Democrat Schumer warns NYC 'skin-rotting zombie drug' trafficked from Mexico could make fentanyl 'seem tame'
Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., called on the DEA to send "diversion control teams" as the "deadly, skin-rooting zombie drug" xylazine mixed with fentanyl makes it way to New York City.
foxnews.comI-TEAM: Arrest of former DEA task force officer has possible ties to the arrest of FHP trooper
The I-TEAM has been digging into the allegations against a former Nassau County Sergeant, who was also a DEA task force officer, and found possible ties to another drug investigation resulting in the arrest of a longtime Florida Highway Patrol trooper.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Delivers Remarks at the U.S. Conference of Mayors
Across the country, fentanyl is devastating families and communities. In 2022, the DEA and its law enforcement partners seized more than 50.6 million fentanyl-laced, fake prescription pills. The defendant is alleged to have possessed over 10,000 fentanyl pills and a kilogram of fentanyl powder. And the Department’s grantmaking components continue to provide financial assistance to local law enforcement agencies. These grants enable law enforcement agencies across the country to hire additional full-time law enforcement professionals.
justice.govMonthslong Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office drug operation nets 15 trafficking arrests
“Operation Decrypted,” a four-month investigation by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and other partnering agencies, targeted a major drug trafficking organization in Jacksonville, and it resulted in arrests across the country, Sheriff T.K. Waters announced during a Wednesday afternoon news conference.
Jacksonville pharmacist, ex-pharmacy owner sentenced after pleading guilty in pill mill investigation: feds
A Jacksonville pharmacist and a former pharmacy owner were sentenced after they both pleaded guilty earlier this year to charges related to a federal pill mill investigation, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia said Friday.
🚀💣💥Decoding emojis dealers are using to sell drugs to young people
Since the "One Pill Can Kill" campaign began, federal agents who gather intel on drug distribution have been working behind the scenes to decode emojis found in both social media and text communications between drug dealers and young people.
Federal Court Enjoins Maryland Physician Assistant from Prescribing Opioids and Other Controlled Substances
A federal court in Maryland permanently enjoined a Baltimore-based physician assistant from prescribing opioids and other controlled substances, the Department of Justice announced today. Pursuant to an agreed consent judgment filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman enjoined Elizabeth J. Allen from dispensing, prescribing or administering any controlled substances. The consent decree resolves a civil complaint filed by the government alleging that Allen, while working at a Maryland pain clinic, repeatedly prescribed opioids in violation of the Controlled Substances Act. The injunction requires that Allen never again apply for or seek the reinstatement of her DEA registration, which is required for a medical professional to prescribe controlled substances. “Anyone who prescribes opioids and other controlled substances must comply with professional standards and the law,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton of the Justice Department’s Civil Division.
justice.govGeorgia man accused of selling over 2 dozen guns, cocaine to undercover officer
A three-month investigation disrupted a Georgia-to-New York gun trafficking pipeline and resulted in the seizure of 25 guns, including five assault weapons, according to the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, which said the guns and a quantity of cocaine were sold to an undercover officer.
We Finally Know How 43 Students on a Bus Vanished Into Thin Air
Pedro Pardo/AFP via GettyTranscripts of newly released text messages between a crime boss and a deputy police chief have finally lifted the lid on the mystery of 43 students who went missing one night in southwestern Mexico.The messages indicate that the cops and the cartel worked together to capture, torture, and murder at least 38 of the 43 student teachers who went missing in September of 2014.The students had made the deadly mistake of commandeering several buses in order to drive to Mexico
news.yahoo.comFacing stunning levels of deaths, U.S. and Mexico revamp strained security cooperation
President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has repeatedly criticized the Merida Intitiative, saying it promoted an ineffective “war on drugs." But the longtime leftist saw few possibilities to renegotiate it with former president Donald Trump.
