He previously was a reporter and assistant city editor for the Daily Pilot, a Times Community News publication in Orange County, and before that wrote for the Santa Clarita Valley Signal. Sheriff's Administration Posted on: January 10, 2023 Homicide Reporting Deputy: Sergeant Richard Carroll File # WI230090039 Details: First, they had caught a street-level dealer in Temecula with 33 grams. Morning Forecast The amounts we are seeing are unfortunately on the rise, but we're also seizing more, getting more of this poison off the streets.. They wheeleda bomb-disposal robot toward the pipe, pointing a shotgun-like weapon designed to destroy any explosives inside. The drugs were intended for distribution throughout the region, investigators said. 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 On Oct. 9, U.S. Customs and Border Protection stopped a truck crossing from Mexico into the United States at San Diego's Otay . But Riverside police are fighting to make sure the area doesn't become known for an area riddled with illegal drug sales. Authorities say the suspects were attempting to sell hard drugs to the undercover officers, not marijuana. 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The seizures by the two agencies are more than enough to provide a dose of meth for every man, woman and child in the United States and Mexico, Timothy Shea, acting administrator of the DEA, said Wednesday at a warehouse in Montebello. Online Volunteer Info Session- Learn How to Advocate for Youth in Foster Care! Other suspects are alleged to have then distributed the drugs to gang members across the Inland Empire. Police say most of the suspects arrested have prior criminal records. 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. Kathy Vara reports for the NBC4 News at 4 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 7, 2020. "Wow," Lisa Serrano, a shopper, said. It gradually destroys the body and mind of people who use it, and eventually it kills them.. MORENO VALLEY, CA Federal agents on Wednesday announced what they called the largest methamphetamine bust by Drug Enforcement Agency investigators in domestic U.S. history, displaying a 10-foot-high pile of the drug weighing more than 3 tons seized at stash houses in Riverside County. Authorities said the Oct. 2 take,. 11/22/2022 12:00 AM. Download the News Channel 3 app here. Stephanie Lai was a 2020 intern for the Los Angeles Times. "The total seized drugs have an estimated street value of $33 million.". If Leon-Garcias truck had been stopped here, instead, the case would have been far less remarkable. The agency did not disclose whether any arrests had been made or were pending, saying only that the investigation is ongoing. "Drugs make people make bad decisions," said Riverside Police Chief Larry Gonzalez. Cocaine and meth were being distributed throughout the region from the location, which investigators identified in September, according to the DEA. 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 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. Without knowing it, Beltran had told them exactly where to dig. A 20-year-old La Crosse man faces multiple criminal charges after a Dec. 17 traffic stop in La Crosse. Agents from Southwest Border Group 2 began investigating a large scale drug trafficking organization with ties to the Sinaloa Cartel in San Diego's Otay-Mesa area, allegedly involved in the transportation and delivery of large quantities of drugs. In total, 1088. 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. Ok, mom, her daughter said, brimming with enthusiasm. (Renee Schiavone/Patch) RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA Authorities Wednesday arrested 16 defendants . "The greater Los Angeles area is a major transshipment hub where illegal drugs coming from the southwest border are stored in local warehouses, storage units and residential properties," according to the DEA. Representatives of the Riverside Police Department, Riverside County Sheriff's Department, FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration attended the news conference. Agents seized more than 4,800 pounds of meth nationwide and are still working on more arrests, according to the DEA. Reyes surrendered. The list of chores had been a code get the hiding places ready. "The drugs that will kill you.". People who live in the Inland Empire said it was scary not knowing if the stash houses were located in their communities. Read more. Originally from Miami, she holds a masters degree in journalism from USC. Her husband ran out the back door, vanishing into the desert. They either head north on Highway 86, into the eastern portions of the Coachella Valley, or head west to the I-15, which runs north towards Temecula, Corona and Riverside. #DEA Acting Administrator Timothy J. Shea, Special Agent in Charge Bill Bodner & local law enforcement discussing the largest domestic methamphetamine seizure in #DEA history. In total, CBP officers found approximately 3,014 pounds of methamphetamine, 64 pounds of heroin, 29 pounds of fentanyl powder and almost 37 pounds of fentanyl pills, worth an estimated $7.2 million. Agents seized more than 5,000 pounds of meth nationwide and are still working on more arrests, according to the DEA. 