It was at that location where officials say they found more than 190 kilograms of liquid methamphetamine, and nearly 60 kilograms of crystal meth. According to Eastland County Today, Tuesday at 1:30 am - Eastland County Deputy Sheriff Colby Jackson made a traffic stop on a speeding vehicle on Interstate 20. This story has been shared 154,083 times. The distribution of drugs like heroin, cocaine, meth, and fentanyl into the state is an ongoing problem, and it seems like authorities are constantly the biggest drug busts in Texas. Guthrie is accused of being in possession of a Colt .45 caliber handgun on May 21, 2020. If convicted, Lewis faces up to 10 years in federal prison. The operation was conducted by members of the McLennan County Sheriffs Office Organized Crime Unit, the sheriffs offices SWAT, and the Waco Police Departments Drug Enforcement Unit, along with the Texas Dept. Indictment #4 U.S. v. Kayli Marie Guthrie These indictments are an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. Suite 115 The alleged leaders of the drug distribution ring, Jose Maldonado-Ramirez, 33, and his fianc, Iris Amador-Garcia, 30, of Bellflower, California, were arrested October 28, 2021. Unfortunately, the impact of drug trafficking is reflected in the high rates of drug use in the U.S., specifically the opioid epidemic. Young, unsuspecting Texans are buying drugs that are laced with fentanyl. Almost all of our crime is connected to drug trafficking, the Sheriff said during the news conference. March 27, 2021 3:10 PM in News. Drug Trends in Texas 2021: A Report to the National Drug Early Warning System Jane Carlisle Maxwell, Ph.D., Research Professor Emeritus Highlights Texas has 254 counties and, as of 2020, a population of 28,995,881 with 42% White, 40% Hispanic, 12% Black, and 5% Asian. When drug overdose deaths are nine or fewer per year, the state does not . Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. The others face between five years and 40 years in federal prison if convicted because the quantity level charged is at least 50 grams. Fentanyl is a highly addictive synthetic opioid. Roberts and Keith are both accused of distributing drugs in the Bellmead area. File photo showing packages of methamphetamine crystals. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. It is unseen to the general public, but importantly, this unseen thing coming across the border is deadly dangerous, Abbott explained, referring to the drug. If convicted, Oliphint faces up to 20 years in federal prison. 0:00. Law enforcement officials say the drug investigations are ongoing. In 2019, DEA fentanyl seizures reached a record high since 2015, with DEA record seizures totaling 3,138 kilograms of fentanyl and fentanyl-related compounds.1 As a result of the opioid epidemic, the use of heroin and fentanyl has significantly increased. "The Yellow Rose of Texas is safer today as we bring justice to those drug traffickers who want to poison our communities and profit from those who struggle with addiction. Jose Gutierrez, Crigger and Lewis were already in custody prior to yesterday. The investigation began in June when law enforcement was tipped off about drug dealers operating out of a home in South Acres Drive in Dallas, TX. February 26 . Aaron Carter's mother has released graphic photos from the scene of his death as a ploy to motivate law enforcement to investigate the incident further. The east lane of FM 2271 was closed for several hours, and authorities funneled traffic into the west lane of FM 2271 on both sides of the Lake Belton Dam. All the suspects were charged with drug crimes, with most in connection to a wide-scale trafficking ring in Leon and Gadsden counties. 950 N Federal Highway The home was being used as a conversion lab where meth is turned into the raw, liquid form, making it more difficult for agents to detect. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. Ashley Nicole Sutton, age 31 of Belton; (210) 384-7257 To illustrate the impact of drug trafficking on the opioid epidemic and drug addiction in the U.S., were sharing the biggest drug busts in Texas this year. If convicted, Anthony Gutierrez, Jose Gutierrez, Crigger, Gentile, Sutton and Warrick face between 10 years and life in federal prison because the quantity level charged is at least 500 grams. If youve heard of heroin but dont know what it is, its a powerful opioid that works differently from meth or cocaine. New Zealand police find 3.5 tons of cocaine in Pacific Ocean. "No doubt, this got his attention. Carlos Avila, age 38 of Buckholts; ", Chavez added: "I see a lot of lives saved when we can stack up kilograms of drugs like this on a table. "At this point, we want to not give up those opportunities because when we come, we'd like for it to be a surprise.". 27, law enforcement officers with the Drug Enforcement Agency, Texas Rangers, Texas Department of Public Safety, Brady . Liberty County officials were asked to assist in a search warrant led by the DEA out of Houston to seize what they estimated to be $500,000 worth. 3. A second mate and a crew member have been arrested in the massive bust. LIBERTY COUNTY, Texas There was a major methamphetamine bust in Liberty County overnight, and the sheriff's office there believes it might be the biggest one ever in the county's history . The Dallas division of the DEA has made the largest methamphetamine seizure in North Texas. The men are currently being held on $250,000 bonds each. usatxw.mediainquiry@usdoj.gov. According to new data provided by the Texas DPS on Thursday, Operation Lone Star has seized 160 pounds of fentanyl within its targeted area. