Kevin Durant moped. Posted: Feb 19, 2020 / 06:11 PM . DENVER (KDVR) Police have announced a significant drug bust in Denver that turned up more than 200 pounds of drugs, including meth, cocaine, heroin, crack and thousands of fentanyl pills. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. And then in conjunction with what I was saying earlier, too, they could establish their warehouse right next to the hundreds of legitimate ones that are spread throughout the city. Could you talk some about that? "Without a doubt, our law enforcement here today have saved the lives of Coloradans," Weis said. Acting DEA Administrator Timothy Shea announced the bust at a press conference Wednesday. Kiszla: One-hit wonders? Colorado communities and families have suffered greatly from the opioid epidemicand that impact is getting worse during this pandemic. You could try to do it inside, but that requires huge amounts of electricity and then you have to deal with the huge amount of waste that comes with harvesting cannabis. So the idea of being a small "mom and pop" operation and starting from humble roots pardon the pun is just not feasible in many places. two thirds of Americans favor recreational pot and around 80% favor medical marijuana. 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. Associated Press articles: Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. If youre thinking of altering your workout routine, youre probably looking for new exercises and equipment to help you reach your fitness goals. 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? 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. . 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Vallejo-Gallo is a Mexican national in the country unlawfully, who has been charged with operating a continuing criminal enterprise which is also known as a drug kingpin charge. 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. Drug Enforcement Administration agents seized more than 2,200 pounds of methamphetamine earlier this month . He was in the Denver County jail as of Friday night. Right. Tell me a little bit about how you became acquainted with the story that's presented in "The Syndicate." 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. With a big bust like this one, there are almost always an array of charges involved. 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. December 30, 2020. 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. So, the law enforcement side, that's easier to answer. 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. by: Deborah Takahara. I had to make a lot of decisions about what was a fair way to portray certain situations. Some of the people discussed working with people in Mexico to source the purchases, according to the indictment. So, in Denver, there are over 600 cannabis cultivation facilities. 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. It can be up to 50 times more potent than heroin and up to 100 times more potent than morphine, according to DDPHE. That includes carrying naloxone with you. 23 hit with "Numbers" in 2020. You'd have to be continually hiding that from, you know, even like your local garbage collector. So what this group did is they all registered as caregivers and then pooled all their pot together. Keeler: Chris Paul got dirty. This really gets to why many of these group members originated in Minnesota and came to Colorado, which had a legal market. The Adams County SWAT team went into. 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. 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. September 3, 2021 / 3:46 PM The indictment does not mention the cartel, though it said Beltran received a call from a Mexican phone number and discussed drug dealing with the caller. The influx of fake prescription opioids is growing and deadly concern for this office and law enforcement community as a whole. 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. Officialssays 30 people were indicted including the so-called drug kingpin who ran the operation. Officials say Candelaria Vallejo-Gallo is from Mexico and was in the country illegally. You still need to make sure that consumers can find weed in conveniently available locations. DENVER Sixty-four people have been charged in Colorado for their alleged involvement in what officials called an international trafficking and money laundering ring that dealt with fentanyl, methamphetamine, heroin and firearms, according to law enforcement officials. Cannabis is a big business and there's a lot of consumer demand for it, so the competition for a limited number of licenses is really stiff. The state of Colorado expanded the program in 2008 and quickly registered so many caregivers that the state couldn't really monitor what each and every one of them was going. Then if you only had the perspective of the drug smuggling group, it would be skewed in another direction. CBS4's Karen Morfitt spoke to Marion Rorke, Substance Use Coordinator for DDPHE, in February about the program that launched in September 2021. 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. (CBS4) - The U.S. Department of Justice says a drug strike force dismantled a major drug dealing operation which was working in Denver and Aurora. Please enter valid email address to continue. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. And it was just shocking the size and scale of this black market operation. Using that statistic, Colorado law enforcement estimated the 110,000 pills they seized couldve contained more than 46,000 lethal pills. This press conference made a splash. "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. Investigators said they used confidential informants, undercover agents, surveillance and phone taps to trace the movements of those involved and the drugs they were moving across state lines and around the Denver metro. Had these pills reached the streets, thousands of unwitting end users would have been at significant risk of overdose and death. What I hope you take away from the indictment today of 19 people who were peddling poison in our community is that one pill alone can kill, 18th Judicial District Attorney John Kellner said, noting law enforcement likely saved thousands of lives by confiscating the pills. Polls show that two thirds of Americans favor recreational pot and around 80% favor medical marijuana. Agents identified Beltran as the leader of the group. 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 . Police said Wednesday they had seized nearly $11.6 million in cash, proceeds of crime and assets . 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. It's not as simple as walking down to the county clerk and getting a permit. It's an FDA-approved medicine to rapidly reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. Between 2019 and 2020, the number of overdose deaths in Colorado involving fentanyl more than doubled, from 222 to 540. 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 . In Denver alone, there were 350 drug overdose deaths between Jan. 1, 2020, and Nov. 30, said Deanne Reuter, special agent in charge with the DEA, at the news conference. The Denver Police Department will continue to arrest those who prey on those who suffer from addiction, Chief Paul M. Pazen said in a news release. ------------------------------------------. Candelaria Vallejo-Gallo, who lives in Aurora, was charged as a federal drug kingpin. The investigation began in late 2018. This impressive collaboration between law enforcement agencies is a true success story for making our entire community safer.. Example video title will go here for this video. 2020 / 07:49 PM MDT. Greed is a traffickers main motivation. Moreover, it would answer this main question in my mind, "If Colorado had a seemingly thriving legal market, why would you take risks to set up this massive black market operation?". Was that a fear of yours? I mean, I do some editorializing at the end of this show. Why First Republic failed. Police say on December 9, 2020, the Nova Scotia RCMP Federal Serious and . If convicted of being a kingpin, Vallejo-Gallo faces at least 20 years and potentially life in prison. First published on September 3, 2021 / 3:46 PM. At that time, there were 32 court cases that came out of this, and the state of Colorado wanted to make sure that it could successfully prosecute each of those cases without additional media coverage marring their legal cases. 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. In the past 20 years. The show covers some pretty dramatic SWAT raids that happened when the group was busted. And they [the members of "The Syndicate"] were also taking advantage of an antiquated law in Colorado called the caregiving program. of cocaine, 5 lbs. COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (CBS4)- Police in Colorado Springs made a big drug bust in Fountain thanks to the help of K9 officer Sugar. / CBS Colorado. The massive bust was a collaboration between Carroll County, New Hampshire and Maine. The drug ring was in operation as early as July 2015. I approached the Colorado Department of Law. If there is a huge markup, the vast majority of buyers are still going to turn to the black market because they're just like, "No, I'm not willing to pay twice as much to get weed from a dispensary.". Between 2016 and 2020, the number of fentanyl deaths has increased tenfold. Four of those charges related to a drug felony in a public park. By Shelly Bradbury. Mills was arrested at the Race Street location. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. In October 2014, SWAT team officers and DEA agents kicked down the doors of 32 people around Denver, all members of a massive marijuana-smuggling ring. The investigation first started in March 2019 after a tip from law enforcement in Las Vegas, Reuter said. US to lift most federal COVID-19 vaccine mandates, Aurora golf course using scooters as golf carts, Judge blocks Missouri rule that would limit transgender, Denver Public Schools releases draft safety plan, Boulder gets funds to improve school street safety, Mom gets $2 million in jail death of disabled son, Stepmothers web searches revealed in murder trial, BestReviews.com - Top gifts to make everyone happy this spring, Surprise your mom with one of these Mothers Day, Mothers Day inspo: This foot massager has 20,000, Drew Barrymores Walmart collection is perfect for, Best Mothers Day gifts for the budding plant mom, Best Mothers Day Gifts for moms obsessed with books, Set of quadruplets set to graduate from MSU together, Polis rolls out plan to curb property taxes, 4 arrested after shooting outside Southlands Mall, Denver restaurant closes after 50 years in business, When to water: A guide to Colorado lawn, garden health, Report: Students drew swastikas after Holocaust presentation, Denver weather: Storm chance every day this week, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, 1.7 pounds of fentanyl tablets approximately 8,000 to 10,000 pills. 