A dozen people are facing charges after a months-long . Louisiana ring leader sentenced to 19 years in prison for drug In the world of drug enforcement, it pays to be patient. That led authorities to a house in Lawrenceville, Georgia, where they seized $2 million worth of heroin as well as methamphetamines, a stockpile of cash, and an AK-47. Lafourche Parish Special Narcotics Prosecutor Heather Hendrix explained these parishes were used as a thoroughfare both because of their proximity to major cities and their small size. He and his Medellin cartel cohorts made an estimated $420 million each weeksupplying 80% of the cocaine in the United States in the 1980s. "For continued safety of the FBI undercover agents and because of the need to allow the New Orleans Police Department to remove from its ranks a criminal element, I ordered an end to the FBI undercover operation, " he said. heroin dealer in Lower Ninth Ward, Featured Image Photo Credit: Getty Images, First evidence for horseback riding dates back 5,000 years, In Chicago, adapting electric buses to winters challenges, After Murdaugh trial 'circus,' Walterboro welcomes normality, Ohio derailment tests Sen. Brown's push to buck Dem defeats, In Britain, warm hubs emerge to beat soaring energy costs. The China white heroin recovered -- worth approximately $3 billion on the street -- was described, at the time, as the largest heroin bust in U.S. history, according to U.S. Customs. You have permission to edit this article. "When later asked why, (they said) it was to impress the drug dealer to show them that, in fact, they were the NOPD and could produce on their offer of protection.". The DEA, however, has been getting more successful year on year at stopping and seizing drug shipments. Next: Not the kind of father and son activity most people do. Kingpins can make billions when their drugs hit the street, but the authorities do their best to prevent that from happening. NEW ORLEANS, La. This is the second methamphetamine-related arrest to go viral from West Monroe this year. U.S. Attorney Peter Strasser said the defendants are charged with trafficking meth, heroin, cocaine and firearms. In six months, agents out of the New Orleans DEA office made 411 arrests and seized 723 pounds of the drug and $4 million in cash and other assets, including 23 guns. 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. PDF UNCLASSIFIED Greater New Orleans Situational Drug Report - DEA.gov One of the largest under cover drug busts in New Orleans history Led by Davis, the officers proceeded cautiously at first, suspecting a possible set-up by authorities, Jordan said. The Largest Drug Busts in History | Banyan Philadelphia They even sold drugs in the rain, every day from early morning till night. Drug trafficking is probably the most lucrative illegal money maker, which the richest drug dealers of all time can attest to. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters, A Louisiana woman has been arrested after a tip led police to her apartment on suspicion of drug possession - and they subsequently found what they believed to be meth in a box in her home labeled "dope. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graeme Roy. One of the biggest drug busts Alabamas ever seen featured a father and his 15-year old son towing 115 pounds of crystal meth worth $3 million through Baldwin County. A locked padlock Eastern District of Louisiana The biggest drug busts in U.S. history seized billions of dollars worth of narcotics. Among their charges were conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and 500 grams or more of a mixture containing meth. 14 tons of. NOPD, FBI bust major N.O. heroin dealer in Lower Ninth Ward - Audacy WILLIAMS faces up to life imprisonment, a fine of $10,000,000, at least five years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment and a $200 special assessment fee. DEA Launches 'Largest Ever' Synthetic Drug Bust - US News & World Report According to LSP, the investigation began in December 2021 with allegations that Elie Edwards, 43, of New Roads, was selling heroin and methamphetamine in Pointe Coupee Parish. Border agents in San Diego arrested an 81-year old woman after they found 34 heroin packages weighing 92 pounds. endstream endobj 1098 0 obj <>stream They don't want to go get training and do something positive in this community. One early meeting almost led to a showdown, he said. Through the investigation, officials identified numerous members of a Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) with Edwards as its leader. There were seven overdose deaths last year in Pointe Coupee Parish. Other questions:subscriberservices@theadvocate.com. Meth continues to be a problem in the state at large. January 21, 2011 5:00am. Strasser said he expects more arrests and indictments to come from the investigation. This prosecution is part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). 