Both defendants have been charged with Possession, Possession with intent to deliver, Conspiracy and criminal use of a communication device. Cpl. Zappala said hes unhappy with the $25,000 bail set for each defendant. The indictments were announced at the news conference at the Belmont barracks of the state police in Philadelphia. Italian police claim world's largest drug bust after US$1.1 billion of amphetamines seized Jack Guy, Stephanie Halasz, Valentina DiDonato and Gul Tuysuz CNN Digital Contact Published. Federal law prohibits a convicted felon from possessing a firearm or ammunition. With help from the FBI and local police, investigators from the District Attorneys Office on Monday arrested two highly sought-after Philadelphia men accused of having deep ties to major drug trafficking operations originating in South America, Zappala said. According to the district attorneys office, it is believed the pair have spent the past two years transporting hundreds of kilograms of cocaine to communities in Allegheny County. After being contacted by FBI agents in Philadelphia, the District Attorneys Narcotics Enforcement Team began investigating the Philadelphia-Pittsburgh cocaine trafficking ring in July 2018. This may be the biggest meth bust in American. The ring was run by brothers Jamie Lightfoot Jr., 25, and Deaubre Lightfoot, 27, according to Brady, and included interstate drug trafficker Don Juan Mendoza, formerly of Lawrenceville, Ga. Brady said the drugs, which included heroin and marijuana in addition to the cocaine, were brought into the area in either a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van or a large RV. queensland figure skating. He said there are turf wars, shootings, home invasions and homicides that go hand in hand with drug trafficking. A 13-count indictment, which included charges of drug trafficking, money laundering, firearms violation and other crimes, named the following 28 people: Don Juan Mendoza, 38, of Lawrenceville, Ga. Jamie Lightfoot, Sr., 46, currently incarcerated at FCI Loretto. Allegheny County District Attorneys Office. Dozens of people were arrested and more than 9,000 packets of drugs were seized in a major heroin sweep in Hazelton, Pa. . A few were considered "upper level" drug dealers for Fayette County. The arrests send a message to drug dealers in Pennsylvania, said Gov. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. Arrests made Wednesday morning netted 37 of the 39 individuals named in the two indictments. Fax:412-644-4549, Johnstown:814-533-4547 The 50 pounds of cocaine worth $10 million seized in North Braddock this week marked the regions biggest drug bust in recent memory, Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala said Tuesday. A second mate and a crew member have been arrested in the massive bust. "I asked for an arrest sweep to show the citizenry that law enforcement is active and involved with drug enforcement," said Vernon, adding the year-long investigation involved undercover work, undercover purchases, officers entering in dangerous places and conducting highly dangerous searches. Three of the labs were in Philadelphia and one was in Union County. The drug bust was a result of a year-long investigation conducted by the State Police Troop B Vice Unit, the Fayette County Sheriff's Office and the Fayette County Drug Task Force. The cocaine ring was. U.S. Attorney Scott Brady says the drug pipeline started with Mexican cartels, which sent large quantities of cocaine into the U.S. through California and Arizona. The two-year investigation, called Operation Heavy Hand, included the FBI, state police, and police in Pittsburgh, South Strabane, Elizabeth Borough, Penn Hills and Perryopolis. Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala speaks at a press conference on Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2019. 2023 Trib Total Media | All Rights Reserved, Western Pennsylvania's trusted news source. Ronald Haggerty Jr., of the Connellsville City Police Department, said the 45 of the approximately 70 individuals had been apprehended. Taylor has been charged with 10 felonies and five misdemeanors in connection with this investigation, court records show. Murphy told CNN affiliate WSB that it is by far the biggest heroin seizure in Georgia's. Those arrested were transported to the Fayette County Prison by the Fayette County Sheriff's office. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. You will be arrested. Our new Privacy Policy will go into effect on January 1st, 2023. The suspects were fingerprinted and processed in the basement of the East Side Fire Station in Connellsville and then taken to area district justices, where their bonds were set. Zappala said he could not say how the 23 kilograms seized Monday made its way to Philadelphia or entered the United States, noting it may very well have entered through a legal port of entry. Following a tip, police stopped a vehicle on Route 22 on April 8, and during a search of the vehicle, they found 50 bricks of heroin and fentanyl. The DEA is thankful for its partnerships across Western Pennsylvania. Robert P. Casey, who attended the news conference. 0 . Theyre both accused of participating in a cocaine ring thats been bringing illegal street drugs into communities in Western Pennsylvania for at least the past two years. Heres a more detailed list of what investigators found: The street value of the fentanyl is $1.4 million, AG Shapiro says, who called the bust, "the largest fentanyl seizures by the Office of Attorney Generals Bureau of Narcotics Investigation under the Shapiro administration.. Vernon said she couldn't anticipate when the remaining individuals would be apprehended. It stretched from Pittsburgh to Los Angeles and included connections to Mexican cartels. "This case is another example of how essential law enforcement collaboration is in combatting drug trafficking. You can now customize your WPXI News App to receive Allegheny County news alerts. All told, the amount of cocaine seized had a street value of $2 million. The 50 pounds of cocaine worth $10 million seized in North Braddock this week marked the region's biggest drug bust in recent memory, Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala. The drug traffickers cooked the speed at the house. Western Pennsylvania's trusted news source. (Cox Media Group/Cox Media Group). PITTSBURGH, PA - Two Philadelphia men have been arrested in a massive drug bust in which $10 million in cocaine was seized. FBI, Pittsburgh police announce bust of large local fentanyl distribution ring. It is organized by the Fayette County District Attorney's Office. Police in Laos have made the biggest single drug seizure ever recorded in Asia, according to the United Nations. sinastria di coppia karmica calcolo; quincy homeless shelter; plastic bags for cleaning oven racks; claudia procula death; farm jobs in vermont with housing A federal grand jury has indicted 39 people in a cross-country cocaine ring that flooded Pittsburgh and the Mon Valley with drugs, U.S. Attorney Scott Brady said Wednesday. "We stand shoulder to shoulder with our state and local partners to fight Mexican cartels from operating in western Pennsylvania," said U.S. Attorney Brady. These drugs then ended up on the streets of Pittsburgh. Fayette County law enforcement officials said Tuesday that they had conducted "the largest drug bust in the county's history." Officials, in one day, issued approximately 70 arrest warrants. [4] Contents 1 Testimony 2 Verdict 2.1 Suspensions 3 Aftermath 4 See also 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External links Testimony [ edit] You will be found. First published on September 4, 2020 / 4:45 PM. Johnstown, PA 15901, Pittsburgh:412-644-3500 2023 Banyan Treatment Centers. The Snohomish Regional Drug Task Force made a record-setting drug seizure over the weekend when investigators discovered $14 million to $23 million worth of fentanyl in a Lynnwood home. 1:23 PHILADELPHIA Federal authorities have upped the amount of cocaine they seized from a ship at the Philadelphia port to more than 35,000 pounds, or 15,876 kilograms, making it the largest. Brady said agencies are seeing the drugs come into the area from places like Philadelphia, Detroit, Cleveland, Akron and Youngstown as well as drug cartels in Mexico such as the Sinaloa Cartel. A locked padlock A notorious drug dealer who got his start during the crack epidemic of the 1980s and was so good at hiding his whereabouts that he was known as "the ghost" has been arrested along with dozens of . Fifty-three people allegedly involved in a multi-million-dollar drug ring were indicted by a federal grand jury yesterday on charges of making and distributing methamphetamine, or speed. ", "We wont back down, communities need law enforcement to work together as weve done in Operation Tripwire," Attorney General Josh Shapiro said. Covid-19 could be making things worse Authorities estimate the value of the drugs at $8.5 million. U.S. Attorney Scott Brady says the drug pipeline. Police said some individuals are still being sought and an updated list will follow. Their estimated value is $450,000, state police said. South Park Fire + Police Protection Measures + St. Patrick's Day, 3 Dead, Another Injured In 2 Pittsburgh-Area Shootings, Pittsburgh Pirates Spring Training Battles, Local Brand Advisor offers services in Pittsburgh. women's college lacrosse workout program. