Channel 2s Tyisha Fernandes attended the news conference held Friday as officials announced more details of the arrests. Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton said the drugs could have hit the streets of the Gold Coast in time for Schoolies. The pair did not apply for bail and were remanded in custody until their next court date in September. Property News:House prices in some school catchments explode by up to $367,000 - domain.com.au, Your web browser is no longer supported. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. This money has been derived from the profits of selling methylamphetamine in Western Australia," he said. The maximum penalty for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm is 10 years in prison. There, 5593 cannabis plants were seized along with 39 pounds of dried cannabis, worth a combined total of $16.9 million. An investigation by the National Police of the Netherlands into a "sophisticated criminal syndicate" led to raids at 15 locations in that country and in Belgium earlier this month where more drugs and 50 tonnes of precursor chemicals were seized. CIRCLEVILLE, Ohio (WOIO) - A highly coordinated undercover drug task force operation recently resulted in 59 arrests in southern Ohio. The ABFs technical expertise in detections is enhanced by joint collaboration and leveraging intelligence held by law enforcement agencies both in Australia and overseas, Commander Waters said. DEA agents arrested McSwain after he met with a drug courier coordinated by Ortega. Housing policies favour the rich and leave first home buyers high and dry. This is the story of how the biggest cash bust in the history of the War on Drugs never uncovered any actual drugs.In 2007, federal police raided the Mexico . Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. James Vantrez Pointer, a 27-year-old from Talladega, was arrested Thursday, Feb. 9, for trafficking in methamphetamine and six charges of distribution of controlled substances. The arrests, said Northern District of Alabama U.S. Attorney Jay Town and DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Clay Morris, bring the number of people arrested to 10 following a nearly three-year . We pay our respects to the people, cultures and elders past, present and emerging. Why this 'quiet' 1970s farmhouse has been added to the NSW heritage list, They can be cheeky, nippy, and playful but these camels are also helping put a business on the map, Neurodivergent children are three times more likely to drown than their peers this class is working to change that, Mooney's Aussies humbled in Gujarat loss in WPL opener, A sea of colour as WorldPride takes over Sydney Harbour Bridge, Elders fight to save sacred Dreaming site from radioactive waste. Arrangements were made for the illicit drugs to be delivered between August 31 and September 3. He said the men arrested were connected to the business. Sydney is strugglingto replace its ageing ferry fleet. more Australians are giving up or reducing their alcohol intake, driven by health concerns. Seven men have been arrested and charged so far, with more arrests expected. Posted Thu 21 Nov 2019 at 11:12pm Thursday 21 Nov 2019 at 11:12pm Thu 21 . Police raid home of Shinzo Abe murder suspect. Police estimated the cocaine would have resulted in just under two million street deals, most of which would have been in the ACT. "This is an amazing job that police have done here," Ms Roberts said. Thirty-four people have been charged with more than 1000 offences after a massive drug bust in Queensland. Rochester, N.Y. (WHAM) - A four-year investigation by state, local, and federal law enforcement agencies culminated in a series of raids at 23 properties to bust a drug trafficking ring led by . Since 2019, the Queensland Joint Organised Crime Taskforce (JOCTF), working with the National Police of the Netherlands (NPN) Criminal Investigations Division, have arrested 13 people, including the two Sydney men, as part of this operation. "You don't do business in Western Australia. DEA agents obtained a search warrant and found 69 kilograms of methamphetamine and two kilograms of fentanyl inside the wooden crate. The penalty for money laundering is a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. "With the assistance of the Australian Federal Police we cut into the arm of the excavator where we found 384 packages of cocaine weighing each weighing around one kilogram," she said. Transnational organised crime networks pose a significant threat to Australias economy, our security and our way of life, Detective Superintendent Schneider said. Through investigation, the DEA identified McSwain as the source of supply of heroin and methamphetamine to a drug trafficking organization led by Kelvin Denard Cabo Chatman in Talladega. TALLADEGA, Ala. (WIAT) Federal and local law enforcement have arrested 5 of 12 defendants indicted in a conspiracy to distribute heroin, cocaine and methamphetamines from Mexico. The museum hosts several car events throughout the year, but the pinnacle of these is the Aero Warriors Reunion, held every five