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 charge rarely sought, federal authorities announced Wednesday afternoon. The DEA began its investigation in April 2021. He confessed to police everything he knew about Nguyen's operation, overturning the largest pot smuggling drug ring in Colorado since legalization. DENVER (CBS4)- Denver public health officials are warning residents about a recent increase in deadly overdoses, specifically those linked to fentanyl, and a quickly changing drug supply. 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. 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. 1,143 grams of cocaine 2,931 grams of synthetic cannabis 1 litre of Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) $60,010 cash Eight people have been charged and more than a quarter million dollars in drugs and cash. At a news conference on Wednesday, the District Attorney's Office for the 18th Judicial District announced the grand jury indictments of 19 people in connection with a drug-distribution ring crossing several counties -- including Arapahoe, Douglas, Denver and Jefferson counties. Colorado law enforcement officials on Wednesday announced the indictment by the 18th Judicial District grand jury of 19 people on 20 felonies in connection to the multi-state drug trafficking ring. / CBS Colorado. The following criteria must be met to charge someone as a kingpin, according to Dunn: "It's a very rare occurrence, a very serious occurrence and not a charge we take lightly," said Dunn. Most, if not all of the fentanyl pills were disguised to look like prescription oxycodone. 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. In 2018, an average of nine Coloradans a month died of illicit fentanyl overdose. Please enter valid email address to continue. "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. The Denver DEAs Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Strike Force led the investigation in partnership with Arvada police. Every single person was different,so those conversations were always interesting for me to test out. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Tweet. 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. Peel saw 191 fatal drug overdoses in 2021 -- up from. Copyright 2023 Salon.com, LLC. Then approaching alleged members of this group was a whole other path that I had to go down. Four others are in Mexico and one is at large in the U.S. All rights reserved. If you want to plan the perfect spring picnic, food and drink are important, but its certainly not the only factor to consider. Fentanyl alone drove the increase in opioid deaths in 2020, according to the Colorado Health Institute. Eight of the 19 people indicted in the trafficking ring remained at large Wednesday, officials said. February 19, 2020 / 10:59 PM Detectives with the Gore Range Narcotics Interdiction Team made the bust Tuesday. Has Denver seen its last snow of the season? 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. Malik Beasley. Those in custody are being held on a $500,000 bond or greater. Thats why addressing this crisis is a top priority for our office, Weiser said in a statement. Provisional data from 2021 indicates that fentanyl is present in nearly 50% of all accidental drug-related deaths in Denver, according to the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment. RELATED: Big Denver Drug Bust: Dealer Allegedly Had Nearly 10,000 Fentanyl Pills, 179 Pounds Of Meth. "I cannot overstate how dangerous that was to the community," Dunn said. I spent considerable time trying to get in touch with each and every person. You can find more resources about fentanyl at www.denvergov.org. Updated: Feb 19, 2020 / 06:11 PM MST. The Aurora Police Department assisted in the seizure on Amherst Circle. But even if you were to do that, then this is returning the conversation again to states like California and, to some extent, 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. 11 people now facing charges after months-long investigation involving police in Winnipeg, B.C. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. What are some of the policy issues that you're hoping people maybe do consider if they're listening to "The Syndicate"? Reproduction of material from any Salon pages without written permission is strictly prohibited. The unforgiving cycle of methamphetamine and opioid addiction is causing catastrophic damage to American families. Are other banks to follow? PHOTO BY QUINCY SNOWDON/Sentinel Colorado. So, let's start from the standpoint of someone trying to start a large, illegal marijuana grow. Denver residents can also get that medicine, along with fentanyl test strips, sent to them for free from the city.

Uses Of Nanoparticles Bbc Bitesize, Patty Quillin Biography, Chris Salcedo Podcast, Main Function In Python Geeksforgeeks, Articles D