"The work of this team has potentially thwarted over 40,000 deaths in our community," 18th Judicial District Attorney John Kellner said. This press conference made a splash. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Here's an example. The Avalanche championship dynasty crumbles less than a year after hoisting the Stanley Cup. Police arrested the alleged drug dealers in Colorado, Arizona, and California. 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. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. According to the indictments and other court documents, following an investigation that began in late 2018, agents seized approximately 400 pounds of methamphetamine, five pounds of heroin, four pounds of cocaine, and 15,000 fentanyl pills, which were disguised to look like prescription oxycodone. We're seeing multimillion dollar bidding wars for the limited licenses that come up in the new markets. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. 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. The first batch of people were prosecuted by Weisers office and the 1st Judicial District Attorneys Office in Jefferson County, and two more series of indictments were filed in Adams County and are being prosecuted by the officers of Weiser and Mason. 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. 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. Agents identified Beltran as the leader of the group. / CBS Colorado. 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. 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. North Bay -. It's official: Jamal Murray, Nuggets are in Phoenix's heads now. Mills has gone before a judge and bond was set. 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. 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? 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 and $450,000 in cash hidden in houses, apartments and secret compartments in cars. Acting DEA Administrator Timothy Shea announced the bust at a press conference Wednesday. 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. 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. That's a whole other set of issues. By holding accountable the high-level organizers of this criminal enterprise and halting the spread of dangerous drugs, we can help save lives in Colorado. He was in the Denver County jail as of Friday night. In a news release, DDPHE said from 2020 to 2021, fentanyl-involved deaths have increased by 41%, from 159 to 222. What are some of the policy issues that you're hoping people maybe do consider if they're listening to "The Syndicate"? The find was part of a coordinated Aurora drug bust announced Feb. 19, 2020. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Kiszla: Avs embarrass themselves with silence about Valeri Nichushkin's mysterious absence following reported 9-1-1 call. Federal indictments that were unsealed Wednesday name 30 defendants at least 24 have been arrested for their roles in two separate drug organizations that were involved in weekly high volume narcotics trafficking, according to Phillips. Why First Republic failed. two thirds of Americans favor recreational pot and around 80% favor medical marijuana. The DEA says this fentanyl bust is part of a national crisis. Drug kingpins dont always touch the drugs but they do always touch the money.. How much of that was present in the initial media coverage surrounding "The Syndicate" drug bust? If you're doing that in a state like Minnesota, you have a couple options. In 2018, an average of nine Coloradans a month died of illicit fentanyl overdose. Police seized fentanyl, meth, firearms, and more than $5,000. According to the three and information from the attorney generals office, the 64 people who have been charged saw Colorado Statewide Grand Jury indictments against them returned between October 2019 and Thursday. Denver residents can also get that medicine, along with fentanyl test strips, sent to them for free from the city. 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, Witnesses describe Commerce City road rage shooting, 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. Using that statistic, Colorado law enforcement estimated the 110,000 pills they seized couldve contained more than 46,000 lethal pills. ", First published on December 2, 2021 / 10:11 AM. 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. March 11, 2022 / 2:51 PM This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. First published on February 19, 2020 / 10:59 PM. 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. Well and you address this in the podcast but what is the reality like for someone who is growing illegally who wants to start growing legally? 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.. I mean, it was the largest pot bust in Colorado since the state had legalized recreational weed in 2012. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. "Overdoses caused by fentanyl can happen faster and are harder to stop than those caused by other opioids," DDPHE said. So, the law enforcement side, that's easier to answer. This criminal enterprise was responsible for poisoning our community and furthering the opioid and meth epidemic but today our community is safer, Phillips said. October 9, 2022 at 11:49 a.m. The indictment outlines the extensive investigation by a coalition of Denver-area agencies working with the Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area into the trafficking ring. Some of those details did come out in the initial media coverage and press conference around the bust in 2015. / CBS Colorado. Oct. Devin Booker sulked. 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. Those in custody are being held on a $500,000 bond or greater. But that's not to say that there isn't also a thriving black market in states that have legalized weed. PHOTO BY QUINCY SNOWDON/Sentinel Colorado. 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. 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.". And what we're seeing right now is a sort of corporatization in the cannabis industry and big Wall Street-backed companies that are starting in multiple states. 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. Every single person was different,so those conversations were always interesting for me to test out. . Legalizing weed nationally is just not going to solve the problem overnight. By Shelly Bradbury. Associated Press articles: Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. Project Corredor began in Autumn 2019, Belanger said, and culminated when search warrants were carried out beginning in early 2020. It was a fairly impressive investigation. 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. Fentanyl has been found mixed with or in place of oxycodone tablets, cocaine, and heroin in the Denver area, according to DDPHE. This impressive collaboration between law enforcement agencies is a true success story for making our entire community safer.. "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. What did it look like when you were trying to gain access to some of these people? The indictment comes as drug overdose death rates in Colorado have risen to a horrific high. You can listen to the first three episodes hereor listen in the player below. 