The majority of drugs CBP seized on the island last year was from go-fast boats, known locally as yola vessels. Weitere Informationen ber die Verwendung Ihrer personenbezogenen Daten finden Sie in unserer Datenschutzerklrung und unserer Cookie-Richtlinie. Agents and officers recovered four kilograms of cocaine split between two lunchboxes, one gray and one red. The charges and allegations are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Mendez and Matos operated in the West Side of Syracuse, Baart wrote. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. mesurer votre utilisation de nos sites et applications. The seized cocaine has an estimated wholesale value of approximately $51 million dollars. I applaud the proactive work conducted by the NYC Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor, the US Postal Inspection Service, and the members of the New York Drug Enforcement Task Force, Group T-41.. With these arraignments, law enforcement is sending a message: No matter how you attempt to bring illegal drugs into our communities, we will find you and you will be held accountable.. Bankman-Fried can have flip phone, limited internet while on bail, US proposes, Biden assembles team of allies to boost re-election campaign, Reporting by Luc Cohen; Editing by Mark Porter, Michigan judge dismisses school staff as defendants in lawsuits over mass shooting, American Airlines, flight attendants union seek mediation in contract negotiations, German sanctions against Russian oligarchs advancing slowly, Turkey's pro-Kurdish party calls for opposition unity after split, Russian defence minister pays rare visit to troops in Ukraine, CORRECTED Italy's Meloni says on track to rebuild 'excellent' relations with UAE, EU releases funds, prepares aid flight for eastern Congo, Exclusive news, data and analytics for financial market professionals. Traffickers used to use small aircraft to drop shipments into the island in the 1980s and 1990s but now rely on go-fast boats, fishing vessels, luxury yachts, cruise ships, and containerized cargo. The Coast Guard Cutter Richard Etheridge crew offloaded approximately 1,700 kilograms of seized cocaine at Coast Guard Base San Juan, following the disruption go-fast vessel smuggling attempt by Coast Guard and British Virgin Islands authorities. Other charges contained in the indictment include, Conspiracy in the Second Degree, Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree, and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the First and Third Degrees. A major drug pipeline from Puerto Rico to Syracuse has been dismantled as a result of this homegrown investigation, said DEA Special Agent in Charge Ray Donovan. U.S. DOJ in Puerto Rico said $75 million in cocaine was found, Puerto Rico cocaine seizures outpacing previous two years, Photographer: Ricardo Arduengo/AFP/Getty Images. Fri 12 Mar 2021 03.00 EST Last modified on Mon 15 Mar 2021 10.42 EDT. Syracuse police detective Scott Fura conducted numerous controlled buys of drugs from Fuentes and Negron-Collazo at a house on Turtle Street, according to Baart. Official websites use .govA .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Build the strongest argument relying on authoritative content, attorney-editor expertise, and industry defining technology. The Coast Guard, Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, and Environmental Protection Agency are managing cleanup efforts from an oil discharge, on Sept. 8, at the NRG Indian River Power Plant in Dagsboro, Delaware. Boston Based International Cocaine Ring Busted by Postal Inspectors with Help from Boston and State Police. On January 21, 2021, surveillance footage in Puerto Rico showed Duarte shipping a USPS package destined for 2925 Colden Avenue in the Williamsbridge neighborhood of the Bronx, which is the residence of Sweeney. Packages were shipped to residential addresses in New York State, including in Manhattan, the Bronx, Queens and Greene County, as well as to Massachusetts. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Frequent travel in connection with this work allegedly served as a cover for narcotics-related activity. . Musk Made a Mess at Twitter. SAN JUAN The Coast Guard Cutters Mohawk and Charles David Jr. transferred custody of two suspected smugglers and $8.5 million in seized cocaine to federal agents at a Coast Guard Base in Puerto Rico on Thursday, following the interdiction of a drug smuggling go-fast vessel in the Caribbean Sea.. Police Commissioner Antonio Lpez Figueroa said police also seized more than 170 weapons and some 320 pounds (146 kilograms) of cocaine. NEW YORK, Nov 2 (Reuters) - U.S. law enforcement officials seized more than one ton of cocaine allegedly shipped to the New York area from Puerto Rico, the largest bust of the drug in the region in over a decade, authorities said on Tuesday. Previously worked as a correspondent in Venezuela and Argentina. The nearly 66,000 pounds of drugs discovered in and around Puerto Rico that year was about 40% higher than the previous years 47,500 pounds. At least two packages bore the return address of a luxury clothing boutique in Upper Manhattan. Puerto Rico's only zoo is closing after years of suspected negligence, lack of resources Fox News 16:27 28-Feb-23. 