But that's not to say that there isn't also a thriving black market in states that have legalized weed. He confessed to police everything he knew about Nguyen's operation, overturning the largest pot smuggling drug ring in Colorado since legalization. The investigation began in late 2018. You need some of those more cinematic elements to just kind of coax your audience into some of the more intellectual questions that arise from these types of stories. 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. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This spring, Le Creuset has introduced an exciting new shade thats already selling fast: shallot, a soft lavender with pink and slight gray undertones. You can listen to the first three episodes hereor listen in the player below. Legalizing weed nationally is just not going to solve the problem overnight. Drug Ring Busted: DEA Says Group Was Dealing 2 Pounds Of Heroin Each Week In Denver Investigators say the group was dealing over two pounds (one kilogram) of heroin every week in Denver. With a big bust like this one, there are almost always an array of charges involved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. DPS says it has plenty of mental health professionals after school board directive to add more, Wyoming won't give wolves to Colorado; CPW doesn't know where it will get them, Isolated storms Tuesday; 70s here to stay. Requests spiked to 1,200 after investigators said fentanyl likely caused the deaths of five people in Commerce City. I think it is an argument for taking cannabis off the schedule of drugs, or at least getting it out of Schedule I drug classification at the federal level. Officials says 30 people were indicted. "The larger criminal enterprise used Denver and Aurora as a base of operations for distribution throughout the state and elsewhere throughout the United States," Phillips said. (CBC) In a news release, Toronto police describe a. But even if you were to do that, then this is returning the conversation again to states like California and, to some extent, Colorado. September 3, 2021 / 3:46 PM Law enforcement identified the shop as Supreme Auto Body which was not. First and foremost is we don't want people to die preventable deaths. So there are well-established markets in both states that have legal cannabis and in states that don't. Acting DEA Administrator Timothy Shea announced the bust at a press conference Wednesday. First published on February 19, 2020 / 10:59 PM. WESTMINSTER, Colo. (CBS4) - The North Metro Drug Task Force arrested two men for allegedly selling drugs from a home after receiving more than 100 complaints. The unforgiving cycle of methamphetamine and opioid addiction is causing catastrophic damage to American families. Then there is state involvement as well. Woman charged as federal 'kingpin' in major metro Denver-wide drug bust by: . Drug overdose deaths have increased 30% nationwide. Kiszla: Avs embarrass themselves with silence about Valeri Nichushkin's mysterious absence following reported 9-1-1 call. In the past 20 years. The answer is probably no. In Denver, the Denver Department of Health reported "the percentage change in drug-related deaths for the six months of January-June from 2019 to 2020 was 83%, with fentanyl-related overdose deaths experiencing a 354% increase in those same timeframes." It's official: Jamal Murray, Nuggets are in Phoenix's heads now. Example video title will go here for this video. Then on the law enforcement side, it's like, "Oh, well, this is absolutely justified because these people are so dangerous.". You were living in Colorado when the major drug bust happened, right? Agents identified Beltran as the leader of the group. I cannot overstate how dangerous that was to the community. Four others are in Mexico and one is at large in the U.S. Three people have been charged following a major bust at two residences in West Nipissing in which police seized illegal drugs with a street value of more than $8 million. 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. Most, if not all of the fentanyl pills were disguised to look like prescription oxycodone. However, the drug ring's alleged leader -- Rivera-Beltran -- is being held in Arapahoe County on a $1M cash-only bond. Along with the drugs, law enforcement officials seized 28 guns, rifle-rated ballistic vests, 100-round drum magazines, armor-piercing ammunition and three hand grenades from the houses. RCMP arrest 14 people, seize 'significant quantity of drugs, firearms and cash' in major drug trafficking bust. Those in custody are being held on a $500,000 bond or greater. Pretty much every other reporter in Denver had moved on from the story. / CBS Colorado. Drug Enforcement Administration agents seized more than 2,200 pounds of methamphetamine earlier this month . Please enter valid email address to continue. You can find more resources about fentanyl at www.denvergov.org. If youre thinking of altering your workout routine, youre probably looking for new exercises and equipment to help you reach your fitness goals. Four suspects are in Mexico and one is at large in the U.S., according to federal authorities. There's a lot of considerations that need to be carefully weighed to make sure we can slowly chip away at the black market. 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Syndicate had made 12 million dollars in 4 years, and 32 people involved were indicted. 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. of methamphetamine, 4 lbs. Defendants face charges including racketeering, distribution of controlled substances and money laundering. In addition to the drugs and weapons that were recovered, the investigation also dug up an alleged money laundering operating that sent money back and forth to Mexico from Adams County, Colorado Springs and the Denver area. What did it look like when you were trying to gain access to some of these people? So they got plenty of attention at the time, there was a big press conference at the Colorado Attorney General's office, and every outlet in Denver and many around the country, as well, covered this story. Here's an example. He was in the Denver County jail as of Friday night. On Tuesday, the Center Police Department shared an update on the bust. Posted: Feb 19, 2020 / 06:11 PM . This has happened in Canada, for instance, where there are jurisdictions with just no pot shops, so everyone in that jurisdiction who wants to buy weed has to get it from a black market dealer, right? In 2021, the monthly average is 64 or two a day. 