17 of the Biggest Drug Busts in U.S. History Are Worth Billions New York man busted 3 times in 1 day on different drug charges, state police say. NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that yesterday, TATUM DARDAR, 26, from Terrebonne Parish, pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent Cruz Lopez-Acevedo was sentenced to 14 years in prison. Feds bust 127 in biggest mob sweep in US history (video) - New York Post French: Le Pont-de-Claix, Grenoble, Isre, Auvergne-Rhne-Alpes, France. Agents spent the following weeks investigating the murder, U.S. Attorney Eddie Jordan Jr. said. Nebraska might not be among the states with the most opioid abuse, but apparently, its a way station along the route to those places. One of the biggest drug busts ever in Atlanta happened in 2012, and it remains one of the largest in U.S. history. One of the biggest drug busts ever in Atlanta happened in 2012, and it remains one of the largest in U.S. history. Many of them are believed to be part of a gang known as the 89er's or T-Blocc. Authorities seized nearly 500 pounds of methamphetamines worth roughly $18 million. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Multiple law enforcement agencies collaborate to make largest drug bust woman accused of using aunts debit card for 136 DoorDash orders held on preset $18 million bond. Most of the charges from the New Orleans bust were eventually dropped, but the incident went on to make a lasting impact on Grateful Dead lore. Drug smuggling knows no age, and this August 2018 bust is proof. In cooperation with Panamas government, a Coast Guard ship stopped and searched a container ship, and discovered more than 42,000 pounds of cocaine worth $350 million. Orleans County drug bust nets fentanyl, 14 pounds of marijuana, $156K The biggest raids happened in the 20th century, but check out No. "We were able to intercept some conversations among the police officers who were on the protection detail . "The police officers did the same, and this was captured on videotape.". The telephone also was used to monitor the telephone calls in which Davis allegedly ordered Groves' murder. The . hT Doing business as GO GET IT ENTERPRISES, LLC, a Louisiana-based company, WILLIAMS laundered the proceeds of his drug dealing operations in violation of 18 U.S.C. "It tells us that corruption in the Police Department is pervasive, rampant and systemic.". . For all of the caution exercised by Davis and the other suspects, the officers sometimes acted with a bravado that shocked federal authorities. A month of surveillance and a coordinated law enforcement effort produced one of the biggest drug busts weve ever seen. U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has seized approximately one million pills laced with fentanyl allegedly linked to the Sinaloa Cartel in what authorities say is the biggest bust for the drug in California history. New Brunswick fentanyl bust leads to 5 arrests | CTV News July 02, 2020 Contact: Public Information Officer Phone Number: For Immediate Release Wyoming's largest drug bust leads to two decades in prison CASPER, Wyo. Watson's bond is currently set at $3,100,000, according to KATC. Biggest drug bust in Halton police history announced. Investigators said they confiscated heroin, cocaine, meth, pressed pills, marijuana, and synthetic marijuana worth $600,000. Minutes before the slaying, Davis was heard giving Hardy a description of Groves' clothing, prosecutors said. endstream endobj 1100 0 obj <>stream As part of his guilty plea, WILLIAMS agreed to forfeit nearly $5 million in drug proceeds, real estate properties in New Orleans purchased with drug proceeds, and two cars. Next: Another 2018 raid is among the biggest drug busts ever. Seven of them are believed to be members of the 89er's gang. Authorities subsequently obtained a federal search warrant and executed the drug bust on July 5 at a residence in Inglewood which resulted in the seizure of approximately one million fake pills laced with fentanyl that were intended for retail distribution with an estimated street value of between $15 to $20 million. The street value of the drugs is about $1 million, according to Byerly. The busts occurred after Willie Lee White, Jr., 53, of Houston, was stopped Thursday after he left a home near Slidell, La., a New Orleans suburb in St. Tammany Parish, with $50,000 on him . Its going to take all of us for us to rip these drugs out of our communities, Davis said. Police discovered more than 300 pounds of drugs worth $1 million during a traffic stop in southwestern Arizona. Rafael Molina, 43, Gustavo Balderas, 32, and Michael Garza, 34, all from