3 Indicted for Part in Largest Seizure of NY-Destined Cocaine in Decades: Feds "This seizure signifies a shift in the illegal drug landscape in New York with cocaine seizures rising more than 150% . Screen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks. The investigation revealed the two work as managers representing recording artists in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. (U.S. Coast Guard photo), Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil. This study questions the effectiveness of these approaches to reduce street crime. Puerto Rico's lone zoo to be permanently closed after years of complaints Chicago Sun-Times 19:39 28-Feb-23. In an indictment filed on Monday, federal prosecutors accused three men - Jorge Aponte-Guzman, Nelson Agramonte-Minaya and Carlos Maisonet-Lopez - of drug trafficking conspiracy in relation to the seized drugs. Two weeks later, on April 28, 2021, agents and officers observed Duarte receive a USPS package and drive in a white pickup truck. Border Patrol officials seized a massive amount of cocaine during a drug bust in Puerto Rico this week.. Border Patrol agents in the Ramey sector and Puerto Rico Police Joint Forces for Rapid Action seized 343 lbs. Mendez and Matos were previously arrested with five other men by DEA agents and Syracuse police in August on the same drug charges as Tirado, according to a separate federal complaint also written by Baart. The indictment includes charges againstdefendants Arturo Gonzlez-Quiones, Freiman Yepes-Ospina, and Jos lvaro Crdoba-Rentera forconspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, conspiracy to operate and embark in a semi-submersible vessel without nationality, and to navigate thereon into and through waters beyond the outer limit of any countrys territorial sea, with the intent to evade detection, in violation of the Drug Trafficking Vessel Interdiction Act (DTVIA), officials reported. This drug conspiracy is representative of how a trafficking organization capitalized during Covid by using mail services to transport illegal drugs into New York. Reuters provides business, financial, national and international news to professionals via desktop terminals, the world's media organizations, industry events and directly to consumers. Centeno-Rosado was arrested and charged in a criminal complaint. of cocaine on Monday, which has an estimated street value of $4.6 million, according to a statement from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Puerto Rico police arrest 800 suspects, solve 43 killings November 2, 2021 SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) Authorities in Puerto Rico announced Tuesday that they have arrested 800 suspects and solved 43 killings as a result of a 45-day operation targeting criminals across the U.S. territory. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. In the summer of 1993, the Puerto Rican government, alarmed about the record-breaking murder rate on the island, launched a massive military occupation of public housing projects. BOSTON (AP) Drug charges have been filed against 21 people accused of running a cocaine and fentanyl ring that spanned Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Maine and Puerto Rico,. See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays. Authorities seized three guns and 28 lbs. Pa. woman missing since 1992 found alive in Puerto . Jose Velez, 40, is facing . Germany is making slow progress in enforcing sanctions against Russian oligarchs and institutions, according to government numbers seen by Reuters on Saturday. Many maritime smugglers depart Venezuela with the goal of getting products to the southern coast of Puerto Rico. Gregory H. Magee, Sector San Juan commander. Coast Guard rescues stranded man off rocks near Greyhound Rock County Park. Puerto Rico February 21 Reggae singer, cop among those arrested in Puerto Rico drug bust A reggaeton singer and police officer are among the two dozen people arrested in a Puerto Rican. Earlier this month, @CBPAMO and @USCG personnel partnered to seize over 5,500lbs of cocaine from a semi-submersible vessel. Our strong partnerships, as in the case of the British Virgin Islands and island nations throughout our area of responsibility, are key to achieving safe and secure maritime borders from drug trafficking and other smuggling threats in the Eastern Caribbean. Learn more. Postal Service. The helicopter crew then transported the man to awaiting California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection personnel in a nearby parking lot with no reported injuries. Sie knnen Ihre Einstellungen jederzeit ndern, indem Sie auf unseren Websites und Apps auf den Link Datenschutz-Dashboard klicken. Instagram A 24-year-old tourist from Delaware was killed in Puerto Rico. Since June, 15 people with connections to the ring have been arrested and federally charged, Southwick said. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). Postal Inspectors identified several hallmarks of packages sent by the organization, and uncovered a more extensive pattern involving 100 similar packages shipped since May of 2020. Rual Sweeney was arrested last night in the Bronx. Will His AI Plans Be Any Different? A court authorized search of his home at 1500 Noble Avenue, Apt. Thanks for contacting us. Anna Giaritelli, Homeland Security Reporter, Virginia Republicans give Trump an edge, but only DeSantis and Youngkin lead Biden, The ESG attack on energy becomes personal, The Debrief: Conn Carroll on HHS encouraging illegal child labor, WATCH: Steven Spielberg likens rise in antisemitism to 'Germany in the '30s', AOC gloats after construction of Virginia Amazon headquarters delayed as company cuts jobs, Alex Murdaugh trial: Watch the key video that could've sealed guilty murder verdict. New Zealand police find 3.5 tons of cocaine in Pacific Ocean . On Sept. 6, a bystander contacted Coast Guard Station Monterey watchstanders reporting a person was stranded on Greyhound Rock, San Francisco. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. At three other houses located at 722 E. Laurel St., 300 Woodruff Ave. and 534 Stafford Ave. detectives found more than 2.5 kilograms of cocaine and more than 40 grams of heroin that was separated into more than 1,000 bags, according to Baart. Reuters, the news and media division of Thomson Reuters, is the worlds largest multimedia news provider, reaching billions of people worldwide every day. Tirado was identified as a drug supplier for Luiz Mendez and Samuel Matos, according to the complaint. By United States Coast Guard. This summer, Coast Guard Academy Cadets completed a transatlantic voyage and experienced port calls in Azores, Iceland, and Bermuda. While charges in the indictment relate to USPS packages containing approximately 15 kilograms of cocaine, the investigation resulted in the seizure of roughly twice that amount, for a total of 30 kilograms of cocaine. Cocaine availability nationwide in 2019 dropped 14% from the prior year and hit its lowest level in six years, and supply remained largely steady throughout 2020, according to a March 2021 DEA report. Coast Guard, partner agencies manage oil clean up in Delaware. The investigation into the ring spanned four months and started in May 2020, according to Baart. Si vous souhaitez personnaliser vos choix, cliquez sur Grer les paramtres de confidentialit. Lock Lpez said some of the suspects sold drugs wrapped in individual packages marked with a variety of images, including deceased Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar and the Road Runner cartoon figure. NEW! For example, Puerto Rico's Medicaid program began covering its first drug to cure hepatitis C in March 2020. Sweeney allegedly exited the residence with a gray shopping bag, discarded what appeared to be a white USPS box, and gave the bag to Coddington. Reports on the New York federal courts. Domestic Cannabis Suppression / Eradication Program, Red Ribbon Toolkit - Resources For Your Community, DEA National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, Intelligence Research Specialist Job Announcements, Schedule A Hiring Authority: Intelligence Research Specialist, Privacy Impact Assessment and Management Information Systems, Victim Witness Assistance Program Resources. SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico A crew aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Tezanos seized nearly $15 million worth of cocaine over the weekend. These USPS packages contained a total of eight kilograms of cocaine concealed inside childrens lunchboxes and a zip binder. CBP's Air and Marine Operations unit was on routine patrol around 8 a.m. Thursday when the shots were fired about 12 miles (19 kilometers) off the coast from Cabo Rojo, a major drug smuggling. afficher des publicits et des contenus personnaliss en fonction de vos profils de centres dintrt; mesurer lefficacit des publicits et contenus personnaliss; et. At the height of the ongoing pandemic, these alleged drugtraffickers hid behind