He'd been indicted on federal drug charges years earlier. The Drug Enforcement Administration (in Pittsburgh, PA) and the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General led the multi-agency investigation that included members of the Drug Enforcement Administration (in Los Angeles, CA; in Tucson, AZ; in New York, NY; in Nashville, TN; at the Special Operations Division; and in Mexico); the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General; the Los Angeles Police Department; the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police; the Allegheny County Police Department; the New Castle Police Department; the Monessen Police Department; and the Pennsylvania State Police. Allegheny County District Attorneys Office. Zappala said investigators learned from the FBI that Clark and Suggs Jr. have lengthy criminal records related to drug charges and have been linked to major drug trafficking operations originating in countries such as Colombia and Mexico. Sgt. She added that she feels 70 warrants issued in one day is an impressive amount for a small county. Police said some individuals are still being sought and an updated list will follow. An indictment is an accusation. Fax:412-644-4549, Johnstown:814-533-4547 A 26th person, Keith Redman, was also charged with one count of possessing a firearm and ammunition. Western Pennsylvania's trusted news source. 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. 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. The team executed arrest warrants for Clark and Suggs Jr. with help from the Pennsylvania State Police and police departments in North Versailles and Swissvale. CLICK HERE to find out how. SHARE. "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. 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. Police arrested. "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. ", "Today the DEA District Office in Pittsburgh, the United States Postal Services Office of Inspector General, and our other law enforcement counterparts dismantled an international cocaine drug trafficking organization that operated in Los Angeles, Tucson, and Mexico," said Jonathan A. Wilson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administrations (DEA) Philadelphia Field Division. These drugs then ended up on the streets of Pittsburgh. 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. Fifteen properties are subject to seizure under laws which require drug traffickers to forfeit property. "This is one of the largest drug busts, if not the largest, in the history of the city of Wilkes-Barre." The early morning police raid at four locations in Wilkes-Barre netted what cops. The Indictment charges the following individuals with conspiring to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, in the Western District of Pennsylvania and elsewhere, from in and around October 2018, and continuing until in and around June 2020: The Indictment additionally charges Defendant Trent with possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, and with unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon, in Western District of Pennsylvania, on or about March 4, 2020. This month the DEA made the biggest meth bust in American history: 2200 pounds of meth, nearly 900 pounds of cocaine, and 13 pounds of heroin. "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. Vernon said she couldn't anticipate when the remaining individuals would be apprehended. Kressmore J. Watson, 33, of Los Angeles, CA. All told, the amount of cocaine seized had a street value of $2 million. All the people indicted are from Philadelphia or New Jersey except one man from Florida. Those arrested were transported to the Fayette County Prison by the Fayette County Sheriff's office. Operation Tripwire started 2 years ago after the postal service found cocaine hidden in a package. Source/Pennsylvania Attorney General A grand jury investigation uncovered evidence of a meth ring that distributed drugs from Philadelphia to towns in Blair County, Pennsylvania, authorities said. Statistics and Facts About Binge Eating Disorder, Almond Mom Yolanda Hadid Fuels Diet Culture. U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Pennsylvania, 27 Members of International Cocaine Conspiracy That Trafficked Hundreds, Acting United States Attorney Rivetti Announces Implementation of New Voluntary Self-Disclosure Policy, Contract Employee Pleads Guilty in Scheme to Steal Vehicles from Pittsburgh Airports Hertz Car Rental and Transport Them to Nearby States, Duquesne Man Pleads Guilty to Escaping from Reentry Center. 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Brady said law enforcement has been going zone by zone and neighborhood by neighborhood to take out street gangs, drug rings and violent offenders. The DEA is thankful for its partnerships across Western Pennsylvania. 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. He has been denied bail and held in the Allegheny County Jail with a preliminary hearing set before Magisterial District Judge Scott H. Schricker on Mar. The operation involved around 80 investigators from nine . 