Border Patrol officials said this summer that the quantity of meth and heroin theyre intercepting now is 10 times higher than it was a decade ago. Fifteen years ago, men like Beltran would have been cooking meth, not smuggling it. One of the suspects was on active parole for attempted murder. It gradually destroys the body and mind of people who use it, and eventually it kills them.. "Wow," Lisa Serrano, a shopper, said. Federal authorities on Wednesday showed off results of Southern California raids. All you really need is a big garage and a garage door opener, Moore said. "Drugs make people make bad decisions," said Riverside Police Chief Larry Gonzalez. On April 5, 2011, Deputy Gerald Rohn, of the Riverside County Sheriffs Department, dug into the side yard of an abandoned house in Lake Elsinore. 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. "They can break the drug loads down and do distribution throughout the country," Bodner said. By Scott Schwebke. Postal Service and private vehicles to ship large quantities of cocaine and other narcotics to buyers across the country. Online Volunteer Info Session- Learn How to Advocate for Youth in Foster Care! In all, more than 150 pounds of meth were seized, in addition to more than $31,000 in cash. Despite the significant number of arrests, they said the massive size of these criminal drug rings is discouraging. Police listened as Beltran described how he got the meth in Mexico, then buried it at the abandoned house in Lake Elsinorefor safekeeping until it could be sold. We dont see many of those anymore.. The house sat on Pace Lane in Indio Hills, behind a chain-link fence and a locked gate, miles from all but a few neighbors. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration announced a record-breaking bust Wednesday: roughly 2,224 pounds of methamphetamine recovered in Riverside County. San Diegos houseless residents deal with heavy rains, flooding, San Diego Unified launches new engagement website for students, Eagle delivers 2 eggs in California nest watched by web cam, Chula Vista Elementary District converts two campuses to community schools. Over the last month and a half, the team, which began . Your dad just called, said Teresa Reyes, speaking to her daughter on a cellphone. "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. Diaz says it illustrates frustrations he has with other aspects of the criminal justice system. The DEA's bust was just one of two massive meth seizures by federal authorities in October. "That's what's scary.". Representatives of the Riverside Police Department, Riverside County Sheriff's Department, FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration attended the news conference. Narcotics seized during a bust Friday in Otay Mesa. The massive methamphetamine seizure was part of Operation Crystal Shield, a nationwide effort the DEA launched in February. The investigation led to search warrants at multiple narcotic stash houses in Moreno Valley and Perris in Riverside County, officials said. HOPEWELL, Va. (WWBT) - Hopewell police arrested two people during an early morning drug bust. 1/15/2023 Moore, Ezekiel Age: 34 Sex: M Arrest Date\Time: 1/15/2023 4:48:00 AM Case Number: 13-004901 PARMELE ST Rockford, IL 61104 Arrest Location: Rockford, IL The agency did not disclose whether any arrests had been made or were pending, saying only that the investigation is ongoing. Officials interdicting bundles of meth, heroin and fentanyl on Friday said it was the second-largest meth bust in Customs and Border Protection history. Another tap led further up the supply chain, to Armando Garcia Beltran, a Lake Elsinore man who smuggled narcotics across the border. On Oct. 9, U.S. Customs and Border Protection stopped a truck crossing from Mexico into the United States at San Diego's Otay . Redding felon's drug sales arrest marks second drug bust in 11 days - Woman also arrested . "The cartels are aware of law enforcement efforts at the border, so what they'll do is they'll flood the border with multiple vehicles coming through," said FBI agent Andrew Sharp. Her husband ran out the back door, vanishing into the desert. In April, Arkansas State Police found 275 poundsof meth worth an estimated $10 million hidden in a semi-truck on Interstate 40, about 10 miles east of Little Rock. "Study after study shows that where there is meth addiction, there is also an uptick in violent crime, including robberies, assaults and murders.". They wheeleda bomb-disposal robot toward the pipe, pointing a shotgun-like weapon designed to destroy any explosives inside. For two months, Rohn and his partners at the DEA had been using wiretaps to chase a drug ring. "This is enough dope to provide a dose of meth for every man, woman and child in the United States and Mexico," DEA Acting Administrator Timothy Shea said. It looks just like someone coming home from work.. "Study after study shows that where there is meth addiction, there is also an uptick in violent crime including robberies, assaults and murders.". Coronavirus Updates, 2023, Gulf-California Broadcast Company Palm Springs, CA USA, Download the News Channel 3 News app here. Heres a timeline, Crusading vet treats some of L.A.s most cherished residents: The pets of skid row, The Times podcast: How the California GOP lost its national sway, Veterans claim anti-vet bias in Metros choice of muralist for a new VA station, California faces catastrophic flood dangers and a need to invest billions in protection, Caregiver sentenced to life in prison for unspeakable sexual abuse of disabled children. A total of 23 arrests . 