Those indicted were: Patrick Nolan YoYo McSwain, 50; Nolberto Ortega, 54; Edgar Aguilar-Terrazas, 31; Jose Fernando Perez Leyva, 30; Amanda Denise Connell, 33; Kelvin Denard Chatam, 36; Ameche Lashuan Meche Curry, 50; Lashonda Renea White, 40; Michael Twymon, 59; Robert Shurone Chatman, 40; Flemmings Boobang Chatman, 27 and Christopher Lane, age unknown. Investigators allege the two men travelled from Sydney to Queensland in October 2019 to meet with a representative of a Netherlands-based criminal syndicate to acquire the illicit drugs. February 27, 2023. They were taken to Merrylands Police Station and were charged with multiple drug-related offences. The members of the drug distribution ring were frequently armed - one was pulled over after waving a firearm at another vehicle on I-5 North near Bellingham. 5:47. The rest of the suspects are from Talladega. The Sydney men were arrested by AFP investigators on Wednesday (28 April, 2021) as part of Operation Parazonium. After the June 2019 drug bust, MSC was suspended for 90 days from the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) "trusted trader" C-TPAT program. "With the assistance of the Australian Federal Police we cut into the arm of the excavator where we found 384 packages of cocaine weighing each weighing around one kilogram," she said. DEA agents arrested McSwain after he met with a drug courier coordinated by Ortega. Five men from Perth, one from Queensland and one from NSW have been charged with charged with laundering property or money from the proceeds of major crime. Albert Lee, also known as "Mook," 32, of Pawtucket, R.I., was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge. Ortega, McSwain, and Terrazas, are charged with conspiring to traffic five kilograms or more of cocaine. The Queensland JOCTF comprises of members from the Australian Federal Police, Queensland Police Service (QPS), Australian Border Force (ABF), Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC), AUSTRAC and Department of Home Affairs. Over 50 arrested in drug bust; enough Fentanyl 'to kill everyone in Brevard County' seized. Acting Deputy Commissioner of Operations at the Australian Border Force Sharon Huey said the concealment of the drugs in the second-hand piece of machinery was "very professional". A new 'veloway' is welcome news for Melbourne's cyclists. Georgia man arrested in Talladega County drug bust 21 January 2022, 10:56 am A Georgia man was arrested Friday in Centre for . Access free 24/7 drug and alcohol counselling online at, For information about drug and alcohol addiction treatment or support, go to. It comes just three months after another major investigation by the AFP and Queensland police seized the third-largest batch of MDMA in Australian history. The U.S. Coast Guard released video of service members leaping onto a submarine carrying 17,000 pounds of cocaine as part of a months-long, $569 million cocaine bust. To improve your experience. He said a father and son who had a "low profile" were believed to be the leaders of the syndicate. The investigation was . How did it come to this? "We have seen drug dealers specifically target Schoolies the fact that the timing would have meant that these pills are hitting the street and specifically here in Queensland at a time just before Schoolies," he said. An Onondaga County grand jury has indicted 65 people in connection with a Central New York drug bust. FBBO Gold Member. They see Australia as a lucrative market to target because of the high demand for drugs and the high prices users will pay. rates of substance use are falling among younger generations (less likely to . Police are hunting for the vehicle involved in a hit and run incident that left an 18-year-old in a critical condition. *BREAKING NEWS* 16.5 tons of cocaine has an . Don't have an account? U.S. authorities say they have seized more than $1 billion worth of cocaine from the container . However a very specialised and highly sophisticated method of concealment had been made on a large piece of machinery.". As part of that operation, DEA and other law enforcement agencies have seized a total of 81 kilograms of methamphetamine, 22 kilograms for cocaine, 11 kilograms of heroin, two kilograms of fentanyl, and 150 pounds of marijuana. Todays arrests, said Northern District of Alabama U.S. Attorney Jay Town and DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Clay Morris, bring the number of people arrested to 10 following a nearly three-year Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force investigation into the Talladega-based drug operation. The Sydney men were arrested by AFP investigators on Wednesday (28 April, 2021) as part of Operation Parazonium. Drug raid nets more than $300 million worth of MDMA destined for Queensland. Timothy Engstrom, 34, and Adam Hunter, 33, were charged with