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Benjamin Diggs and C. Andrew Colasurdo. Barton is accused of possessing at least 500 grams of methamphetamine on November 11, 2020. Barton was already in custody when the indictment came down. This federal grand jury indictment charges 43-year-old Lori Oliphint of Temple with possession with intent to distribute under 50 grams of methamphetamine on August 19, 2020. "As these three seizures illustrate, our frontline officers at World Trade Bridge continue to maintain their vigilance, supporting the CBP mission by disrupting the flow of illegal narcotics entering our borders," Acting Port Director Eugene Crawford, Laredo Port of Entry said in a statement. She has produced a multitude of integrated campaigns and events in the behavioral health and addictions field. Drug Bust. Members of the ring tried to trade drugs for firearms ones they could transport to Mexico contributing to terrible violence south of the border. Angela Loy, age 32 of Temple; In total, more than 1,930 pounds of meth stuffed into 663 packages were pulled from the vehicle. The 32 kilos of narcotics seized have a street value of $2 million, police said. Wesley Warrick, age 50 of Cameron; Federal, state and local officials held a news conference in Punxsutawney Tuesday to announce charges against several area residents allegedly connected . JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - A major drug bust at a home in Northwest Jacksonville led to the arrests of six people and the seizure of 9 kilograms of cocaine, authorities said. Well, in addition to the people coming across the border, there is something else crossing the border. Defendant Healer engaged in an armed stand-off with law enforcement today. Our nation-wide commitment to reducing gun crime in America, Report Waste, Fraud, Abuse or Misconduct to the Inspector General, Find Help and Information for Crime Victims, Register, Apply for Permits, or Request Records, Monitor Selection for Corporate Criminal Enforcement, USAO/WDTX Media Relations During a search of the residence where Iris Amador-Garcia was living with her brother and co-conspirator, Mario Amador-Garcia, 31, and co-conspirator, Bayron Eberto . Investigators did not reveal the name or location of the business or say where the alleged meth lab was located. By KXII Staff. Marshals Service provided valuable assistance with the arrests. The second indictment charges 35-year-old Cory Joe Barton of Gatesville with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Kayli Marie Guthrie of Temple, 21, is named in an indictment charging possession of a firearm by a convicted felon that alleges she was in possession of a .45 caliber Colt handgun on May 21, 2020 after she was convicted on March 27, 2020 in Bell County of possession of a controlled substance and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. bust in U.S. history, finding more than 5,528 pounds of the drug . Jose Gutierrez, Crigger and Lewis were already in custody prior to yesterday. Thirteen people were arrested Thursday and more than $1 million were seized in a major drug bust that stretched from Athens to Atlanta. Law enforcement officers arrested Abel Chavez, Allen Roberts, and Marvin Keith on drug charges after the months-long operation resulted in the seizure of about 38.5 pounds of methamphetamine, 26 ounces of marijuana, nearly $18,000 in suspected drug proceeds, a Glock pistol, and an AR-15 style weapon, the sheriff said. The group is accused of conspiring to distribute multiple kilograms of methamphetamine in Bell County and surrounding areas since January 2020. However, when authorities showed up at the home in question, they found more than they were anticipating. Hopefully, these idiots are going to get some tall sentences, McNamara said. This federal grand jury indictment charges 31-year-old Annie Rose Lewis of Temple with one count of convicted felon in possession of a firearm. The Drug Enforcement Administration announced the largest methamphetamine bust in North Texas history last week: 1,900 pounds in big grey bricks stowed in the false . The first indictment charges 16 Central Texans with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. On March 27, 2020, Guthrie was convicted in Bell County for possession of a controlled substance less than one gram and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, according to court documents. The agencies within the TAG came together and worked together and were able to find these drugs and get them off the street so McLennan County did great here also working in conjunction with the TAG, and so were just thankful for the work that they did to remove these drugs from getting in childrens hands, or anybody elses hands., Sheriff McNamara said the estimated street value of the methamphetamine seized is in excess of $530,000. Stimulant abuse involving cocaine and meth has also remained high. Authorities arrested Guthrie last night. Kimberly Lee, age 26 of Gatesville; A man named Hector Manuel Castro-Quirino, 47, and his girlfriend Vanesa Ann Cervantes, 38, were residents of the two-bedroom home. Authorities arrested Lewis earlier today. 