denver drug bust 2020
64 people indicted after bust of international drug trafficking ring in Colorado Sixty pounds of heroin, 77,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl and $931,000 was seized. RCMP arrest 14 people, seize 'significant quantity of drugs, firearms and cash' in major drug trafficking bust. 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. What are some of the policy issues that you're hoping people maybe do consider if they're listening to "The Syndicate"? I spent considerable time trying to get in touch with each and every person. They figured out pretty much every person who was involved in it for a span of four years. Daniel Valentine, 42, was arrested in the bust that happened last week. Law enforcement would certainly tell this story one way. EAGLE, Colo. (CBS4) - Detectives pulled off a major drug bust in the Eagle Vail area, arresting Matthew DeAngelo at a home. 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. Updated: Feb 19, 2020 / 06:11 PM MST. Whenever we take drugs off of our streets, we make our community a safer place in which to live, Mason said in a statement. The Aurora Police Department assisted in the seizure on Amherst Circle. September 3, 2021 / 3:46 PM / CBS Colorado. 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. The DEA began its investigation in April 2021. After the indictment announcement, authorities said two others were arrested in connection to the drug trafficking ring. For almost five years, the group had fooled regulators overseeing Colorado's medical marijuana industry by operating seemingly legitimate growhouses, all the while trafficking its harvests out of state using cars and skydiving planes. They also recovered from the drug ring 250 pounds of methamphetamine, 60 pounds of heroin, 6.8 kilograms of cocaine, 12 firearms, 19 vehicles and $931,000 in U.S. currency. If there is a huge markup, the vast majority of buyers are still going to turn to the black market because they're just like, "No, I'm not willing to pay twice as much to get weed from a dispensary.". Drug Enforcement Administration agents seized more than 2,200 pounds of methamphetamine earlier this month . This is a part of the story that is told very differently depending on who you talk to. Greed is a traffickers main motivation. 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. (CBS4) - The U.S. Department of Justice says a drug strike force dismantled a major drug dealing operation which was working in Denver and Aurora. 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. If you want to plan the perfect spring picnic, food and drink are important, but its certainly not the only factor to consider. Denver residents can also get that medicine, along with fentanyl test strips, sent to them for free from the city. Kiszla: Avs embarrass themselves with silence about Valeri Nichushkin's mysterious absence following reported 9-1-1 call. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. First published on September 3, 2021 / 3:46 PM. IRS Special Agent in Charge Amanda Prestegard said, Its crucially important to include a financial component in investigation of drug related crime. 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. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Defendants face charges including racketeering, distribution of controlled substances and money laundering. Officials say Candelaria Vallejo-Gallo is from Mexico and was in the country illegally. "With 28 firearms seized, multiple hand grenades, high-capacity magazines and several sets of body armor, this organization was preparing for battle," Olesky said during Wednesday's news conference. Drug overdose deaths have increased 30% nationwide. (CBS4) - The U.S. Department of Justice says a drug strike force dismantled a major drug dealing operation which was working in Denver and Aurora. Officers found more . RELATED: Big Denver Drug Bust: Dealer Allegedly Had Nearly 10,000 Fentanyl Pills, 179 Pounds Of Meth. Federal indictments that were unsealed Wednesday name 30 defendants at least 24 have been arrested for their roles in two separate drug organizations that were involved in weekly high volume narcotics trafficking, according to Phillips. 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. / CBS Colorado. So what this group did is they all registered as caregivers and then pooled all their pot together. 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Mills has gone before a judge and bond was set. Then there is state involvement as well. 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." Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Are other banks to follow? Authorities say there is no immediate threat to their safety. In the past 20 years. The charges were announced Friday by Colorado Attorney General Phil . 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.". I mean, I do some editorializing at the end of this show. The investigation first started in March 2019 after a tip from law enforcement in Las Vegas, Reuter said. DEA agents began the investigation in April by focusing on a single person, Samuel Padilla Romo. Cannabis is a big business and there's a lot of consumer demand for it, so the competition for a limited number of licenses is really stiff. Woman charged as federal 'kingpin' in major metro Denver-wide drug bust by: . Four people have been arrested following a major drug bust on the Western Slope, the Grand Junction Police Department said Thursday. While conducting a series of arrests across Denver and Aurora Feb. 12 . 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. Associated Press articles: Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. You were living in Colorado when the major drug bust happened, right? 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. And then even if you have legal dispensaries, you'll also need to ensure supply and then also have a competitive price. The Denver DEAs Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Strike Force led the investigation in partnership with Arvada police. When it started, they had about ten requests for supplies a month. Noun 1. drug bust - seizure of illegal drugs by the police drugs bust impounding, impoundment, internment, poundage - placing private property in the. Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Agents said Colorado communities are safer now with the seized drugs and weapons off the streets, but the work is far from over. 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. They then used a confidential source to place recorded calls with Romo and set up a controlled purchase of $1,600 of methamphetamine. Because the state of Colorado is just as savvy as anyone else about garnering media attention, they knew that they could probably get more coverage of their investigation if they talked about the fact like "Oh, by the way, they were also shipping up to 900 pounds of per trip on these skydiving planes.". Published August 18, 2020 6:00PM (EDT) The Syndicate (Photos provided by publicist/Salon) Facebook Twitter Email save In October 2014, SWAT team officers and DEA agents kicked down the doors of. Officials on Wednesday said they linked the drugs to the Sinaloa cartel in Mexico but didnt offer details on how they made the connection. A Boogie wit da Hoodie's mug shot. Pretty much every other reporter in Denver had moved on from the story. "This criminal enterprise was responsible for poisoning our community and furthering the opioid and methamphetamine epidemic, but today our community is safer," said FBI Special Agent in Charge Dean Phillips. Drug kingpins dont always touch the drugs but they do always touch the money.. Police seized fentanyl, meth, firearms, and more than $5,000. 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. Most of the drugs came from Mexico and have a street value in the "millions of dollars," according to Dunn. Mexican cartel elements such as this criminal enterprise are directly responsible for the steady high rate of overdose deaths in the United States from both opioids and methamphetamine. 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. Law enforcement identified the shop as Supreme Auto Body which was not. 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.