When Fuentes was arrested, he tried to throw away a .40-caliber Glock that police later found, according to Baart. 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. Over the years we have seen many creative ways that drug traffickers conceal illegal narcotics in an effort to elude detection from law enforcement. Wesley Coddington, aka "Lucky," and Bryan Centeno-Rosado were arrested during the investigation and charged in criminal complaints. The industry leader for online information for tax, accounting and finance professionals. Editors note: This article initially misstated the weight of the drug shipment as 1.25 tons. 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. AMO agents assisted the U.S. Coast Guard in interdicting a semi-submersible vessel sailing toward Puerto Rico on April 8, according to information obtained from U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials. Cops snagged 25 pounds of cocaine and $350,000 in a Bronx drug bust they say disrupted a large-scale narcotics distribution network with possible ties to Puerto Rico. The Coast Guard arrested three people from the vessel and confiscated the semi-submersible boat. Hiding narcotics in kid branded items is pathetic. 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. A court-authorized search of the cell phones showed Garcia and another individual allegedly engaged in narcotics-related conversation, with Garcia sending a USPS receipt and the other individual sending a picture of a kilogram of cocaine. Drug Bust. 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 . But Loats badly burned body was found by authorities on Sunday in the town of Vega Baja. U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced Tuesday that its air and marine agents spotted a suspicious vessel in the water off the coast of the Puerto Rican island of Vieques late Sunday. Musk Made a Mess at Twitter. On June 3, 2021, members of NYDETF stopped a car in which Garcia was an occupant. 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. (U.S. Coast Guard photo), Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil. Previously worked as a correspondent in Venezuela and Argentina. 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. Postal Inspection Service, the NYPD, the New York State Police, and the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of New York. There were also discussions related to price and weight. Two weeks later, on April 28, 2021, agents and officers observed Duarte receive a USPS package and drive in a white pickup truck. Police Commissioner Antonio Lpez Figueroa said police also seized more than 170 weapons and some 320 pounds (146 kilograms) of cocaine. In all, Baart wrote that the ring involved at least five houses. A . 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. 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.. Garcia was arrested in front of a recording studio located at 281 S. Broadway in Yonkers. Puerto Rico will close its only zoo after longstanding complaints NBC News 16:34 28-Feb-23. Sept. 16, 2021 Frontline Focus: Coast Guard offloads $51 million in cocaine in San Juan, Puerto Rico, following at-sea drug bust near the British Virgin Islands and more By Janki Panki, MyCG Writer Coast Guard offloads $51 million in cocaine in San Juan, Puerto Rico, following at-sea drug bust near the British Virgin Islands. Intercepted packages contained a total of 30 kilograms of cocaine (over 66 pounds) concealed inside childrens lunchboxes and school binders. A federal investigation found the ring to also have ties to New York City, Richard Southwick, a prosecutor in the U.S. Attorneys Office in the Northern District of New York, said in a press release. 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. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Frequently, the return addresses were in New York, despite the packages originating in Puerto Rico. Thanks for contacting us. At 295 feet in length, Cutter Eagle is the largest tall ship flying the stars and stripes and the only active square-rigger in United States government service. Puerto Rico, and United States - specifically Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Twenty of the accused have been processes and booked. See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays. 9 Arrested, $450k in Cocaine Seized After Large NJ, Pa. Drug Bust 'Operation Yo-Yo' a large-scale narcotics investigation initiated by the DEA and Cape may authorities, led to the arrest of 9 . YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. . The article has been updated to reflect the correct tonnage. Since June, 15 people with connections to the ring have been arrested and federally charged, Southwick said. The interdiction was the result of multi-agency efforts in support of U.S. Southern Commands enhanced counter-narcotics operations in the Western Hemisphere, the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) and High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) programs, and the Caribbean Corridor Strike Force (CCSF), officials said in a written statement. Federal authorities confiscated the narcotics. . Klicken Sie auf Alle ablehnen, wenn Sie nicht mchten, dass wir und unsere Partner Cookies und personenbezogene Daten fr diese zustzlichen Zwecke verwenden. Tariq Loat and a friend, James Jackson, were attacked in La Perla on Saturday following the alleged drug deal when they tried to take photographs, despite being told not to, according to Police Commissioner Antonio Lpez Figueroa. 26 Puerto Rico is also temporarily increasing (through September 30, 2021) physician payments to a minimum of 70 percent of Medicare rates, which is more in line with the national average for state Medicaid programs. Pa. woman missing since 1992 found alive in Puerto . The livery driver showed the cars destination as 237 Hoover Road in Yonkers, the residence of Duarte. . 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. SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - On November 9, 2020, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging 20 violent gang members with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and firearms violations, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto . Often, the named recipients were either fictitious or were actual individuals not associated with the address. Bridget G. Brennan, New York Citys Special Narcotics Prosecutor, Ray Donovan, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, New York Division, Philip R. Bartlett, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Make no mistake, law enforcement will spare no resource to bring them to justice for their crimes in an effort to maintain the safety of the communities we serve, said Inspector in Charge Philip R. Bartlett. The show takes listeners inside the business end of the sports world, and explains what it means to fans and their pocketbooks. 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. A search of the vessel led to the discovery of 5,515 pounds of cocaine. NEW! Centeno-Rosado was arrested and charged in a criminal complaint. used to use small aircraft to drop shipments into the island in the 1980s and 1990s. Screen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks. 