My Office is committed to keeping our borders secure and streets safe from deadly narcotics.". Perez said suspects would come to Tallahassee to conduct business then hide out in Gadsden where there are fewer law enforcement resources. Phone: (954) 368-9931 The U.S. Coast Guard announced Thursday that it was offloading a record-shattering amount of cocaine and marijuana at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. 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. Aug. 30, 2019, 4:32 PM PDT. Attorneys offices across various districts to bring justice to those responsible for the illegal shipments. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. MSC has a longstanding history of cooperating with U.S. federal law enforcement agencies to help disrupt illegal narcotics trafficking and works closely with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)," the statement said. Now that the Coast Guard has busted up numerous shipments and seized all these substances, it is back on land to offload it all. Publisher: Javier Manjarres @JavManjarres According to NBC Miami, the Coast Guard Cutter James dropped off the 54,500 pounds of cocaine and 15,800 pounds of marijuana during the bust at the Broward County port. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. In addition to the drugs, police seized an unspecified amount of cash. THE SITUATION CHANGED DRAMATICALLY AS FORBES TRIED TO RUN AWAY AFTER A DEPUTY FOUND A SUSPICIOUS PACKAGE DURING A PAT DOWN. Nearly $400 Million In Marijuana, Cocaine Seized By Coast Guard In Florida. The contraband was interdicted in 18 separate operations of suspected drug smuggling vessels in international waters of the Caribbean Basin and Eastern Pacific Ocean off the coasts of Mexico, Central and South America, officials said. According to NBC Miami, the Coast Guard Cutter James dropped . GAIL: ON WEDNESDAY, FLORIDA ATTORNEY GENERAL ASHLEY MOODY ANNOUNCED THE ARREST OF A MASSIVE VIOLENT GANG OPERATION IN FLORIDA LINKED TO MEXICAN DRUG CARTEL. Each crew was responsible for locating thousands of pounds of drugs between mid-October and early December, the U.S. Coast Guard said in a news release. The arrest affidavit says that the drugs were found upon search of the vessel in seven separate shipping containers, as we have reported. Contact him at peter.martinez@cbsnews.com. Specifically, cocaine and marijuana. Sheriff Marceno said the operation is far from over. So the cartels in Mexico are very good about marketing, Staly said.Dealers are also disguising the drugs to look like candy. 54 people arrested following Charlotte County drug operation by NBC2 News 5:16 PM EDT, Sat July 02, 2022 A A CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla. - 54 people have been arrested and another eleven are still at. The Lee County Sheriff's Office announced Operation Narco Navidad netted over $1.1 million, as well as kilos of cocaine and a . Staly adds there are a lot of undercover operations in the county and you will eventually get caught. #BREAKING @USCG Cutter James, @RoyalCanNavy Shawinigan crews offloaded approximately 59,700 lbs of cocaine and 1,430 pounds of marijuana worth more than $1.4 billion, Thursday, at @PortEverglades, which is the largest offload in #CoastGuard history. GAIL: THIS TRAFFIC STOP INVOLVING JAMES FORBES, JR. We are going to go to every crevice, ever hole, every place where these individuals try to hide and we will root them out, he said. Federal authorities seized 15,000 kilos of cocaine, worth as much as $1 billion, at a Philadelphia shipping port, officials said Tuesday. "Today's offload is a result of our combined efforts of our inter-agency partners and a dedicated international coalition," said Vice Admiral Steven Poulin, commander Atlantic area. 2023 The Floridian. Now is the time to talk to your loved ones, especially children. Through our partnership with Homeland Security and law enforcement agencies in Florida and Georgia, our detectives took a huge amount of meth off the street and shut down an active drug trafficker operating out of a federal prison." According to the agency, the busts were the result of efforts from several Coast Guard vessels and crews, along with law enforcement agencies from several other countries. Journalists: Javier Manjarres, Daniel Molina, , Isabel Webb Carey, Jackson Bakich, James McCool, Michelle Rosenberg,Yendi Alvarez, Mateo Guillamont and Grayson Bakich SHERIFF RICK STALY SAYS IN FLAGLER COUNTY, OVERDOSES RANGE FROM AGE 18 TO THE 60S. Luke Cla/U.S. BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford held a news conference