25 pounds of cocaine, $350K confiscated in Bronx drug bust - New York Post 17A in the Bronx yielded another $32,000 cash, various records and a Rolex watch. Puerto Rico police find $34M worth of cocaine in biggest drug bust in This study questions the effectiveness of these approaches to reduce street crime. 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. NEW YORK CITY An indictment filed by the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor charges five individuals in a sophisticated conspiracy to smuggle millions of dollars in cocaine from Puerto Rico to New York and Massachusetts via the U.S. The investigation revealed the two work as managers representing recording artists in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Duartes fingerprints were allegedly found on two packages and Garcias on four, and Centeno-Rosados on one of the packages associated with Garcia. Low-cost flights to Puerto Rico have enticed many travelers to choose the island as a vacation spot during the pandemic. Coast Guard rescues stranded man off rocks near Greyhound Rock County Park. Screen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks. 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. Build the strongest argument relying on authoritative content, attorney-editor expertise, and industry defining technology. During the investigation, U.S. A court-authorized search yielded approximately $1,000 from the trunk of the vehicle, as well as two cellphones. The charges and allegations are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. 18 Biggest Drug Busts In U.S. History - Yahoo! US Agent, Suspected Smuggler Killed off Puerto Rico Coast used to use small aircraft to drop shipments into the island in the 1980s and 1990s. Jackson managed to flee and was later hospitalized, authorities said. Puerto Rico sees a surge in tourism - the Guardian Wesley Coddington, aka "Lucky," and Bryan Centeno-Rosado were arrested during the investigation and charged in criminal complaints. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Border Patrol seizes more than $4 million in Puerto Rican cocaine bust 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. 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. Often, the named recipients were either fictitious or were actual individuals not associated with the address. 30 Members Of A Violent Gang Charged For Drug Trafficking In Mayagez Coast Guard, partner agencies manage oil clean up in Delaware. No arrests have been made and police have not identified the suspects. 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 . The suppliers of illegal drugs are exploiting every channel they can to infiltrate our communities, including the U.S. (U.S. Coast Guard photo), Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil. 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.. . Defendants Charged with Trafficking Cocaine from Puerto Rico to Western New York. 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. A court authorized search of his home at 1500 Noble Avenue, Apt. Claudio Acevedo-Maquita, 55, of the Bronx, More Local News to Love Start today for 50% off Expires 3/6/23. New Zealand police find 3.5 tons of cocaine in Pacific Ocean . mesurer votre utilisation de nos sites et applications. This story has been shared 121,057 times. Prescription Drug Monitoring Program: Puerto Rico Profile (2021) 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. Eight of those charged . Tirado was identified as a drug supplier for Luiz Mendez and Samuel Matos, according to the complaint. 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. 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. PHOTOS: More than 30 people arrested in massive Hampton Roads drug bust 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% . The search yielded more than 18 pink zip lock bags containing cocaine, as well as $4,000 cash, a Rolex watch, luxury sneakers, a luxury book bag and wallet, a kilo press (equipment used in packaging narcotics), three digital scales and cellphones. Over the years we have seen many creative ways that drug traffickers conceal illegal narcotics in an effort to elude detection from law enforcement. 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. Drug Bust. 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.". 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. The seized cocaine has an estimated wholesale value of approximately $51 million dollars. 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. 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. Jeffrey Quinones, public affairs officer for CBPs Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands outposts, told the Washington Examiner that the eastern Caribbean has served as a trafficking pit stop for decades, but the recent uptick indicates cartels are using the 100-mile-wide island to circumnavigate the Mexican border. Two men were arrested Agents and officers recovered four kilograms of cocaine split between two lunchboxes, one gray and one red. 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. Nous, Yahoo, faisons partie de la famille de marques Yahoo. The men were arrested on Sept. 16, when police searched three separate houses involved in the ring, Baart wrote. At approximately 4:40 p.m., agents and officers observed Centeno-Rosado exit the location carrying a heavy duffel bag and get into a livery car. The cause remains under investigation. The seizure led to the arrest and indictment of three people for a variety of drug trafficking and maritime law violations. The show takes listeners inside the business end of the sports world, and explains what it means to fans and their pocketbooks. 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. Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting. Fri 12 Mar 2021 03.00 EST Last modified on Mon 15 Mar 2021 10.42 EDT. This summer, Coast Guard Academy Cadets completed a transatlantic voyage and experienced port calls in Azores, Iceland, and Bermuda. Superintendent Kevin P. Bruen said, This investigation speaks to the strong partnerships we have with our state, local and federal agencies, and to our commitment to keep dangerous drugs off our streets. 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. Postal Service, this time using items geared towards children. 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. 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. Drug-Smuggling Submarine Seized as Puerto Rico Busts Accelerate U.S. DOJ in Puerto Rico said $75 million in cocaine was found Puerto Rico cocaine seizures outpacing previous two years. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. 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. 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 drug bust took place near Mona Island,. It is administered by the Mental Health and Anti-Addiction Services Administration. A locked padlock The house on East Laurel Street was identified in the complaint by Baart as a stash house. Cocaine kilograms concealed in lunchbox in mail. The Prescription Drug Monitoring Program Training and Technical Assistance Center (PDMP TTAC) reports 2020 data and 2021 features of the Puerto Rico Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP). I commend the excellent investigation conducted with our partners for putting it out of business, said Special Narcotics Prosecutor Bridget G. Brennan. All rights reserved (About Us). 