years. Todays arrests are an important step in reducing the flow of heroin, cocaine and methamphetamines, sourced from Mexico, into the Northern District of Alabama, Town said. The DEA and the ATF investigated the case, along with assistance from the Anniston Police Department, Oxford Police Department, 7 th Judicial Circuit Major Crimes Unit, Calhoun County District Attorney's Office, Talladega County Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, Pell City Police Department, West Alabama Narcotics Task Force, Blount County Sheriff's Department, and the Alabama National . Both men were refused bail and will face court next month. Police are still counting how much money was in there, but Acting Assistant Commissioner Adams believed it would amount to about the same amount in total as the two other seizures, or around $9 million. Published: Apr. 2021 arrest and extradition vision is available via Hightail link here. The investigation was . SHARPES Dozens of people were arrested and more are being sought as part of an investigation into . rates of substance use are falling among younger generations (less likely to . Ortega, McSwain, and Terrazas, are charged with conspiring to traffic five kilograms or more of cocaine. Birmingham Main Office Commonwealth of Australia - AUSTRAC 2023. The messy family drama behind one of the world's biggest K-pop empires, Self-help author Marianne Williamson launches primary challenge against Joe Biden for 2024 Democratic nomination, WA Police to beef up border security after massive $4m cash haul seized from NSW truck, Chinese migrants walked a gruelling 500km to Victoria's goldfields in the 19th century. talladega drug bust 2019haddonfield impervious coveragehaddonfield impervious coverage How did it come to this? Today's arrests bring the number of people arrested to 10, as a result of the nearly three-year Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force investigation into the Talladega-based drug-trafficking conspiracy. The group is charged with conspiracy to distribute drugs including heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine between May 2017 and July 2019. Their sole purpose of existence was selling poison and making money. She will face court next month charged with attempting to possess a commercial quantity of border controlled drugs. So far 14 men have been charged in relation to the. After McSwains arrest, DEA agents intercepted two drug shipments coordinated by Ortega on July 10th and July 12th. 2 min read. Hours Monday-Friday: 9:00AM-5:00PM Saturday & Sunday: 11:00AM-3:00PM. Timothy Engstrom, 34, and Adam Hunter, 33, were charged with importing a commercial quantity of a controlled drug and appeared via video link in the Queanbeyan Local Court on Monday morning. An official website of the United States government. Catch up on the developing stories making headlines. Kelvin Chatman, Curry, Robert Chatman, and White are charged with conspiring to traffic five hundred grams or more of methamphetamine. All rights reserved (About Us). Brazilian police took a parrot into custody on Monday after he allegedly tipped off his owners to a drug bust. 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. Lock The Ukraine war may be a battle for the global order but whose rules are we fighting for? Officers seized 82,400 fentanyl pills, 1.8 . Assistant Commissioner Johnson said after it was identified the cocaine was seized and replaced in the excavator with an inert substance. Three men have been charged after more than $150 million worth of methamphetamine and cocaine was seized. Curry and Twymon are currently fugitives from justice. You don't do evil business in Western Australia.". To join the conversation, please February 15, 2023. *BREAKING NEWS* 16.5 tons of cocaine has an . Authorities raided the two . The 12 suspects were indicted in September in a 21-count indictment. The Queensland JOCTF comprises of members from the Australian Federal Police, Queensland Police Service (QPS), Australian Border Force (ABF), Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC), AUSTRAC and Department of Home Affairs. In October of 2018, DEA agents intercepted a shipping crate sent to north Alabama by Ortega. They do not care about the harm and violence those substances bring, or the damage they do to our communities. The indictment includes special findings of the grand jury regarding the amount of heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine attributable to various defendants as part of the drug-trafficking conspiracy. The confiscated money will be redistributed through the Attorney General's department, with some going to the police and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, and some possibly going to programs to reduce harm in the community and support vulnerable children. Some wouldn't survive, Kakadu National Park rangers in war against feral animals as populations boom, Kade was a fit 31-year-old when he died from a heart attack, Shoe polish stands begin to vanish, lose their shine, A Nazi-hunting nun, an accused murderer, a theatre legend: This Australian