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Two years before that, Riverside resident Hiram Granados Alvarez was sentenced to 27 years in prison for attempting to ship 220 pounds of cocaine to a drug ring in Baltimore. Some suspects were already in custody on other charges. The investigation led to search warrants at multiple narcotic stash houses in Moreno Valley and Perris in Riverside County, officials said. The scope is enormous here, and then spreads through to everywhere, said a Coachella Valley DEA agent, who asked not to be identified to preserve his undercover work. pic.twitter.com/gdeO80nGNK. Whoops! This is the third-busiest port of entry on the U.S.-Mexico border, and likely the largest for smuggled narcotics. However, another federal agency, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, netted an even bigger amount of meth the following week. For all intents and purposes, its a proven drug dealer by the time we get up on their phones, Massino said. Your dad just called, said Teresa Reyes, speaking to her daughter on a cellphone. Federal agents announced what they called the largest methamphetamine bust in U.S. history Wednesday, displaying a 10-foot high pile of the confiscated drug representing a haul of more than 2,200 pounds seized at stash houses in Riverside County, along with cocaine and heroin. The Drug Enforcement Administration holds a news conference in Montebello, Calif., to announce the largest domestic meth seizure in the agency's history. Federal agents announced what they called the largest methamphetamine bust in U.S. history Wednesday, displaying a 10-foot high pile of the confiscated drug representing a haul of more than 2,200 . Updated: 10:31 PM PDT October 14, 2020 CALIFORNIA, USA Federal agents announced what they called the largest methamphetamine bust in U.S. history Wednesday, displaying a 10-foot high pile of. The drugs were intended for distribution in Southern California, including Los Angeles, according to DEA officials, who displayed the haul at the agencys warehouse in an undisclosed location in Los Angeles County. All rights reserved. RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KABC) -- Downtown Riverside is known throughout Southern California for its iconic festival of lights during the holidays. NBC Universal, Inc. A record meth bust part of a national operation was announced Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2020. Seized heroin has been mostly white powder, rather than black tar, and officials believe these shipments are intended for East Coast markets, where white powder heroin is more popular. The narcotics were all packed away in approximately 25 duffle bags. 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. All you really need is a big garage and a garage door opener, Moore said. "The bulk shipments of drugs are usually broken down into smaller quantities and transported to other states or distributed to local dealers.". "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. 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. March 17, 2022 Trevor Montgomery. The Riverside County District Attorneys Office has pointed to this bust as an example of the importance of local wiretaps, but the case also shows how drug trafficking has changed in this region. . That's nearly. 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. 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 robot fired, and tin and copper flak perforated the pipe like buckshot. 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. "I don't know how they hide that.". And these figures still don't account for all the drugs and cash seized in Riverside County. It was the quintessential pipe bomb, about a foot long and an inch-and-a-half wide, with caps on both ends. This black pipe, which shut down I-10 for about 30 minutes on Aug.18, was filled with a half-pound of methamphetamine, and had almost certainly fallen off an eastbound truck smuggling narcotics. Suspect arrested in Sexual Assault. Agents from Southwest Border Group 2 began investigating a large scale drug trafficking organization with ties to the Sinaloa Cartel in SD Otay-Mesa area, allegedly involved in the transportation and delivery of large quantities of drugs. Contests & Promotions ", Polar bear kills woman, boy in remote Alaska village, Man gets 30 years in prison in road rage killing of teen Astros fan, Video shows toddler waving handgun outside apartment; man arrested. (Credit: DEA), another seizure earlier this month in San Diego. Click Here to Download the News Channel 3 app. "This massive seizure likely saved lives and prevented the Sinaloa Cartel from doing business and profiting on the lives of people in our communities.". The pipeline quietly moved gas towardSan Francisco for more than 50 years, until 2010, when a rupture sent a fireball spewing skyward, destroying three dozen homes. Enter address: This website, like most media sites, uses small files called cookies to anonymously customize the advertising that you see. Operation Crystal Shield has resulted in 2,800 arrests over the last six months nationwide, Bodner said. If convicted, they face mandatory minimum sentences of 10 years in federal prison, with a possible maximum sentence of life in prison. Posted Wed, Jan 29, 2020 at 2:22 pm PT. 