April 4, 2023. Lock Count 42 charges a defendant with managing or controlling a residence for storing controlled substances. Though illegal substances brought in by that type of courier represent just a fraction of the overall drugs crossing into the U.S., those apprehensions in fiscal year 2018 were more balanced between U.S. citizens and non-citizens at 467 vs. 386, respectively, Customs and Border Protection data shows. The charges against Reye and Ornelas arise out of the seizure of approximately 17.80 pounds (8.10 kilograms) by the Hatch Police Department near Hatch, N.M., on April 20, 2017. Ortiz-Campos was arrested this morning in El Paso. "This was not something he was regularly involved in," Cantu said of Mendoza, who pleaded guilty to a drug smuggling charge in March. In New Mexico, fentanyl and methamphetamine overtook heroin and prescription opioids as the top cause. . Petro's decriminalization approach comes as Biden has been increasingly criticized by Republicans for being weak on border security and stopping the flow of fentanyl from Mexican cartels who also traffic in Colombian cocaine. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Data from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The statutory penalty for a conviction on the charges in the complaint is imprisonment for not less than ten years nor more than life and a $10 million fine. The drugs were concealed in a vehicle driven by 23-year-old U.S. citizen traveling from Mexico. According to a re Jesus A. Flores, 39, a legal permanent resident of Anthony, N.M., is charged in Counts 1, 38 and 43 of the indictment. Jose Nolberto Bernal was one of 10 people arrested last week for allegedly distributing controlled substances, according to a Nov. 2 U.S. Department of Justice news release. The September bust led to one person facing federal charges. Last week, a federal magistrate allowed Sanchez-Pedraza and Portillo to be freed on $50,000 bonds, court records show. WASHINGTON Colombian President Gustavo Petro declared during his inaugural address last August that the time has come for a new approach in the international war on drugs, which he argued has failed and failed resoundingly.. After fleeing, Verduzco-Ramirez left his nephew, Jimenez-Verduzco, in charge of the rings day-to-day operations but is still believed to be controlling operations from Mexico, prosecutors wrote in a motion to keep Jimenez-Verduzco in custody. The bust happened at a residence on Coolidge Avenue in Columbus on Thursday after about a month-long investigation. Jorge Marquez was sentenced to over 27 years in prison. Ask Amy: My fiancee's family says I'm not invited, and she's going without me, Ask Amy: I put a security camera in my room, and what I saw was creepy, The dad whose wife and child were among 5 killed by a neighbor in Texas describes how the massacre unfolded, 'Total dominance': Steph Curry breaks NBA Game 7 record, leads Warriors over Kings, Dear Abby: The reason her fiance hid his phone was something she never guessed, Mortgage fees to rise for buyers with high credit scores, fall for those with lower scores, Kurtenbach: Steph Curry built the Warriors dynasty. It was enough fentanyl to have killed thousands of people, according to Wray. The U.S. Attorneys Office said both amounts would be the largest seizures of either drug in the U.S. in both 2020 or 2021. "As cross-border travel shifted to essential travel only, criminal organizations shifted their operations as well," the agency said in a recent statement. ), Lakers vs. Warriors: What scouts expect in playoff series, Decades of failures leave L.A. County facing up to $3 billion in sex abuse claims, L.A. Affairs: I had my reasons for not dating white men. Counts 16, 19, 26, 34, 37, 38, 40 and 44 charge certain defendants with possession with intent to distribute more than a kilogram of heroin. Last August, authorities observed Jimenez-Verduzco place a duffle bag in Sanchez-Pedrazas car. Grants Police investigation ends with major drug bust - KRQE Learn more about the New Mexico HOPE Initiative at http://www.HopeInitiativeNM.org. Soto was arrested this morning in Las Cruces. Brittney Griner says shell only play overseas again if its the Olympics Gutierrez was arrested this morning in Belen. Prescription Drug Overdose in New Mexico (2022-Q1), Prescription Drug Overdose in New Mexico (2021-Q4), Prescription Drug Overdose in New Mexico (2021-Q3), Prescription Drug Overdose in New Mexico (2021-Q2), Prescription Drug Overdose in New Mexico (2021-Q1), Prescription Drug Overdose in New Mexico (2020-Q4), Prescription Drug Overdose in New Mexico (2020-Q3), Prescription Drug Overdose in New Mexico (2020-Q2). Monroy was arrested this morning in Chaparral. Friday, May 7, 2021. "It is one thing to spray a plant and some human beings who are economically weak, and another thing is to pursue the drug trafficking business community, which is done through intelligence work, tracing their assets and their money, and which is done through intersection," he said. The overt acts describe the expansive sweep of the DTOs drug distribution operation and the significant quantities of drugs involved. AMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) - Three