actor plays them all. The DEA and other law enforcement agencies have seized a total of 81 kilograms of meth, 22 kilograms of cocaine, 11 kilograms of heroin, two kilograms of fentanyl and 150 pounds of marijuana as part of the investigation. . Police targeted a shipment that contained 230 kilograms of methylamphetamine and 1.2 kilograms of cocaine which arrived in Sydney from the US last month. If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. But will it be safer for women? Posted by CBS Philly on Tuesday, June 18, 2019 Court documents outline the cocaine was apparently loaded by the bale-full onto the ship, delivered to the MSC Gayane by six separate boats in the . Criminals looking to acquire illicit drugs should know that AUSTRAC is highly focussed on using financial intelligence to detect and disrupt such behaviour.. For free and confidential advice about alcohol and other drug treatment services call the National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline on 1800 250 015. A massive $1.1 billion cocaine bust at the Philadelphia seaport earlier this week was the largest such seizure in the 230 . Investigators then pounced, arresting 13 people. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. To the drug traffickers out there, youll have company soon., Covert trip to massive Mexican meth lab inspires Alabama lawmen to ramp up drug fight. Register, Join the conversation, you are commenting as Logout. Two more Australians have been arrested and charged in connection to a major joint international MDMA drug investigation originating in the Netherlands in 2019. . The Australian woman was later extradited from New South Wales to Queensland to face serious drug and proceeds of crime charges. Theron Mohamed. Dismantling this network means we are preventing further harm to rural communities where dangerous drugs like ice can do so much damage, she said. In a joint operation between the Australian Border Force, ACT and NSW police, officers raided a landscaping business in Bungendore about 40 minutes east of Canberra on Sunday, arresting two men. A new 'veloway' is welcome news for Melbourne's cyclists. log in. Attorneys M. Blake Milner and Austin D. Shutt are prosecuting. "We need to follow the money because those criminals are in it for making lots and lots of money.". Netherlands Police also seized precursor chemicals which the AFP said was capable of producing another 658kg of MDMA. Latest edition. The minimum prison penalty for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime is five years in prison, which must be served after completion of any other sentenced related to the crime. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. A 21-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges PATRICK NOLAN YoYo McSwain, 50, of Talladega, NOLBERTO ORTEGA, 54, of Chicago, Ill., EDGAR AGUILAR-TERRAZAS, 31, of Mexico, JOSE FERNANDO PEREZ LEYVA, 30, of Ind., AMANDA DENISE CONNELL, 33, KELVIN DENARD CHATAM, 36, AMECHE LASHUAN Meche CURRY, 50, LASHONDA RENEA WHITE, 40, MICHAEL TWYMON, 49, ROBERT SHURONE CHATMAN, 40, FLEMMINGS Boobang CHATMAN, 37, all of Talladega, and CHRISTOPHER LANE, with conspiracy to distribute drugs including heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine between May 2017 and July 2019. CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines - The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency - Northern Mindanao (PDEA Region 10) arrested on . Ortega, Kelvin Chatman, and McSwain are charged with conspiring to traffic 400 grams or more of fentanyl. 2019 drug seizure vision is available via Hightail link here. AFP Detective Superintendent Helen Schneider described the arrests of the men as a significant win in the fight against the international illicit drug trade. Opening the box was a good idea. Alabama's Best Morning Show of 2016 and 2019 . 1801 4th Avenue North He was refused bail and appeared before court yesterday. But will it be safer for women? Almost $9 million in mostly $50 and $100 notes has been seized in a police operation targeting drug trafficking over the West Australian border, which officers say has significantly disrupted criminal syndicates operated by methylamphetamine "peddlers of death". So far 14 men have been charged in relation to . February 27, 2023. Commissioner Kraag said the investigation was generated by the Australian authorities who provide information to the Netherlands national police. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. This service may include material from Agence France-Presse (AFP), APTN, Reuters, AAP, CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced. The size, scope and magnitude of the McSwain Drug Trafficking Organization cannot be understated., Literally, weekly shipments of methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin were pouring into Talladega County. The first one had recently crossed into WA and was believed to be heading back to the border when police intercepted it in Meckering. To the drug traffickers out there, youll have company soon.. The wooden crate was addressed to a car lot owned by Chatman. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. FBBO Gold Member. In another, investigators found about $250,000 in cash being mailed to Victoria. Birmingham, Alabama 35203, Telephone: (205) 244-2001 To improve your experience, Three men have been charged after more than $150 million worth of methamphetamine and. . This investigation and the subsequent indictments are a clear example of the drug pipeline running directly from Mexico to Alabama and specifically Talladega, Morris said. 2019 - 8:27AM. Find out more about our policy and your choices, including how to opt-out. Michael Pusey-Fendler, 35 . Zerina Akers is most known for working with Beyonc for the film Black is King that drove her to the peak of her career scoring her an Emmy in costume design. Timothy Engstrom, 34, and Adam Hunter, 33, were charged with importing a commercial quantity of a controlled drug and appeared via video link in the Queanbeyan Local Court on Monday morning. "The excavator was delivered to the business in Bungendore that was raided," he said. AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time), abc.net.au/news/drug-raid-nets-mdma-in-netherlands-bound-for-brisbane/11728180. Have a question about Government Services? Thirty-four people have been charged with more than 1000 offences . Inside six cardboard boxes they found a total of $5,986,970 in cash thought to be linked to a seizure of four kilograms of methylamphetamine in August. Sydney is strugglingto replace its ageing ferry fleet. Updated: Nov. 21, 2019 at 5:55 PM PST. AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time), abc.net.au/news/police-seize-380-kilograms-of-cocaine-near-act-nsw-border/11309388. The Sydney men were arrested by AFP investigators on Wednesday (28 April, 2021) as part of Operation Parazonium. BuyBust (stylized as BUYBUST) is a 2018 Philippine action thriller film co-written and directed by Erik Matti.It stars an ensemble cast top-billed by Anne Curtis and Brandon Vera.The plot centers on a team summoned by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to conduct a drug bust in a Manila slum. Far fewer know their real story. This month the DEA made the biggest meth bust in American history: 2200 pounds of meth, nearly 900 pounds of cocaine, and 13 pounds of heroin. Authorities said McSwain and Ortega were leaders of the operation. Drug and Firearms Squad Commander Detective Superintendent John Watson said the seizure was one of the most significant Australia had seen. Each count of using a telephone in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime carries a maximum penalty of four years in prison. 10:17am Jul 9, 2022. About This Site. The 18-month operation involved detectives from Dalby Criminal Investigation Branch, the State Crime Commands Rural Major Organised Crime Squad and local officers. Far fewer know their real story. Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. The drugs are estimated to be worth more than $150 million. Globally, some 35 million people are estimated to suffer from drug use disorders and who require treatment services, according to the latest World Drug Report, released today by the United Nations Office on Drugs . Four people have been hospitalised and two dogs injured after a group of men broke into their home and assaulted them. The arrests are part of an ongoing investigation by Strike Force Harthouse, which was established last November to investigate the cultivation and supply of cannabis across NSW. authorities seized 850 kilograms of crystalline MDMA and 548 litres of MDMA oil from locations in the Netherlands and Belgium under Operation Parazonium. The men - a 46-year-old Lilyfield man and a 19-year-old Summer Hill man - were arrested following search warrants at their residential properties in the early hours of Wednesday morning. All of those indicted are face a maximum of life in prison for conspiracy to distribute drugs. Assistant Commissioner of the Dutch National Criminal Investigations Division, Andy Kraag, said authorities "set a trap" in order to catch the alleged masterminds. Officers also seized $1 million in cash from a van parked in Kenwick, another $650,000 cash from a house linked to a man arrested near the van and about $3 million in cash hidden in a delivery on board a truck stopped at the Eucla border, leaving Western Australia. AUSTRAC acknowledges the traditional owners and custodians of country throughout Australia. Two Chinchilla residents, a 32-year-old man and a 26-year-old woman, have been charged with 407 offences, including 399 counts of supplying a dangerous drug, two counts of trafficking a dangerous drug and possession of a dangerous drug and one count each of possessing property used in connection with a crime, possess property for use in connection with a crime, possessing the proceeds of a crime and unlawful possession of a weapon, a flick knife. The Ukraine war may be a battle for the global order but whose rules are we fighting for? "If you are a criminal and you have a family, we are coming," he warned. 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