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 agency's history. All rights reserved. Over a three-year period that ended in September, the Riverside DEA Office, which also covers San Bernardino County, has seized about 6,500 poundsof meth and 770 poundsof heroin. No charges have yet been filed in the latest seizures, although authorities said cases would likely be prosecuted in both California and Washington, D.C. Todays seizure sends a message loud and clear, Shea said Wednesday. He pulled into the garage, then closed the door behind him. Had they not been seized, the drugs would have infiltrated Los Angeles within a day, according to Bill Bodner, special agent in charge of the DEAs Los Angeles Division. The end result is an invisible network, valued in the billions of dollars, that weaves through the county, hidden within the same shipping and trucking lanes that carry agriculture and commercial goods from Mexico. At Otay Mesa, agents said they confiscated 64 pounds of heroin, 29 pounds of fentanyl powder and roughly 35 pounds of counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl. Another blast is on the way. On Jan. 10, 2006, a DEA wiretap intercepted a call to the house, which seemed mundane. "Meth is pouring into the U.S. through our southern border, and it's destroying too many communities," Shea said. To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com. But Chief Gonzalez points to other causes for the recent rise in crime. Another tap led further up the supply chain, to Armando Garcia Beltran, a Lake Elsinore man who smuggled narcotics across the border. From the Sinaloa territory, drugs enter the country in Calexico, a border town in Imperial County. Operation Crystal Shield is a nationwide effort involving 70 to 80 investigators in nine cities including Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix and Atlanta. Tuesday, the Riverside police department announced the results of a three-month narcotics operation, in which undercover officers would buy illegal drugs from drug dealers. Learn more about how we use cookies in our cookie policy. "These numbers are significant," said Kristi Johnson of the FBI. Man Accused Of Dumping Dog At Riverside County Cell Tower Arrested, Fill Up And Get A Fatburger To Go: Beyond Food Mart Coming To Beaumont, Big Bear Bald Eagles Lay First Egg of 2023. The drugs are alleged to have been stored in hidden compartments in their vehicles. On Friday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at an Otay Mesa commercial facility in San Diego County seized more than 3,100 pounds of methamphetamine, fentanyl powder, fentanyl pills and heroin as part what the DEA characterized as the second-largest methamphetamine bust along the southwest border in the history of the CBP. They knew then it was probably dope.. A team of agents cut the fence and stormed the home, guns drawn. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. CALIFORNIA, USA Federal agents announced what they called the largest methamphetamine bust in U.S. history Wednesday, displaying a 10-foot high pile of . Absent from these totals are countless seizures made by Border Patrol, local police and DEA agents from Los Angeles, San Diego and the East Coast, which routinely tracethe source of their drugs back to Riverside County. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here. This was a rare momentwhen Riverside Countys secret drug pipeline a cross-countryconduit for tons of meth and heroin accidentally exposed itself to the outside world. "They can break the drug loads down and do distribution throughout the country," Bodner said. After the encounter at the Sam's Club parking lot, the officers got search warrants for two suspected stash houses one in Moreno Valley and the other in Perris. They probably didnt even know there was a pipeline beneath their feet, Moore said. "The Justice Department is committed to making our neighborhoods safer by aggressively disrupting drug cartel operations in the United States.". 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. Straighten up the sofa. It looks just like someone coming home from work.. Despite the significant number of arrests, they said the massive size of these criminal drug rings is discouraging. "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. This is a tough time for everybody, and some people turn to drugs to deal with that, he said, adding that many in-house-treatment options have been curtailed due to the coronavirus. . The Riverside office also seized nearly $47 million in cash, vehicles and guns during that three-year span. "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. USA TODAY reporter Brad Heath can be reached at bheath@usatoday.com or on Twitter @bradheath. If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here. We will continue to work together to disrupt drug trafficking organizations at every opportunity we are given.. But officials were also careful to point out that the targets of the seizures were cartels and drug dealers, not addicts. Twenty-five duffel bags loaded with cocaine, heroin and meth were seized, according to the DEA. He earned his bachelors degree in journalism from the University of Arizona. The parties involved were detained, culminating in a search warrant being obtained and served at the courier's Perris residence. A total of 23 arrests were made late last week during a warrant sweep. A border town in Imperial County can be reached at bheath @ usatoday.com riverside drug bust 2020 Twitter... 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