washingtonpost.comFormer cartel boss Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo speaks out for first time since arrest
Former cartel boss Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo breaks his silence in an interview with Noticias Telemundo, his first since being apprehended in 1989 in connection with the deaths of DEA undercover agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena and Mexican pilot Alfredo Zavala.Details: The man who once was considered “The Godfather” of narco crime and one of the most feared criminals worldwide is now a visibly worn down 75-year-old who calls himself a “corpse waiting to be buried by a tree’s roots.”Get market new
news.yahoo.comExposed: The Sadistic Methods Employed by Mexico’s Lawless Cops
Photo Illustration by The Daily Beast/GettyALFREDO ESTRELLAThe man who once held Mexico’s most senior law enforcement position has been arrested on charges of torturing a suspect in custody. If even Luis Cárdenas Palomino—who once earned a citation as “Mexico’s best police officer”—was abusing suspects, what does that say about the rest of the country’s police officers?The truth is torture has become a common feature of Mexican policing. We’ll dig deeper into the question of torturing detainees
news.yahoo.comDEA using science to fight war on drugs
When people think of the Drug Enforcement Administration, they may envision undercover federal agents infiltrating major drug operations. They may also conjure up mental images of heavily armed federal law enforcement officers raiding a drug house in the United States or arresting a drug warlord abroad. But most people may not realize that behind the scenes, there is a scientific component of the DEA that is also on the frontlines when it comes to the war on drugs.
Operation Engage aims to prevent opioid overdoses
The Drug Enforcement Administration has now launched Operation Engage. DEA’s Miami Field Division Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jonathon White says Operation Engage will focus on preventing opioid overdoses. “So, Operation Engage, the timing couldn’t be more critical.”DEA Special Agent Amy Roderick is currently coordinating Operation Engage. Operation Engage started in South Florida and will eventually make its way to the northeastern part of the state. And just days after the DEA rolled out Operation Engage, DEA Acting Administrator D. Christopher Evans on Tuesday announced the release of the 2020 National Drug Threat Assessment.
DEA: Beware of scammers impersonating agents
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Drug Enforcement Administration on Wednesday warned that scammers are pretending to be DEA agents in an attempt to steal money and personal information. The DEA released audio of a phone conversation between a scammer impersonating a DEA agent and a man. But the scammer learned during the call that an actual DEA agent was listening to the conversation. “Sir, this is the DEA,” a DEA special agent says. “They’re using trunk numbers or numbers disguised as other locations when they’re making these phone calls,” Dubet explained.
Mexican Navy helps DEA seize 2.5 tons of meth, 100,000 fentanyl pills
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Mexican Navy helped the Drug Enforcement Administration seize 2.5 tons of meth and 100,000 fentanyl pills that were on the way to the United States. “Let’s say if 10% of that went to Atlanta, which would be about 500 pounds, and then you take 1% of that shipment coming to Jacksonville, it’s 50 pounds of meth,” Dubet said. “Fifty pounds of meth to the Jacksonville area would supply not only Jacksonville but the surrounding counties for several weeks.”AdThat meth and fentanyl could lead to potentially fatal overdoses. “Whenever you have large amounts of money and people fighting for territory, that’s where the violence comes out,” Dubet said. If convicted, the two Mexican nationals face a mandatory minimum of 10 years in U.S. federal prison.
Another reason for third stimulus checks: Jobless benefits not reaching 8 million people
DEA / M. BORCHI | De Agostini | Getty ImagesUnemployment benefits aren't reaching most jobless Americans — suggesting that lawmakers who wish to target aid to the unemployed would likely need to use stimulus checks or other relief measures. Congress passed a $900 billion measure in December, which enhanced jobless benefits and offered $600 checks per person. But stimulus checks may be essential for the unemployed workers who aren't tapping jobless benefits, Forsythe said. It would raise and extend unemployment benefits, and offer $1,400 stimulus checks per person. A group of 10 GOP lawmakers want to pare back a third round of stimulus checks to $1,000 a person.
cnbc.comStates have tried seizing unemployment benefits during the pandemic. Some fear new rules won’t help
A man wearing a face mask as a preventive measure walks past the New York State Department of Labor in Flushing, Borough of Queens, New York. John Nacion | LightRocket | Getty ImagesStates have tried clawing back unemployment benefits from thousands of people during the Covid pandemic. While new protections are meant to help, some fear states may not sign on. Most states do waive overpayments made through their traditional unemployment insurance programs. "We are still going through recent [U.S. Labor Department] guidance and hope to have a decision soon."
cnbc.comFeds: Florida officers protected cocaine shipment for cash
Miami-Dade County officers Roderick Flowers and Keith Edwards Jr. are charged federally with conspiracy to possess and distribute cocaine. Hernandez met several times with the DEA source, laundering more than $100,000 and investing in cocaine shipments, the DEA alleges. By September, the source told Hernandez he needed protection to move a shipment of cocaine between two spots in South Florida and asked if his officers would do it, records show. The DEA says Flowers met with the source at Hernandez's office in Sept. 9. The source met with another undercover agent, who gave him 10 kilograms of sham cocaine in a suitcase.