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. This disruption and seizure were the result of multi-agency efforts involving the Caribbean Border Interagency Group and the Caribbean Corridor Strike Force. The seized cocaine has an estimated wholesale value of approximately $51 million dollars. Build the strongest argument relying on authoritative content, attorney-editor expertise, and industry defining technology. Border / Cartel ChroniclesCrimeAir and Marine OperationsAMOCocaineDrug TraffickingPuerto RicoSemi-Submersible VesselU.S. This study questions the effectiveness of these approaches to reduce street crime. Defendants Charged with Trafficking Cocaine from Puerto Rico to Western New York. He's built a network around his hit YouTube series, "The Cave," landed deals and produced records for some of the biggest artists in music, and still found time to release his first album, "Louie. (CNN) -- A sweeping drug bust in Puerto Rico involving more . Enhanced enforcement efforts along the Central America/Mexico corridor and on the U.S. Southwest border as well as the ongoing violence between rival TCOs [transnational criminal organizations] in Mexico may be contributing to the shift to more efficient, presumably less troublesome Caribbean routes," according to the 2015 White House Caribbean Border Counternarcotics Strategy report. 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. 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. 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,. Special Narcotics Prosecutor Bridget G. Brennan commended the work of her offices Special Investigations Bureau, the New York Drug Enforcement Task Force, the DEA, the U.S. Packages were shipped to residential addresses in New York State, including in Manhattan, the Bronx, Queens and Greene County, as well as to Massachusetts. 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. 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. The seizure led to the arrest and indictment of three people for a variety of drug trafficking and maritime law violations. He had approximately $12,000 on his person. Wenn Sie Ihre Auswahl anpassen mchten, klicken Sie auf Datenschutzeinstellungen verwalten. Early this morning, agents, officers and inspectors arrested Duarte at his home at 237 Hoover Avenue, Yonkers, N.Y. and recovered approximately 400 grams of a white powdery substance, some of which tested positive as cocaine in a field test, and multiple cellphones from the residence in a court-authorized search. 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. Cape May bust breaks up cocaine network with links to Puerto Rico drug traffickers. Learn more. Arraignments for three of the five defendants are scheduled for this afternoon before Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Abraham Clott. The acronym for the Puerto Rico PDMP is PR PDMP. 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. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations made a massive cocaine bust earlier this week when agents hauled in nearly 800 pounds in an attempted smuggling operation off the. This story has been shared 121,057 times. Coast Guard offloads $51 million in cocaine in San Juan, Puerto Rico, following at-sea drug bust near the British Virgin Islands. The seizure led to the arrest and indictment of three people for a variety of drug trafficking and maritime law violations. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. He said some of those arrested are accused of killing people and of drug trafficking. There is no evidence of oil impacting the waterway. 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. At 2:25 p.m., agents and officers stopped the vehicle in the vicinity of Astor Avenue and Boston Road and recovered approximately two kilograms of cocaine concealed in childrens lunch boxes inside a hidden trap compartment in the back seat area. 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. Both are residents of New York. Bob Priceserves as associate editor and senior news contributor for theBreitbart Texas-Border team. This summer, Coast Guard Academy Cadets completed a transatlantic voyage and experienced port calls in Azores, Iceland, and Bermuda. Puerto Rico's lone zoo to be permanently closed after years of complaints Chicago Sun-Times 14:39 28-Feb-23. Jackson managed to flee and was later hospitalized, authorities said. 17A in the Bronx yielded another $32,000 cash, various records and a Rolex watch. 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. The men arrested today are believed to be the ringleaders of this large scale drug organization that . 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. Si vous ne souhaitez pas que nos partenaires et nousmmes utilisions des cookies et vos donnes personnelles pour ces motifs supplmentaires, cliquez sur Refuser tout. Sector San Francisco launched a helicopter from Air Station San Francisco. Hunter Biden to speak about 'fake news' at Tulane Universi Canadian teacher with size-Z prosthetic breasts placed on paid leave, What's next for Buster Murdaugh after dad's murder conviction, life sentence, US home prices just did something they haven't done since 2012, Rebel Wilson says Meghan Markle isnt as naturally warm as Prince Harry, Kristen Doute supports Ariana Madix amid mutual ex Tom Sandovals scandal, Celeb-loved jewelry brand Dorsey drops dazzling new styles, Undertaker transforms coffin into barbecue grill, Tom Sizemore And The Dangerous Burden of Desperation, Kellyanne Conway and George Conway to divorce. 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. Packages of cocaine were sent from Puerto Rico to a house at 2218 Midland Ave. in the South Side, Baart wrote. The following day, on April 29, 2021, members of NYDETF and USPIS tracked a package destined for 1871 Barnes Avenue in the Bronx. August 17, 2022, 2:04 PM. The men were arrested on Sept. 16, when police searched three separate houses involved in the ring, Baart wrote. 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% . Eight of those charged . The seizure was the result of multi-agency efforts in support of U.S. Southern Command's . Nous, Yahoo, faisons partie de la famille de marques Yahoo. SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico A crew aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Tezanos seized nearly $15 million worth of cocaine over the weekend. The cause remains under investigation. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Members of NYDETF and USPIS observed Coddington enter a vehicle and move around in the back seat. If this tactic was designed to throw off law enforcement, it did not work. Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. Damian Williams, the new U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York sworn in last month, referred to the amount of cocaine seized as a "massive quantity of dangerous drugs.". 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. This story has been shared 171,829 times. Weitere Informationen ber die Verwendung Ihrer personenbezogenen Daten finden Sie in unserer Datenschutzerklrung und unserer Cookie-Richtlinie. Officials captured a 52-foot (15.8 meter) long, 8-foot-wide semi-submersible carrying 2,500 kilograms (5,512 pounds) of cocaine worth about $75 million, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico Stephen Muldrow said at a press conference. 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. 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. If convicted, defendants would face up to life in prison, $4 million in fines. mesurer votre utilisation de nos sites et applications. 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?