importing a commercial quantity of a controlled drug and appeared via video link in the Queanbeyan Local Court on Monday morning. The AFP said in total 850kg of MDMA was seized, with the potential to be made into approximately 8.5 million tablets in Australia. "It is a significant amount of cash that is going to harm criminal enterprises, not only in Western Australia but across Australia," he said. So far 14 men have been charged in relation to . Alabama's Best Morning Show of 2016 and 2019 . Agents then executed on search warrant on Mcswains home in Talladega, Alabama and discovered two kilograms of heroin, 383.8 grams of cocaine, 267.1 grams of marijuana, 884.4 grams of methamphetamine, two drug presses, multiple cellphones, scales, a handgun, and an AR-15 rifle. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. A 21-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges PATRICK NOLAN YoYo McSwain, 50, of Talladega, NOLBERTO ORTEGA, 54, of Chicago, Ill., EDGAR AGUILAR-TERRAZAS, 31, of Mexico, JOSE FERNANDO PEREZ LEYVA, 30, of Ind., AMANDA DENISE CONNELL, 33, KELVIN DENARD CHATAM, 36, AMECHE LASHUAN Meche CURRY, 50, LASHONDA RENEA WHITE, 40, MICHAEL TWYMON, 49, ROBERT SHURONE CHATMAN, 40, FLEMMINGS Boobang CHATMAN, 37, all of Talladega, and CHRISTOPHER LANE, with conspiracy to distribute drugs including heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine between May 2017 and July 2019. AUSTRAC National Manager Jon Brewer said this outcome shows how AUSTRACs specialist financial analysis plays a unique but critical role in law enforcement investigations. DEA agents obtained a search warrant and found 69 kilograms of methamphetamine and two kilograms of fentanyl inside the wooden crate. Eleven people were charged in relation to the seizure including a 48-year-old woman from Bass Hill in New South Wales who was extradited to Brisbane. Law enforcers arrest Grade 9 teacher in a buy-bust operation. Police raid home of Shinzo Abe murder suspect. You don't do evil business in Western Australia.". Posted Thu 21 Nov 2019 at 11:12pm Thursday 21 Nov 2019 at 11:12pm Thu 21 . Media are encouraged to include help-seeking information in stories about illicit drugs to minimise any negative impact on people in the community. But will it be safer for women? Bungendore cocaine bust sees more than 380kg seized from inside second-hand excavator. Attorneys M. Blake Milner and Austin D. Shutt are prosecuting. Commissioner Kraag said the investigation was generated by the Australian authorities who provide information to the Netherlands national police. Police have arrested 19 people and seized $7 million in cash in a massive drug sting in Western Australia. "If you are a criminal and you have a family, we are coming," he warned. The indictment includes special findings of the grand jury regarding the amount of heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine attributable to various defendants as part of the drug-trafficking conspiracy. AUSTRAC acknowledges the traditional owners and custodians of country throughout Australia. Our recent arrests show that anyone in WA who thinks they are safe using encrypted communications to purchase drugs or facilitate their movement need to think again, he said. To the drug traffickers out there, youll have company soon., Covert trip to massive Mexican meth lab inspires Alabama lawmen to ramp up drug fight. 'Celebration of unity': Thousands create history during WorldPride march, Reports indicating Stalin was murdered hidden for decades, Tens of thousands flock to Bondi for one-off dance party. Three kilos of ice and 28kg of heroin were also uncovered in the investigation targeting the distribution of ice and heroin. 15,000 kilos of cocaine equals more than 16 tons of the illegal drug. Fortunately, DEA and the Talladega Drug Task Force has found a new home for them-prison.. The size, scope and magnitude of the McSwain Drug Trafficking Organization cannot be understated., Literally, weekly shipments of methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin were pouring into Talladega County. Police arrested six men, all Vietnamese nationals, including a 31-year-old permanent resident, a 41-year-old who is unlawfully in Australia, a 23-year-old and 27-year-old both currently on student visas and a 38-year-old and a 44-year-old both currently on bridging visas. jason beghe political views; national wild turkey federation stamp collection; publix fruit cake price; john vandemoer lawyer; Property News:House prices in some school catchments explode by up to $367,000 - domain.com.au, Your web browser is no longer supported. The minimum prison penalty for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime is five years in prison, which must be served after completion of any other sentenced related to the crime. 