Get rid of old, unused prescriptions on Saturday during National Drug Take Back Day
The goal is to educate the community on the risk of opioid misuse while providing a safe and anonymous way to dispose of left-over medications. The event will be held from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm at the following locations:Memorial Hospital Medical Office Building – 3627 University Blvd. S. Jacksonville, FL 32216Memorial Emergency Room Julington Creek –42 Doctors Village Dr. Saint Johns, FL 32259Orange Park Medical Center Emergency Room – 2001 Kingsley Avenue Orange Park, FL 32073Normandy Park ER – 5773 Normandy Blvd. “More than half of people who misuse opioid medications say they obtained them from someone they know," Dr. Fred Jenkins, Emergency Room Physician and Medical Director at Memorial Hospital said. “HCA Healthcare is committed to bringing frontline solutions to curb the tide of opioid misuse and addiction in the communities that we serve,” Dr. Jenkins said.
DEA announces launch of initiative to reduce violent crime
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Two weeks after Drug Enforcement Administration Acting Administrator Timothy Shea visited Florida and spent time talking with Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams about violent crime in the city, the DEA has announced the launch of Project Safeguard. It’s a violent crime reduction initiative that allows the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and federal marshals to partner with local police to go after violent offenders -- especially since the DEA says many of the violent crimes in Jacksonville are linked to illegal narcotics trafficking. Police in 41 cities throughout Florida are taking part in Project Safeguard. Only time will tell if the initiative reduces violent crime throughout the state. Project Safeguard is being deployed in other areas of the country such as Los Angeles, New York and Chicago.
DEA head addresses drug-related violence during Jacksonville visit
DEA head addresses drug-related violence during Jacksonville visitPublished: October 7, 2020, 11:35 pmThe Drug Enforcement Agency’s top cop who oversees all operations in both the U.S. and abroad was in Jacksonville to meet with Sheriff Mike Williams.
DEA chief warns of potential flood of drugs from Mexico
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Acting Administrator Timothy Shea warned Tuesday that the eventual lifting of coronavirus restrictions could bring a flood of methamphetamine and other narcotics from Mexico into the United States. Shea met in Tallahassee with federal, state and local law-enforcement officials from North Florida and Attorney General Ashley Moody. But Shea expects that will change with development of a vaccine for the virus and the eventual lifting of restrictions. “Virtually all of the methamphetamine and much of the fentanyl in this country comes from Mexico,” Shea said. “These drugs are manufactured on an industrial scale in Mexico using precursor chemicals from China and then smuggled across the border and distributed to every state in the country.”
Jacksonville sheriff: Vest saves life of officer shot
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A police officer was shot Monday morning while assisting the Drug Enforcement Administration in serving a high-risk search warrant in a neighborhood off Moncrief Road, authorities said. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office SWAT team member was released from the hospital within hours and is recovering at home, Sheriff Mike Williams said. Williams said the veteran officer was hit several times, but the shots landed on his ballistics vest, and the officer managed to return fire. “When you ask for the SWAT team, you’re talking about a high-profile takedown," Jefferson said. The sheriff said SWAT officers spend 20-30% of their on-duty time training to prepare them for high-risk situations.
‘Operation Bad Employee’ cracks down on prescription drug ring
Rader was the 11th member of the drug distribution ring to be convicted and sentenced in federal court. After the prescription drugs left the pharmacy, according to investigators, they were then sold on the streets of both Duval and Nassau counties. Full Screen 1 / 5 Pharmacy surveillanceNassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper said when they joined “Operation Bad Employee,” they learned that one of the recruiters for the drug distribution operation lived and operated out of Nassau County. Leeper went on to say “Operation Bad Employee” may have put a dent in the ongoing opioid problem in Nassau County. Although “Operation Bad Employee” began in 2016, it is still an ongoing investigation, which means there could be more arrests.