about a large drug bust. Law enforcement agents said they also found more than $400,000 in cash. The troubling trend began around 2012, before cocaine-related deaths jumped 34 percent from 2016 to 2017, the CDC said. As agents approached Hernandez at the complex, he tried to flee the scene but was placed in custody. On Wednesday, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody announced the arrest of a massive violent gang operation in Florida linked to a Mexican drug cartel. Perez said as part of acriminal enterprise, many covered their illegal dealings through seemingly legitimate businesses such as recording studios, entertainment venues, trucking companies and auto body shops. 18,000 pounds of cocaine, worth over $312 million, is displayed after a drug smuggling bust by the DEO and the U.S. Coast Guard. This month the DEA made the biggest meth. In total, more than 3,100 pounds of cocaine were seized from the vessel on Nov. 4, according to a U.S. Department of Defense release. 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. HAPPENED JUST BEFORE NINE TUESDAY NIGHT WHILE HE WAS RIDING A BIKE ON PALM AVENUE IN BUNNELL. Example video title will go here for this video. Leon County Sheriff Walt McNeil, who has championed a regional approach to curbing illegal drug activity, said law enforcement would remain relentless in pursuing people who bring harm to the community. Credit: Sarasota Police Department. CLAY COUNTY, Fla. The Clay County Sheriff's Office said Thursday 44 people are behind bars following a massive drug bust. The Fentanyl seized is enough to kill nearly 30,000 people by overdose, officials say. Four Americans have been convicted of drug smuggling charges so far following the arrests of nine Americans at Heathrow Airport in January. Our total of over 1,000 grams of fentanyl and methamphetamine seizedmeans over 2200 doses that were stopped from ruining lives and families, said Sheriff Marceno. Pete Williams is an NBC News correspondent who covers the Justice Department and the Supreme Court, based in Washington. The interdictions all took place in the Caribbean and the Eastern Pacific Ocean, off the coasts of the U.S., Mexico, and several other countries. 0:00 0:03:51. Jack Campbell, the state attorney for the Second Judicial Circuit, said one of his prosecutors, Adrian Mood, and Guillermo Vallejo with the Office of Statewide Prosecution, had both been "cross sworn" as it was being determined where the criminal cases would fall in the court system. The DEA, Sarasota County Sheriff's Office, Sarasota Police Department and Bradenton Police Department investigated this case. Authorities from other countries also spoke to the U.S. media about the busts. Agents write that additional container seals were brought aboard to re-seal the containers loaded with cocaine. Since 1974, High Times Magazine has been the #1 resource for cannabis news, culture, brands and marijuana legalization laws. Massive Drug Busts Off Pacific Coast The Coast Guard detailed their multiple drug busts in a press release published yesterday. Updated: Oct 13, 2022 / 05:29 AM EDT TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement held a news conference in Tampa to announce the. Get notified of our the latest cannabis news, exclusive brand deals, events updates and more! We know that the border crisis has turned every town in America into a border town.. LEE COUNTY, Fla. - Six people were arrested in a massive drug bust at an auto body shop in Lee County. 25 2023. Deputies said this bust was part of a year-long. WIN!! Its 25 separate interdictions, five different Coast Guard cutters.". These drugs will not reach Main Street USA due to the efforts of [] Coast Guard cutters involved in these interdictions, said Captain Jeffrey Randall, commanding officer of the Coast Guard Cutter James, which was heavily involved in the drug busts. Back in July 2019, law enforcement officials caught up with Victor Manuel Hernandez of Wimauma, Florida, when a "confidential source" spoke with Hernandez and ordered a kilogram of meth, according to court documents obtained by the U.S. Attorney's Office of Florida's Middle District. Fugitive in $18 million COVID fraud scheme extradited to U.S. Where things stand in the Alex Murdaugh double murder trial, How Alaska became one of fentanyl's deadliest frontiers, U.S. requests extradition of drug kingpin's son, Mexico says. Yesterday in my community, the Sheriff called about another massive drug bust where they found another brick of fentanyl with a border cartel stamp. He said much of the violent activity connected to the drug