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. The 2,224 pounds (1,008.7 kilograms) of methamphetamine was seized Oct. 2 during an investigation of a drug-trafficking organization with ties to the Sinaloa cartel, the DEA said in a statement. RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KABC) -- Downtown Riverside is known throughout Southern California for its iconic festival of lights during the holidays. The DEA said the Los Angeles area is the preferred transportation hub for drug traffickers because it is north of the border and it is easier to blend into big cities. 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. NBC Universal, Inc. A record meth bust part of a national operation was announced Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2020. Oct. 14, 2020. . In the pickup, agents found the visitors. Twenty-nine pounds of heroin were hidden in a secret compartment. 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. 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. 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. DEA agents make historic $33M drug bust in Riverside County DEA Los Angeles A nearly two-ton seizure of methamphetamine in Norco was the largest meth seizure documented by the U.S. Drug. Enter address: This website, like most media sites, uses small files called cookies to anonymously customize the advertising that you see. From April to August 2020, Gomez and Rodriguez allegedly purchased methamphetamine from suppliers in Mexico as well as in Los Angeles and Riverside counties, according to investigators. The robot fired, and tin and copper flak perforated the pipe like buckshot. We will continue to work together to disrupt drug trafficking organizations at every opportunity we are given.. However, another federal agency, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, netted an even bigger amount of meth the following week. 11/22/2022 12:00 AM. It is not uncommon for a case that was initiated across the country say in Chicago, Atlanta or Little Rock to ultimately lead back to this area.. "The Justice Department is committed to making our neighborhoods safer by aggressively disrupting drug cartel operations in the United States.". The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration announced a record-breaking bust Wednesday: roughly 2,224 pounds of methamphetamine recovered in Riverside County. The investigation led to search warrants at multiple narcotic stash houses in Moreno Valley and Perris in Riverside County, officials said. "The total seized drugs have an estimated street value of $33 million.". The drugs are alleged to have been stored in hidden compartments in their vehicles. Shea said the United States saw a 25% increase in meth overdoses last year alone and emphasized the drugs damaging effects on communities, which often see an accompanying uptick in violent crimes including robberies, assaults and murders. "The drugs that will kill you.". Copyright 2023 KABC Television, LLC. 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. Finn ut mer om hvordan vi bruker informasjonen din i retningslinjene for personvern og retningslinjene for informasjonskapsler. A total of 12 suspects have been arrested, with several more still outstanding. The DEA said it was not revealing the locations of the stash houses because detectives were still working on making arrests. The US Customers and Border Protection on Oct. 9 recovered 3,014 pounds of the drug from a truck. This is real proof of a job well done.. "This is enough dope to prove a dose of meth for every man, woman and child in the United States and Mexico," DEA Acting Administrator Timothy Shea said. "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. Chief Sergio Diaz made the announcement during a news conference at Riverside city hall, flanked by law enforcement personnel, community leaders, and elected officials. Stephanie Lai was a 2020 intern for the Los Angeles Times. Authorities said they found about 893 pounds of cocaine, 13 pounds of heroin and some 650 pounds of methamphetamine in the garage of a residence in Moreno Valley. DEA Acting Administrator Timothy J. Shea and other law enforcement officials displayed theevidence during a press conference at a DEA warehouse in Montebello. Operation Crystal Shield has been a nationwide effort involving 70 to 80 investigators in multiple cities, including Perris, Fontana, Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix and Atlanta. The biggest haul was in Perris, where DEA agents and investigators from several municipal police departments last week confiscated 2,224 pounds of meth, 893 pounds of cocaine and 13 pounds of heroin, according to Shea. The robot eased closer, eyeing the powder with a camera. PublishedOctober 14, 2020 at 10:51 AM PDT. The drugs were intended for distribution in Southern California, including Los Angeles, according to DEA officials, who displayed the haul at the agency's warehouse in an undisclosed location in Los Angeles County. The amounts we are seeing are unfortunately on the rise, but we're also seizing more, getting more of this poison off the streets.. #DEA Acting Administrator Timothy J. Shea, Special Agent in Charge Bill Bodner & local law enforcement discussing the largest domestic methamphetamine seizure in #DEA history. And these figures still don't account for all the drugs and cash seized in Riverside County. Straighten up the sofa. "It's just a risk they take. