The deputy was not surprised. Operation Crystal Shield is a nationwide effort involving 70 to 80 investigators in nine cities including Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix and Atlanta. A total of 23 arrests were made late last week during a warrant sweep. This is real proof of a job well done.. 5, 2020 at 11:29 AM PDT. Travel Safely and Make it to the Table for the Thanksgiving Holiday. Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. Each suspect was charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The robot eased closer, eyeing the powder with a camera. NBC Universal, Inc. A record meth bust part of a national operation was announced Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2020. "This massive seizure likely saved lives and prevented the Sinaloa Cartel from doing business and profiting on the lives of people in our communities.". "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.". January 10, 2023 at 5:40 p.m. If convicted, they face mandatory minimum sentences of 10 years in federal prison, with a possible maximum sentence of life in prison. 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. "The bulk shipments of drugs are usually broken down into smaller quantities and transported to other states or distributed to local dealers.". "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. The recently seized drugs stemmed from the Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation cartels in Mexico, Shea 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. 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. "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. 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. 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. Her husband ran out the back door, vanishing into the desert. Fifteen years ago, men like Beltran would have been cooking meth, not smuggling it. Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Community Guidelines, EEO Report | FCC Applications | Do Not Sell My Personal Information, Daily News Headlines 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. 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. Narcotics detectives with the Fontana Police Department spotted the exchange. A team of agents cut the fence and stormed the home, guns drawn. 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. Our free newsletter is delivered at 8 a.m. daily. 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. "That's what's scary.". "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. Posted Wed, Jan 29, 2020 at 2:22 pm PT. People who live in the Inland Empire said it was scary not knowing if the stash houses were located in their communities. Learn more about how we use cookies in our cookie policy. We dont see many of those anymore.. But Riverside police are fighting to make sure the area doesn't become known for an area riddled with illegal drug sales. Riverside. First published on October 14, 2020 / 10:20 PM. "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. There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. All you really need is a big garage and a garage door opener, Moore said. Authorities said the Oct. 2 take,. 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. 2023 www.desertsun.com. 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. "I can't bear to think about families coming here and shopping and knowing this is going on," Tanya Rivas, another shopper, said. Once smugglers pass Calexico, a majority follow one of two routes, DEA officials say. Last year, four Coachella men were indicted as part of a conspiracy to move millions in Sinaloa drug profits from Canada to Mexico. Online Volunteer Info Session- Learn How to Advocate for Youth in Foster Care! Roughly 1,600 pounds of meth were also located at a narcotics stash house in Perris, officials said. Copyright 2023 KABC Television, LLC. 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. 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. 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. pic.twitter.com/gdeO80nGNK. Also seized were 893 pounds (405 kilograms) of cocaine and 13 pounds (5.9 kilograms) of heroin. It looks just like someone coming home from work.. Another tap led further up the supply chain, to Armando Garcia Beltran, a Lake Elsinore man who smuggled narcotics across the border. 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. Hayley Smith covers breaking news in California with a focus on wildfires, drought and climate change. Study after study shows that where there is meth addiction, there is also an uptick in violent crime, including robberies, assaults and murders.. "The chemicals involved, you hear of places blowing up," Rivas said. We dont fish.. 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.. All rights reserved. All rights reserved. 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. "In my humble opinion, it's because of two reasons. Approx. 11/22/2022 1:58 PM. Operation Crystal Shield has resulted in 2,800 arrests over the last six months nationwide, Bodner said. 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. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. 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. PublishedOctober 14, 2020 at 10:51 AM PDT. A furry hero sniffs out one of the largest drug busts in Fontana. 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 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. Twenty-five duffel bags loaded with cocaine, heroin and meth were seized, according to the DEA. 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. 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. DEA Acting Administrator Timothy J. Shea and other law enforcement officials displayed theevidence during a press conference at a DEA warehouse in Montebello. The US Customers and Border Protection on Oct. 9 recovered 3,014 pounds of the drug from a truck. Another suspect allegedly sold drugs to undercover officers, just two hours after being released from jail on other charges. 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. 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. 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. The DEA said it represented the single "largest seizure" of meth that the agency's Los Angeles personnel had ever made. The amounts we are seeing are unfortunately on the rise, but we're also seizing more, getting more of this poison off the streets.. Ok, mom, her daughter said, brimming with enthusiasm. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration announced a record-breaking bust Wednesday: roughly 2,224 pounds of methamphetamine recovered in Riverside County. Agents seized more than 4,800 pounds of meth nationwide and are still working on more arrests, according to the DEA. 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. The loose dirt turned easy. With the generous support of readers like you, Times of San Diego publishes timely and accurate news coverage for a better-informed community. Agents seized more than 5,000 pounds of meth nationwide and are still working on more arrests, according to the DEA. "The Justice Department is committed to making our neighborhoods safer by aggressively disrupting drug cartel operations in the United States.". 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. By NBC12 Newsroom. Sheriff's Administration Posted on: January 10, 2023 Homicide Reporting Deputy: Sergeant Richard Carroll File # WI230090039 Details: "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. 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. 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. 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. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Shea said he believed, anecdotally, that there had been an uptick in meth use and overdoses during the COVID-19 pandemic. 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. More than 70 investigators worked the two California cases, which included extensive fieldwork and surveillance. Severe Weather Du kan endre valgene dine nr som helst ved g til personvernkontrollene dine. Luke Money is a Metro reporter covering breaking news at the Los Angeles Times. Federal agents announced what they called the largest methamphetamine bust in U.S. history Wednesday . Officers served a warrant at a home in the . 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. 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. 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. 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