Polls show that two thirds of Americans favor recreational pot and around 80% favor medical marijuana. U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn, at the lectern, speaks with reporters Feb. 19, 2020 providing details of a massive drug bust involving Aurora suspects. A Boogie wit da Hoodie (nee Artist Dubose) - Dec. 7; the Bronx, NY-born rapper was arrested at his home in Demarest, NJ and charged with possession of marijuana and several handguns; two other men were also charged; had a No. They had paperwork that was official and signed by the state of Colorado. 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Officers found more than $760,000 worth of drugs. The DEA says this fentanyl bust is part of a national crisis. Law enforcement would certainly tell this story one way. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. "The operation resulted in the seizure of over 400 pounds of methamphetamine, more than 15,000 fentanyl pills, five pounds of heroin and over four pounds of cocaine," said U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn. You'd have to be continually hiding that from, you know, even like your local garbage collector. They said that several ringleaders of the organization were indicted on violations of the Colorado Organized Crime Control Act and the Colorado Controlled Substances Act. The charges were announced Friday by Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, 17th Judicial District Attorney Brian Mason and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Denver Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne Reuter. DEA Denver Field Division Acting Special Agent in Charge David Olesky said a year ago, a large seizure would have been anywhere from 5,000-10,000 . 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Using that statistic, Colorado law enforcement estimated the 110,000 pills they seized couldve contained more than 46,000 lethal pills. Four of those charges related to a drug felony in a public park. "We really do this for a lot of reasons. EAGLE, Colo. (CBS4) - Detectives pulled off a major drug bust in the Eagle Vail area, arresting Matthew DeAngelo at a home. But even if you were to do that, then this is returning the conversation again to states like California and, to some extent, Colorado. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. You were living in Colorado when the major drug bust happened, right? Kiszla: One-hit wonders? Colorado communities and families have suffered greatly from the opioid epidemicand that impact is getting worse during this pandemic. "This criminal enterprise was responsible for poisoning our community and furthering the opioid and methamphetamine epidemic, but today our community is safer," said FBI Special Agent in Charge Dean Phillips. "Overdoses caused by fentanyl can happen faster and are harder to stop than those caused by other opioids," DDPHE said. According to the indictments and other court documents, following an investigation that began in late 2018, agents seized approximately 400 pounds of methamphetamine, five pounds of heroin, four pounds of cocaine, and 15,000 fentanyl pills, which were disguised to look like prescription oxycodone. Law enforcement identified the shop as Supreme Auto Body which was not. On that note, you mentioned that you knew early on that you wanted to speak with people on both sides you know, growing and distributing, and then on the law enforcement side. What did it look like when you were trying to gain access to some of these people? To be considered a drug kingpin, the individual has to violate the Controlled Substances Act as part of a series of related or ongoing violations. PHOTO BY QUINCY SNOWDON/Sentinel Colorado. The DEA began its investigation in April 2021. Agents identified Beltran as the leader of the group. The reason for that is that one personally actually went on the lam and it took until 2019 to locate him in North Carolina and prompt extradite him back to Colorado. Candelaria Vallejo-Gallo, who is in the U.S. illegally, was arrested at her home in Aurora last week and charged with operating a continuing criminal enterprise (CCE), also known as drug kingpin charge. According to the three and information from the attorney generals office, the 64 people who have been charged saw Colorado Statewide Grand Jury indictments against them returned between October 2019 and Thursday. Fentanyl alone drove the increase in opioid deaths in 2020, according to the Colorado Health Institute. So I approached the state and say, "Hey, I can tell you spent a lot of resources and time on this investigation, and I want to help you spotlight the work that you did, and also find out what this says about the black market.". You some, some people didn't want to talk about this, some people believe they were subjected to overzealous law enforcement and some people, you know, wanted to just sort of address the errors of their pasts and express remorse for what they had done. On the drug smuggler side, it was a horrific experience, having a SWAT team bust through your windows and explode flash bangs in your home and terrorize your family. More than $60,000 in cocaine seized from Edwards mobile home, Fentanyl-laced tablets linked to 8 overdoses in Northern Colorado, Activity must be a felony under federal drug laws, Activity must take place as a continuing series of violation, Must