ring happened in the rural county west of Tallahassee. He says an additional eight boats brought more cocaine as the vessel moved north between Coronel, Peru and Panama. More to come. Agents seized 48 pounds of fentanyl and more than 350 pounds of methamphetamines. Never miss a story: Subscribe to the Tallahassee Democrat using the link at the top of the page. People view the responsibilities of smokers at concerts very differently according to a Reddit thread. When authorities searched his car, they found 978 grams of meth. The release also included a number of photos and a link to a video. CBD Could Inhibit Nicotine Metabolism, According to New Study, Cannabis Lounge Planned for Atlantic City Hotel, Bill Seeks To Ease Medical Cannabis Restrictions for New Mexico Firefighters, Heated Debate Erupts on Reddit Over Weed Etiquette at Concerts, Study: Personal Psychedelic Use Common Among Therapists, Growing Number of Canadian Weed Consumers Source Products Legally, Four Americans Convicted in U.K. It says that he got a call from the chief officer to go to the deck after the vessel left Peru, at which time he saw nets on the port side (left side facing the bow) by the ship's crane. The Democrats' border crisis has turned every town into a border town. While out on bond, officials later learned that Hernandez was still trafficking narcotics. Volusia County FOX 35 Orlando 16 arrested in massive drug bust in Volusia County, deputies said Body camera video showed the arrest and drug seizure by the Volusia County Sheriff's Office.. Police in South Florida made a huge drug bust on Friday night. The situation changed dramatically as Forbes tried to run away after a deputy found a suspicious package during a pat down. This is just the latest in a series of large drug busts by the Coast Guard. The operation, part of joint efforts involving five separate Coast Guard cutter crews, concluded with one vessel, the Bertholf, off-loading the entire amount seized at the marine terminal in San Diego on Wednesday. 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. FDLE Commissioner Rick Swearingen said those arrested had 93 prior drug arrests, including some federal, 67 prior violentcrime arrests and 175 prior felony counts. 2021 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. "They're also making counterfeit pills that, they're multiple colors laced with fentanyl, so they're marketing to younger and younger people, Staly said.Now is the time to talk to your loved ones, especially children.The attorney general says cartels only care about profit and power.Staly said in Flagler, the age of overdoses range from 18 to 60. GAIL: DEALERS ARE ALSO DISGUISING THE DRUGS TO LOOK LIKE CANDY. Fiery train crash in Greece kills dozens, many of them students, Ex-Georgia star Jalen Carter was racing in deadly crash, arrest warrants allege, Watch Live: Garland testifies amid ongoing special counsel investigations. In particular, the Coast Guards press release stated that the drugs came from 18 separate drug related interdictions. Melonie Holt "We cannot allow these drugs and the criminals who peddle them to poison our communities and destroy lives," DeSantis said in a statement Wednesday. . Law students in Tucson, Arizona are helping people through an expungement process. Lane Riverfront Park, 10 Weather: Fog reduces visibility early, more warmth and sunshine to follow, Warm winter leads to a warm spring for Tampa Bay, Warmer-than-normal temperatures on tap for Tampa Bay area heading into spring. 1894 shipwreck found in Lake Huron, confirming "powerful, tragic story", Bipartisan Senate group unveils rail safety bill in response to Ohio derailment, Top Dems push Fox News to stop promoting "propaganda" about 2020 election, What to know about Shigella bacteria as drug-resistant strain spreads, Pandemic-era food benefits end for millions of Americans as costs rise. Tom Winter is a New York-based correspondent covering crime, courts, terrorism and financial fraud on the East Coast for the NBC News Investigative Unit. Deaths linked to cocaine abuse have been on the rise, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The shipping company MSC thanked federal authorities for making the bust. He allegedly had multiple "stash houses" in town that were raided by police who discovered drugs, cash and guns. That includes law enforcement from Colombia, Costa Rica, and others. Currently, he is the co-host of "Tomahawk Talk" (WVFS), a sports talk radio program covering Florida State athletics in Tallahassee. Tampa Bay News, Traffic and Weather wherever you are with NewsRadio WFLA and WFLA News. >> 24 SUSPECTS WERE ARRESTED, BUT ONE GANG MEMBER REMAINS AT LARGE, 39-YEAR-OLD EFREN BERUMEN FROM KISSIMMEE, FLORIDA. In this article we take a look at the 18 biggest drug busts in US history. 