That led authorities to a house in Lawrenceville, Georgia, where they seized $2 million worth of heroin as well as methamphetamines, a stockpile of cash, and an AK-47. This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Escambia deputies, Pensacola SWAT partner in huge Christmas drug bust, Escambia County has 63% of fentanyl deaths in 4-county area in 2021, deaths increased 48%. Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons told the News Journal that the local area experiences an opioid-related overdose on an almost daily basis. As a result, some of the biggest drug busts in history have discovered billions of dollars worth of illicit substances. Escambia County EMS crews responded to 1,095 overdose calls in 2021. Pensacon headlines your 5 Things to do this Weekend! They had 9.3 grams of marijuana, 1.6 grams of cocaine, 3.2 grams of Oxycodone pills, 3.5 grams of MDMA pills that test positive for methamphetamine and 2.3 grams of Tramadol pills. In other news: ECSO deputy cleared of use of deadly force in fatal shooting on West La Rua Street. Posted: Sep 21, 2022 / 02:46 PM EDT. Andre Earl Johns, 22, was arrested and charged with possession of a weapon on school property; trespassing on school . For overdose and related medical emergencies please dial 911. The arrests were made in early morning sweeps in New Jersey, New York and Florida by more than 400 officers. Gun crime:Escambia County had 25 homicides already in 2022. Our ranking methodology is quite simple. Thats what Ill tell you.. One of the biggest drug busts ever in Atlanta happened in 2012, and it remains one of the largest in U.S. history. Law enforcement officials said today that they had arrested 61 members of a cocaine ring that illegally imported and distributed more than 2,400 kilograms of the drug a year, with a street value of more than $720 million. There are at least 13 U.S. cities that are used as distribution hubs by the Mexican drug cartels. Many are first-time or casual users. This investigation began because of a series of violent crimes that we had earlier this year, Simmons said. Another 2018 haul is one of the biggest drug busts in U.S. history. The sheriff also wanted this investigation to serve as "a Christmas gift" for the citizens of Escambia by ridding the streets of lethal drugs and weapons. The bust, containing Mexican Cartel produced fentanyl, enough to kill "every man, woman, and child in the state of Florida 11 times over." The congresswoman said. August 29th, 2021 11:25 am, Michal Payton on It has been called Dr. Seuss Day because of this. Chinese nationals aren't allowed to transfer their wealth outside of China, so they are willing to pay Mexican drug cartels a premium for the cartels' US dollar cash holdings in exchange for RMB payments in China. Drug smuggling isnt a very wholesome father and son activity, but here we are. Drug trafficking is probably the most lucrative illegal money maker, which the richest drug dealers of all time can attest to. Escambia County had 25 homicides already in 2022. However, the majority of Vos assets that were seizedby law enforcement came from a Pensacola property on Klondyke Road. All Rights Reserved. Nhan Thanh Vo, 38, was charged with one. "Consistent with previous years, the Sinaloa Cartel maintains the widest national influence, with its most dominant positions along the West Coast, in the Midwest, and in the Northeast. Read More. October 20th, 2020 8:00 am, Go Army!!! That's enough to conceivably kill every person in Escambia County, Santa Rosa County, Okaloosa County and Walton County. New Orleans Resident Pleads Guilty to Drug Conspiracy. Kingpins can make billions when their drugs hit the street, but the authorities do their best to prevent that from happening. WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - Authorities say a two-year undercover investigation resulted in 85 arrests, the seizure of over $12.8 million worth of drugs, and the dismantling of an international drug trafficking organization whose ringleaders operated out of Winter Haven. Then, authorities discovered how the suspect got all those drugs via a 600-foot tunnel that crossed the border to Mexico. Here's the latest bracketology predictions. August 26th, 2021 6:14 pm, J.Larry Seale on This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The SWAT team. The narcotics were intercepted and retrieved in international seas along the coastlines of Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean Sea. Forget talking about just drug dealers, Pablo