undertake the activity with five or more people, Defendant must as a supervisor or organizer or manager of the criminal enterprise, Must obtain substantial income or financial gain. So, I had to wait until April 2019 for all the court cases to be concluded. Colorado Meth Ring Bust: What Those Arrested are Up Against DENVER Twenty-one people have been charged in Colorado for their alleged involvement in a drug trafficking ring linked to a Mexican cartel, according to law enforcement officials. In the past 20 years. In response to this data, DDPHE urged caution around drugs bought from any source other than a pharmacy, as those drugs could contain fentanyl and vary greatly in strength and contents. That's a whole other set of issues. Four of the remaining suspects are in Mexico, and the fifth is on the run in the United States. And it was just shocking the size and scale of this black market operation. By Shelly Bradbury. Project Corredor began in Autumn 2019, Belanger said, and culminated when search warrants were carried out beginning in early 2020. Public health officials advise anyone who uses substances or knows someone who uses substances to not only share this warning but to also take tangible steps to help prevent deaths. Greed is a traffickers main motivation. "This criminal enterprise was responsible for poisoning our community and furthering the meth and opioid epidemic, but today our community is safer" said. Photo by Tony Caldwell / Postmedia . On May 9, several law enforcement agencies collaborated to arrest 25 individuals for drug trafficking and to issue charges to 12 others in a huge methamphetamine drug bust. In his new podcast "The Syndicate," journalist Chris Walker goes beyond some of the case's flashy details, speaking to both the members of the criminal organization and the law enforcement agents who took them down, and uncovers how the push for legal marijuana in some states actually drives up black market demand nationally. Police seized fentanyl, meth, firearms, and more than $5,000. So in many states, including Colorado where this story is based, they've actually handed down a lot of control over the cannabis industry to local municipalities and cities. They then used a confidential source to place recorded calls with Romo and set up a controlled purchase of $1,600 of methamphetamine. . Daniel Valentine, 42, was arrested in the bust that happened last week. Those in custody are being held on a $500,000 bond or greater. This spring, Le Creuset has introduced an exciting new shade thats already selling fast: shallot, a soft lavender with pink and slight gray undertones. In total, investigators and law enforcement recovered 77,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills that contained varying amounts of fentanyl. ------------------------------------------. It's not as simple as walking down to the county clerk and getting a permit. We're seeing multimillion dollar bidding wars for the limited licenses that come up in the new markets. The Aurora Police Department assisted in the seizure on Amherst Circle. The officials said most of the drugs were transported through ports of entry at the U.S.-Mexico border and made their way to Colorado in vehicles with concealed compartments. The pills were disguised to look like prescription oxycodone. Three people have been charged following a major bust at two residences in West Nipissing in which police seized illegal drugs with a street value of more than $8 million. Police arrested the alleged drug dealers in Colorado, Arizona, and California. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. SUGGESTED VIDEOS | Local stories from 9NEWS. OPP Project Daytona nets 12 arrests in major Eastern Ontario drug bust The unforgiving cycle of methamphetamine and opioid addiction is causing catastrophic damage to American families. It was a collection of all these college friends and their family members that came from Minnesota to Colorado to hide undercover in the legal market. December 30, 2020. More Videos DENVER (KDVR) Law enforcement announced Wednesday the results of a very significant operation that resulted in the arrest and charging of more than two dozen members of a major Mexican drug trafficking operation based in Denver. drug trafficking - The Denver Post Of the 30 indicted,24 were arrested and one is in state custody on a separate charge. SWAT Operation At Westminster Home: 2 Arrested In Drug Bust (CBC) In a news release, Toronto police describe a. Milinovich said as of July 31, Peel Region has seen 71 overdose-related deaths, 80 per cent of which are suspected to be linked to opioids. Following a drug bust in Colorado this week where 110,000 counterfeit pills cut with fentanyl were seized, one Front Range District Attorney is calling for revised laws surrounding the drug. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. "This investigation demonstrates and corroborates the alarming trend in counterfeit prescription pills laced with fentanyl flooding our streets, as well as the continuing nexus between drug trafficking and violent crime impacting our communities. Police said Wednesday they had seized nearly $11.6 million in cash, proceeds of crime and assets . Reproduction of material from any Salon pages without written permission is strictly prohibited. While conducting a series of arrests across Denver and Aurora Feb. 12 . Right, so the reality of the situation is that weed is still illegal at the federal level, and not all states have legal weed. How much of that was present in the initial media coverage surrounding "The Syndicate" drug bust? . This organization was preparing for a battle, Olesky said. The other people indicted face charges ranging from conspiracy to distribute drugs, possession with intent to distribute and money laundering. I spent considerable time trying to get in touch with each and every person. It's an FDA-approved medicine to rapidly reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. Four suspects are in Mexico and one is at large in the U.S., according to federal authorities. The fentanyl is believed to have been manufactured south of the U.S. border, and smuggled into the U.S. and eventually brought to Colorado. You can try to do it outside, but that's seriously exposed and easy to see from the air. This effort is an excellent example of what we accomplish through ongoing collaboration in our state.. After the indictment announcement, authorities said two others were arrested in connection to the drug trafficking ring. I mean, how did you balance wanting to spotlight the work law enforcement did, while also giving voice to people on the other side of this bust all without feeling like either side was playing you? They also recovered from the drug ring 250 pounds of methamphetamine, 60 pounds of heroin, 6.8 kilograms of cocaine, 12 firearms, 19 vehicles and $931,000 in U.S. currency. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. The Adams County SWAT team went into. An eight-month investigation into a drug trafficking ring based in metro Denver led law enforcement to seize 110,000 fentanyl pills, 13 pounds of meth, 8 pounds of heroin, 24 pounds of cocaine. And they did have registered patients as well, but they were using all their allotted plants to really grow for the black market and ship it out of state. Investigators at a news conference Wednesday said they connected the weapons recovered at the houses with violent crimes, though the defendants are not charged with violent crimes. 23 hit with "Numbers" in 2020. Andrew Cogliano out for Game 7 with fractured neck after Jordan Eberle's hit leaves Avalanche miffed at lack of suspension, Denver airport makes Food & Wine's list of top 10 U.S. airports with best restaurants, Celebration of life for Alexa Bartell, killed by rock thrown through windshield, draws hundreds to Arvada church, Skier killed in avalanche near Breckenridge, With Andrew Cogliano out for rest of Stanley Cup Playoffs, Kraken's Jordan Eberle discusses hit that fractured Cogliano's neck, Colorado lawmakers "belly flop" on water crisis, opting for further study of Colorado River over action, experts say, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. There's a lot of considerations that need to be carefully weighed to make sure we can slowly chip away at the black market. 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Then on the law enforcement side, it's like, "Oh, well, this is absolutely justified because these people are so dangerous.". Eight of the 19 people indicted in the trafficking ring remained at large Wednesday, officials said. It was a fairly impressive investigation. Could you talk some about that? Authorities say they seized about 400 lbs. You can find more resources about fentanyl at www.denvergov.org. Because the state of Colorado is just as savvy as anyone else about garnering media attention, they knew that they could probably get more coverage of their investigation if they talked about the fact like "Oh, by the way, they were also shipping up to 900 pounds of per trip on these skydiving planes.". DEA announces largest domestic seizure of meth ever | CNN Authorities arrested five people in connection with an alleged . The Syndicate: Podcast Exposes Biggest Black Market Pot Bust in US "I cannot overstate how dangerous that was to the community," Dunn said. N.S. RCMP arrest 14 people, seize 'significant quantity of drugs June 17, 2020 at 5:33 p.m. Officials with the Northern Colorado Drug Task Force arrested six people and seized methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, psilocybin mushrooms, pot, counterfeit . "With 28 firearms seized, multiple hand grenades, high-capacity magazines and several sets of body armor, this organization was preparing for battle," Olesky said during Wednesday's news conference. They figured out pretty much every person who was involved in it for a span of four years. of cocaine, 5 lbs. They also took out paraphernalia consistent with illegal narcotic sales, a sawed-off shotgun and $9,434 in cash. Fentanyl is an opioid known for its potency. That includes carrying naloxone with you. Please enter valid email address to continue. That's just like a massive wave of support for federal legalization, which could immediately tackle part of this problem. Updated: 10:33 PM MST February 19, 2020 DENVER A woman who's accused of being the ringleader of a large drug ring operation in the Denver metro area has been charged as a kingpin, a. 