googletag.cmd.push(function() { Jose Mendoza Counts 1, 2, 9, 10, 11 and 12. Cruz Lopez-Acevedo was sentenced to 14 years in prison. Upon examination, the deputy discovered seven duffle bags filled with marijuana, registering a street value of more than $1 million. U.S. Customs and Border Protection's San Diego field office announced this week that the total amount of narcotics seized at Southern . Further inspection revealed that among "a few automotive" parts were 6,266 packages of drugs, officials said. Gonzales said the dealers arrested were mostly longtime Espaola Valley residents. Michael Guzman. He said the family organization mainly trafficked cocaine, and transported it throughout New Mexico and into places like Denver. At a press conference in Las Cruces, N.M. on Friday announcing the bust, Doa Ana County Sheriff Enrique Kiki Vigil essentially echoed Attorney General Jeff Sessions mantra on how to deal with criminal enterprises involving illegal immigrants. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has seized approximately one million pills laced with fentanyl allegedly linked to the Sinaloa Cartel in what authorities say is the biggest bust for . According to a story by news station KRQE, Cibola County Sheriff Tony Mace said authorities were investigating a string of armed robberies in the area; the traffic stop and resulting seizure resulted because deputies were on high alert.. Ryan Rodriguez allegedly acted as a mid-level cocaine distributor. All rights reserved. Marshal Service, Operation Washout is a national initiative focused on the investigation and arrest of violent fugitives with active arrest warrants, by providing an immediate-impact operational model meant to support partner agencies and provide communities with relief from violent crime. Our region is a rich environment that can be exploited by criminals, said Chief Gloria Chavez of the El Paso Sector. (CNSNews.com) - President Biden on Wednesday evening hit back at Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) for blaming his administration for two fentanyl deaths that occurred before he took office. New Mexico Bookings. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. Jose Mendoza, 32, and Natalie Mendoza, 35, of Medanales, New Mexico, Ryan Rodriguez, 27, of Chamita, New Mexico, Andrea Rodriguez, 28, and Edvardo Carlson, 39, of Espanola, New Mexico, and Bridget Archuleta, 31, of San Juan Pueblo, New Mexico appeared in federal court today for arraignment on an indictment charging them with various drug trafficking offenses involving crack cocaine (cocaine base) in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico from Oct. 2, 2019, to Feb. 25, 2020. The . Main Office:
An official website of the United States government. googletag.pubads().enableSingleRequest(); Please visit www.cbp.gov to view additional news releases and other information pertaining to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. A locked padlock An indictment is only an accusation. Mace didnt identify the suspect but said the $1 million in marijuana will be destroyed. Police also seized 24 firearms, $102,000 in cash and three. The female driver was identified as Shauna Madrid, 36, from Roswell, New Mexico. An indictment is only an accusation. , Memorial, memes honor ABQs fallen Iron Man statue, Whats happening around New Mexico Feb. 24 Mar. An official website of the United States government. Between August 2020 and May 2021, agents and officers recovered over 120 pounds of narcotics, over $335,000 in cash, and two guns, as well as drug paraphernalia. The methamphetamine was hidden in a shipment of cleaning supplies being imported from Mexico. Authorities confiscated weapons, drugs, and money in the raids. Click Share This Page button to display social media links. Six people have been arrested by ICE on various drug trafficking charges involving crack cocaine. of cocaine found in wheels of traveler's wheelchair at airport Inside the home they found 33 grams of heroin, 35 grams of fentanyl and 18 grams of methadone along with smaller amounts of PCP, meth and marijuana. Carlos Martin Quintana-Arias, of Mexico, was driving a 2009 Kenworth Tractor pulling a 1996 Stoug trailer when he applied for entry into the U.S. at the Otay Mesa, California, Commercial Port of Entry on Thursday night, authorities said. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. During that bust, they located financial ledgers that allege the Atlanta man received over. kidnapping, false imprisonment and six counts of aggravated battery against a household member in the brutal beating of his wife. ROSWELL, N.M. (KRQE) - Crime in New Mexico continues to be a growing problem. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. "We are not talking about people that simply possess. El Diario de Juarez reports that there have been 25 murders, including three people killed this past Wednesday and Thursday. Seventeen people were arrested apart of the same drug ring on a 66-count indictment. Marshals Office, DEA, and local law enforcement agencies made 100 arrests in a week. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. And having a restricted supply increases the money that sellers can demand in exchange for the goods. The meth was concealed in the roof of a tractor-trailer carrying imported fresh onions from Mexico. 2. He allegedly received supplies of cocaine from Jose and Natalie Mendoza, converted it to crack cocaine, and distributed it by the ounce to customers, including an undercover agent posing as a lower level drug trafficker. Manage the news you want to see, read exclusive content and explore other subscriber benefits. Counts 2, 5, 7, 9, and 11 charge certain defendants with use of a telephone to facilitate a drug trafficking offense. He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in English in 1998. Police responded to the Mountain Run Shopping Center after Chavezs battered wife ran inside the Smiths grocery to hide from him. New Mexico State Police say they found more than a dozen guns some of them stolen thousands in cash, a fair amount of fentanyl and a Los Lunas Police badge when they raided the home of 35-year-old Army veteran Claudio Chavez on Jan. 30. . window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []}; Legal Statement. Here are five of the biggest U.S.-Mexico border drug busts this year. (Google Maps). googletag.defineSlot('/21776187881/fw-responsive-main_content-slot3', [[728, 90], [468, 60], [320, 50], [300, 100]], 'div-gpt-ad-1665767553440-0').defineSizeMapping(gptSizeMaps.banner1).addService(googletag.pubads()); of cocaine found in wheels of traveler's wheelchair at airport Legal. Weve seen numerous violent crimes such as aggravated batteries, murders, robberies, all associated with the drug problem. Drug bust operation north Georgia These are the mugshots for most of the suspects in a major drug bust in north Georgia. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. The CBP confirmed that the drug seizures were the largest busts in the U.S. for both meth and fentanyl for this year and last year, prosecutors said. googletag.pubads().collapseEmptyDivs(); Traffic stop leads to drug . All rights reserved. Friday, federal and local law enforcement announced the results of an operation in southeast New Mexico that. A drug bust in the International District last week turned up much more than dope. There were nearly 94,000 US drug overdose deaths in 2020, during Trump's final full year in office, of which nearly 58,000 were linked to synthetic opioids such as fentanyl up from nearly . If Joe can't repay that $50,000, he gets beat up and never sold to again. Carlos Martin Quintana-Arias, of Mexico, was driving a 2009 Kenworth Tractor pulling a 1996 Stoug trailer when he applied for entry into the U.S. at the Otay Mesa, California, Commercial Port of Entry on Thursday night, authorities said. In addition, decreasing the supply of illegal drugs functions primarily to increase the cost that consumers pay which with illegal drugs means that one of the prices they pay is in increased health risk by having a heavily diluted and unsafe drug supply. New Mexico and ABQ News, Sports, Business and more, By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Mexican law enforcement officials made four major drug busts in recent days which yielded over 120,000 lbs. While the truckers manifest indicated the trailer held automotive body parts, an X-Ray machine detected anomalies that required further inspection, authorities said. February 16, 2023. Federal agents arrested them Feb. 27 Thursday with assistance from state and local law enforcement. They targeted violent criminals and drug organizations in Roswell. Several interstate highways connect Juarez to Albuquerque, the states largest city and a key distribution point for the heroin that pollutes much of the Land of Enchantment. of narcotics that have an estimated street value of approximately $5 billion. Counts 2, 5, 7, 9 and 11 charge certain defendants with use of a telephone to facilitate a drug trafficking offense. It sounds like a lot but thats just a drop in the bucket, as far as the amount of narcotics that are moving across our state, Mace said in the KRQE article. 