jobs in the music industry and shipped their cocaine in children's lunch boxes. The unit detected 218 "conventional aircraft incursions" on U.S. soil in the 2021 fiscal year, seized 1.1 million pounds of narcotics and $73.1 million in illicit currency, made more than 122,000. The drug bust took place near Mona Island,. Abstract. Puerto Rico has become a hotbed for drug traffickers attempting to smuggle cocaine and heroin from Colombia in South America to the East Coast of the U.S. Border officials in Puerto Rico seized 65,890 pounds of narcotics from drug cartels and smugglers in fiscal year 2017, more than any previous year. Duarte faces the top narcotics charge of Operating as a Major Trafficker. Members of NYDETF observed the package being delivered to the Colden Avenue address on January 22, 2021. Officers found 136 bricks of cocaine . Nous, Yahoo, faisons partie de la famille de marques Yahoo. All quotes delayed a minimum of 15 minutes. Federal border agents flying over Puerto Rico led law enforcement to $8.4 million worth of cocaine in a boat that had capsized and been abandoned in the water off the eastern coast of the island after a failed drug trafficking attempt. The bust comes as authorities grapple with a 150% increase in cocaine seizures over the past year in the area, said Ray Donovan, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's special agent in charge for the New York division. Local police and Department of Homeland Security agents responded Monday to find 739 pounds of cocaine bricks concealed inside duffel bags on board the decrepit vessel. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Pennsylvania woman missing since 1992 found alive in Puerto Rico, LA artist nearly loses hand after impaling it on her own paintbrush, Miss Puerto Rico and Miss Argentina star in sexy Fenty ad after wedding, 3 US tourists stabbed in Puerto Rico after being warned to stop filming hamburger cart: cops. Pour en savoir plus sur la faon dont nous utilisons vos donnes personnelles, veuillez consulter notre politique relative la vie prive et notre politique en matire de cookies. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays. . Bei der Nutzung unserer Websites und Apps verwenden wir, unsere Websites und Apps fr Sie bereitzustellen, Nutzer zu authentifizieren, Sicherheitsmanahmen anzuwenden und Spam und Missbrauch zu verhindern, und, Ihre Nutzung unserer Websites und Apps zu messen, personalisierte Werbung und Inhalte auf der Grundlage von Interessenprofilen anzuzeigen, die Effektivitt von personalisierten Anzeigen und Inhalten zu messen, sowie, unsere Produkte und Dienstleistungen zu entwickeln und zu verbessern. Fuentes was also charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, DEA task force officer Kelly Baart wrote in the complaint. To counteract, federal law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Coast Guard and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), coordinated efforts with the Puerto Rico Police Department (PRPD) and other local agencies. NEW YORK - New York Attorney General Letitia James and Special Agent in Charge Ray Donovan of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) New York Division announced today the arrests of 12 individuals for their roles in a drug trafficking operation that transported cocaine from Puerto Rico to Buffalo . Syracuse, N.Y. Four Syracuse men are facing federal drug charges after a four-month investigation found them to be distributing cocaine shipped from Puerto Rico and heroin, according to. This may be the biggest meth bust in American history . Puerto Rico, and United States - specifically Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Twenty of the accused have been processes and booked. The local ring, led by Jobany Tirado and Omar Fuentes, was found to distribute drugs to another group that operated primarily in the West Side of Syracuse, according to federal complaints filed in the Northern District of New York. The invasion was aimed at eliminating the main drug distribution spots. SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) Authorities in Puerto Rico announced Tuesday that they have arrested 800 suspects and solved 43 killings as a result of a 45-day operation targeting criminals across the U.S. territory. Coast Guard offloads $51 million cocaine shipment in Puerto Rico after Caribbean drug bust by: WFLA 8 On Your Side Staff Posted: Sep 3, 2021 / 01:44 PM EDT Updated: Sep 3, 2021 /. NYDETF Group T-41 is comprised of agents and officers with the DEA, the NYPD and the New York State Police. REUTERS/Stephen Yang NEW YORK, Nov 2 (Reuters) - U.S. law enforcement officials seized more than one ton of cocaine allegedly shipped to the New York area from Puerto Rico, the largest. No arrests have