11, according to the release and court records. PITTSBURGH, PA - Twenty-seven members of an international drug organization were indicted by a federal grand jury for trafficking significant quantities of cocaine from Mexico into the United States, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today. Attorney General James Busts Two Major Drug Trafficking Rings in Central New York 78 Individuals Indicted for Trafficking Cocaine, Heroin, and Fentanyl Throughout NYS; Illegal Possession of Firearms, Including Untraceable Ghost Guns AG James Has Taken More Than 1,400 Guns Off NYS's Streets Since 2019 the largest drug seizures in United States history," U.S. Attorney for the . Kenneth Showman, Aaron Jeffries, Frank Whipkey, Randy Cartwright, Jason Stasko, Barry Brooks, Theodore Turney, Dustin Banazak, Clarence Nicholson, Dawn Lilley, Maurice Sledge, William Fitzgerald, Jody Yauger, Carla Witherspoon, Gary W. Jordan, Preston Anthony Hill, Myron Maurice Moore, Danny Neil Jr., Joseph A. Brow. 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. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Also attending were Marino, Preate and officials representing the Philadelphia police, the district attorney, the New Jersey state police, the DEA and the U.S. Attorneys Office. Taken into custody in North Braddock Monday were Jermaine Clark. Montgomery District Attorney Michael D. Marino said some of the drug ring members used a vacant house on Visitation Road in Evansburg State Park. queensland figure skating. $500 million Pacific Ocean drug bust 105 ton marijuana drug bust 12 ton Coast Guard drug bust 13.8 . All Rights Reserved. williams legato iii headphone jack size 1; pergo heritage hickory 1; Attorney General . U.S. Attorney Scott Brady said drug trafficking is not a non-violent crime. 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. According to Trooper Brian Burden, state police at Uniontown information officer, the warrants were issued for those involved in the sale of cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, marijuana or prescription medications. It was used to buy drugs and relocate and protect witnesses. The two groups joined forces, and a lab in Union County was discovered and seized just as people were making a chemical used in the speed manufacturing process. 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. "We work every day to stop those who bring dangerous drugs and guns into our neighborhoods. At least 29 people were arrested in a roundup that started at 6 a.m. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than ten years to a maximum of life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000, or both, as to each charged Defendant. She described the indictments as the largest methamphetamine bust in state history. On the other side of the state is Pittsburgh, the Steel City known in the past for its tough, blue-collar workforce. The HIDTA designation of our largest counties enhances our ability to identify and . It. "By taking down an entire multistate organization at once, the impact on our region is felt immediately," Brady said. Police began tracking chemicals used in making speed, and wiretaps were approved with the assistance of state Attorney General Ernie Preate. Lock PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - More than two dozen people have been indicted for their alleged links to an international drug ring in Pittsburgh. As a result of a one-year investigation into violations of the Controlled Substance, Drug Device and Cosmetic Act, Prostitution and various other offenses, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Fayette County Drug Task Force and the Fayette County Sheriff's office were attempting to serve warrants Tuesday on approximately 70 individuals in the Fayette County area. 2023 Trib Total Media | All Rights Reserved. . 60 nabbed in massive drug bust By SANDRA K. REABUCK Apr 23, 2008 In one of Cambria County's largest drug investigations, which culminated Wednesday, authorities have arrested about 60. Published June 22, 2021 4:25 a.m. PDT Share TORONTO - Twenty people are facing rafts of charges each and more than $61 million worth of cocaine, crystal meth and marijuana was seized in what. |, Guard alligator El Chompo protected drugs for Pennsylvania dealers, prosecutors say. Dozens arrested, heroin seized in major Pa. drug bust. The brothers' father, Jamie Lightfoot Sr., participated in the ring from federal prison, Brady said. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. Reach her at 412-380-8519, [email protected] or via Twitter @meganguzaTrib. Facebook. 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. Investigators say they believe that, since at least 2017, the drug ring involving Clark and Suggs Jr. has brought hundreds of kilograms of cocaine worth tens of millions of dollars from the city of Philadelphia into Western Pennsylvania neighborhoods. Our marketing agency in Pittsburgh is ready to help right now! A second mate and a crew member have been arrested in the massive bust. Those considered mid-level dealers in Fayette County deal up to $10,000 in drugs. December 09, 2021 at 4:42 pm EST NOW PLAYING ABOVE 16 people in 5 states, including people in Pittsburgh, charged in massive DEA drug bust PITTSBURGH A federal drug investigation lasted. For overdose and related medical emergencies please dial 911. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. Federal investigators continue to search for Todd Moses, 33, of Decatur, Ga. Moses, formerly of Donora, is one of 39 individuals indicted in a cocaine-trafficking ring Tuesday, April 24, 2018. 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