Texas, were charged this February in a six-count indictment by a Federal Grand Jury with several narcotic offenses. Next: The U.S. helps with an international drug bust. Acting on a tip, authorities searched a house and discovered nearly 18,000 pounds of wrapped cocaine estimated to be worth $1 billion. Each faces up to life in prison, while Davis could face the death penalty in connection with Groves' murder. Twenty people are facing rafts of charges each and more than $61 million worth of cocaine, crystal meth and marijuana was seized in what Toronto police are calling the largest drug . Authorities confirmed Edwards was distributing narcotics throughout the Pointe Coupee area, and on Thursday, Aug. 4, they executed multiple search warrants. Other questions:subscriberservices@theadvocate.com. Len Davis, eight other New Orleans police officers, charged in drug sting. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? The Government and WILLIAMS have agreed that WILLIAMS was responsible for possessing with intent to distribute between 50 kilograms and 150 kilograms of cocaine. The investigation was initiated in 2004 by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI . Neel has been charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance and is being held in jail on a $3,000 bond. According to an NOPD report, the Federal Bureau of Investigation Violent Crime Task Force began receiving information about drug activity at the intersection of Tupelo Street and North Claiborne Avenue. Ronal Serpas says this investigation is the result of good police work and concerned citizens who refused to let drug dealers take over their neighborhood. Agents discovered approximately twenty-one (21) kilograms of cocaine in hidden drawer compartments inside a wooden TV cabinet in the Stash House, and approximately forty-five (45) kilograms of cocaine and $3.9 million in drug proceeds in WILLIAMSs home. One of the biggest drug busts Florida has ever seen was straight out of a movie. The nine officers indicted Wednesday were among 12 officers reassigned to desk jobs this week in the wake of the investigation. Next: A bust that saved the equivalent of 26 million lives. We know what youre thinking Canada isnt the United States, so how come it shows up on our countdown? However, when authorities showed up at the home in . Watch on. All rights reserved. In what is being called the largest case of police corruption in the city's history, nine New Orleans officers were charged in federal court Wednesday with accepting nearly $100,000 in bribes. Meanwhile, he said, agents kept a close eye on Davis and were prepared to arrest him at "any time of the day or night. Louisiana Woman Arrested After Police Discovers Her Meth Stash in A subsequent cavity search by an officer turned up $6,233, and a clear bag of containing one gram of meth secreted within Rolland's vagina. Operation Crystal Shield involved 893 pounds of cocaine, 13 pounds of heroin, and around 2,224 pounds of methamphetamine, making it the biggest meth bust in U.S. history. We preempted those acts of violence with suggestions to people that they may not want to stay in a particular location.". It will end because we are never going to stop going after these people.". In 1991, police officers seized 59 boxes containing 1080 pounds of Heroin, with a street value ranging from $2.7 billion to $4 billion. In addition, according to court documents, from on or about February 20, 2019 through on or about February 17, 2020, WILLIAMS used approximately $667,500 in proceeds from his cocaine trafficking to purchase seven real estate properties in New Orleans. New Orleans Police and the FBI announce theyve arrested of a heroin dealer in the Lower Ninth Ward. Or maybe they didn't do anything.". Italian police claim world's largest drug bust after US$1.1 billion of 411 arrests; 723 pounds of meth; $4 million in cash and assets - WWL-TV TUCSON, Ariz. Stephen Folson, 37, of Santa Rosa, Arizona, was sentenced on Tuesday by United States District Judge Cindy K. Jorgenson to 10 years incarceration. Next: Where have we heard this one before? 1 million fentanyl pills linked to Sinaloa Cartel seized in record The seizure also helped police shut down business specializing in selling marijuana horticulture supplies. Carlos Rodriguez, Adam Dees, Christopher Evans of the 5th District; Keith Johnson and Sheldon Polk of the 2nd; Bryant Brown, assigned to public housing; and Larry Smith, assigned to the juvenile division - all face charges of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and use of firearms while drug trafficking. 0W[AscR Kenner announces drug bust | News | nola.com New Orleans, La. 1957(a) by purchasing and then developing these seven real estate properties with profits generated from his cocaine sales.