Escobar is one of the richest criminals who ever lived. Rep. Michelle Salzman Calls For Resignation Of School Superintendent Tim Smith, Two Women Charged With Working Together On Multiple Retail Thefts, Catholic Church Plans New Community Center On Highway 29 In Cantonment, ECSO Investigating Reported Abduction Of Teen Girl In Bratt; She Was Found Unharmed, Located: Woman Wanted For Questioning In Deadly Escambia Pit Bull Attack, 11 Arrested In Internet Child Predator Sting, Atmore Man Charged With Reckless Murder Of His 2-Year Old Child, Cantonment Man Charged With Assault With A Deadly Weapon, All Star High School Soccer Game Is Wednesday Night, Tall Job: Crews Paint Walnut Hill Water Tower, DAVID FRANKLIN on In 1991, police officers seized 59 boxes containing 1080 pounds of Heroin, with a street value ranging from $2.7 billion to $4 billion. "The DEA reports that 2 milligrams of fentanyl are lethal," Simmons said at the press conference. The cocaine ring was centered on a small bar, the Sandshaker, on the island town of Pensacola Beach.[2][3]. We have no idea what the Mexican drug cartels do with all that RMB and how they smuggle all that cash out of China. "That means we had enough lethal fentanyl to kill 800,000 people. $500 million Pacific Ocean drug bust 105 ton marijuana drug bust 12 ton Coast Guard drug bust 13.8 . Acting on a tip, authorities searched a house and discovered nearly 18,000 pounds of wrapped cocaine estimated to be worth $1 billion. North Platte Woman Sentenced for Drug Trafficking Crime. Police discovered more than 300 pounds of drugs worth $1 million during a traffic stop in southwestern Arizona. Crazy if you do it, but apparently its a thing now.. ", 2021 fentanyl statistics:Escambia County has 63% of fentanyl deaths in 4-county area in 2021, deaths increased 48%. Operation Sandshaker was a three-year investigation, between 2000 and 2003 in Pensacola, Florida that resulted in the arrest of more than thirty residents, many of them respected individuals within the community. Along with serving five warrants, here are the sheriff's "totals for the week" in seizures from the five homes: "I will tell you this: We are committed to stopping these people who are ruining our neighborhoods," Simmons said. :, Hunter who killed pet dogs believed they were coyotes, These four House Republicans broke with the GOP to, Pensacola International Airport Travelcast Live Camera, No. Press Release A month of surveillance and a coordinated law enforcement effort produced one of the biggest drug busts weve ever seen. This may be the biggest meth bust in American. Mexican drug cartels also convert wealthy Chinese nationals' Renminbi (RMB) to US dollars at a lower rate than the prevailing market rate. So, while a 1984 raid in Colombia (with the help of the DEA) seizing 13.8 metric tons of cocaine worth $1.2 billion represents one of the biggest drug busts in U.S. history, that was just a good month for Escobars clan. Click to skip ahead and see the list of top 5 cities that are crowded by Mexican drug cartels . Bidding for the Sandshaker Lounge, Package Store and Sandwich Shop was conducted on online auction site Bid4Assets and bidding started at $295,000. If you use a windshield cover, you can at least forget about scrapping the ice off your windshield to save some time and hassle. A cocaine/heroin/fentanyl mixture weighed in at 189.5 grams. They were pretty much aone-stop shop for high-quality marijuana, Simmons said. Gulf Cartel is the only Mexican cartel that uses Detroit as a major hub. The Sandshaker Lounge, Package Store and Sandwich Shop, located at 731 Pensacola Beach Boulevard, Pensacola Beach, Florida, consists of two small bars and lounge area totaling approximately 1,978 square feet (183.8m2). Authorities seized 46 pounds of pot and $300,000 in cash in 2014 during a big bust in the smallest state in America. Jalisco New Generation Cartel is the only Mexican cartel that uses New York City as a major hub. October 21st, 2020 12:57 pm, Bonnie on 360 WEST RUBY STREET | TAVARES, FLORIDA 32778 | 352. Police in Florida issued arrest warrants for over members of a suspected drug gang on Wednesday and seized enough fentanyl to wipe out a large county. 