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Officials say the change was spurred by lawmakers, in Sacramento and Washington D.C., who created aggressive laws restricting access to the chemicals used to make meth, commonly called precursors. Withoutingredients, small-scale meth labs became unfeasible. In 2014, the county had 624 wiretaps, intercepting more than 2 million calls, texts and other communications involving more than 44,000 people. Ved klikke Godta alt godtar du at Yahoo og vre partnere vil behandle din personlige informasjon og bruke teknologier som informasjonskapsler, for vise personlig tilpassede annonser og innhold, for annonse- og innholdsmling, publikumsinnsikt og produktutvikling. There's more guns on the street than I've ever seen in my career, and there's thousands of people who should be incarcerated who aren't incarcerated right now," said Gonzalez. Inside was a mountain of drugs 2,650 pounds of cocaine, 66 poundsof heroin and 19 tons of marijuana, stacked on pallets. The Sinaloas have been linked to 90 percent of the drugs that move through Southern California, said Dave Stinnett, an intelligence analystwith the DEAs Los Angeles division. Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Community Guidelines, EEO Report | FCC Applications | Do Not Sell My Personal Information, Daily News Headlines Police say all the suspects are now facing felony charges. Another blast is on the way. The Riverside office also seized nearly $47 million in cash, vehicles and guns during that three-year span. City News Service contributed to this report. Luke Money is a Metro reporter covering breaking news at the Los Angeles Times. Successful seizures like these save lives and reduce the exploitation and victimization of our local communities, Bodner said. Riverside County has become the single largest drug trafficking distribution center in the United States, built on a web of highways, nondescriptsuburbia and empty desert, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration. This is enough dope to prove a dose of meth for every man, women and child in the United States and Mexico, , DEA Acting Administrator Timothy Shea said. "A search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of 66 kilograms of cocaine and an additional seizure of approximately 3,552 pounds of methamphetamine from numerous boxes located in the garage," the agency stated. INDIO, Calif. The black plastic pipe lay under the overpass, resting against the center median of Interstate 10, one of the nations busiest highways. Well let me hang up.. "When you hear a story like this, where a guy is out for two hours and is slinging dope, it is somewhat demoralizing. Breaking News The deputy was not surprised. The Riverside County Sheriff's Office will be hosting a Deputy Sheriff and Correctional Deputy Expedited Hiring Event on Saturday, February 18, 2023, at Palm Desert High School, 74910 Az. Behind him was a 10-foot pyramid comprised of contraband. The biggest haul was in Perris, where DEA agents and investigators from several . Each suspect was charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Just last month, authorities arrested another Moreno Valley truck driver, Ricardo Benitez-Serrano, a fugitive who had been caught hauling $2.9 million in suspected drug profits in 2013 and 305 pounds of cocaine in 2014. Since June, couriers and a stash house for the drugs were identified through ongoing surveillance, much of it conducted by Fontana Police Department personnel, authorities said. Instead, there isa low-profile,commercialized pipeline, where violence would only cut into high profits, DEA officials say. However, even raw numbers reveal Riverside County as a centerpiece in U.S. drug trafficking, rivaling the nations largest cities. They probably didnt even know there was a pipeline beneath their feet, Moore said. Download the News Channel 3 app here. "These numbers are significant," said Kristi Johnson of the FBI. The Southern California seizure occurred on Oct. 2, 2020 and included 893 pounds of cocaine, 13 pounds of heroin, and 2,224 pounds of methamphetamine. His identity was not provided. Then Reyes rattled off a list of chores. (Credit: DEA), another seizure earlier this month in San Diego. 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. Updated: 10:31 PM PDT October 14, 2020. Other suspects are alleged to have then distributed the drugs to gang members across the Inland Empire. Operation Crystal Shield is a nationwide effort involving 70 to 80 investigators in nine cities including Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix and Atlanta. Keep up with all the latest news, arts and culture, and TV highlights from KPBS. In total, 1088. Local authorities charged a California man and woman Thursday in a massive drug bust that found more than 46 pounds of a lethal and potent synthetic opioid, multiple sources reported. This is the third-busiest port of entry on the U.S.-Mexico border, and likely the largest for smuggled narcotics. 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. 3 news app here to disrupt drug trafficking organizations at every opportunity we are given members across Inland. 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