Investigators at a news conference Wednesday said they connected the weapons recovered at the houses with violent crimes, though the defendants are not charged with violent crimes. Major drug bust in Denver shows Mexican cartels' reach I think there's this misconception that in an era of increased marijuana legalization that there's less "need" for a black market, or that smuggling is on the decline but what is the reality of the situation? Kiszla: One-hit wonders? Drug overdoses whether it's opioids or other types are preventable," she said. Of the 30 indicted,24 were arrested and one is in state custody on a separate charge. IRS Special Agent in Charge Amanda Prestegard said, Its crucially important to include a financial component in investigation of drug related crime. EAGLE, Colo. (CBS4) - Detectives pulled off a major drug bust in the Eagle Vail area, arresting Matthew DeAngelo at a home. New episodes of "The Syndicate" debut every Tuesday. I spent considerable time trying to get in touch with each and every person. That's just in the city of Denver alone. 1,143 grams of cocaine 2,931 grams of synthetic cannabis 1 litre of Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) $60,010 cash Eight people have been charged and more than a quarter million dollars in drugs and cash. The influx of fake prescription opioids is growing and deadly concern for this office and law enforcement community as a whole. But there were limitations. The DEA says this fentanyl bust is part of a national crisis. So the idea of being a small "mom and pop" operation and starting from humble roots pardon the pun is just not feasible in many places. Detectives with the Gore Range Narcotics Interdiction Team made the bust Tuesday. Are other banks to follow? Then on the law enforcement side, it's like, "Oh, well, this is absolutely justified because these people are so dangerous.". Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Following a drug bust in Colorado this week where 110,000 counterfeit pills cut with fentanyl were seized, one Front Range District Attorney is calling for revised laws surrounding the drug. The investigation first started in March 2019 after a tip from law enforcement in Las Vegas, Reuter said. Drug Enforcement Administration agents seized more than 2,200 pounds of methamphetamine earlier this month . ", RELATED: Fentanyl-laced tablets linked to 8 overdoses in Northern Colorado. 4 arrested in Mesa County drug busts; authorities seize - FOX31 Denver Opioids including fentanyl, heroin and prescription drugs caused two-thirds of all Colorado overdose deaths in 2020. Are other banks to follow? The officials said most of the drugs were transported through ports of entry at the U.S.-Mexico border and made their way to Colorado in vehicles with concealed compartments. Colorado Springs Police Find Nearly 35 Pounds Of Meth, 10 Pounds Of According to the three and information from the attorney generals office, the 64 people who have been charged saw Colorado Statewide Grand Jury indictments against them returned between October 2019 and Thursday. This is a part of the story that is told very differently depending on who you talk to. Law enforcement identified the shop as Supreme Auto Body which was not. The Syndicate: Podcast Exposes Biggest Black Market Pot Bust in US Malik Beasley. 2020 Celebrity Drug Busts from A-Z - CelebStoner.com There are some states that just don't have a legal market, so by definition, the only place where you can buy cannabis in those states is "the black market.". This has happened in Canada, for instance, where there are jurisdictions with just no pot shops, so everyone in that jurisdiction who wants to buy weed has to get it from a black market dealer, right? I think it is an argument for taking cannabis off the schedule of drugs, or at least getting it out of Schedule I drug classification at the federal level. Police seized fentanyl, meth, firearms, and more than $5,000. Those in custody are being held on a $500,000 bond or greater. Then there is state involvement as well. drug trafficking - The Denver Post Pretty much every other reporter in Denver had moved on from the story. In that same time frame, deadly overdoses increased by 22%. I mean, it was the largest pot bust in Colorado since the state had legalized recreational weed in 2012. Agents set up a wiretap on Romos phone and for months tracked his calls, setting up more wiretaps as they identified people who were also involved in drug and gun sales. TORONTO - 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 . Cash, guns and several vehicles were also seized, according to Phillips. Here's an example. Most of the drugs came from Mexico and have a street value in the "millions of dollars," according to Dunn. 