people have been arrested after a traffic stop in New Mexico led agents to a drug bust in Amarillo. US-Mexico border drug busts: Increasing number of Americans being The statutory penalty for a conviction on this count is imprisonment for not less than ten years nor more than life and a $10 million fine. $54 million drug bust tied to Mexican cartel uncovered in FL, GA - WTSP Bahe was arrested this morning in Las Cruces. Apprehension numbers for U.S. and Mexican citizens caught driving drugs over the border in recent years also were not as far apart as this year 1,693 vs. 793 in 2018 and 2,694 vs. 1,218 in 2019, respectively. Albuquerque, New Mexico 87103, Telephone: (505) 346-7274 Edgar Dominguez-Cuellar, 30, of Sunland Park, N.M., is charged in Counts 1, 7-10 and 12-13 of the indictment. He told authorities he acted as a middle man and would take the cash from the drug deals in New Mexico back to Arizona, the complaint says. FBI: Recent Albuquerque fentanyl bust was largest ever Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. Carmona was arrested this morning in Arlington, Tex. The maximum penalty for a conviction on this count is imprisonment for not less than five years or more than 40 years and a $5 million fine. Why is Frank McCourt really pushing it? We need more vessels, more boats, more drones.". Dulce Viridiana Rodriguez, 21, of Albuquerque, N.M., is charged in Counts 1 and 38 of the indictment. Alfonso Rios, 36, of Santa Rosa, N.M., is charged in Counts 1 and 11 of the indictment. And so they get caught up with somebody that knows somebody from a Mexican organization, and they offer the money to get involved into this type of activity.". ROSWELL, N.M. (KRQE) - Crime in New Mexico continues to be a growing problem. The criminal complaint charges Maria Isabel Reyes, 37, and Roberta Guillermina Ornelas, 38, both of Horizon City, Tex., with conspiracy and possession of more than a pound of heroin with intent to distribute. U.S. authorities have not yet said what the estimated street value is of the 6,266 packages of meth and fentanyl discovered Thursday. Prescription Drug Overdose in New Mexico (2022-Q4), Prescription Drug Overdose in New Mexico (2022-Q3), Prescription Drug Overdose in New Mexico (2022-Q2). The maximum penalty on conviction is up to 20 years in prison. The HOPE Initiative is comprised of five components: (1) prevention and education; (2) treatment; (3) law enforcement; (4) reentry; and (5) strategic planning. Authorities said Ingram had served time in the Arizona Department of Corrections on prior drug-related charges. Tom Homan says number of illegal border crossings is unprecedented', White House insists border is closed despite massive migrant surge. For example, the overt acts allege that the DTOs drug trafficking and money laundering activities extended to Kentucky, where law enforcement officers seized $15,300 in drug proceeds from a courier who was transporting the money to New Mexico in April 2016; Oklahoma, where law enforcement officers seized 4.44 kilograms of methamphetamine from a courier in June 2016; and New Mexico, where law enforcement officers seized six kilograms of heroin from couriers at a U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint in October 2016. The meth, and an accompanying 127 pounds of fentanyl powder that U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers discovered Aug. 5, had an estimated street value of more than $12.9 million, according to officials. U.S. citizens had been apprehended about 2,400 times by late March for drug smuggling during inspections of vehicles crossing those checkpoints. A landmark truth commission report found the war on drugs prolonged thecountry's decadeslong civil war. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS The New Mexico Substance Use Epidemiology Profile is a tool for substance abuse prevention planners at the state, county, and community level. The investigation, which was designated as part of the Justice Departments Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program, targeted a DTO allegedly led by Luis Angel Briseo-Lopez, 30, a Mexican national believed to reside in Juarez, Mexico, and who has yet to be arrested. Alberto Terrazas-Ignacio, 24, of Albuquerque, N.M., is charged in Counts 1, 2, 6, 15-18, 20-28, 32-33 and 44 of the indictment. A DEA Task Force executed warrants at five locations in Albuquerque, including the residences of Seibel, Pettit, and Dockery. Deaths from synthetic opioids (primarily fentanyl) have been on the rise across the nation in recent years. Have a question about Government Services? ALBUQUERQUE Twenty-eight individuals are facing drug trafficking and money laundering charges as the result of a federal investigation targeting a Mexican drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for importing large quantities of heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine from Mexico, and distributing the drugs in New Mexico, Texas, Kansas, Kentucky and Illinois. Ryan Rodriguezs girlfriend, Bridget Archuleta, is alleged to have participated in drug sales with Rodriguez. , Photos: Sky News 13 flies over Good Friday pilgrimages, PHOTOS: Storm moves through New Mexico leaving snow, Snow causes difficult driving conditions across NM, Map: New Mexico Veterans Monuments and Memorials, 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, 13 Broadcast Pl SW, Albuquerque, NM, 87104, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Albuquerque, New Mexico 87103, Telephone: (505) 346-7274 In announcing the charges, Acting U.S. Attorney Tierney said, This investigation and its resulting prosecutions are about taking control of our streets. Fax (505) 346-7296. In court documents, a unnamed source says hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills are moved up from Mexico before being distributed to several gangs around Albuquerque before being sold within several shady hotels around Albuquerque. The federal attorneys allege this system provides a steady stream of fentanyl and methamphetamine in New Mexico.. Francisco Luna-Rosales, 50, a legal permanent resident who resides in Albuquerque, N.M., is charged in Counts 1, 27, 29, 38 and 40-42 of the indictment. They pulled the car over on Hayward Avenue in Santa Clara and found more than 40 pounds of methamphetamine, according to the criminal complaint against both men. In Dockerys residence, law enforcement located approximately 3,838.3 gross grams of fentanyl and 924.2 gross grams of methamphetamine allegedly belonging to the Seibel DTO. In doing that, I will continue to pledge every resource available from the Doa Ana County Sheriffs Department towards that goal., The Las Cruces Police Department is proud of the working relationship we have with other local and federal law enforcement agencies, said Chief Jaime Montoya of the Las Cruces Police Department. Jose Mendoza Counts 1, 2, 9, 10, 11 and 12. Substance Use - nmhealth.org News. Yatziri Barboza was one. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. At least 34 suspects arrested that day face drug trafficking charges in either federal or state District Court, Apodaca said (see list on page A4). On June 9, a federal grand jury indicted Seibel and Pettit on one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, two counts of distribution of 50 grams and more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine, two counts of distribution of 500 grams and more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine, and four counts of distribution of 40 grams and more of fentanyl. ST. LOUIS - The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) busted a large-scale, multi-state drug trafficking ring and 11 people from St. Louis have been arrested for their role. Mexico arrests drug cartel leader expelled by US - Al Jazeera In August, federal authorities made what they then called likely the largest meth bust in U.S. history, finding more than 5,528 pounds of the drug inside a big rig that crossed from Mexico at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry. Attorneys Peter Eicker and Matthew Nelson are prosecuting the case as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force program, a nationwide Department of Justice program that combines the resources and unique expertise of federal agencies, along with their local counterparts, in a coordinated effort to disrupt and dismantle major drug trafficking organizations. Leader of Mexico's United Cartels and Others Charged in South Florida The multi-agency investigation revealed that the DTO allegedly imported large quantities of heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine from Mexico into the United States; distributed the drugs in several states; and transported drug proceeds back to Mexico. The initiative known as "Plan Colombia" focusedon the eradication of coca, strengthening Colombia's security apparatus and solving aninternal conflict where more than 200,000 peopledied. KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. 500 pounds of meth; 11 St. Louisians arrested in massive drug - FOX 2 Juan R. Gutierrez, 30, of Belen, N.M., is charged in Counts 1, 2 and 18-20 of the indictment. Attorneys Selesia L. Winston and Sarah M. Davenport of the U.S. Attorneys Las Cruces Branch Office are prosecuting the cases as part of the OCDETF Program and the New Mexico Heroin and Opioid Prevention and Education (HOPE) Initiative. Lucero was arrested on March 10, 2017, and remains in federal custody pending trial. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Box 607 (7News) ALEXANDRIA, Va. (7News) On Wednesday federal and local . He was arrested in October 2008 in a shoot-out with Mexican authorities at his Tijuana home. He added: "I requested a little more help in that regard. In 2021, the Latin American country produced 972 tons of cocaine that are exported mostly to the United States, the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy reported last July. A locked padlock An indictment is only an accusation. Law enforcement officials and drug trafficking experts say the border rules put in place in April 2020 to curb the spread of the coronavirus and their lopsided enforcement are driving the rise in U.S. citizens involved in borderland drug busts. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. His battles with the church arent over, How Palm Springs ran out Black and Latino families to build a fantasy for rich, white people, 17 SoCal hiking trails that are blooming with wildflowers (but probably not for long! Carlos Martin Quintana-Arias, a Mexican resident, was arrested Thursday after 17,584 pounds of meth and 389 pounds of fentanyl were seized. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS He denied knowing which Mexican criminal organization recruited Mendoza, who had been working in construction. City News Service contributed to this report. Wendy won SPJs Sol Price Award for Responsible Journalism in 2012 for her coverage of corruption at the Sweetwater schools, and she won the Grand Golden Watchdog Award from the San Diego County Taxpayers Association in 2017. And at least 12 gang-related homicides have resulted in federal murder charges. In many cases, drug couriers in the U.S. are recruited for one-off assignments to drive a shipment across the border in exchange for a lump sum payment based on how much product they are transporting, experts say. Crime and Public Safety | According to court papers filed by federal prosecutors, authorities had been pursuing the drug ring since 2018, but a prior investigation was thwarted. A 2021 study by the Center for U.S.-Mexico . California legislative effort to curtail trafficking fentanyl through social media stalls Charged are Raul Jimenez-Verduzco, who authorities claim took over the drug ring after its leader fled to Mexico, Jose Banuelos-Garcia, Manuel Sanchez-Pedraza and Edgar Portillo. Market data provided by Factset. Feds arrest hundreds, seize drugs in Operation Washout Roswell Indictment in United States v. Luis Angel Briseo-Lopez, et al., 17-CR-1032-RB. Quintana-Arias was arraigned in San Diego federal court on Friday on two counts of importation of a controlled substance. Crime and Public Safety | ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. John Seibel, 25, Robert Pettit, 51, and Barbara Dockery, 64, all of Albuquerque, appeared in federal court today for their parts in a drug trafficking organization run by Seibel (the Seibel DTO). Feel free to contact us or use our A to Z page to find an alphabetical list of pages and services available on this site. Joshua Jande Carmona, 23 of El Paso, Tex., is charged in Counts 1-3, 5-8, 10-11, 14, 29-31 and 34-35 of the indictment. AMARILLO, Texas (KAMR/KCIT) - After a case involving undercover investigation, surveillance, cross-country travel, and the Amarillo Police Department SWAT . Bridget Archuleta Counts 1, 4, 11 and 12. Vanessa Reyes, 26, of El Paso, Tex., is charged in Counts 1-2 and 29-31 of the indictment. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! His detention hearing is set for Friday. Count 1 charges all six defendants with conspiracy to distribute cocaine base. Hours of operation and contact information are provided below. Rep. Andy Biggs R-Ariz., joins 'Fox Report' to discuss the Biden administration's response to the crisis at the southern border: 'they are so out of touch', TEXAS GOV. Manuel German Ibarra, 32, of Albuquerque, N.M., is charged in Counts 1, 2, 22 and 31 of the indictment. Arellano Felix was extradited from Mexico in August 2012 to face US charges. The Caribbean coast state of Quintana Roo said drug gang leader Hector Flores Aceves, known by his nickname "Pantera," or the Panther, was involved in the killings. U.S. Attorney's Office, District of New Mexico, Federal Domestic Violence Statutes and Elements for Prosecution, Members of Albuquerque drug trafficking organization charged with possessing, trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl, Artistas Asesinos Cartel leader sentenced to 27 years for drug trafficking, Federal jury convicts Albuquerque man of drug trafficking offenses and federal firearm violation, Mexican drug trafficker sentenced to 14 years in federal prison. Feds seize 650 pounds of meth in Bay Area, four indicted on Mexican traffickers, however, have long recruited Americans for the job. Carlos Martin Quintana-Arias, a Mexican resident, was arrested Thursday after 17,584 pounds of meth and 389 pounds of fentanyl were seized. Statistics published earlier this year show that New Mexicos 2020 fentanyl-related death rate was seven times higher than it was in 2016. A full body orgasm at the L.A. Phil? This time, investigators tailed suspected drug dealers and pulled them over when they were believed to have methamphetamine in their cars. 7 Apr. Theyre looking for whatever methods they can come across to most safely and efficiently move drugs across the border.". He refused to let it end in Game 7, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Criminal Complaint in United States v. Reyes, et al., 17-MJ-1042-SMV. In March, the 24-year-old from Houston was arrested after an X-ray and further inspection at a port of entry in Laredo, Texas, uncovered nearly 127 pounds of liquid methamphetamine concealed in the gas tank of the SUV she was driving, court documents said. Prescription Drug Overdose in New Mexico (2021-Q4) [+] - Prescription Drug Overdose in New Mexico (2021-Q3) [+] - Prescription Drug . Reducing drug use does not require wars, Petro told world leaders at the