3,000 Kg Heroin Worth Rs 21,000 Crore Seized In . The cocaine ring was centered on a small bar, the Sandshaker, on the island town of Pensacola . https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Operation_Sandshaker&oldid=1098279589, This page was last edited on 15 July 2022, at 03:00. October 20th, 2020 10:15 am, Allan Mitchell on October 20th, 2020 10:47 am, Paul on A brother-sister duo, a quiet suburb, and a false attic wall hiding $24 million in cash made trafficking. "I just want to say merry Christmas to Escambia County residents, certainly those that live in this area, and I want to say how proud I am of our narcotics unit and our partners here locally," Simmons said while concluding the press conference. Pensacola State Police scored the biggest drug bust in college history April 20, according to Chief Hank Shirah, netting $4,548 in U.S. currency and 500 grams of hydroponic marijuana with a street value of $10,000. Juarez Cartel is the only Mexican cartel that uses Oklahoma City as a major hub. One of the biggest drug busts Alabamas ever seen featured a father and his 15-year old son towing 115 pounds of crystal meth worth $3 million through Baldwin County. Well, a 2011 raid in San Diego originated the idea. August 27th, 2021 5:44 pm, Money bags on This isnt a comprehensive list of the biggest drug busts, but it gives you an idea of how much money is at stake. A drug bust in Florida led to the seizure of enough fentanyl to kill at least 500,000 people, according to the Brevard County Sheriff's Office. One happened in Harlingen in southeast Texas in 1989. Explore more on Drug Bust. Here are our rankings using DEA's data: Los Zetas Cartel is the only Mexican cartel that uses New Orleans as a major hub. On August 5, the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter James discharged 59,700 pounds of cocaine and 1,430 pounds of marijuana worth more than $1.4 billion at the Everglades Port . The largest marijuana distributor to ever peddle pot in the history of Escambia County has been arrested, according to Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons. The sheriff added that further arrests of more peoplein connection toVos operations also could occur pending the investigation's completion. Florida Gov. This all happened less than 400 feet from Pleasant Hill Baptist Church which is an additional charge because it was within 1,000 feet. The business operation was closed on September 16, 2004, due to Hurricane Ivan. One of the biggest drug busts Florida has ever seen was straight out of a movie. October 20th, 2020 2:50 pm, Lester on A brother-sister duo, a quiet suburb, and a false attic wall hiding $24 million in cash made trafficking marijuana. Which Politicians Had Terrible Diseases Like John McCain. But I think its safe to say that for Mr. Vo, his days of living large, fancy-car driving, gold-jewelry wearing, lavish-lifestyle living, his Ric Flair days are over, Simmons said. October 20th, 2020 10:29 am, Paul on The Georgia State Patrol pulled over a car that contained drugs. There are warrants for an additional 29 people. Roughly enough Heroin to supply an estimated 500,000 heroin users for a month. August 26, 2021 The Escambia County Sheriff's Office has announced the largest marijuana grow and distribution operation ever busted in Escambia County. More than $1 billion worth of cocaine and marijuana was offloaded by the Coast Guard'sCutter . The U.S. Coast Guard announced Thursday that it was offloading a record-shattering amount of cocaine and marijuana at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. "Feds: Chavez a drug kingpin." Gulf Breeze News, December 13, 2007. All of those involved in the ring are Colombian nationals, according to the authorities. August 30th, 2021 9:42 pm, 429SCJ on Between Dec. 9 and Dec. 15 the ECSO narcotics unit and Pensacola Police Department SWAT team seized 1,600 grams of fentanyl, which the sheriff said is enough to kill 800,000 people, from five. They range from drug . Colin Warren-Hicks can be reached at colinwarrenhicks@pnj.com or 850-435-8680. [citation needed]. October 20th, 2020 3:10 pm, Bruce johnson on August 26th, 2021 6:15 pm, End the Drug War on The ECSO began investigating Vo four months ago. Nebraska might not be among the states with the most opioid abuse, but apparently, its a way station along the route to those places. The sheriff's office said on Wednesday the. We're committed to stopping the ones who are selling it and opening up their homes for this type of dangerous behavior.". . Authorities seized nearly 500 pounds of methamphetamines worth roughly $18 million. Next: We remain in the 20th century the rest of the way. Disclosure: 13 US Cities That Are Crowded By Mexican Drug Cartels is originally published at Insider Monkey. 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