"These numbers are significant," said Kristi Johnson of the FBI. The DEA's big bust came just a week before another huge meth seizure. CALIFORNIA, USA Federal agents announced what they called the largest methamphetamine bust in U.S. history Wednesday, displaying a 10-foot high pile of . "I can't bear to think about families coming here and shopping and knowing this is going on," Tanya Rivas, another shopper, said. 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. 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. They say the operation was a direct result of complaints made by city residents and business owners, not just in the downtown area, but the Magnolia Center and La Sierra. "Study after study shows that where there is meth addiction, there is also an uptick in violent crime including robberies, assaults and murders.". Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. The entrance to a drug tunnel discovered by federal authorities in Otay Mesa, March 30, 2020. "That's what's scary.". Fine white powder sprinkled out of the tiny holes. Instead, there isa low-profile,commercialized pipeline, where violence would only cut into high profits, DEA officials say. Federal agents announced what they called the largest methamphetamine bust in U.S. history Wednesday . pic.twitter.com/gdeO80nGNK. Agents from Southwest Border Group 2 began investigating a large scale drug trafficking organization with ties to the Sinaloa Cartel in San Diego's Otay-Mesa area, allegedly involved in the transportation and delivery of large quantities of drugs. Even if Sinaloas dont move the drugs themselves, they tax any other cartel that ships narcotics through their territory, like a smuggling tollbooth. They know that some will get caught, but a lot of it's going to get through.". #DEA Acting Administrator Timothy J. Shea, Special Agent in Charge Bill Bodner & local law enforcement discussing the largest domestic methamphetamine seizure in #DEA history. Coronavirus Updates, 2023, Gulf-California Broadcast Company Palm Springs, CA USA, Download the News Channel 3 News app here. Also seized were 893 pounds (405 kilograms) of cocaine and 13 pounds (5.9 kilograms) of heroin. "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. Man Accused Of Dumping Dog At Riverside County Cell Tower Arrested, Fill Up And Get A Fatburger To Go: Beyond Food Mart Coming To Beaumont, Big Bear Bald Eagles Lay First Egg of 2023. "These two seizures are more than enough to provide a dose of meth for every man, woman and child in the United States and Mexico," Timothy Shea, DEA acting administrator, said. Massino, the DEA spokesman, insisted that everyday citizens would almost never have their conversations intercepted. ", Polar bear kills woman, boy in remote Alaska village, Man gets 30 years in prison in road rage killing of teen Astros fan, Video shows toddler waving handgun outside apartment; man arrested. A total of 12 suspects have been arrested, with several more still outstanding. USA TODAY reporter Brad Heath can be reached at bheath@usatoday.com or on Twitter @bradheath. Another suspect allegedly sold drugs to undercover officers, just two hours after being released from jail on other charges. Approx. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration announced a record-breaking bust Wednesday: roughly 2,224 pounds of methamphetamine recovered in Riverside County. Please reload the page and try again. Published: Jun. Kathy Vara reports for the NBC4 News at 4 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 7, 2020. Hailing from Temecula, she previously covered Riverside County and the Inland Empire and is now focused on Orange County. Acting on information from the DEA, CBP officials recovered more than 3,000 pounds of meth at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry in San Diego. Homeland Security special agent who sexually assaulted two women, telling them he was ""above the law," was found guilty Wednesday of violating their civil rights, federal prosecutors said. Informasjon om enheten din og Internett-tilkoblingen, blant annet IP-adressen, Surfe- og skeaktivitet ved bruk av Yahoos nettsteder og apper. Troopers championed the case as the biggest meth bust in the history of Arkansas, but the truck had come from Riverside County. Breaking News 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. Dylan Bingham was charged Jan. 9 in La Crosse County Circuit Court with felony counts of . Riverside County wiretaps have increased eight-fold since 2010, and now outnumber any other county or federal district by more than three to one. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Like in Riverside, drug seizures along that stretch of border have gone up dramatically. 2023 www.desertsun.com. The investigation led to the seizure of dozens of kilos of illegal drugs - including 21 kilos of suspected carfentanil. 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 agencys history. Over the last month and a half, the team, which began . "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. Agents from Southwest Border Group 2 began investigating a large-scale drug trafficking organization with ties to the Sinaloa Cartel in San Diego's Otay Mesa area, allegedly involved in the transportation and delivery of large quantities of drugs. Online Volunteer Info Session- Learn How to Advocate for Youth in Foster Care! LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) A pyramid of methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin standing 10 feet tall with an estimated street value of $18.5 million was confiscated during two recent drug trafficking investigations in the Inland Empire representing the largest Drug Enforcement Agency meth bust in U.S. history. Over a three-year period that ended in September, the Riverside DEA Office, which also covers San Bernardino County, has seized about 6,500 pounds of meth and 770 pounds of heroin. Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Community Guidelines, EEO Report | FCC Applications | Do Not Sell My Personal Information, Daily News Headlines 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. More than 70 investigators worked the two California cases, which included extensive fieldwork and surveillance. Get up to speed with our Essential California newsletter, sent six days a week. All rights reserved. For all intents and purposes, its a proven drug dealer by the time we get up on their phones, Massino said. Learn more about how we use cookies in our cookie policy. The arrests were announced during a news conference in Riverside Wednesday morning, where authorities said violent crime has risen dramatically during the pandemic. The drugs were intended for distribution throughout the region, investigators said. Authorities said the Oct. 2 take,. Posted Wed, Jan 29, 2020 at 2:22 pm PT. 9/21/2022 8:50 PM. In total, 1088. Chief Sergio Diaz made the announcement during a news conference at Riverside city hall, flanked by law enforcement personnel, community leaders, and elected officials. Bill Bodner, special agent in charge of the DEA's Los Angeles Field Division, said Los Angeles is a major transshipment hub for Mexican cartels trafficking illegal drugs across the southwest border. "The defendants were able to smuggle the drugs across the border during COVID, when it was more difficult to do.". The list of chores had been a code get the hiding places ready. "That's a bad combination.". Your dad just called, said Teresa Reyes, speaking to her daughter on a cellphone. All you really need is a big garage and a garage door opener, Moore said. LA man receives 3 years in prison for $619,000 skimming scheme. The Drug Enforcement Administration holds a news conference in Montebello, Calif., to announce the largest domestic meth seizure in the agency's history. 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. Reyes surrendered. This is the third-busiest port of entry on the U.S.-Mexico border, and likely the largest for smuggled narcotics. Had they not been seized, the drugs would have infiltrated Los Angeles within a day, according to Bill Bodner, special agent in charge of the DEAs Los Angeles Division. "The drugs that will kill you.". Another tap led further up the supply chain, to Armando Garcia Beltran, a Lake Elsinore man who smuggled narcotics across the border. Operation Crystal Shield has resulted in 2,800 arrests over the last six months nationwide, Bodner said. Meth seizures rose from 1,567pounds in fiscal year 2013 to 2,546 pounds in fiscal year 2015, and heroin rose from 150 poundsto 395pounds in the same timeframe. "When someone is on supervised release, the expectation is that they will refrain from committing further crimes," said Diaz. (DEA) MORENO VALLEY, CA Federal agents on Wednesday announced what they called the largest methamphetamine bust by Drug Enforcement Agency . Polar bear kills woman, boy in remote Alaska village, Man gets 30 years in prison in road rage killing of teen Astros fan, Video shows toddler waving handgun outside apartment; man arrested. 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. The entire operation lasted nearly two years. We dont see many of those anymore.. The DEA decided this was the moment to strike. Ok, mom, her daughter said, brimming with enthusiasm. We'll send you the top local news stories every morning at 8 a.m. By clicking subscribe, you agree to share your email address with Times of San Diego to receive our free newsletter and breaking news alerts. The DEAs Timothy Shea, left, and Bill Bodner stand next to a pyramid comprised of 2,224 pounds of methamphetamine, 893 pounds of cocaine and 13 pounds of heroin. Gone is the risk of meth lab explosions and violence between rival cooks and dealers. HOPEWELL, Va. (WWBT) - Hopewell police arrested two people during an early morning drug bust. If they push an investigation far enough, there is an excellent chance its going to make it back here, said Tim Massino, a DEA spokesman. Convicted Felons Arrested with a Loaded Firearm and Narcotics. He earned his bachelors degree in journalism from the University of Arizona. 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The DEA says ruralareas are ideal for stash houses because they are difficult to monitor, but other experts said surroundings dont really matter. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration announced a record-breaking bust Wednesday: roughly 2,224 pounds of methamphetamine recovered in Riverside County. And finally, back in 2010, a DEA-led task force caught a semi-truck on Interstate-10, headed from the border to a warehouse in either Riverside County or San Bernardino County. They either head north on Highway 86, into the eastern portions of the Coachella Valley, or head west to the I-15, which runs north towards Temecula, Corona and Riverside. But Riverside police are fighting to make sure the area doesn't become known for an area riddled with illegal drug sales. The truck also contained 64 pounds (29 kilograms) of heroin, 29 pounds (13.1 kilograms) of fentanyl powder and almost 37 pounds (16.7 kilograms) of fentanyl pills, the agency said. From the Sinaloa territory, drugs enter the country in Calexico, a border town in Imperial County. 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. We are almost like the Costco warehouse of narcotics dealers, shipping this poison across the country, said Frank Pepper, assistant special agent in charge of the Riverside DEA Office. 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