Coast Guard offloads $51 million in cocaine in San Juan, Puerto Rico, following at-sea drug bust near the British Virgin Islands. Syracuse police detective Scott Fura conducted numerous controlled buys of drugs from Fuentes and Negron-Collazo at a house on Turtle Street, according to Baart. At the height of the ongoing pandemic, these alleged drugtraffickers hid behind jobs in the music industry and shipped their cocaine in children's lunch boxes. Klicken Sie auf Alle ablehnen, wenn Sie nicht mchten, dass wir und unsere Partner Cookies und personenbezogene Daten fr diese zustzlichen Zwecke verwenden. Puerto Rico, and United States - specifically Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Learn more. REUTERS/Stephen Yang NEW YORK, Nov 2 (Reuters) - U.S. law enforcement officials seized more than one ton of cocaine allegedly shipped to the New York area from Puerto Rico, the largest. Officials captured a 52-foot (15.8 meter) long, 8-foot-wide semi-submersible carrying 2,500 kilograms (5,512 pounds) of cocaine worth about $75 million, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico Stephen Muldrow said at a press conference. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Pennsylvania woman missing since 1992 found alive in Puerto Rico, LA artist nearly loses hand after impaling it on her own paintbrush, Miss Puerto Rico and Miss Argentina star in sexy Fenty ad after wedding, 3 US tourists stabbed in Puerto Rico after being warned to stop filming hamburger cart: cops. The search yielded more than 18 pink zip lock bags containing cocaine, as well as $4,000 cash, a Rolex watch, luxury sneakers, a luxury book bag and wallet, a kilo press (equipment used in packaging narcotics), three digital scales and cellphones. He had approximately $12,000 on his person. Packages of cocaine were sent from Puerto Rico to a house at 2218 Midland Ave. in the South Side, Baart wrote. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Arrests made in drug ring bust spanning Connecticut, Puerto Rico and SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - On March 10, 2021, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging 30 violent gang members with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and aiding and abetting in the possession/distribution of controlled substances, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United Officials placed the value of the 2.76 tons of cocaine at approximately $75 million. Police Commissioner Antonio Lpez Figueroa said police also seized more than 170 weapons and some 320 pounds (146 kilograms) of cocaine. Cape May bust breaks up cocaine network with links to Puerto Rico drug This disruption and seizure were the result of multi-agency efforts involving the Caribbean Border Interagency Group and the Caribbean Corridor Strike Force. Sign up now to get the Washington Examiners breaking news and timely commentary delivered right to your inbox. Coast Guard offloads a $20 million in cocaine, following at-sea drug bust near Puerto Rico. Sector San Francisco launched a helicopter from Air Station San Francisco. At three other houses located at 722 E. Laurel St., 300 Woodruff Ave. and 534 Stafford Ave. detectives found more than 2.5 kilograms of cocaine and more than 40 grams of heroin that was separated into more than 1,000 bags, according to Baart. In carrying out the charged conspiracy, which ran from May of 2020 to July of 2021, accused ringleaders Carlos Duarte, aka "Showtime," and Alexis Garcia, aka "Ale G.," allegedly shipped numerous packages containing cocaine from Puerto Rico to New York and Massachusetts. A court-authorized search yielded approximately $1,000 from the trunk of the vehicle, as well as two cellphones. Two weeks later, on April 28, 2021, agents and officers observed Duarte receive a USPS package and drive in a white pickup truck. AMO agents assisted the U.S. Coast Guard in interdicting a semi-submersible vessel sailing toward Puerto Rico on April 8, according to information obtained from U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials. NewsNow: Puerto Rico news | Breaking News & Search 24/7 Postal Inspection Service, New York Division, New York City Police Commissioner Dermot F. Shea and New York State Police Superintendent Kevin P. Bruen announced the arrests today in conjunction with unsealing the 25-count indictment. They are scheduled to be arraigned on the indictment on November 17, 2021. Cocaine availability nationwide in 2019 dropped 14% from the prior year and hit its lowest level in six years, and supply remained largely steady throughout 2020, according to a March 2021 DEA report. Drug Bust. NYDETF Group T-41 is comprised of agents and officers with the DEA, the NYPD and the New York State Police. Fuentes