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U.S. BRADY, TX - U.S. Mexican suppliers are especially responsible for most heroin and methamphetamine production, while cocaine is more often made in Colombia than transported to the U.S. via Mexican criminal organizations. On Wednesday, January 27, 20 packages containing 51.49 pounds of cocaine discovered were also found in a tractor manifesting a shipment of kitchen cabinets coming in from Mexico. In the home, law enforcement found five gallon-sized plastic bags filled with drugs, which were stashed in the master bedroom along with other smaller-sized plastic baggies of assorted colors. WACO, Texas (KWTX) - McLennan County Sheriff Parnell McNamara is praising the work of his deputies and fellow law enforcement officers after an operation - hailed as the biggest meth bust in the history of the McLennan County Sheriffs Office - led to three arrests and the seizure of more than $500,000 in methamphetamine. Officials say after getting a search warrant some 393 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine was found inside. Newly endangered milkweed could stop Texas border "I see a lot of lives saved when we can stack up kilograms of drugs like this on a table," Chavez said. The six indictments, returned by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on August 24, 2021,were unsealed today (August 31, 2021). Another 44 pounds of meth were seized in a stop on April 2, 2021, and 83 pounds of methamphetamine and 20,000 fentanyl pills were seized in a traffic stop on September 28, 2021. Today, law enforcement made additional arrests of the distribution network: Angelique Marie Easton, 51, Bremerton, WA, Douglas Bryan Healer, 47, Port Orchard, WA. Fifteen local residents --Jose Francisco Gutierrez, 33 of Killeen; Sarah Elizabeth Crigger, 30 of Nolanville; Bobby Quinton Gentile, 43 of Holland; Ashley Nicole Sutton, 31 of Belton; Wesley Warrick, 50 of Cameron; Carlos Avila, 38 of Buckholts; Joe David Beck, 50 of Temple; Lesleigh Arianne Bittner, 33 of Belton; Aleah Freitag, 29 of Rockdale; Kimberly Lee, 26 of Gatesville; Colton Lane Lewis, 30 of Temple; Angela Loy, 32 of Temple; Frank Medina, Jr, 43 of Temple; Timothy Neal Nyquist, 36 of Temple; and Trisha Ann Sanchez, 40 of Temple--are named in indictments alleging they conspired since January 2020 to distribute multiple kilogram quantities of methamphetamine in Bell County and surrounding areas.. In the biggest drug bust in Liberty Countys history, the DEA seized $1 million worth of methamphetamine in a home at County Road 2191 off FM 787. According to records filed in the case, the investigation began in February 2020. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. The DEA said more than 1,930 pounds of meth were found stuffed into 663 packages in a hidden compartment of an 18-wheeler off Interstate 35 in Denton County. India News | Press Trust of India | Wednesday December 21, 2022. The amount of heroin seized by DEA Field Divisions increased by 30% from 2018 to 2019, with the largest amounts of heroin seized in Texas, California, Arizona, and New York. Drug ledgers were also found, which contained customer and payment information, in addition to 14 firearms, some of them loaded. The remaining defendants face between five years and 40 years in federal prison if convicted because the quantity level charged is at least 50 grams. The operations resulted in the confiscation of some 451 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, and 192 kilograms of liquid methamphetamine, or a total of 1,414 pounds. In a recent drug bust in Texas, federal and local law enforcement recovered more than a kilogram of cocaine, half a kilogram of methamphetamine, 14 firearms, and nearly $1.6 million in cash during a drug bust in southeast Dallas, Texas. Sarah Elizabeth Crigger, age 30 of Nolanville; Biggest bust: More than $500K in meth off Central Texas streets, Assistant district attorney from Williamson County suspended after DWI wreck in Hewitt, New non-profit coming to Bell County in fight against homelessness, Change was like night and day: Mother testifies in retrial of ex-Waco day care owner charged in childs overdose death, Impacts of four-day week on school support staff. Click to reveal The DEA has been contacted for further comment. That's more than 16 tons of chronic. Sign up and receive email updates on the latest news, events, and more! In Bastrop County, fewer than 10 people died from drug overdoses both in 2019 and 2021, according to state health figures. The Mexican cartel is largely responsible for drugs like cocaine, fentanyl, heroin, marijuana, and methamphetamine in Texas and the rest of the United States. Teams from the Tarrant County Sheriff's Office, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), and Dallas, Fort Worth, Mansfield and River Oaks police departments were a part of the joint operation. Timothy Neal Nyquist, age 36 of Temple; and BOSTON - Two members of a Cape Cod heroin trafficking ring have been sentenced to 10 years and nine years in prison for their roles in a violent kidnapping captured on video. "But we also want to send a clear signal to the bad guys that we are standing shoulder-to-shoulder in this fight and we will continue to do that.". The bust was made Wednesday, June 8, at a home on Park Avenue in South Waco. The Escambia County Sheriff's Office has announced the largest marijuana grow and distribution operation ever busted in Escambia County. The amount of heroin seized by DEA Field Divisions increased by 30% from 2018 to 2019, with the largest amounts of heroin seized in Texas, California, Arizona, and New York. Lock The drugs were coming up from California and were being distributed in