United Nations in September. Further, that Ryan Rodriguez acted as a mid-level cocaine distributor, receiving supplies of cocaine from Jose and Natalie Mendoza, converting it to crack cocaine, and distributing it to customers, including an undercover agent posing as a lower-level drug trafficker. Authorities estimate the street value of the drugs to be $360,000. The charges against Lucero arise out of the seizure of approximately 24.4 pounds (11 kilograms) of heroin and 2.45 pounds (1.1 kilogram) of cocaine by the U.S. Border Patrol on March 10, 2017, during an inspection at the U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint on Interstate 25 north of Las Cruces, N.M. Gonzalo Dominguez-Cuellar, 24, of Sunland Park, N.M., was arrested this morning and will be charged by criminal complaint with participating in the drug trafficking and money laundering conspiracies charged in the indictment. It needs us all to build a better society, a more supportive, more affectionate society.. Terrazas-Ignacio was arrested this morning in Las Cruces. It is the duty and responsibility of the community to watch-out for each other.. Witnesses offer conflicting accounts, Mars Voltas lead singer broke with Scientology and reunited with the band. We rely on each other to help keep our communities safe from those who defy our laws., Through partnerships within our federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, those communities and families affected by criminal activity can rest assured, that at the end of the day, we are all here to Serve and Protect. The maximum penalty for a conviction on this count is imprisonment for 20 years and a $500,000 fine. Fentanyl and meth are cheaper and more widely available as street drugs, interviews with law enforcement and Department of Health Officials reveal. Flores was arrested this morning in Anthony. It noted its increasingly seized drugs trafficked by U.S. citizens and by commercial trucks during the pandemic. , This entire investigation is a perfect example of an interdiction that continued into a perfectly executed investigation through a unified effort., The HOPE Initiative was launched in January 2015 by the UNM Health Sciences Center and the U.S. Attorneys Office in response to the national opioid epidemic, which has had a disproportionately devastating impact on New Mexico. The Sheriff's Office says a U.S. Counts 6 and 29 charge certain defendants with possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of a mixture and a substance containing methamphetamine. Twenty-three of the 28 defendants are charged in a 44-count indictment, three are charged in two separate criminal complaints, and two will be charged in criminal complaints being filed today. Nationwide warrant issued for Glouster man believed involved in drug ring. Cantu estimates the number of cases he's handled of U.S. citizens facing drug smuggling charges has doubled since 2019. A locked padlock We are proud to partner with these other fine law enforcement agencies as we work together to protect our citizens and our future from the selfish criminals that look to profit by exploiting our neighborhoods and our children, said, Jeffrey D. Self, Chief Patrol Agent, El Paso Sector. Count 1 of the Indictment charges 23 defendants with participating in a conspiracy to distribute heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine. Eloy Romero was convicted on one count each of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams and more of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute 40 grams and more of Cruz Lopez-Acevedo was sentenced to 14 years in prison. A $300-million (minimum) gondola to Dodger Stadium? For some time weve known the damage methamphetamine trafficking has caused to our communities, and we are now seeing the devastation caused by counterfeit fentanyl pills, which sadly includes overdose deaths, said Acting U.S. Attorney Fred J. Federici. Customs and Border Protection says narcotics seizures along the U.S.-Mexico border have increased slightly in the 2021 fiscal year, while the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has said Mexican traffickers' ability to move drugs into the country had stayed "largely intact.". An official website of the United States government. Then something changed, Virginia Gov. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., staged a news conference at theU.S.-Mexico border in February and charged that Biden's border policies have alloweddeadly drugs like fentanyl to enter the country illegally. Homeland Security Investigators. Federal court documents reveal that the fentanyl recently seized by the FBI likely comes from the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico. Since 2016, fentanyl abuse has been a primary driver of overdose deaths across the nation. Working in partnership with the DEA, the Bernalillo County Opioid Accountability Initiative, Healing Addiction in our Community (HAC), the Albuquerque Public Schools and other community stakeholders, HOPEs principal goals are to protect our communities from the dangers associated with heroin and opioid painkillers and reducing the number of opioid-related deaths in New Mexico.