8:41am Oct 26, 2020. . This service may include material from Agence France-Presse (AFP), APTN, Reuters, AAP, CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced. Police estimated the cocaine would have resulted in just under two million street deals, most of which would have been in the ACT. "We need to follow the money because those criminals are in it for making lots and lots of money.". In a release, the Nova Scotia . These dealers will go to extreme lengths to profit from this deadly poison with no regard to the pain and ruin they leave behind. "Over the two days, 14 offenders were arrested, and more than 13,000 plants were seized with an estimated street value of over $40 million," Mr Watson said. An indictment contains only charges. BOSTON - Two members of a Cape Cod heroin trafficking ring have been sentenced to 10 years and nine years in prison for their roles in a violent kidnapping captured on video. Those arrested today could care less about the countless lives they tragically affected, Morris said. Assistant Commissioner of the Dutch National Criminal Investigations Division, Andy Kraag, said authorities "set a trap" in order to catch the alleged masterminds. Both men were refused bail and will face court next month. This brings the total number of people arrested to 10 as a result of a nearly three-year Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force investigation. Top Row (left to right): Ramito Ramirez-Barreto, Iban Barreto . 2021 arrest and extradition vision is available via Hightail link here. A locked padlock "The biggest difference is in 1975 outdoor crops were seasonal, so criminal groups were restricted to one crop a year, whereas these grow houses are weather controlled enabling the harvest of new plants every 12 weeks or so.". Updated: Nov. 21, 2019 at 5:55 PM PST. Operation Quebec Oxygen was started by Queensland Police in February 2018, and this week 34 people were charged after 56 searches were conducted in Chinchilla, Tara and Dalby. To improve your experience, Three men have been charged after more than $150 million worth of methamphetamine and. The Ukraine war may be a battle for the global order but whose rules are we fighting for? If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Since 2019, the Queensland Joint Organised Crime Taskforce (JOCTF), working with the National Police of the Netherlands (NPN) Criminal Investigations Division, have arrested 13 people, including the two Sydney men, as part of this operation. About $2.3 million was also received from a WA based crime network in exchange for the illicit drugs. Police would not reveal exactly how the money was discovered, except to say "community resources" and information from the border were critical in identifying the targets. Screenshot via Balano Geral Manh. Two former Major League Baseball stars . Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. The indictment also charges four defendants with money laundering and six defendants with using a telephone to facilitate a drug-trafficking crime. The first one had recently crossed into WA and was believed to be heading back to the border when police intercepted it in Meckering. As trusted partners we are in it for the long run, so at the end nobody is untouchable.. A great result by Australian law enforcement. Officers from the Serious and Organised Crime Division, with the help of community tip-offs, identified and stopped several suspicious vehicles crossing the border on October 20. Investigators then pounced, arresting 13 people. Todays arrests are an important step in reducing the flow of heroin, cocaine and methamphetamines, sourced from Mexico, into the Northern District of Alabama, U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town said. Seven men have been arrested and charged so far, with more arrests expected. Watch below to see how you can set yours, and get more WA stories. They were already in custody in relation to a large seizure of drugs in July. National Police of the Netherlands (NPN) Chief Constable (Commander) Andy Kragg, Deputy Head National Criminal Investigations Division commended the joint international effort. log in. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn, and work. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Queensland Police Deputy Commissioner Tracy Linford said in total the drug seizure had the potential to make 15 million pills. "This is an amazing job that police have done here," Ms Roberts said. "It was delivered in the last little while.". To join the conversation, please Those arrested today could care less about the countless lives they tragically affected. On July 10th Ortega sent a drug courier from Mexico that was intercepted by DEA in Jefferson County with six kilograms of cocaine. . DEA agents arrested McSwain after he met with a drug courier coordinated by Ortega, records state. CIRCLEVILLE, Ohio (WOIO) - A highly coordinated undercover drug task force operation recently resulted in 59 arrests in southern Ohio. "Inevitably some of it was destined for the streets of the ACT," Assistant Commissioner Johnson said. Realizing the mission is poorly executed, the team find themselves trapped by settlers and . 