Attorney General William P. Barr Delivers Remarks at Press Conference Announcing Criminal Charges against Venezuelan Officials
Today, I am here to talk about the former Maduro regime and its direct participation in narco-terrorism, corruption, money laundering, and drug trafficking. Joining me today is the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Geoff Berman; the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Ariana Fajardo; the Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division, Brian Benczkowski, and; DEA Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon. Further, the Southern District of Florida unsealed charges this morning against the Chief Justice of the Venezuelan Supreme Court, involving money laundering. With that, I will turn it over to the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Geoff Berman. As alleged, the Maduro regime is awash in corruption and criminality.
justice.govGuns, drugs, stolen property seized in federal raid on Westside
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Guns, drugs and stolen property were all seized in a federal raid this week on Jacksonville’s Westside. The raid was part of a six-month sting that Drug Enforcement Administration agents dubbed “Operation Python,” in which millions of dollars’ worth of illegal drugs have been taken off the streets. At 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, DEA agents served a search warrant at the Westside home. Full Screen 1 / 13 Operation PythonTuesday’s raid was part of the national DEA investigation called Operation Python. Though Operation Python officially ended Wednesday afternoon, Dubet told News4Jax that he believes Miller’s arrest will lead to identifying more suspects locally.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski Delivers Remarks at the Project Python Press Conference
Today, we are announcing the results of Project Python, a multilateral interagency operation targeting the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, also known as CJNG. Project Python began on September 1, 2019, culminating in todays announcement. As Acting Administrator Dhillon will describe in more detail, Project Python was unprecedented in both scale and complexity. More than 100 investigations will now form the initial target deck for Project Python. And with Project Python, we are delivering results in the face of that threat for the American people.
justice.govMeth trafficking, control an overwhelming problem, DEA says
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Drug Enforcement Agency recently released its 2019 National Drug Threat Assessment, which outlines threats posed by illegal drugs and drug traffickers. According to what’s in the report, while there has been a 13% decline in opioid overdoses across the United States, methamphetamine trafficking and usage continues to be an overwhelming problem for law enforcement. DEA Special Agent in Charge Mike Dubet said the cartels are flooding Florida streets with crystal meth, especially Northeast Florida. According to the recent DEA threat assessment, Mexican drug cartels are mass producing major quantities of meth at alarming rates. READ: 2019 DEA National Drug Threat AssessmentAnd there’s another trend that’s been studied during the last three years.
Leader of Drug Trafficking Organization Convicted of International Drug Trafficking Conspiracy
A woman from Culiacan, Mexico was convicted after a seven-day jury trial for her role in an international drug trafficking conspiracy to transport thousands of kilograms of cocaine and dozens of pounds of methamphetamine into the United States. U.S. District Court Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson for the District of Columbia presided over the trial and will impose sentence. According to the evidence introduced at trial, Fajardo Campos ran a drug trafficking organization with her adult children that was aligned with the Sinaloa cartel. She sourced cocaine directly from Colombia, employed pilots, and brokered the purchase of jets to fly the cocaine to Central America and Mexico. She partnered with other traffickers in the Sinaloa cartel and her children for further distribution of the cocaine into the United States.
justice.govUnwanted medication collection planned in Columbia County
Medicate: For some people, being physically active and leading a healthy life isn't enough to get down to the 120 mark. These people, possibly because they are genetically predisposed to high blood pressure, may need to take more bloodColumbia County residents who need to safely and properly dispose of unwanted, expired or unused medication will have a chance Oct. 26, thanks to the Sheriff's Office. Deputies will accept meds at two locations in the area, and they will be disposed of by the DEA. Each year the Sheriff's Office partners with the DEA, Youth Advocacy Partnership and Cheek and Scott to rid the community of these drugs. S Hwy 90 in Lake CityCopyright 2019 by WJXT News4Jax - All rights reserved.
Too big to prosecute, An American Terrorist, Airlift
Too big to prosecute, An American Terrorist, Airlift Whistleblowers: DEA attorneys went easy on McKesson, the country’s largest drug distributor; then, rejecting hate, after spending nearly a decade spreading it; and, saving rhino with helicopters
cbsnews.comReport: Taxpayer dollars paid for DEA sex parties
The scandal involving DEA agents and sex parties in Colombia was much worse than originally thought, according to a new report. Congress held a hearing Tuesday to go over the details of the parties that in some cases were paid for with U.S. government money. Chip Reid reports.
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