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Fentanyl has been found mixed with or in place of oxycodone tablets, cocaine, and heroin in the Denver area, according to DDPHE. ", RELATED: Fentanyl-laced tablets linked to 8 overdoses in Northern Colorado. One of the questions that is raised in "The Syndicate" is about how the medical marijuana system can be gamed, like it was by thealleged ringleaderTri Nguyen. There are decisions and various powers given to authorities to award licenses depending on what the municipality's comfort level with how many pot shops they'll allow and how many grow facilities they will allow. You need some of those more cinematic elements to just kind of coax your audience into some of the more intellectual questions that arise from these types of stories. of heroin and 15,000 fentanyl pills. That included nearly 35 pounds of meth, nearly 10 pounds of heroin, cocaine and fentanyl. Has Denver seen its last snow of the season? 110,000 fentanyl pills seized from Denver stash houses; 19 indicted in Here's an example. So there are well-established markets in both states that have legal cannabis and in states that don't. In Denver, the Denver Department of Health reported "the percentage change in drug-related deaths for the six months of January-June from 2019 to 2020 was 83%, with fentanyl-related overdose deaths experiencing a 354% increase in those same timeframes." So, let's start from the standpoint of someone trying to start a large, illegal marijuana grow. April 28, 2020 / 11:48 AM I mean, it was the largest pot bust in Colorado since the state had legalized recreational weed in 2012. COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (CBS4) - The North Metro Task Force made a large drug bust at an auto body shop in Commerce City. Law enforcement connected the trafficking to seven residences spread across the metro area, including homes in east Denver, Commerce City and Thornton, according to the indictment. All rights reserved. Agents said Colorado communities are safer now with the seized drugs and weapons off the streets, but the work is far from over. Are other banks to follow? The charges were announced Friday by Colorado Attorney General Phil . Task Force Takes Down Large Drug Operation In Denver & Aurora Police say on December 9, 2020, the Nova Scotia RCMP Federal Serious and . Undercover agents set up two buys from one of Romos associates, Saul Ramon Rivera Beltran, and purchased heroin, fentanyl and meth, according to the indictment. Agents set up a wiretap on Romos phone and for months tracked his calls, setting up more wiretaps as they identified people who were also involved in drug and gun sales. Police seize $8M in illegal drugs as part of massive bust in West 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. "But, unfortunately here in Colorado, the numbers are higher at a 46% increase of drug overdose deaths," Keith Weis, Executive Director of Rocky Mountain HIDTA, said. Oct. Well and you address this in the podcast but what is the reality like for someone who is growing illegally who wants to start growing legally? Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Some of those details did come out in the initial media coverage and press conference around the bust in 2015. "Without a doubt, our law enforcement here today have saved the lives of Coloradans," Weis said. They seized almost a pound and a half of suspected cocaine, a slightly larger amount of a substance believed to be meth, more than a quarter of a pound of suspected ketamine, 32 grams of psilocybin mushrooms, 60 tabs of LSD, 36 pills of Xanax and 53 Ritalin pills. First published on April 28, 2020 / 11:48 AM. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. 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I cannot overstate how dangerous that was to the community. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Additionally, the defendant must be an organizer, supervisor or manager of at least five other persons connected in the same activity, and obtain substantial income or resources from the series of violations, U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn said. The truth is probably somewhere in between in that it was probably overzealous on the side of the SWAT team, but there was probably some justification in that these guys were involved in a pretty shady underworld. Kevin Durant moped. Between 2019 and 2020, the number of overdose deaths in Colorado involving fentanyl more than doubled, from 222 to 540. Get the Android Weather app from Google Play, Chinese electric vehicle brands expand to global, Qantas names chief financial officer Vanessa Hudson, These are the last days to access free COVID tests, No-knock warrant restrictions advance in Colorado, AP source: Broncos pick up Jeudys fifth-year option, Cron powers Rockies to 12-4 win over Diamondbacks, Former Broncos players daughter drowns in pool, Avs forward Cogliano fractured neck in Game 6, Le Creuset just launched a dreamy new color for spring, Our fitness expert weighs in on this years top spring, Picnic-planning ideas for the spring season, Bill to extend Medicaid coverage heads to Polis, Floods reported along I-70 near Hanging Lake exit. 2020 / 07:49 PM MDT. Please enter valid email address to continue. Arthur Mills, 59, was arrested on Thursday, according to the Denver Police Department. The drug ring was in operation as early as July 2015. Copyright 2023 Salon.com, LLC. Officers found more . So, the law enforcement side, that's easier to answer. Nearly $8M worth of cocaine seized in TPS drug trafficking - CBC The investigation began in late 2018. Cash, guns and several vehicles were also seized, according to Phillips.