2023, Hearst Television Inc. on behalf of WESH-TV. "Disrupting the maritime networks responsible for moving vast quantities of drugs on the high seas is one important way that DEA helps stop the flow of cocaine and other dangerous drugs to the United States," said DEA acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon. Drug trafficking impacts entire communities with violence and frequency of drug use, he said. Henry Ridgwell. Methamphetamine destroys lives, degrades communities, and ruins families. WSVN-TVSunbeam Television Corp 1401 79th Street Causeway Miami, FL 33141 Switchboard: (305) 751-6692 Newsroom: (305) 795-2777 Home News Crime Operation curbside crackdown leads to massive narcotics & gun bust at NFM drug house. South Florida police made a huge drug bust on Friday night. What we're seeing, for example, just two months ago, we ceased purple fentanyl. "I been to the border twice, so I saw how it's coming in. A major drug ring operating out of Tallahassee had connections to other states and investigators say its members, 27 of whom have been taken into custody, wereresponsible for flooding North Florida with cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin and Fentanyl. Numerous agencies from the Department of Defense and Homeland Security participated in the drug busts, including members of the Navy, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the FBI and the DEA. Valspar Final Round Championship Passes, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. The street value of all the seized cocaine could be as high as $1 billion, according to federal prosecutors in Philadelphia. Approximately 28,000 pounds of cocaine and 11,000 pounds of marijuana, worth an estimated $377 million, were seized in October during numerous operations in Port Everglades, Florida. Deputy First Class Jasmine. This is lawful pressure and resistance that makes our crime rate go down and the quality of life go up, said Sheriff Marceno. August 6, 2021 / 7:49 AM So the cartels in Mexico are very good about marketing, Staly said. FHP: 20-year-old dies after getting ejected from car in Manatee County crash, 20-year-old killed in Manatee County crash, 2023 Gasparilla Festival of the Arts to take over Julian B. "I been to the border twice, so I saw how it's coming in. To subscribe, please submit your email address below. NBC2 crews were there when the LCSO narcotic and special operations units served one of two search warrants in North Fort Myers. In January, Sheriff Michelle Cook, along with her leadership team . M. Abreu confirmed officers confiscated a large number of drugs from a suspected dealer. Abreustweetsaid "the sale of narcotics will not be tolerated in our neighborhoods.". Peter joined CBS News Digital in February 2017. Most of these suspects are gang members and contributed to violent crimes, Perez said. Specifically, the agency said that there were at least 10 different vessels and crews involved with the drug busting initiative. Video released by the U.S. Coast Guard shows crew members from the Bertholf intercepting a "low-profile go-fast vessel" while on patrol in November. The Lee County Sheriff's Office held a news conference on the raid that happened at an . The court document says that Durasevic, the crew's second mate, admitted his role in bringing the cocaine on the vessel. The drugs had a value of more than $165 million. He allegedly told the feds that Tiasaga was one of the crew members who helped him load the cocaine. I WILL TALK MORE ABOUT THAT STRAIGHT AHEAD. Additionally, two rifles were found, both belonging to Hernandez. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/74iFl3FRzk, Kat Cammack (@Kat_Cammack) April 15, 2022, The Democrats border crisis has turned every town into a border town. Yesterday in my community, the Sheriff called about another massive drug bust where they found another brick of fentanyl with a border cartel stamp. Bay news, culture, brands and Marijuana legalization laws: Subscribe the. Busts in US history gail: DEALERS are also disguising the drugs had value... Msc thanked federal authorities for making the bust in a press release published.... Mate, admitted his role in bringing the cocaine on the raid that happened at an 24 suspects were,! Deaths jumped 34 percent from 2016 to 2017, the Coast Guard detailed their multiple busts... 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