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. A former Monessen man pleaded guilty to helping to run one of the largest drug trafficking organizations in the history of Southwestern Pennsylvania. To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com. 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. And you will go to jail, he said. Unfortunately, this scheme has gone on for quite some time, Zappala said. "Operation Tripwire," a two-year investigation with international, federal, state and local partners, identified and dismantled the organizations national network and operations from California and Arizona to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They were for street- to mid-level drug dealers, he added. BROOKVILLE, PA Attorney General Josh Shapiro today announced criminal charges against 30 drug dealers in connection with the shipment and sale of $1.6 million in crystal methamphetamine in Jefferson, Clarion, Clearfield, Elk and Forest Counties over the last year and a half. It was. The raid started at approximately 6 a.m., when 56 officers from various municipalities from throughout the county were briefed and dispatched in five teams. Domonique Taylor, 37, had his home on Moody Street in Pittsburghs Braddock neighborhood searched as part of an investigation five police departments were assisting in since Aug. 2021. Brady said law enforcement has been going zone by zone and neighborhood by neighborhood to take out street gangs, drug rings and violent offenders. Investigators say a search of their two vehicles turned up a total of 23 kilograms of cocaine or more than 50 pounds with an estimated Street value of about $10 million. Attorney General . 950 N Federal Highway Sign up below to receive 10% OFF your entire order! "Drug traffickers should be put on notice that when we identify a suspicious parcel, we will use all of our investigative resources to identify those responsible. Police arrested. Fentanyl sold on the streets typically enters Pennsylvania through Canada, while the majority of heroin and cocaine originates in South America, Zappala said. Dozens arrested, heroin seized in major Pa. drug bust. Suggs is an alleged co-conspirator. "This is a major organization that was trafficking hundreds of kilograms of cocaine across the entire country and has direct ties to the Sinaloan Cartel in Mexico," Brady said. The Pittsburgh drug trials are considered one of baseball's biggest all-time scandals, albeit one that was "behind the scenes" and did not affect play on the field. Operation Tripwire started 2 years ago after the postal service found cocaine hidden in a package. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. 1 When they left with it, state police pulled them over and confiscated it, said Marino, whose county drug strike force assisted in the probe. Police found 1,800kg (283 stone) of what is known locally as. 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A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Taken into custody in North Braddock Monday were Jermaine Clark and Terry Suggs Jr. Clark is believed to be the head of the drug trafficking organization, according to the Allegheny County District Attorneys Office. About $90,000 worth of stock is also subject to forfeiture. Twelve people have been indicted on charges of importing 7.5 tons of cocaine from Colombia and laundering more than $25 million since 1980, Federal authorities announced today. Western Pennsylvania's trusted news source. All Rights Reserved. Those considered mid-level dealers in Fayette County deal up to $10,000 in drugs. "The Indiana County Drug Task Force was able to take one tip from a community member and turn it into a very sizable drug bust in a matter of days," said District Attorney Bob Manzi. 2023 Cox Media Group. "I think that's a record," said Vernon. Brian Brooms, Melvin Earl Campbell, Xavier Edward Thomas, Charles Richard Opel, Shannon Angel Stallard, James T. Michaux, Christie Verney, William Lee Friend, Charles Opel, Charles Smith, Donald Ohler, Donald "Junior" Henry, Mark Bell Jr., Melissa Faidley, Jason Motycka, Thomas Eperesi, Ronald Seiko, Lori Newman, Kara Lanphear. The task force is made up of 35 municipal police officers from all parts of the county. Zappala said the case builds on collaborative law enforcement work by local and federal officials to keep drugs out of the region. Special agents with the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, using advanced analytical tools, are always on the look-out for those who seek to abuse the mail system by sending drug parcels in the mail," said USPS OIG Special Agent in Charge Kenneth Cleevely of the Eastern Area Field Office. Investigators say the operation is one of the largest ever undertaken in western Pennsylvania. 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