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Fentanyl is an opioid known for its potency. By Shelly Bradbury. COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (CBS4) - The North Metro Task Force made a large drug bust at an auto body shop in Commerce City. This organization was preparing for a battle, Olesky said. In 2015, Joe was caught with $374,000, a gun, and 66 pounds of marijuana. This criminal enterprise was responsible for poisoning our community and furthering the opioid and meth epidemic but today our community is safer, Phillips said. RELATED: Big Denver Drug Bust: Dealer Allegedly Had Nearly 10,000 Fentanyl Pills, 179 Pounds Of Meth. Colorado law enforcement officials on Wednesday announced the indictment by the 18th Judicial District grand jury of 19 people on 20 felonies in connection to the multi-state drug trafficking ring. So, the state's stayed tight-lipped about this for about four years, but I knew that I if I could ever get access to some of the operatives who were allegedly involved in this group, as well as get the law enforcement side, it would just be a fascinating insight into how black market groups operate. It's official: Jamal Murray, Nuggets are in Phoenix's heads now. In addition to the drugs and weapons that were recovered, the investigation also dug up an alleged money laundering operating that sent money back and forth to Mexico from Adams County, Colorado Springs and the Denver area. You'd have to be continually hiding that from, you know, even like your local garbage collector. Ashlie D. Stevens is Salon's deputy food editor. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. If you want to plan the perfect spring picnic, food and drink are important, but its certainly not the only factor to consider. Peel saw 191 fatal drug overdoses in 2021 -- up from. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Updated: Oct 8, 2020 / 07:49 PM MDT . Right, so the reality of the situation is that weed is still illegal at the federal level, and not all states have legal weed. First published on April 28, 2020 / 11:48 AM. An eight-month investigation into a drug trafficking ring based in metro Denver led law enforcement to seize 110,000 fentanyl pills, 13 pounds of meth, 8 pounds of heroin, 24 pounds of cocaine. 23 hit with "Numbers" in 2020. "This investigation demonstrates and corroborates the alarming trend in counterfeit prescription pills laced with fentanyl flooding our streets, as well as the continuing nexus between drug trafficking and violent crime impacting our communities. Most of the arrests were made last week following a law enforcement operation that began in late 2018. Four people have been arrested following a major drug bust on the Western Slope, the Grand Junction Police Department said Thursday. On the drug smuggler side, it was a horrific experience, having a SWAT team bust through your windows and explode flash bangs in your home and terrorize your family. DEA Denver Field Division Acting Special Agent in Charge David Olesky said a year ago, a large seizure would have been anywhere from 5,000-10,000 . One person also faces federal firearms charges. In October 2014, SWAT team officers and DEA agents kicked down the doors of 32 people around Denver, all members of a massive marijuana-smuggling ring. Photo by Tony Caldwell / Postmedia . Moreover, it would answer this main question in my mind, "If Colorado had a seemingly thriving legal market, why would you take risks to set up this massive black market operation?". The indictment comes as drug overdose death rates in Colorado have risen to a horrific high. Devin Booker sulked. What are some of the policy issues that you're hoping people maybe do consider if they're listening to "The Syndicate"? September 3, 2021 / 3:46 PM This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Kevin Durant moped. We're seeing multimillion dollar bidding wars for the limited licenses that come up in the new markets. In 2018, an average of nine Coloradans a month died of illicit fentanyl overdose. But even if you were to do that, then this is returning the conversation again to states like California and, to some extent, Colorado. Every single person was different,so those conversations were always interesting for me to test out. DENVER A woman who's accused of being the ringleader of a large drug ring operation in the Denver metro area has been charged as a kingpin, a charge rarely sought, federal authorities announced Wednesday afternoon. $11.5M bust of drug-trafficking network largest ever in city - CBC A Boogie wit da Hoodie's mug shot. Police in Ontario seize $12 million worth of drugs | CTV News 64 indicted in Colorado drug trafficking, money laundering bust - KMGH Get the Android Weather app from Google Play, Chinese electric vehicle brands expand to global, Qantas names chief financial officer Vanessa Hudson, These are the last days to access free COVID tests, No-knock warrant restrictions advance in Colorado, AP source: Broncos pick up Jeudys fifth-year option, Cron powers Rockies to 12-4 win over Diamondbacks, Former Broncos players daughter drowns in pool, Avs forward Cogliano fractured neck in Game 6, Le Creuset just launched a dreamy new color for spring, Our fitness expert weighs in on this years top spring, Picnic-planning ideas for the spring season, Bill to extend Medicaid coverage heads to Polis, Floods reported along I-70 near Hanging Lake exit. Had these pills reached the streets, thousands of unwitting end users wouldve been at significant risk of overdose and death as weve seen too much of already in Colorado, Dunn said. Keeler: Chris Paul got dirty. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Using that statistic, Colorado law enforcement estimated the 110,000 pills they seized couldve contained more than 46,000 lethal pills. Daniel Valentine, 42, was arrested in the bust that happened last week. DENVER Sixty-four people have been charged in Colorado for their alleged involvement in what officials called an international trafficking and money laundering ring that dealt with fentanyl, methamphetamine, heroin and firearms, according to law enforcement officials. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. With a big bust like this one, there are almost always an array of charges involved. Mills has gone before a judge and bond was set. And then even if you have legal dispensaries, you'll also need to ensure supply and then also have a competitive price. Requests spiked to 1,200 after investigators said fentanyl likely caused the deaths of five people in Commerce City. two thirds of Americans favor recreational pot and around 80% favor medical marijuana. At a news conference on Wednesday, the District Attorney's Office for the 18th Judicial District announced the grand jury indictments of 19 people in connection with a drug-distribution ring crossing several counties -- including Arapahoe, Douglas, Denver and Jefferson counties. That included nearly 35 pounds of meth, nearly 10 pounds of heroin, cocaine and fentanyl. And what we're seeing right now is a sort of corporatization in the cannabis industry and big Wall Street-backed companies that are starting in multiple states. In 2021, the monthly average is 64 or two a day. "This investigation is not about the amount of drugs seized or number of people arrested," said Olesky. / CBS Colorado, UPDATE: Aurora Woman Who Was 'Kingpin' Of Drug Running Operation Sentenced To Prison. Authorities and public health institutions point to the proliferation of illicit fentanyl an extremely potent synthetic opioid often disguised as prescription pills as a major contributor to the increased deaths in Colorado. Tell me a little bit about how you became acquainted with the story that's presented in "The Syndicate." First published on February 19, 2020 / 10:59 PM. He was in the Denver County jail as of Friday night. WESTMINSTER, Colo. (CBS4) - The North Metro Drug Task Force arrested two men for allegedly selling drugs from a home after receiving more than 100 complaints. Then approaching alleged members of this group was a whole other path that I had to go down. If you want to plan the perfect spring picnic, food and drink are important, but its certainly not the only factor to consider. Fentanyl alone drove the increase in opioid deaths in 2020, according to the Colorado Health Institute. DEA announces largest domestic seizure of meth ever | CNN Authorities arrested five people in connection with an alleged . In his new podcast "The Syndicate," journalist Chris Walker goes beyond some of the case's flashy details, speaking to both the members of the criminal organization and the law enforcement agents who took them down, and uncovers how the push for legal marijuana in some states actually drives up black market demand nationally. Police arrested the alleged drug dealers in Colorado, Arizona, and California. Get the Android Weather app from Google Play, Chinese electric vehicle brands expand to global, Qantas names chief financial officer Vanessa Hudson, These are the last days to access free COVID tests, No-knock warrant restrictions advance in Colorado, AP source: Broncos pick up Jeudys fifth-year option, Cron powers Rockies to 12-4 win over Diamondbacks, Former Broncos players daughter drowns in pool, Avs forward Cogliano fractured neck in Game 6, Witnesses describe Commerce City road rage shooting, Le Creuset just launched a dreamy new color for spring, Our fitness expert weighs in on this years top spring, Picnic-planning ideas for the spring season, Bill to extend Medicaid coverage heads to Polis, Floods reported along I-70 near Hanging Lake exit. Feds bust prolific drug cartel suspected of pumping huge amounts of So I approached the state and say, "Hey, I can tell you spent a lot of resources and time on this investigation, and I want to help you spotlight the work that you did, and also find out what this says about the black market.". You could try to do it inside, but that requires huge amounts of electricity and then you have to deal with the huge amount of waste that comes with harvesting cannabis. February 19, 2020 / 10:59 PM Project Corredor began in Autumn 2019, Belanger said, and culminated when search warrants were carried out beginning in early 2020. The police investigation into Mills led police to search two homes, one in the 3000 block of North Race Street and another in the 12100 block of Amherst Circle in Aurora. In response to this data, DDPHE urged caution around drugs bought from any source other than a pharmacy, as those drugs could contain fentanyl and vary greatly in strength and contents. You know, how can I work with this individual to get their story out there in a respectful, but also truthful way, to make sure that I wasn't getting spun as well? SWAT Operation At Westminster Home: 2 Arrested In Drug Bust Andrew Cogliano out for Game 7 with fractured neck after Jordan Eberle's hit leaves Avalanche miffed at lack of suspension, Denver airport makes Food & Wine's list of top 10 U.S. airports with best restaurants, Celebration of life for Alexa Bartell, killed by rock thrown through windshield, draws hundreds to Arvada church, Skier killed in avalanche near Breckenridge, With Andrew Cogliano out for rest of Stanley Cup Playoffs, Kraken's Jordan Eberle discusses hit that