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. Mills was arrested at the Race Street location. 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.. We're seeing multimillion dollar bidding wars for the limited licenses that come up in the new markets. Photo by Tony Caldwell / Postmedia . It sounds like a movie. SUGGESTED VIDEOS | Local stories from 9NEWS. Officialssays 30 people were indicted including the so-called drug kingpin who ran the operation. Andrew Cogliano out for Game 7 with fractured neck after Jordan Eberle's hit leaves Avalanche miffed at lack of suspension, Denver airport makes Food & Wine's list of top 10 U.S. airports with best restaurants, Celebration of life for Alexa Bartell, killed by rock thrown through windshield, draws hundreds to Arvada church, Skier killed in avalanche near Breckenridge, With Andrew Cogliano out for rest of Stanley Cup Playoffs, Kraken's Jordan Eberle discusses hit that fractured Cogliano's neck, Colorado lawmakers "belly flop" on water crisis, opting for further study of Colorado River over action, experts say, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. 2020 / 07:49 PM MDT. Had these pills reached the streets, thousands of unwitting end users would have been at significant risk of overdose and death. It was a collection of all these college friends and their family members that came from Minnesota to Colorado to hide undercover in the legal market. Four of those charges related to a drug felony in a public park. But once that happened, I was able to see a lot of evidence that existed around this case that I knew existed, but was sealed to me before which included about 100 hours of recorded interrogation tape with 20 tapes. Has Denver seen its last snow of the season? This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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. If youre thinking of altering your workout routine, youre probably looking for new exercises and equipment to help you reach your fitness goals. 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. So what this group did is they all registered as caregivers and then pooled all their pot together. So in many states, including Colorado where this story is based, they've actually handed down a lot of control over the cannabis industry to local municipalities and cities. ", RELATED: Fentanyl-laced tablets linked to 8 overdoses in Northern Colorado. The Adams County SWAT team went into. While conducting a series of arrests across Denver and Aurora Feb. 12 . Are other banks to follow? If you want to plan the perfect spring picnic, food and drink are important, but its certainly not the only factor to consider. After the indictment announcement, authorities said two others were arrested in connection to the drug trafficking ring. October 9, 2022 at 11:49 a.m. Colorado communities and families have suffered greatly from the opioid epidemicand that impact is getting worse during this pandemic. "This investigation is not about the amount of drugs seized or number of people arrested," said Olesky. Under the caregiving program, they could grow up to 500 plants. Ontario Provincial Police unveiled details of the investigation and a display of the evidence seized during operation DAYTONA in Ottawa Thursday Jan 30, 2020. Reproduction of material from any Salon pages without written permission is strictly prohibited. More than $60,000 in cocaine seized from Edwards mobile home, Fentanyl-laced tablets linked to 8 overdoses in Northern Colorado, Activity must be a felony under federal drug laws, Activity must take place as a continuing series of violation, Must undertake the activity with five or more people, Defendant must as a supervisor or organizer or manager of the criminal enterprise, Must obtain substantial income or financial gain. Kiszla: One-hit wonders? Drug Enforcement Administration Denver Field Division, Photos from the DEA show thousands of fentanyl pills and several pounds of meth seized in the dismantling of a drug trafficking organization, Colorado law enforcement officials announce arrest of 64 in international drug trafficking ring, Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. Elise Schmelzer is the public safety reporter at The Denver Post and covers policing, crime and criminal justice. CBS4's Karen Morfitt spoke to Marion Rorke, Substance Use Coordinator for DDPHE, in February about the program that launched in September 2021. This is a part of the story that is told very differently depending on who you talk to. IRS Special Agent in Charge Amanda Prestegard said, Its crucially important to include a financial component in investigation of drug related crime. "With 28 firearms seized, multiple hand grenades, high-capacity magazines and several sets of body armor, this organization was preparing for battle," Olesky said during Wednesday's news conference. There are decisions and various powers given to authorities to award licenses depending on what the municipality's comfort level with how many pot shops they'll allow and how many grow facilities they will allow. One person also faces federal firearms charges. 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. I think there's this misconception that in an era of increased marijuana legalization that there's less "need" for a black market, or that smuggling is on the decline but what is the reality of the situation? I mean, it was the largest pot bust in Colorado since the state had legalized recreational weed in 2012. On the drug smuggler side, it was a horrific experience, having a SWAT team bust through your windows and explode flash bangs in your home and terrorize your family. The 2020 rate of 25 deaths per 100,000 people is 39% higher than the rate recorded in 2019 and triple the rate from 2000. Authorities say there is no immediate threat to their safety. Authorities and public health institutions point to the proliferation of illicit fentanyl an extremely potent synthetic opioid often disguised as prescription pills as a major contributor to the increased deaths in Colorado. 