been made and police have not identified the suspects. Despite the challenging sea state conditions and thanks to the close collaboration and coordination with our Royal Virgin Islands Police partners, our crews did an outstanding job in disrupting a major shipment of cocaine and keeping it from ever reaching the streets, said Capt. Syracuse, N.Y. Four Syracuse men are facing federal drug charges after a four-month investigation found them to be distributing cocaine shipped from Puerto Rico and heroin, according to a complaint filed in federal court. In carrying out the charged conspiracy, which ran from May of 2020 to July of 2021, accused ringleaders Carlos Duarte, aka "Showtime," and Alexis Garcia, aka "Ale G.," allegedly shipped numerous packages containing cocaine from Puerto Rico to New York and Massachusetts. A search of the vessel led to the discovery of 5,515 pounds of cocaine. Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting. Low-cost flights to Puerto Rico have enticed many travelers to choose the island as a vacation spot during the pandemic. This story has been shared 121,057 times. The duo were beaten with an exercise weight, a piece of wood and a deep fryer, authorities said. Cape May County Prosecutor Jeffrey H. Sutherland, and Special Agent in Charge Susan A. Gibson of the Drug Enforcement Administration announce the conclusion of "Operation Yo-Yo" a large scale narcotics investigation initiated by the Cape May County . 158 people are indicted on drug- and gun-related charges. The acronym for the Puerto Rico PDMP is PR PDMP. 17A in the Bronx yielded another $32,000 cash, various records and a Rolex watch. Sector San Francisco launched a helicopter from Air Station San Francisco. Coast Guard offloads a $20 million in cocaine, following at-sea drug bust near Puerto Rico. Cellphone communications between Duarte and Centeno-Rosado indicate Duarte ordered the livery car. Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay received a National Response Center report of approximately 30,000 gallons of No.2 fuel oil discharged into a secondary containment area at the facility. articles a month for anyone to read, even non-subscribers! The last tourist death in Puerto Rico occurred in February 2020 when a 39-year-old man from Denver was thrown from an SUV and run over in San Juan, police have said. (CNN) -- A sweeping drug bust in Puerto Rico involving more . Between May of 2020 and April of 2021, fingerprint analysis allegedly linked the defendants to six packages. Postal Inspection Service, New York Division, New York City Police Commissioner Dermot F. Shea and New York State Police Superintendent Kevin P. Bruen announced the arrests today in conjunction with unsealing the 25-count indictment. Editors note: This article initially misstated the weight of the drug shipment as 1.25 tons. This Supreme Court Case Could Redefine Crime, YellowstoneBackers Wanted to Cash OutThen the Streaming Bubble Burst, How Countries Leading on Early Years of Child Care Get It Right, Female Execs Are Exhausted, Frustrated and Heading for the Exits, No Major Offer Expected on Childcare in UK Budget, Biden Gives Medal of Honor to Trailblazing Special Forces Member, Oils $128 Billion Handout as Doubts Grow About Fossil Fuels, Climate Change Is Launching a MutantSeed Space Race, This Former Factory Is Now New Taipeis Edgiest Project, What Do You Want to See in a Covid Memorial? Packages of cocaine were sent from Puerto Rico to a house at 2218 Midland Ave. in the South Side, Baart wrote. Tirado, Fuentes, Angel Negron-Collazo and Rahfet Shehadeh were all arrested and charged with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine and heroin, the complaint said. Share Your Design Ideas, New JerseysMurphy Defends $10 Billion Rainy Day Fund as States Economy Slows, This Week in Crypto: Ukraine War, Marathon Digital, FTX, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico Stephen Muldrow. He had approximately $12,000 on his person. The following day, on April 29, 2021, members of NYDETF and USPIS tracked a package destined for 1871 Barnes Avenue in the Bronx. Drug Bust. Follow him on Twitter@BobPriceBBTXandFacebook. Federal authorities confiscated the narcotics. She thanked Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr., Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark and Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz. SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - On March 29, 2021, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned a six-count indictment charging 25 gang members with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and aiding and abetting in the possession/distribution of controlled substances, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United