5. He is looking forward to the 5,000 additional Border Patrol agents pledged by President Trump in one of his first executive orders. The busts netted some 64 kilograms of methamphetamine, 30 kilograms of heroin, 20 kilograms of marijuana and 17 kilograms of cocaine. ALAMOGORDO, N.M. In separate incidents over the weekend, U.S. Border Patrol Agents arrested a wanted aggravated felon and a narcotics smuggler. Your email is safe with us, we dont spam. (Photos: Hall County Sheriff's Office) (Photos: Hall County Sheriff's Office) Theyre asking anyone who knows where he is, to call the police. A detention hearing was scheduled for Tuesday. And the worst thing about prohibition is that USA tax payers pays to kill its own citizens and to create crime while they make drug lords extraordinarily wealthy and increases the corruption of politicians and law enforcement in Mexico and the USA. In an effort to keep CBP.gov current, the archive contains content from a previous administration or is otherwise outdated. U.S. Customs and Border Protection made a record-breaking seizure of fentanyl and methamphetamine on Thursday, busting a Mexican citizen who was trying to haul the drugs into to the U.S. inside a. All rights reserved. 'EL CHAPO' GUZMAN'S FEARED SUCCESSOR CAPTURED OUTSIDE MEXICO CITY. U.S. Attorney's Office, District of New Mexico, Federal Domestic Violence Statutes and Elements for Prosecution, Six defendants charged in conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine in Northern New Mexico, Mexican drug trafficker sentenced to 14 years in federal prison, Columbus man sentenced for drug trafficking, Albuquerque man charged in drug, firearms investigation, Six Defendants Charged In Conspiracy To Distribute Crack Cocaine In Northern New Mexico. Largest Database of New Mexico Mugshots. "This is a staggering seizure that demonstrates the extent of our current fight against mass production of methamphetamine and fentanyl," acting U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman said, thanking all the agencies involved in the bust. Bryan Llenas reports on the attorney general's efforts on 'Special Reports'. 1. googletag.pubads().collapseEmptyDivs(); Count 12 charges certain defendants with possession with intent to distribute 280 grams or more of cocaine base. Anytime we get a bust like that, were ecstatic were able to keep those narcotics from getting into other communities, Mace said. So far this year, there have been about 250 people murdered in the city. New Mexico Supreme Court: Juveniles who plead can appeal Ruling stems from the case of Christopher Rodriguez, who was sentenced as an adult to 14 years in prison for his role in the Universal Hydrogens test plane takes flight. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. (KY3/Gray News) - A teenager in Missouri was charged with murder for a deadly high-speed crash that killed a 9-year-old boy in July 2022. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Jose Mendoza, 32, and Natalie Mendoza, 35, of Medanales, New Mexico, Ryan Rodriguez, 27, of Chamita, New Mexico, Andrea Rodriguez, 28, and Edvardo Carlson, 39, of Espanola, New Mexico, and Bridget Archuleta, 31, of San Juan Pueblo, New Mexico appeared in federal court today for arraignment on an indictment charging them with various drug trafficking offenses involving . Vigil said he is encouraged by the tone of the Trump administration, which has vowed support and funding to further these operations. Legal Statement. This was not the only huge meth seizure in the region. According to court records, Jose Mendoza and Natalie Mendoza also laundered proceeds from their drug trafficking by making large cash payments on auto loans and large cash deposits into accounts at credit unions. For a $50,000 . The Mexican Navy conducted the first drug bust on August 16 in Sinaloa, Mexico, which is home to the Sinaloa drug cartel the largest and most powerful drug trafficking organization in the world. Gun safe storage bill inches closer to governor's desk Republicans express concern over high-profile measure Republicans express concern over high-profile measure during Fridays two-hour debate. Sign up for the New Mexico Sun Newsletter, Juniper Basin Recreation Area will offer 'beautiful landscapes' for future bike park. Today's takedown marks the latest major drug bust in the OAG's Suburban and Upstate Response to the Growing Epidemic (S.U.R.G.E.) Still, Mace said, anything over two ounces will be a misdemeanor and possessing over eight ounces is considered a felony. The defendants allegedly communicated extensively by telephone and text message about their drug trafficking business. Count 1 charges all six defendants with conspiracy to distribute cocaine base. October 2019, along with our law enforcement partners we initiated an investigation into a drug trafficking organization operating here in Roswell; They were trafficking very large amounts of methamphetamine, said Kyle Williamson, Special Agent in charge of the DEA, El Paso Division. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Authorities discovered the underground drug lab in a mountainous area where they seized a staggering 50 tons of methamphetamine, which has an estimated street value of approximately $4 billion. Drug bust uncovers enough fentanyl to kill 800K people Nearly 30 charged in drug trafficking ring operating in Pa. counties 28 lbs. }); googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.defineSlot('/21776187881/FW_Super_Leaderboard', [[300, 50], [970, 90], [300, 100], [728, 90]], 'div-gpt-ad-1668097889433-0').defineSizeMapping(gptSizeMaps.banner2).addService(googletag.pubads()); Manuel Varela. googletag.enableServices(); $37M in meth discovered in fresh tomato shipment. Officials believe the drugs were brought into the U.S. from nearby Ciudad Juarez, which is across the border from El Paso. U.S. Customs and Border Protection welcomes assistance from the community. It really gives off a strong odor.. 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. prosecutions against drug dealers in Southeastern New Mexico and the Espaola Valley. We made over 100 arrests this week also seized 17 firearms and also seized about 6,000 grams of narcotics including heroin, meth, and marijuana, Sonya K. Chavez, Special Agent in charge for the U.S. Investigators believe a Mexican drug cartel is behind a major illegal drug operation in Tulare . She said the drug problem contributes to other crime in the area. Subjects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The drugs found included 8,810 pounds of fentanyl and 13,216 pounds of heroin. The cartels are very ingrained in New Mexico communities with cells and stash houses. Espaola Valley. Hogrefe said the investigation that led to the drug bust was conducted as part of the New Mexico High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area initiative, a DEA-led operation designed to uproot narcotics operations throughout the state. googletag.pubads().collapseEmptyDivs(); The drugs found included 8,810 pounds of fentanyl and 13,216 pounds of heroin. Constantly updated. Per page 1; 2; 3 > Michael Guzman. Edvardo Carlson is charged in Counts 1, 6, 7, and 8. The 2nd Judicial District Attorney dismissed the case in January 2017, declaring it to be in the interests of justice.. BOSTON - A Weymouth man has been sentenced for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy that distributed prodigious amounts of cocaine from Puerto Rico, which he and a co-conspirator obtained via the U.S. mail. This may be the biggest meth bust in American history . The men and women of the U.S. Border Patrol are vigilant to safeguard our nations borders from individuals attempting to illegally cross into the United States. The Mexican Navy conducted the first drug bust on August 16 in Sinaloa, Mexico, which is home to the . A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Agents from Southwest Border Group 2 began investigating a large scale . U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between official ports of entry. 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 More than 50 drug dealers and distributors in different parts of the state were rounded up as part of two federal investigations, U.S. Attorney Kenneth J. Gonzales said Thursday. 0:51. He said as part of the operation, 15 people were arrested on federal drug charges and 14 others were arrested on state drug charges. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Aug 4, 2021. Dona Ana. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. The woman told police Chavez bound her inside his van and told her to write a suicide note which she refused to do before choking her to unconsciousness repeatedly and bashing her head against the concrete. Some of the drugs were headed to the US, Gallo said Sunday. Official websites use .gov Carlos Martin Quintana-Arias, of Mexico, was driving a 2009 Kenworth Tractor pulling a 1996 Stoug trailer when he applied for entry into the U.S. at the Otay Mesa, California, Commercial Port of Entry at around 8:20 p.m., the U.S. Attorneys Office of the Southern District of California said in a news release.