We need to know about the issues and how we can help," Bruno said. The bust, containing Mexican Cartel produced fentanyl, enough to kill "every man, woman, and child in the state of Florida 11 times over." The congresswoman said. Law enforcement officials said today that they had arrested 61 members of a cocaine ring that illegally imported and distributed more than 2,400 kilograms of the drug a year, with a street value of more than $720 million. Escambia County had 25 homicides already in 2022. A month of surveillance and a coordinated law enforcement effort produced one of the biggest drug busts weve ever seen. 2 Alabama rallies, beats rival Auburn 90-85 in, 2 hurt, dog rescued in crash on Schillinger Rd. Inside the home, they found cocaine, heroin, Oxycodone, MDMA, Tramadol, marijuana, Fentanyl, handguns and drug paraphernalia. Thats what Ill tell you.. ': Corey Marioneaux Jr. speaks out after being cleared in Pensacola SWAT case. Others involved in the ring have been charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and face maximum penalties of up to 20 years in prison and $250,000 in fines. Escambia County has 63% of fentanyl deaths in 4-county area in 2021, deaths increased 48%. 22 TCU wins 75-73 to deny No. Five people have been arrested in connection to a huge haul of narcotics near a . August 27th, 2021 10:14 am, fisherman on Click to see the list of top 5 cities that are crowded by Mexican drug cartels. August 26th, 2021 6:51 pm, A.W.Thompson on August 26th, 2021 8:16 pm, Joshua jenkins on Los Zetas Cartel is also the only Mexican cartel that uses Laredo as a major hub. The search warrant resulted in one arrest. Police discovered more than 300 pounds of drugs worth $1 million during a traffic stop in southwestern Arizona. Drug trafficking is probably the most lucrative illegal money maker, which the richest drug dealers of all time can attest to. "That means we had enough lethal fentanyl to kill 800,000 people. The total lot size is .54 acres (2,200m2). Gun crime:Escambia County had 25 homicides already in 2022. Sheriff calls for community action. If you use a windshield cover, you can at least forget about scrapping the ice off your windshield to save some time and hassle. A drug bust in Florida led to the seizure of enough fentanyl to kill at least 500,000 people, according to the Brevard County Sheriff's Office. "There has also been evidence of the utilization of cryptocurrencies by Mexican TCOs as a means by which to transfer their wealth internationally" said the DEA. Here's the latest bracketology predictions. Explore more on Drug Bust. The largest marijuana distributor to ever peddle pot in the history of Escambia County has been arrested, according to Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons. There are at least 13 U.S. cities that are used as distribution hubs by the Mexican drug cartels. ESCAMBIA COUNTY, Fla. (WEAR) Three men are behind bars after a month long drug investigation by the Escambia County Sheriff's Office narcotics unit. 5 on the list to read about the U.S. Coast Guards big bust in 2007. Mr. Barco is also accused of collecting money for the organization and transmitting it back to Colombia. This investigation began because of a series of violent crimes that we had earlier this year, Simmons said. The bar opened in 1977 and is credited with creating Pensacola's own drink, The Bushwacker. That's enough to conceivably kill every person in Escambia County, Santa Rosa County, Okaloosa County and Walton County. "The DEA reports that 2 milligrams of fentanyl are lethal," Simmons said at the press conference. Between Dec. 9 and Dec. 15 the ECSO narcotics unit and Pensacola Police Department SWAT team seized 1,600 grams of fentanyl, which the sheriff said is enough to kill 800,000 people, from five. Pompano Beach, FL 33062 (954) 945-7520. Mr. Dumont said no large amounts of drugs had been seized in the raids because the drugs were distributed quickly and the members of the ring did not keep large quantities in their homes. 1 on the countdown. Pensacola News Journal, April 29, 2006. Bidding for the Sandshaker Lounge, Package Store and Sandwich Shop was conducted on online auction site Bid4Assets and bidding started at $295,000. 61 ARE ARRESTED IN COCAINE RAID IN THREE STATES, https://www.nytimes.com/1985/03/13/nyregion/61-are-arrested-in-cocaine-raid-in-three-states.html. Colin Warren-Hicks can be reached at colinwarrenhicks@pnj.com or 850-435-8680. In total, deputies seized a half kilogram of cocaine, under 20 grams of marijuana, a gun that had been reported stolen, approximately $6,900 in cash, the 20 pounds of methamphetamine and 37 grams of fentanyl. ESCAMBIA COUNTY, Fla. -- The Escambia County Sheriff's Office announced a significant drug arrest Thursday that they say should help reduce violent crimes in the area. ''As much as 200 kilos a month was being brought into the Union County area,'' Mr. Dumont said. Kingpins can make billions when their drugs hit the street, but the authorities do their best to prevent that from happening. Moonrocks are apparently to help you go to the moon, if youre into that sort of thing. On August 5, the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter James discharged 59,700 pounds of cocaine and 1,430 pounds of marijuana worth more than $1.4 billion at the Everglades Port . October 21st, 2020 11:32 am, Lance on The reason Simmons said the operation was named "Operation Blue Christmas" is because of the blue pills that are laced with unknown amounts of fentanyl, leading to many overdoses in the community. "What they do is take marijuana and dip it in THC [oil] and it enhances the euphoria, he said. Pensacola State Police scored the biggest drug bust in college history April 20, according to Chief Hank Shirah, netting $4,548 in U.S. currency and 500 grams of hydroponic marijuana with a street value of $10,000. Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons held a press conference Friday afternoon regarding the department's recent multi-home drug bust he dubbed "Operation Blue Christmas.". August 29th, 2021 11:25 am, Michal Payton on North Platte Woman Sentenced for Drug Trafficking Crime. All Rights Reserved. Sheriff calls for community action. Operation Sandshaker was a three-year investigation, between 2000 and 2003 in Pensacola, Florida that resulted in the arrest of more than thirty residents, many of them respected individuals within the community. Read More. Smith was booked into the Escambia County Jail on March 4 with bond, and county records indicated that he remained in custody as of Thursday afternoon. Next: Proof that you cant hide anything from the authorities. "I just want to say merry Christmas to Escambia County residents, certainly those that live in this area, and I want to say how proud I am of our narcotics unit and our partners here locally," Simmons said while concluding the press conference. 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. "Our Narcotics Unit worked pretty hard, and these results are indicative of that effort and commitment to the citizens of Escambia County," Simmons said. Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons held a press conference Friday afternoon regarding the department's recent multi-home drug bust he dubbed "Operation Blue Christmas.". 1.San Francisco is home to the crown of the world largest ever recorded drugs bust. Chinese nationals aren't allowed to transfer their wealth outside of China, so they are willing to pay Mexican drug cartels a premium for the cartels' US dollar cash holdings in exchange for RMB payments in China. Authorities seized 46 pounds of pot and $300,000 in cash in 2014 during a big bust in the smallest state in America. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Next: Where have we heard this one before? October 20th, 2020 7:31 am, Oversight on FDLE report:Report: Escambia County crime rate down nearly 10% in 2021, rapes and assaults increased. "This is a major drug dealer who distributes to people throughout the county," Simmons said. Many are first-time or casual users. Mr. Dumont said the leaders of the ring were Carlos Fernandez, 32 years old, of Miami and David Barco, 32, of Elizabeth. Nine of thoseproperties were located in Escambia County while the two others were located in neighboring Santa Rosa County. The biggest raids happened in the 20th century, but check out No. 360 WEST RUBY STREET | TAVARES, FLORIDA 32778 | 352. All of those involved in the ring are Colombian nationals, according to the authorities. Police arrested 22 peopleand confiscated more than $700,000 in cash along with the drugs. In 1989, authorities seized more than 21 tons of cocaine worth roughly $6.9 billion on the street sitting in a nondescript warehouse. Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. If convicted on Federal charges of operating a continuing drug enterprise, Mr. Fernandez and Mr. Barco could be sentenced to up to life in prison, without parole. Sylmar is something of a sleepy town northwest of Los Angeles, but its the site of what might be the biggest drug bust ever. Along with serving five warrants, here are the sheriff's "totals for the week" in seizures from the five homes: "I will tell you this: We are committed to stopping these people who are ruining our neighborhoods," Simmons said. But I think its safe to say that for Mr. Vo, his days of living large, fancy-car driving, gold-jewelry wearing, lavish-lifestyle living, his Ric Flair days are over, Simmons said. Gustavo Adolfo Pareja, 26, of Cali,. Suspect in huge '78 pot bust captured .Drug Enforcement Administration spokesman Tom O'Brien confirmed yesterday that the 1978 pot seizure was the largest ever made by the agency's Seattle office. 2.0 2.1 "Affidavit: Restaurants fronted major drug ring." Pensacola News Journal, December 8, 2007. Channel 3's Rebekah Castor is live with the. Simmons also said there was a 4-month-old child in the house laying next to powdered fentanyl and said the department is investigating that situation. April 15, 2022 Congresswoman Kat Cammack (R-FL) went on Fox News Business on Friday to share with the public that there was a huge drug bust in her district. According to the DEA, Mexican drug cartels continue to expand their presence and forge partnerships with other transnational gangs, U.S. street gangs, prison gangs, and Chinese money laundering organizations. August 26th, 2021 6:15 pm, End the Drug War on August 27th, 2021 1:29 pm, Chris on They had 9.3 grams of marijuana, 1.6 grams of cocaine, 3.2 grams of Oxycodone pills, 3.5 grams of MDMA pills that test positive for methamphetamine and 2.3 grams of Tramadol pills. August 27th, 2021 7:48 am, Janine Singleton Walker on Police in Florida issued arrest warrants for over members of a suspected drug gang on Wednesday and seized enough fentanyl to wipe out a large county. by: Ashlyn Williams. See the article in its original context from. Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. August 26th, 2021 6:05 pm. Juarez Cartel is also the only Mexican cartel that uses El Paso as a major hub. Along with serving five warrants, here are the sheriff's "totals for the week" in seizures from the five homes: "I will tell you this: We are committed to stopping these people who are ruining our neighborhoods," Simmons said. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Thirty-one arrested, two wanted in undercover drug bust by: Ashlyn Williams. Crazy if you do it, but apparently its a thing now.. "We're committed to stopping the ones who are bringing this stuff in. Next: The U.S. helps with an international drug bust. During a routine traffic stop near Kearney, Neb., state troopers found 118 pounds of fentanyl, which is enough to kill 26 million people when you consider two milligrams is a potentially fatal dose. Between Dec. 9 and Dec. 15 the ECSO narcotics unit and Pensacola Police Department SWAT team seized 1,600 grams of fentanyl, which the sheriff said is enough to kill 800,000 people, from five different homes on Diego Circle, West Lloyd Street, Chapel Street and West Jackson Street. They arrested Marcus Blankenship and Steven Brown and there were three other people inside at the time. . [1] The individuals were suspected in trafficking cocaine from Miami into the Pensacola area. "That means we had enough lethal fentanyl to kill 800,000 people. Get the Android Weather app from Google Play, No. Disclosure: 13 US Cities That Are Crowded By Mexican Drug Cartels is originally published at Insider Monkey. One happened in Harlingen in southeast Texas in 1989. Some people are upset at the way iPhones charge. Rep. Michelle Salzman Calls For Resignation Of School Superintendent Tim Smith, Two Women Charged With Working Together On Multiple Retail Thefts, Catholic Church Plans New Community Center On Highway 29 In Cantonment, ECSO Investigating Reported Abduction Of Teen Girl In Bratt; She Was Found Unharmed, Located: Woman Wanted For Questioning In Deadly Escambia Pit Bull Attack, 11 Arrested In Internet Child Predator Sting, Atmore Man Charged With Reckless Murder Of His 2-Year Old Child, Cantonment Man Charged With Assault With A Deadly Weapon, All Star High School Soccer Game Is Wednesday Night, Tall Job: Crews Paint Walnut Hill Water Tower, 2,156 pounds of the highest grade marijuana, citizen II on On Aug. 18, authorities conducted 11 simultaneous search warrants on properties with ties to Vos dealings. FDLE report:Report: Escambia County crime rate down nearly 10% in 2021, rapes and assaults increased. In 1991, police officers seized 59 boxes containing 1080 pounds of Heroin, with a street value ranging from $2.7 billion to $4 billion. "The DEA reports that 2 milligrams of fentanyl are lethal," Simmons said at the press conference. "We're committed to stopping the ones who are bringing this stuff in. Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) is the youngest of the top 6 Mexican drug cartels. That arrest triggered an eight-month investigation that included the placing of court-authorized telephone taps at nine locations, including the travel agency, where an electronic listening device was also installed. August 30th, 2021 9:20 pm, Don Dixon Jr on New Orleans Resident Pleads Guilty to Drug Conspiracy. The sheriff's office said on Wednesday the. Rep. Michelle Salzman Calls For Resignation Of School Superintendent Tim Smith, Two Women Charged With Working Together On Multiple Retail Thefts, Catholic Church Plans New Community Center On Highway 29 In Cantonment, ECSO Investigating Reported Abduction Of Teen Girl In Bratt; She Was Found Unharmed, Located: Woman Wanted For Questioning In Deadly Escambia Pit Bull Attack, 11 Arrested In Internet Child Predator Sting, Atmore Man Charged With Reckless Murder Of His 2-Year Old Child, Cantonment Man Charged With Assault With A Deadly Weapon, All Star High School Soccer Game Is Wednesday Night, Tall Job: Crews Paint Walnut Hill Water Tower, DAVID FRANKLIN on The Escambia County. Brown had an active warrant for trafficking in heroin. Jalisco New Generation Cartel is the only Mexican cartel that uses New York City as a major hub. The Escambia County Sheriff's Office made a major drug bust earlier this month that resulted in the seizure of a deadly amount of fentanyl and 20 pounds of methamphetamine with an estimated street value of about $500,000. At the time of his apprehension, authorities seized a treasure trove of illicit substances and ill-gotten gains that included the following: The seizure of his assets was the largest asset seizure in Escambia County history. Indeed, it seems that not a week goes by without a report of "one of the biggest drug busts in Utah's history," "Brooklyn's biggest drug bust in history," "one of the biggest drug . We know what youre thinking Canada isnt the United States, so how come it shows up on our countdown? The Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, Jason R. Coody, who joined Simmons at the Thursday news conference, said Vo had been charged with one federal count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. The arrests were made in early morning sweeps in New Jersey, New York and Florida by more than 400 officers. October 20th, 2020 3:10 pm, Bruce johnson on Well, a 2011 raid in San Diego originated the idea. The Escambia County Sheriff's Office puts a stop to a major drug operation in Pensacola. August 27th, 2021 5:44 pm, Money bags on Ron DeSantis said the bust marked the biggest drug seizure in the county's history. That's enough to conceivably kill every person in Escambia County, Santa Rosa County, Okaloosa County and Walton County. August 27th, 2021 11:29 am, Green rocket on Loaded gun found on school campus in Monroe Co. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. "Consistent with previous years, the Sinaloa Cartel maintains the widest national influence, with its most dominant positions along the West Coast, in the Midwest, and in the Northeast. 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