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The indictment comes as drug overdose death rates in Colorado have risen to a horrific high. 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. Tweet. They figured out pretty much every person who was involved in it for a span of four years. 23 hit with "Numbers" in 2020. Forty-two percent of illicit fentanyl pills tested by the DEA nationwide contained at least 2 mg of fentanyl, considered a potentially lethal dose. Law enforcement would certainly tell this story one way. I mean, California is experiencing problems on that front because weed is so heavily taxed there that many people are still choosing to use their street dealer rather than buying it a dispensary. In 2015, Joe was caught with $374,000, a gun, and 66 pounds of marijuana. Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Dean Phillips said the technique aims to increase profits and prevent users from knowing the lethal consequences of their narcotics. This organization was preparing for a battle, Olesky said. New episodes of "The Syndicate" debut every Tuesday. They also found four firearms, two of them stolen. Mills has gone before a judge and bond was set. 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. Drug kingpins dont always touch the drugs but they do always touch the money.. Project Corredor began in Autumn 2019, Belanger said, and culminated when search warrants were carried out beginning in early 2020. by: Deborah Takahara. April 28, 2020 / 11:48 AM / CBS Colorado COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (CBS4) - Police in Colorado Springs made a big drug bust in Fountain thanks to the help of K9 officer Sugar. 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. Every single person was different,so those conversations were always interesting for me to test out. Of the 30 defendants indicted, 24 have been arrested and one is in state custody on a separate charge. In 2018, an average of nine Coloradans a month died of illicit fentanyl overdose. The reason for that is that one personally actually went on the lam and it took until 2019 to locate him in North Carolina and prompt extradite him back to Colorado. And it was just shocking the size and scale of this black market operation. 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. That included nearly 35 pounds of meth, nearly 10 pounds of heroin, cocaine and fentanyl. / CBS Colorado. ------------------------------------------. Arthur Mills, 59, was arrested on Thursday, according to the Denver Police Department. "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. 35 people were arrested earlier this week after a drug distribution investigation between police departments and officials . Then approaching alleged members of this group was a whole other path that I had to go down. 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. You know, how can I work with this individual to get their story out there in a respectful, but also truthful way, to make sure that I wasn't getting spun as well? Between 2016 and 2020, the number of fentanyl deaths has increased tenfold. 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?". More Videos 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. When it started, they had about ten requests for supplies a month. I spent considerable time trying to get in touch with each and every person. DENVER (KDVR) Law enforcement announced Wednesday the results of a very significant operation that resulted in the arrest and charging of more than two dozen members of a major Mexican drug trafficking operation based in Denver. Of the 30 indicted,24 were arrested and one is in state custody on a separate charge. So, I had to wait until April 2019 for all the court cases to be concluded. Some of the people discussed working with people in Mexico to source the purchases, according to the indictment. A Boogie wit da Hoodie's mug shot. The massive bust was a collaboration between Carroll County, New Hampshire and Maine. So I approached the state and say, "Hey, I can tell you spent a lot of resources and time on this investigation, and I want to help you spotlight the work that you did, and also find out what this says about the black market.". In total, investigators and law enforcement recovered 77,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills that contained varying amounts of fentanyl. It can be up to 50 times more potent than heroin and up to 100 times more potent than morphine, according to DDPHE. Fentanyl alone drove the increase in opioid deaths in 2020, according to the Colorado Health Institute. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Why First Republic failed. Aurora Woman Who Was 'Kingpin' Of Drug Running Operation Sentenced To Prison. Keeler: Chris Paul got dirty. First published on March 11, 2022 / 2:51 PM. It was a fairly impressive investigation. 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. DENVER (CBS4) - The Drug Enforcement Administration announced a "major investigation" involving the seizure of 110,000 fentanyl-laced pills in the Denver metro area. If you're doing that in a state like Minnesota, you have a couple options. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. 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. 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. DeAngelo was booked on 23 charges related to drugs, violating bond and unlawful possession of a weapon. Right, so in 2015 when this group was busted, or at least a grand jury indictment was handed down,I was working as a staff writer for the second largest newspaper in Denver, which is actually an alternative weekly. They had paperwork that was official and signed by the state of Colorado. For me as a journalist that specializes in narrative stories, I feel like some of those details are necessary if you're really going to delve into a lot of policy angles and bigger picture questions about the law and justice in the United States. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. 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