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. Sunday-morning talk show. NEW! Reuters provides business, financial, national and international news to professionals via desktop terminals, the world's media organizations, industry events and directly to consumers. Coast Guard offloads a $20 million in cocaine, following at-sea drug bust near Puerto Rico. Attorney General James and DEA Announce Takedown of 12-Person Cocaine Bloomberg Business of Sports lets you follow the money in the world of sports, reporting on trades, salaries, endorsements, contracts and collective bargaining. 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. Centeno-Rosado was arrested and charged in a criminal complaint. 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. Cape May bust breaks up cocaine network with links to Puerto Rico drug An official website of the United States government, Coast Guard offloads $51 million cocaine shipment in San Juan, Puerto Rico, following a drug bust near the British Virgin Islands, The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Richard Etheridge crew offloaded approximately 1,700 kilograms of seized cocaine at Coast Guard Base San Juan Friday, following the disruption go-fast vessel smuggling attempt by Coast Guard and British Virgin Islands authorities near Anegada, British Virgin Islands. 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. The organization run by Mendez and Matos dealt heroin supplied by a man from the Bronx, Southwick said. Between May of 2020 and April of 2021, fingerprint analysis allegedly linked the defendants to six packages. The men arrested today are believed to be the ringleaders of this large scale drug organization that . Learn more. Coast GuardU.S. Maldonado also discusses the extent of the devastation from Hurricane Maria in 2017, the massive street protests . They are scheduled to be arraigned on the indictment on November 17, 2021. Eagle has served as a classroom at sea to future Coast Guard officers since 1946, offering an at-sea leadership and professional development experience as part of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy curriculum. 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. Coast Guard offloads a $20 million in cocaine near Puerto Rico | Miami CARIBBEAN / 26 APR 2021 BY VICTORIA DITTMAR AND DOUWE DEN HELD EN Puerto Rico is seeing a surge in cocaine seizures, indicating that drug flows are being reactivated after months of dormancy amid pandemic lockdowns and that the island is on track to tally a record drug haul in 2021. The long-term investigation was conducted by DEAs New York Drug Enforcement Task Force, Group T-41, and USPIS. How States Fare Medicaid Block Grants Per Capita Caps Puerto Rico SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - Angel Ayala-Vazquez, aka Angelo Millones, and his brother Luis X. Cruz-Vazquez, aka El Mono, were found guilty Tuesday of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin, crack, cocaine, marijuana, Percocet, and Xanax, following a joint investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland But our NYPD investigators and partners in law enforcement weren't fooled and today's important indictment from theOffice of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor shows our unwavering commitment to keep New Yorkers from being victimized by crime," said Police Commissioner Dermot Shea. Will His AI Plans Be Any Different? Klicken Sie auf Alle ablehnen, wenn Sie nicht mchten, dass wir und unsere Partner Cookies und personenbezogene Daten fr diese zustzlichen Zwecke verwenden. Top Row (left to right): Ramito Ramirez-Barreto, Iban Barreto . 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. 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. 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. Sector San Francisco launched a helicopter from Air Station San Francisco. Instagram A 24-year-old tourist from Delaware was killed in Puerto Rico. Sign up now to get the Washington Examiners breaking news and timely commentary delivered right to your inbox. . 2.76 Tons of Cocaine Seized from Sub near Puerto Rico - Breitbart A 24-year-old tourist from Delaware was killed in Puerto Rico over the weekend after allegedly buying drugs in a coastal shantytown, authorities said. Many maritime smugglers depart Venezuela with the goal of getting products to the southern coast of Puerto Rico. 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. End of Lockdown Brings Wave of Cocaine to Puerto Rico - Business Insider The 920 kilograms (2,028 pounds) of cocaine seized could have a street value of between $37 million and $370 million, depending on the retail level, according to a person familiar with the case. 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, Acting . L aw enforcement officials in Puerto Rico reported the largest drug bust in four years on Tuesday after officers seized $34 million worth of cocaine found in a boat off the northern coast. 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. The seizure led to the arrest and indictment of three people for a variety of drug trafficking and maritime law violations. The majority of drugs CBP seized on the island last year was from go-fast boats, known locally as yola vessels. 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. Secure .gov websites use HTTPSA lock ( Both are residents of New York. 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. Once the helicopter crew arrived on scene, they lowered the rescue swimmer to the rock and hoisted the man into the helicopter. This disruption and seizure is the result of multi-agency efforts involving the Caribbean Border Interagency Group and the Caribbean Corridor Strike Force. Cellphone communications between Duarte and Centeno-Rosado indicate Duarte ordered the livery car. Coast Guard seizes $15 million worth of cocaine in Puerto Rico - WTSP 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. Defense attorneys for Aponte-Guzman and Maisonet-Lopez did not immediately respond to requests for comment. For example, Puerto Rico's Medicaid program began covering its first drug to cure hepatitis C in March 2020. 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. 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. A federal grand jury in Puerto Rico returned a four-count indictment against the three individuals arrested during the alleged smuggling attempt. Crime in Puerto Rico: Drug Trafficking, Money Laundering, and the Poor See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays. dvelopper et amliorer nos produits et services. 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. Cape May bust breaks up cocaine network with links to Puerto Rico drug traffickers. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. The duo were beaten with an exercise weight, a piece of wood and a deep fryer, authorities said. This disruption and seizure were the result of multi-agency efforts involving the Caribbean Border Interagency Group and the Caribbean Corridor Strike Force. On June 21, 2021, he allegedly sent a USPS box listing his own name as both the recipient and sender. 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. 158 people are indicted on drug- and gun-related charges. 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. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Frontline Focus: Coast Guard offloads $51 million in cocaine in San 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 most comprehensive solution to manage all your complex and ever-expanding tax and compliance needs. 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. The article has been updated to reflect the correct tonnage. Vous pouvez modifier vos choix tout moment en cliquant sur le lien Tableau de bord sur la vie prive prsent sur nos sites et dans nos applications. 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. U.S. agent and smuggling suspect are killed off Puerto Rico coast