what it is, its a powerful opioid that works differently from meth or cocaine. Thirteen of the defendants were arrested over the past two days. The CPS said that the cocaine has an estimated street value of $878,220. Drugs Texas DEA Crime. Earlier this month, the DEA arrested 11 alleged traffickers in Amarillo, Texas, on suspicion of conspiring to deal hundreds of grams of meth and cocaine. Click to reveal Heroin is one of the many opioids that have contributed to the increasing rate of drug overdose deaths in the U.S. AMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) - Eleven alleged drug traffickers have been arrested and charged in Amarillo, announced U.S. attorney for the . Agents at eight . Copyright 2022 KWTX. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. The 32 kilos of narcotics seized have a street value of $2 million, police said. The agencies within the TAG came together and worked together and were able to find these drugs and get them off the street so McLennan County did great here also working in conjunction with the TAG, and so were just thankful for the work that they did to remove these drugs from getting in childrens hands, or anybody elses hands., Sheriff McNamara said the estimated street value of the methamphetamine seized is in excess of $530,000. The charges, which include . of Public Safety. Members of the ring tried to trade drugs for firearms ones they could transport to Mexico contributing to terrible violence south of the border. Stimulant abuse involving cocaine and meth has also remained high. Oliphint, who was arrested Thursday, faces as much as 20 years in prison if convicted. In 2011, Lewis was convicted on federal charges of manufacturing counterfeit currency. The DEA said the amount seized in Dallas equated to 20 percent of all the meth found in 2020. If convicted, he faces between 10 years and life in federal prison. Biggest bust: More than $500K in meth off Central Texas streets, Assistant district attorney from Williamson County suspended after DWI wreck in Hewitt, New non-profit coming to Bell County in fight against homelessness, Change was like night and day: Mother testifies in retrial of ex-Waco day care owner charged in childs overdose death, Impacts of four-day week on school support staff. According to the indictment, Guthrie was convicted on March 27, 2020, in Bell County, for possession of a controlled substance less than one gram and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. In that time, DPS seized a staggering 95 pounds, enough to administer 21.5 million lethal doses. The female driver was identified as Shauna Madrid, 36, from Roswell, New Mexico. This federal grand jury indictment charges the following defendants with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine: Anthony Gutierrez, aka Cuzzo, age 34 of San Juan; Colton Lane Lewis, age 30 of Temple; Official websites use .govA .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Denison police make largest drug bust ever. "They were like sausage links. Volusia County Sheriff's Office (WKMG 2021) VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. - Sixteen people were arrested over a couple of days in a series of drug busts that resulted in fentanyl, heroin, crack cocaine . Corporate Headquarters: usatxw.mediainquiry@usdoj.gov. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. On Tuesday, January 26, CBP officers assigned to the cargo facility encountered a tractor hauling a shipment of toilet paper arriving from Mexico. The indictment alleges that on November 11, 2020, he possessed at least 500 grams of methamphetamine. Posted on March 2, 2023 by Constitutional Nobody. Anthony Gutierrez, Jose Gutierrez, Crigger, Gentile, Sutton and Warrick would each face 10 years to life in federal prison if convicted because the quantity level charged is at least 500 grams, authorities said. Kimberly Lee, age 26 of Gatesville; Seattle A series of arrests over the last ten days has disrupted a multi-state methamphetamine and fentanyl distribution ring. Lori Oliphint, 43, of Temple was named in an indictment charging possession with intent to distribute less than 50 grams of methamphetamine. This federal grand jury indictment charges 31-year-old Annie Rose Lewis of Temple with one count of convicted felon in possession of a firearm. LIBERTY COUNTY, Texas There was a major methamphetamine bust in Liberty County overnight, and the sheriff's office there believes it might be the biggest one ever in the county's history . Because Texas is on the Mexican border, drug trafficking in the state is, unfortunately, very common. The DEA said more than 1,930 pounds of meth were found stuffed into 663 packages in a hidden compartment of an 18-wheeler off Interstate 35 in Denton County. The group is accused of conspiring to distribute multiple kilograms of methamphetamine in Bell County and surrounding areas since January 2020. Updated: Jun 22, 2021 / 11:41 AM . LIKE 25 NEWS KXXV ON FACEBOOK FOR THE LATEST CENTRAL TEXAS STORIES. At the time, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesperson said it was the second-largest bust ever, behind only a 5,000-pound bust in December 2019 in Laredo, Texas. File photo showing packages of methamphetamine crystals. (Denison Police Dept.) Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar says a drug operation at the home in the 100 block of Trudell was first broken up a few weeks ago when Deputies were delivering a warrant. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. The DEA and our partners are focused on the most dangerous criminals in Washington. Trisha Ann Sanchez, age 40 of Temple. The home was being used as a conversion lab where meth is turned into the raw, liquid form, making it more difficult for agents to detect. The remaining defendants face between five years and 40 years in federal prison upon conviction because the quantity level charged is at least 50 grams. This story has been shared 154,083 times. Todays successful operation should give members of the community a level of comfort in knowing these violent offenders, who live and walk among us, wont be putting their lives in danger any longer., These warrants represent the continued efforts of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS:CI) to ensure the safety of our communities, said IRS:CI acting Special Agent in Charge Adam Jobes. 5:18 PM on Jun 11, 2021 CDT. Anthony Gutierrez, Jose Gutierrez, Crigger, Gentile, Sutton and Warrick face between 10 years and life in federal prison upon conviction because the quantity level charged is at least 500 grams. The first indictment charges 16 Central Texans with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Jose Francisco Gutierrez, age 33 of Killeen; Amid an 800 percent surge in seizures of fentanyl statewide due to porous borders, Texas will create a new criminal offense for the manufacture or delivery of the drug, the governor has announced. The North Little Rock man appeared in federal court . The Texas-Mexico border has been a hub for drug trafficking for years. Joe David Beck, age 50 of Temple; New Zealand police find 3.5 tons of cocaine in Pacific Ocean. India News | Press Trust of India | Wednesday December 21, 2022. Drug ledgers were also found, which contained customer and payment information, in addition to 14 firearms, some of them loaded. They were arrested and charged with drug conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute. If convicted, Barton faces btween 10 years and life in federal prison. Performance & security by Cloudflare. These indictments are an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. February 27, 2023. Today's takedown marks the latest major drug bust in the OAG's Suburban and Upstate Response to the Growing Epidemic (SURGE) Initiative, a law enforcement effort that brings together state and local law enforcement to target New York's growing and often violent heroin, opioid, and narcotics trafficking networks. SAN ANTONIO - Six people are in custody, two of which are being held in a federal facility, following a drug bust on the North Side, according to the Bexar County Sheriff's Office. One additional defendant was arrested today with 2 pounds of methamphetamine, three rifles, and a shotgun. A total of 50 people were arrested following one of the largest drug busts in south Texas in recent years, according to Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery and Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux of . Liberty County officials were asked to assist in a search warrant led by the DEA out of Houston to seize what they estimated to be $500,000 worth. According to KNEL, on Apr. Published: Aug. 26, 2022 at 6:40 . The alleged leaders of the drug distribution ring, Jose Maldonado-Ramirez, 33, and his fianc, Iris Amador-Garcia, 30, of Bellflower, California, were arrested October 28, 2021. The Mexican cartel is largely responsible for drugs like cocaine, fentanyl, heroin, marijuana, and methamphetamine in Texas and the rest of the United States. Unfortunately, methamphetamine is one of the largest threats in North Texas, so we would anticipate that a lot of it was destined for the market here.". The fifth federal indictment charges 31-year-old Annie Rose Lewis of Temple with one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. (KWTX) - Federal agents swept through Central Texas on Thursday and Friday and arrested 15 area residents named in sealed drug trafficking and firearms indictments, the U.S. Attorneys Office said in a press release Friday. During the stop, a search of the vehicle was conducted. The Delhi Police on Wednesday destroyed over 2,800 kgs of . 