fractured Cogliano's neck, Colorado lawmakers "belly flop" on water crisis, opting for further study of Colorado River over action, experts say, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. of methamphetamine, 4 lbs. Drug overdose deaths have increased 30% nationwide. The following criteria must be met to charge someone as a kingpin, according to Dunn: "It's a very rare occurrence, a very serious occurrence and not a charge we take lightly," said Dunn. Example video title will go here for this video. This really gets to why many of these group members originated in Minnesota and came to Colorado, which had a legal market. The Aurora Police Department assisted in the seizure on Amherst Circle. Authorities say there is no immediate threat to their safety. They were using skydiving planes to ship pot out of state. of cocaine, 5 lbs. Well, and something that I found interesting about this reported podcast is that there are a lot of flashy details like, skydiving drug mules, buried bags of cash, partying, cocaine. Denver residents can also get that medicine, along with fentanyl test strips, sent to them for free from the city. Yeah, it's tough because I feel like in these situations, the truth always lies somewhere in between, right? October 9, 2022 at 11:49 a.m. "The operation resulted in the seizure of over 400 pounds of methamphetamine, more than 15,000 fentanyl pills, five pounds of heroin and over four pounds of cocaine," said U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn. "DEA lab testing revealed, on average, 2 out of every 5 pills laced with fentanyl contains a potential lethal dose," said David Olesky, DEA Denver Field Division Acting Special Agent in Charge. There's a lot of considerations that need to be carefully weighed to make sure we can slowly chip away at the black market. The find was part of a coordinated Aurora drug bust announced Feb. 19, 2020. Milinovich said as of July 31, Peel Region has seen 71 overdose-related deaths, 80 per cent of which are suspected to be linked to opioids. And then in conjunction with what I was saying earlier, too, they could establish their warehouse right next to the hundreds of legitimate ones that are spread throughout the city. 64 indicted after drug trafficking bust in Colorado | 9news.com March 11, 2022 / 2:51 PM 35 arrested after multiple drug busts at Maine, NH border "But, unfortunately here in Colorado, the numbers are higher at a 46% increase of drug overdose deaths," Keith Weis, Executive Director of Rocky Mountain HIDTA, said. Noun 1. drug bust - seizure of illegal drugs by the police drugs bust impounding, impoundment, internment, poundage - placing private property in the. Between 2019 and 2020, the number of overdose deaths in Colorado involving fentanyl more than doubled, from 222 to 540. 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Would we have as much black market activity, and would a group like this have been able to pull off the feat they did, if we had just across-the-country legal cannabis? The investigation began in late 2018. In Denver, the Denver Department of Health reported "the percentage change in drug-related deaths for the six months of January-June from 2019 to 2020 was 83%, with fentanyl-related overdose deaths experiencing a 354% increase in those same timeframes." Officialssays 30 people were indicted including the so-called drug kingpin who ran the operation. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. So they got plenty of attention at the time, there was a big press conference at the Colorado Attorney General's office, and every outlet in Denver and many around the country, as well, covered this story. The first batch of people were prosecuted by Weisers office and the 1st Judicial District Attorneys Office in Jefferson County, and two more series of indictments were filed in Adams County and are being prosecuted by the officers of Weiser and Mason. Has Denver seen its last snow of the season? 2020 / 06:11 PM MST. DENVER Twenty-one people have been charged in Colorado for their alleged involvement in a drug trafficking ring linked to a Mexican cartel, according to law enforcement officials. So in many states, including Colorado where this story is based, they've actually handed down a lot of control over the cannabis industry to local municipalities and cities. In the past 20 years. Additionally, the defendant must be an organizer, supervisor or manager of at least five other persons connected in the same activity, and obtain substantial income or resources from the series of violations, U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn said. Stories About Drug Bust - CBS Colorado He confessed to police everything he knew about Nguyen's operation, overturning the largest pot smuggling drug ring in Colorado since legalization. This press conference made a splash. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. . Undercover agents set up two buys from one of Romos associates, Saul Ramon Rivera Beltran, and purchased heroin, fentanyl and meth, according to the indictment. For me as a journalist that specializes in narrative stories, I feel like some of those details are necessary if you're really going to delve into a lot of policy angles and bigger picture questions about the law and justice in the United States.
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