was also charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, DEA task force officer Kelly Baart wrote in the complaint. Fri 12 Mar 2021 03.00 EST Last modified on Mon 15 Mar 2021 10.42 EDT. We've received your submission. At least two packages bore the return address of a luxury clothing boutique in Upper Manhattan. An official website of the United States government. Special Narcotics Prosecutor Bridget G. Brennan commended the work of her offices Special Investigations Bureau, the New York Drug Enforcement Task Force, the DEA, the U.S. Wesley Coddington, aka "Lucky," and Bryan Centeno-Rosado were arrested during the investigation and charged in criminal complaints. The seized cocaine has an estimated wholesale value of approximately $51 million dollars. A federal grand jury in Puerto Rico returned a four-count indictment against the three individuals arrested during the alleged smuggling attempt. Will His AI Plans Be Any Different? used to use small aircraft to drop shipments into the island in the 1980s and 1990s. Lpez said some of the suspects sold drugs wrapped in individual packages marked with a variety of images, including deceased Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar and the Road Runner cartoon figure. The industry leader for online information for tax, accounting and finance professionals. 30 Members Of A Violent Gang Charged For Drug Trafficking In Mayagez But Loats badly burned body was found by authorities on Sunday in the town of Vega Baja. Official websites use .govA .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Agents, officers and inspectors employed a wide range of investigative tools, including the collection of latent fingerprints from USPS packages, physical and electronic surveillance, court authorized searches and various other investigative tools. SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico A crew aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Tezanos seized nearly $15 million worth of cocaine over the weekend. SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - On March 29, 2021, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned a six-count indictment charging 25 gang members with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and aiding and abetting in the possession/distribution of controlled substances, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United dvelopper et amliorer nos produits et services. The seizure led to the arrest and indictment of three people for a variety of drug trafficking and maritime law violations. CBP Air and Marine Operations agents assisted in the interdiction and seizure of nearly three tons of cocaine from a semi-submersible vessel near Puerto Rico. Cocaine continues to be an illegal drug anchored in New York, said DEA Special Agent in Charge Ray Donovan. April 28, 2021 12:55am Updated Local authorities said Tariq Quadir Loat of Delaware was killed on April 24, 2021. Duarte faces the top narcotics charge of Operating as a Major Trafficker. Mendez and Matos were previously arrested with five other men by DEA agents and Syracuse police in August on the same drug charges as Tirado, according to a separate federal complaint also written by Baart. Previously worked as a correspondent in Venezuela and Argentina. Eight of those charged . Coast Guard Nabs 2 Drug Smugglers With $8.5 Million In Cocaine On Boat This month the DEA made the biggest meth bust in American history: 2200 pounds of meth, nearly 900 pounds of cocaine, and 13 pounds of heroin. 3 Indicted for Part in Largest Seizure of NY-Destined Cocaine in Decades: Feds "This seizure signifies a shift in the illegal drug landscape in New York with cocaine seizures rising more than 150% . A major drug pipeline from Puerto Rico to Syracuse has been dismantled as a result of this homegrown investigation, said DEA Special Agent in Charge Ray Donovan. Crime in Puerto Rico - Wikipedia When Fuentes was arrested, he tried to throw away a .40-caliber Glock that police later found, according to Baart. . The charges and allegations are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Frequently, the return addresses were in New York, despite the packages originating in Puerto Rico. Lock Coast Guard, partner agencies manage oil clean up in Delaware. . Many maritime smugglers depart Venezuela with the goal of getting products to the southern coast of Puerto Rico. Sweeney allegedly exited the residence with a gray shopping bag, discarded what appeared to be a white USPS box, and gave the bag to Coddington. Puerto Rican drug lord and his brother convicted of drug trafficking Top Row (left to right): Ramito Ramirez-Barreto, Iban Barreto . The last tourist death in Puerto Rico occurred in February 2020 when a 39-year-old man from Denver was thrown from an SUV and run over in San Juan, police have said. . Cocaine kilograms concealed in lunchbox in mail. Members of NYDETF observed the package being delivered to the Colden Avenue address on January 22, 2021. Price is a regular panelist on Fox 26 HoustonsWhats Your Point? It is administered by the Mental Health and Anti-Addiction Services Administration. Man missing since 2021 was murdered, co-worker arrested: DA . Screen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks. The 920 kilograms (2,028 pounds) of cocaine seized could have a street value of between $37 million and $370 million, depending on the retail level, according to a person familiar with the case. Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. Federal border agents flying over Puerto Rico led law enforcement to $8.4 million worth of cocaine in a boat that had capsized and been abandoned in the water off the eastern coast of the island after a failed drug trafficking attempt. Other arrests involving the ring include: Got a tip, comment or story idea? The investigation into the ring spanned four months and started in May 2020, according to Baart. Puerto Rico sees a surge in tourism - the Guardian Federal authorities confiscated the narcotics. Eleven people were arrested and charged following a 10-month investigation into an alleged drug ring in Salem, the state attorney general's office announced Friday. Rual Sweeney was arrested last night in the Bronx. The interdiction was the result of multi-agency efforts in support of U.S. Southern Commands enhanced counter-narcotics operations in the Western Hemisphere, the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) and High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) programs, and the Caribbean Corridor Strike Force (CCSF), officials said in a written statement. Since June, 15 people with connections to the ring have been arrested and federally charged, Southwick said. The lunchboxes bore images of popular cartoon characters. Prescription Drug Monitoring Program: Puerto Rico Profile (2021) In an indictment filed on Monday, federal prosecutors accused three men - Jorge Aponte-Guzman, Nelson Agramonte-Minaya and Carlos Maisonet-Lopez - of drug trafficking conspiracy in relation to the seized drugs. The local ring, led by Jobany Tirado and Omar Fuentes, was found to distribute drugs to another group that operated primarily in the West Side of Syracuse, according to federal complaints filed in the Northern District of New York. CBP makes massive cocaine bust in Puerto Rico | Fox News The acronym for the Puerto Rico PDMP is PR PDMP. An attorney for Agramonte-Minaya declined to comment. The duo were beaten with an exercise weight, a piece of wood and a deep fryer, authorities said. Reuters provides business, financial, national and international news to professionals via desktop terminals, the world's media organizations, industry events and directly to consumers. Access unmatched financial data, news and content in a highly-customised workflow experience on desktop, web and mobile. Customs and Border Protection. Local police and Department of Homeland Security agents responded Monday to find 739 pounds of cocaine bricks concealed inside duffel bags on board the decrepit vessel. of cocaine on Monday, which has an estimated street value of $4.6 million, according to a statement from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Jeffrey Quinones, public affairs officer for CBPs Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands outposts, told the Washington Examiner that the eastern Caribbean has served as a trafficking pit stop for decades, but the recent uptick indicates cartels are using the 100-mile-wide island to circumnavigate the Mexican border. There is no evidence of oil impacting the waterway. The seizure led to the arrest and indictment of three people for a variety of drug trafficking and maritime law violations. (U.S. Coast Guard photo), Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil. He said some of those arrested are accused of killing people and of drug trafficking. Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay received a National Response Center report of approximately 30,000 gallons of No.2 fuel oil discharged into a secondary containment area at the facility. The livery driver showed the cars destination as 237 Hoover Road in Yonkers, the residence of Duarte. afficher des publicits et des contenus personnaliss en fonction de vos profils de centres dintrt; mesurer lefficacit des publicits et contenus personnaliss; et. Editors note: This article initially misstated the weight of the drug shipment as 1.25 tons. Duartes fingerprints were allegedly found on two packages and Garcias on four, and Centeno-Rosados on one of the packages associated with Garcia. The majority of drugs CBP seized on the island last year was from go-fast boats, known locally as yola vessels. NEW YORK CITY An indictment filed by the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor charges five individuals in a sophisticated conspiracy to smuggle millions of dollars in cocaine from Puerto Rico to New York and Massachusetts via the U.S. A 24-year-old tourist from Delaware was killed in Puerto Rico over the weekend after allegedly buying drugs in a coastal shantytown, authorities said. Sunday-morning talk show. NEW YORK - New York Attorney General Letitia James and Special Agent in Charge Ray Donovan of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) New York Division announced today the arrests of 12 individuals for their roles in a drug trafficking operation that transported cocaine from Puerto Rico to Buffalo . These USPS packages contained a total of eight kilograms of cocaine concealed inside childrens lunchboxes and a zip binder. Drug-Smuggling Submarine Seized as Puerto Rico Busts Accelerate U.S. DOJ in Puerto Rico said $75 million in cocaine was found Puerto Rico cocaine seizures outpacing previous two years. Officers found 136 bricks of cocaine . If convicted, each defendant faces sentences from 10 years to life in prison for the drug trafficking charges and up to 15 years for the DTVIA-related charges. SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - Angel Ayala-Vazquez, aka Angelo Millones, and his brother Luis X. Cruz-Vazquez, aka El Mono, were found guilty Tuesday of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin, crack, cocaine, marijuana, Percocet, and Xanax, following a joint investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Instagram A 24-year-old tourist from Delaware was killed in Puerto Rico. The most comprehensive solution to manage all your complex and ever-expanding tax and compliance needs. Bei der Nutzung unserer Websites und Apps verwenden wir, unsere Websites und Apps fr Sie bereitzustellen, Nutzer zu authentifizieren, Sicherheitsmanahmen anzuwenden und Spam und Missbrauch zu verhindern, und, Ihre Nutzung unserer Websites und Apps zu messen, personalisierte Werbung und Inhalte auf der Grundlage von Interessenprofilen anzuzeigen, die Effektivitt von personalisierten Anzeigen und Inhalten zu messen, sowie, unsere Produkte und Dienstleistungen zu entwickeln und zu verbessern. Tirado, Fuentes, Angel Negron-Collazo and Rahfet Shehadeh were all arrested and charged with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine and heroin, the complaint said. . Coast Guard offloads $51 million cocaine shipment in Puerto Rico after Cape May bust breaks up cocaine network with links to Puerto Rico drug traffickers. Weitere Informationen ber die Verwendung Ihrer personenbezogenen Daten finden Sie in unserer Datenschutzerklrung und unserer Cookie-Richtlinie. (CNN) -- A sweeping drug bust in Puerto Rico involving more . Cellphone communications between Duarte and Centeno-Rosado indicate Duarte ordered the livery car. There were also discussions related to price and weight. The Coast Guard Cutter Richard Etheridge crew offloaded approximately 1,700 kilograms of seized cocaine at Coast Guard Base San Juan, following the disruption go-fast vessel smuggling attempt by Coast Guard and British Virgin Islands authorities. End of Lockdown Brings Wave of Cocaine to Puerto Rico - Business Insider NEW! 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Puerto Rico has become a hotbed for drug traffickers attempting to smuggle cocaine and heroin from Colombia in South America to the East Coast of the U.S. Border officials in Puerto Rico. Frontline Focus: Coast Guard offloads $51 million in cocaine in San Authorities seized three guns and 28 lbs. This Supreme Court Case Could Redefine Crime, YellowstoneBackers Wanted to Cash OutThen the Streaming Bubble Burst, How Countries Leading on Early Years of Child Care Get It Right, Female Execs Are Exhausted, Frustrated and Heading for the Exits, No Major Offer Expected on Childcare in UK Budget, Biden Gives Medal of Honor to Trailblazing Special Forces Member, Oils $128 Billion Handout as Doubts Grow About Fossil Fuels, Climate Change Is Launching a MutantSeed Space Race, This Former Factory Is Now New Taipeis Edgiest Project, What Do You Want to See in a Covid Memorial? Bensalem police shut down alleged drug operation based in apartment The suppliers of illegal drugs are exploiting every channel they can to infiltrate our communities, including the U.S. Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting. On Sept. 6, a bystander contacted Coast Guard Station Monterey watchstanders reporting a person was stranded on Greyhound Rock, San Francisco. Puerto Rico police find $34M worth of cocaine in biggest drug bust in On June 21, 2021, he allegedly sent a USPS box listing his own name as both the recipient and sender. mesurer votre utilisation de nos sites et applications. This study questions the effectiveness of these approaches to reduce street crime. SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) Authorities in Puerto Rico announced Tuesday that they have arrested 800 suspects and solved 43 killings as a result of a 45-day operation targeting criminals across the U.S. territory. A federal investigation found the ring to also have ties to New York City, Richard Southwick, a prosecutor in the U.S. Attorneys Office in the Northern District of New York, said in a press release. A court authorized search of his home at 1500 Noble Avenue, Apt. Bridget G. Brennan, New York Citys Special Narcotics Prosecutor, Ray Donovan, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, New York Division, Philip R. Bartlett, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Boom and Bust in Puerto Rico is the story of how the demise of an obscure tax policy that encouraged investment and economic growth led to escalating budget deficits and the government's shocking default of its $70 billion debt. On January 21, 2021, surveillance footage in Puerto Rico showed Duarte shipping a USPS package destined for 2925 Colden Avenue in the Williamsbridge neighborhood of the Bronx, which is the residence of Sweeney. Puerto Rico's lone zoo to be permanently closed after years of complaints Chicago Sun-Times 19:39 28-Feb-23. Border Patrol seizes more than $4 million in Puerto Rican cocaine bust 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. Jose Velez, 40, is facing . BOSTON (AP) Drug charges have been filed against 21 people accused of running a cocaine and fentanyl ring that spanned Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Maine and Puerto Rico, Acting . A search of the vessel led to the discovery of 5,515 pounds of cocaine. Share Your Design Ideas, New JerseysMurphy Defends $10 Billion Rainy Day Fund as States Economy Slows, This Week in Crypto: Ukraine War, Marathon Digital, FTX, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico Stephen Muldrow. Coast Guard offloads $51 million cocaine shipment in Puerto Rico after Caribbean drug bust by: WFLA 8 On Your Side Staff Posted: Sep 3, 2021 / 01:44 PM EDT Updated: Sep 3, 2021 /. Puerto Rico February 21 Reggae singer, cop among those arrested in Puerto Rico drug bust A reggaeton singer and police officer are among the two dozen people arrested in a Puerto Rican. U.S. DOJ in Puerto Rico said $75 million in cocaine was found, Puerto Rico cocaine seizures outpacing previous two years, Photographer: Ricardo Arduengo/AFP/Getty Images. While charges in the indictment relate to USPS packages containing approximately 15 kilograms of cocaine, the investigation resulted in the seizure of roughly twice that amount, for a total of 30 kilograms of cocaine. DEA: Bust rids Puerto Rico of 'most hard-core' traffickers On April 14, 2021, agents and officers conducted a court-authorized search of Coddingtons residence at 21-27 149th Street in Flushing, Queens. The nearly 66,000 pounds of drugs discovered in and around Puerto Rico that year was about 40% higher than the previous years 47,500 pounds. Build the strongest argument relying on authoritative content, attorney-editor expertise, and industry defining technology. Members of NYDETF and USPIS observed Coddington enter a vehicle and move around in the back seat. The show takes listeners inside the business end of the sports world, and explains what it means to fans and their pocketbooks. The Prescription Drug Monitoring Program Training and Technical Assistance Center (PDMP TTAC) reports 2020 data and 2021 features of the Puerto Rico Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP). Jackson managed to flee and was later hospitalized, authorities said. The cause remains under investigation. 9 Arrested, $450k in Cocaine Seized After Large NJ, Pa. Drug Bust 'Operation Yo-Yo' a large-scale narcotics investigation initiated by the DEA and Cape may authorities, led to the arrest of 9 . Lorsque vous utilisez nos sites et applications, nous utilisons des, authentifier les utilisateurs, appliquer des mesures de scurit, empcher les spams et les abus; et. Agents and officers recovered four kilograms of cocaine split between two lunchboxes, one gray and one red. The men arrested today are believed to be the ringleaders of this large scale drug organization that . Coast GuardU.S. Coast Guard Cutter Eagle, Americas Tall Ship, is scheduled to arrive in Portsmouth on Sept. 17, 2021.
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