27, law enforcement officers with the Drug Enforcement Agency, Texas Rangers, Texas Department of Public Safety, Brady . The 18-month investigation revealed the drug trafficking organization was also distributing drugs to locations in the Southeastern United States including Florida, Arkansas and Tennessee. 54 Individuals Indicted for Roles in Distributing Heroin, Fentanyl, Methamphetamine, and Cocaine "Dangerous drugs have devastated too many communities throughout our state and claimed too many lives," said Attorney General James.. "As New Yorkers and Americans across the country witnessed the greatest number of drug overdose deaths in history in 2020, the defendants here were allegedly . There were 16.5 tons of the drug found in seven shipping containers late Monday night, officials said. Press contact for the U.S. Attorneys Office is Communications Director Emily Langlie at (206) 553-4110 or Emily.Langlie@usdoj.gov. Lewis has a 2011 federal conviction for manufacturing counterfeit currency. If you or a loved one are struggling with drugs or alcohol, call us now! The indictment alleges that the defendants conspired since January 2020 to distribute multiple kilogram quantities of methamphetamine in Bell County and surrounding areas. Guthrie is accused of being in possession of a Colt .45 caliber handgun on May 21, 2020. The most recent tally shows they found 6,000 pounds of meth, increasing the street value to about $1 million. The GBI said they seized more than 38 kilograms of methamphetamine worth about $530,000, marijuana, illicit pharmaceuticals, 11 firearms, 34 vehicles bought with money from drug proceeds, and . Today, law enforcement made additional arrests of the distribution network: Angelique Marie Easton, 51, Bremerton, WA, Douglas Bryan Healer, 47, Port Orchard, WA. "The Yellow Rose of Texas is safer today as we bring justice to those drug traffickers who want to poison our communities and profit from those who struggle with addiction. In May 2021, authorities seized 1,789 pounds of meth in north Houston, as well as large quantities of other narcotics, during an investigation near North Shepherd and I-45 in north Houston. Marshals Service provided valuable assistance with the arrests. Jose . During this investigation authorities seized approximately four kilograms of cocaine, approximately seven kilograms of methamphetaine and a half a dozen firearms. All rights reserved. Jose Gutierrez, Crigger and Lewis were already in custody prior to yesterday. Roberts and Keith are both accused of distributing drugs in the Bellmead area. That's more than 16 tons of chronic. Hopefully, these idiots are going to get some tall sentences, McNamara said. In the biggest drug bust in Liberty Countys history, the DEA seized $1 million worth of methamphetamine in a home at County Road 2191 off FM 787. Chavez is charged with manufacture or delivery of a controlled substance (penalty group 1) over 400 grams, a first-degree felony. If convicted, Beck, Penaloza-Calderon, Neely, Hale, Peterson, Loza and Thomas could face from 10 years to life in federal prison based on the amount of methamphetamine involved. All rights reserved. An apartment complex with twin buildings in one of Dallas' most crime-infested neighborhoods served as a major drug distribution hub that was both ruinous to the . This federal grand jury indictment charges 35-year-old Cory Joe Barton of Gatesville with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. To illustrate the impact of drug trafficking on the opioid epidemic and drug addiction in the U.S., were sharing the biggest drug busts in Texas this year. Drug Seizure Statistics FY2023. "I see a lot of lives saved when we can stack up kilograms of drugs like this on a table," Chavez said. Annie Rose Lewis of Temple, 31, was also named in an indictment charging one count of convicted felon in possession of a firearm that alleges she possessed a .380 caliber pistol on Dec. 21, 2020 after she was convicted in 2011 in federal court of manufacturing counterfeit currency. The remaining defendants face between five years and 40 years in federal prison if convicted because the quantity level charged is at least 50 grams. In the fourth federal grand jury indictment, 21-year-old Kayli Marie Guthrie of Temple is charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Cocaine, Meth, & Firearm Drug Bust in Dallas. Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Carter's body was discovered by his housekeeper. Twenty central Texas residents face federal drug trafficking and firearms charges stemming from five separate, but related, federal grand jury indictments unsealed today in Waco, announced U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff; FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division; Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Director Steven McCraw; Temple Police Chief Shawn Reynolds; Killeen Police Chief Charles Kimble; and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux, Houston Division. Teams from the Tarrant County Sheriff's Office, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), and Dallas, Fort Worth, Mansfield and River Oaks police departments were a part of the joint operation. BATON ROUGE - On Saturday deputies shutdown a large drug operations near S . Lesleigh Arianne Bittner, age 33 of Belton; They are buying a death sentence, Abbott said. By KXII Staff. Chavezs bond was set at $50,000 and and he bonded out on June 9, 2022. Angela Loy, age 32 of Temple; Suite 115 During a search of the residence where Iris Amador-Garcia was living with her brother and co-conspirator, Mario Amador-Garcia, 31, and co-conspirator, Bayron Eberto Garcia-Perez, 33, agents seized a kilogram of fentanyl or heroin, 80,000 pills of suspected fentanyl, and 2 firearms. Another 44 pounds of meth were seized in a stop on April 2, 2021, and 83 pounds of methamphetamine and 20,000 fentanyl pills were seized in a traffic stop on September 28, 2021. "Investigators believe the seizure is the . First published on November 11, 2021 / 11:37 AM. If convicted, Oliphint faces up to 20 years in federal prison. Drug Bust. An indictment should not be considered evidence of guilty. During the investigation that led to the indictments, authorities seized about four kilograms of cocaine, seven kilograms of methamphetamine, and a half dozen firearms. As of 15 December 2021 the Drug Seizures dashboard now includes seizures of all drug types. I dont remember this amount of meth being taken before, its a huge amount.. According to a release from the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, the Drug Enforcement Admiration arrested 13 people as part of Operation Hartbreak Kid, which was named after the man agents believe to be the lead defendant in the case, 27-year-old Derrick Hart. FORT WORTH, Texas Tarrant County authorities have seized more than 1,400 pounds of liquid methamphetamine over the last five weeks, an estimated street value totaling $16 million, officials . The distribution of drugs like heroin, cocaine, meth, and fentanyl into the state is an ongoing problem, and it seems like authorities are constantly the biggest drug busts in Texas. All the suspects were charged with drug crimes, with most in connection to a wide-scale trafficking ring in Leon and Gadsden counties. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Agents swarmed a house at around 7 a.m. Thursday on FM 2271 just north of the Miller Springs Nature Center on the edge of Lake Belton in Temple, as part of the enforcement action. The indictment alleges that on May 21, 2020, Guthrie was in possession of a Colt .45 caliber handgun. Last week, it was revealed that the the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's Dallas division had made a major drug bust in October, resulting in more than $45 million worth of methamphetamine being seized. The amount of heroin seized by DEA Field Divisions increased by 30% from 2018 to 2019, with the largest amounts of heroin seized in Texas, California, Arizona, and New York. The drugs are estimated to have a street value of $397,120. To access the data used to build this dashboard, please visit the CBP Data Portal. After the tractor was referred to a canine and non-intrusive imaging system inspection, 43 packages containing 113.89 pounds of cocaine were found in the trailer. Drugs Worth Rs 1,500 Crore Destroyed In Delhi Over 8 Years, 154 Arrested. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Smith-Burris will be prosecuting the cases. Below is a list of recent Texas drug busts that have seized record amounts of drugs. The bust was made Wednesday, June 8, at a home on Park Avenue in South Waco. Authorities believe the drugs may have come from the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, or CJNG. A locked padlock Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Eight additional firearms were seized at search locations in Washington and California.