King, Pierce, Thurston, Lewis, Mason and Kitsap counties. A locked padlock SAN ANTONIO - Six people are in custody, two of which are being held in a federal facility, following a drug bust on the North Side, according to the Bexar County Sheriff's Office. Marshals returned to Brady on Tuesday morning in an attempt to stop the gigantic drug ring that is supplying narcotics across Texas according to sources with the federal court system. / CBS Texas. Trisha Ann Sanchez, age 40 of Temple. Corporate Headquarters: Twenty central Texas residents face federal drug trafficking and firearms charges stemming from five separate, but related, federal grand jury indictments unsealed today in Waco, announced U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff; FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division; Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Director Steven McCraw; Temple Police Chief Shawn Reynolds; Killeen Police Chief Charles Kimble; and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux, Houston Division. Albert Lee, also known as "Mook," 32, of Pawtucket, R.I., was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge. 2:00 AM on Feb 3, 2021 CST. The indictments were unsealed Friday, April 16, 2021, in Waco. By Dave Huddleston, WSB-TV November 19, 2021 at 7:22 pm EST. The 2012 Freightliner tractor and shipment was also referred for a canine and non-intrusive imaging system inspection, where one package containing 17.85 pounds of methamphetamine worth an estimated $357,145 was found. Barton was previously arrested. Bobby Quinton Gentile, age 43 of Holland; Cocaine, Meth, & Firearm Drug Bust in Dallas. Approximately four kilograms of cocaine, roughly seven kilograms of methamphetamine and half a dozen firearms were seized during the investigation. November 11, 2021 / 11:37 AM / CBS Texas NORTH TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM) A variety of methamphetamine drugs, valued at some $16,000,000, was seized during several multi-agency North Texas drug busts . HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) . SAN ANTONIO - Three people are in custody and are expected to face federal charges following a drug bust on the North Side, according to the Bexar County Sheriff's Office. Homeland Security said the bust was part of a joint operation that included the DEA, ATF, Houston police and fire, Texas DPS and Harris County Pct. Amid an 800 percent surge in seizures of fentanyl statewide due to porous borders, Texas will create a new criminal offense for the manufacture or delivery of the drug, the governor has announced. The most recent tally shows they found 6,000 pounds of meth, increasing the street value to about $1 million. 2021 / 8:48 AM / CBS Texas . Nhan Thanh Vo, 38, was charged with one federal count of . Federal authorities arrested 21 individuals yesterday, including several Central Texans, on federal drug trafficking charges, announced U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff, Drug Enforcement . While officials would not confirm how many people were arrested, they did say they believe the narcotics are from a cartel. The indictment alleges that on November 11, 2020, he possessed at least 500 grams of methamphetamine. In 2011, Lewis was convicted on federal charges of manufacturing counterfeit currency. Insisting that the border was not facing a crisis, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in early March that the problems the agency faced should be blamed on the previous administration. The remaining defendants face between five years and 40 years in federal prison upon conviction because the quantity level charged is at least 50 grams. Press Release. We've received your submission. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Smith-Burris will be prosecuting the cases. 2023 Banyan Treatment Centers. Because Texas is on the Mexican border, drug trafficking in the state is, unfortunately, very common. One operation began with a street level narcotics seizure. 24-year-old Jacob Winters is facing numerous drug charges to BATON ROUGE - On Saturday deputies shutdown a large drug operations near S . "We take one of these seizures and try to expand the network, try to identify perhaps what other ones have gotten through.". Sheriff Javier . All Rights Reserved. "It's a staggering amount to be seized at one time," Eduardo Chavez, the special agent in charge for DEA Dallas, told local TV station WFAA. Oliphint, who was arrested Thursday, faces as much as 20 years in prison if convicted. Drugs Texas DEA Crime. The amount of drugs seized was so large, a hazmat crew from the Houston Police Department were called in to assist.4, Investigators with Homeland Security Investigations conducted what they claimed to be the largest meth seizure in Houstons history. Unfortunately, methamphetamine is one of the largest threats in North Texas, so we would anticipate that a lot of it was destined for the market here.". Central Americans looking for refuge from the Northern Triangle countries Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras have taken these policy moves, as well as the overwhelmingly more welcoming tone from Democrats, as a sign that Biden is inviting them to cross the border. Frank Medina Jr, age 43 of Temple; Authorities believe the drugs may have come from the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, or CJNG. The fifth federal indictment charges 31-year-old Annie Rose Lewis of Temple with one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.