2 min read. All of those indicted are face a maximum of life in prison for conspiracy to distribute drugs. We recognise their continuing connection to the land, sea and community. Twenty of the accused have been processes and booked. Some wouldn't survive, Kakadu National Park rangers in war against feral animals as populations boom, Kade was a fit 31-year-old when he died from a heart attack, Shoe polish stands begin to vanish, lose their shine, A Nazi-hunting nun, an accused murderer, a theatre legend: This Australian actor plays them all. BuyBust (stylized as BUYBUST) is a 2018 Philippine action thriller film co-written and directed by Erik Matti.It stars an ensemble cast top-billed by Anne Curtis and Brandon Vera.The plot centers on a team summoned by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to conduct a drug bust in a Manila slum. 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Globally, some 35 million people are estimated to suffer from drug use disorders and who require treatment services, according to the latest World Drug Report, released today by the United Nations Office on Drugs . Drug and Firearms Squad Commander Detective Superintendent John Watson said the seizure was one of the most significant Australia had seen. Could electric vehicles be the answer? Thirty-four people have been charged with more than 1000 offences after a massive drug bust in Queensland. To the drug traffickers out there, youll have company soon.. "We believe that this criminal network would have been able to produce thousands of kilos of MDMA equivalent to tens of millions of pills which was likely destined for Australia," Commissioner Reece Kershaw said. Timothy Engstrom, 34, and Adam Hunter, 33, were charged with importing a commercial quantity of a controlled drug and appeared via video link in the Queanbeyan Local Court on Monday morning. September 14, 2021 - 7:32PM. "Our response to these peddlers of death in our community will be relentless and continuous.". Assistant Commissioner Johnson said after it was identified the cocaine was seized and replaced in the excavator with an inert substance. Authorities said McSwain and Ortega were leaders of the operation. Nationwide News Pty Ltd 2023. Three kilograms of ice and 750 grams of heroin were also seized. On July 10th Ortega sent a drug courier from Mexico that was intercepted by DEA in Jefferson County with six kilograms of cocaine. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn, and work. The messy family drama behind one of the world's biggest K-pop empires, Self-help author Marianne Williamson launches primary challenge against Joe Biden for 2024 Democratic nomination, Chinese migrants walked a gruelling 500km to Victoria's goldfields in the 19th century. Kelvin Chatman, Curry, Robert Chatman, and White are charged with conspiring to traffic five hundred grams or more of methamphetamine. Find out more about our policy and your choices, including how to opt-out. Criminals looking to acquire illicit drugs should know that AUSTRAC is highly focussed on using financial intelligence to detect and disrupt such behaviour.. Nationwide News Pty Ltd 2023. The force said on Tuesday 52 charges were laid as part of the operation, and six guns and 3000 rounds of ammunition seized. Ortega is from Chicago, Aguilar-Terrazas from Mexico and Leyva from Indiana. 2019 drug seizure vision is available via Hightail link here. Mexican drug syndicate busted on Aussie shore. 'Please confirm what Muslim refers to': Why Ali's birthday payment for his nephew was flagged by his bank, These engineers break their silenceafterdecade of criticism overBrisbane2011 flood handling, Sherpa are world famous for their work, which is synonymous with their name. New Jersey cops seized nearly $1 million in meth during a bust of a "major" drug ring that was run out of a quiet, suburban neighborhood, authorities said Tuesday. A 21-count indictment filed charges Patrick Nolan YoYo McSwain, 50, Nolberto Ortea, 54, Edgar Aguilar-Terrazas, 31, Jose Fernando Perez Leyva, 30, Amanda Denise Connell, 33, Kelvin Denard CHatam, 36, Ameche Lashuan Meche Curry, 50, Lashonda Renea White, 40, Michael Twymon, 49, Robert Shurone Chatman, 40, Flemings Boobang Chatman 37 and Christopher Lane in connection to the drug distribution. In another, investigators found about $250,000 in cash being mailed to Victoria. AFP Detective Superintendent Helen Schneider described the arrests of the men as a significant win in the fight against the international illicit drug trade.