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. Was that a fear of yours? Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. First published on September 3, 2021 / 3:46 PM. Then there is state involvement as well. Had these pills reached the streets, thousands of unwitting end users would have been at significant risk of overdose and death. Keeler: Avs fans, could we please skip Valeri Nichushkin, Nazem Kadri revisionist history? The other people indicted face charges ranging from conspiracy to distribute drugs, possession with intent to distribute and money laundering. SUGGESTED VIDEOS | Local stories from 9NEWS. 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. A small bag of straight Fentanyl on display (Photo by Ty Wright for/ For The Washington Post via Getty Images), the deaths of five people in Commerce City, Big Denver Drug Bust: Dealer Allegedly Had Nearly 10,000 Fentanyl Pills, 179 Pounds Of Meth. If you want to plan the perfect spring picnic, food and drink are important, but its certainly not the only factor to consider. That includes carrying naloxone with you. First published on March 11, 2022 / 2:51 PM. Why First Republic failed. If youre thinking of altering your workout routine, youre probably looking for new exercises and equipment to help you reach your fitness goals. 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. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Tell me a little bit about how you became acquainted with the story that's presented in "The Syndicate." 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Right. You can get naloxone for free from StoptheClockColorado.org. 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. 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 officials said that 1 in every 4 of those pills, known as M30s, contained a lethal dose of fentanyl. Police say on December 9, 2020, the Nova Scotia RCMP Federal Serious and . 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. Woman charged as federal 'kingpin' in major metro Denver-wide drug bust by: . The truth is probably somewhere in between in that it was probably overzealous on the side of the SWAT team, but there was probably some justification in that these guys were involved in a pretty shady underworld. While conducting a series of arrests across Denver and Aurora Feb. 12 . December 2, 2021 / 10:11 AM document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Some of the people discussed working with people in Mexico to source the purchases, according to the indictment. "This criminal enterprise was responsible for poisoning our community and furthering the opioid and methamphetamine epidemic, but today our community is safer," said FBI Special Agent in Charge Dean Phillips. . The drug ring was in operation as early as July 2015. They said that several ringleaders of the organization were indicted on violations of the Colorado Organized Crime Control Act and the Colorado Controlled Substances Act. . RELATED: Big Denver Drug Bust: Dealer Allegedly Had Nearly 10,000 Fentanyl Pills, 179 Pounds Of Meth. 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." Had these pills reached the streets, thousands of unwitting end users wouldve been at significant risk of overdose and death as weve seen too much of already in Colorado, Dunn said. If convicted as a drug kingpin, she faces 20 years to life in federal prison. 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. The investigation began in late 2018. 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. Could you talk some about that? 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. Are other banks to follow? One person also faces federal firearms charges. They then used a confidential source to place recorded calls with Romo and set up a controlled purchase of $1,600 of methamphetamine. COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (CBS4)- Police in Colorado Springs made a big drug bust in Fountain thanks to the help of K9 officer Sugar. Most, if not all of the fentanyl pills were disguised to look like prescription oxycodone. "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. You can try to do it outside, but that's seriously exposed and easy to see from the air. 2020 / 07:49 PM MDT. 11 people now facing charges after months-long investigation involving police in Winnipeg, B.C. RCMP arrest 14 people, seize 'significant quantity of drugs, firearms and cash' in major drug trafficking bust. 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. More Videos If you want to plan the perfect spring picnic, food and drink are important, but its certainly not the only factor to consider. December 30, 2020. Then if you only had the perspective of the drug smuggling group, it would be skewed in another direction. They also found four firearms, two of them stolen. New episodes of "The Syndicate" debut every Tuesday. 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. 64 people indicted after bust of international drug trafficking ring in Colorado Sixty pounds of heroin, 77,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl and $931,000 was seized. 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. Authorities arrested five people in connection with an alleged . I think the first and most immediate one, or the most obvious one, is just this question of federal legalization. Weiser, Mason and Reuter lauded the local, state and federal partnership that they said was key to bringing down the organization and helping curb the ongoing increase in fentanyl trafficking and overdose deaths, which have risen sharply in the past few years in Colorado. April 28, 2020 / 11:48 AM Drug overdose deaths have increased 30% nationwide. Undercover agents set up two buys from one of Romos associates, Saul Ramon Rivera Beltran, and purchased heroin, fentanyl and meth, according to the indictment. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. To be considered a drug kingpin, the individual has to violate the Controlled Substances Act as part of a series of related or ongoing violations. Are other banks to follow? Colorado was on board, but they wanted to wrap up all their court cases before revealing more information at the time. Daniel Valentine, 42, was arrested in the bust that happened last week. Copyright 2023 Salon.com, LLC. The unforgiving cycle of methamphetamine and opioid addiction is causing catastrophic damage to American families. If youre thinking of altering your workout routine, youre probably looking for new exercises and equipment to help you reach your fitness goals. Law enforcement identified the shop as Supreme Auto Body which was not. I had to make a lot of decisions about what was a fair way to portray certain situations. 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. They had paperwork that was official and signed by the state of Colorado. Authorities say they seized about 400 lbs. 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. Between 2019 and 2020, the number of overdose deaths in Colorado involving fentanyl more than doubled, from 222 to 540. The DEA began its investigation in April 2021. That included nearly 35 pounds of meth, nearly 10 pounds of heroin, cocaine and fentanyl. After the indictment announcement, authorities said two others were arrested in connection to the drug trafficking ring. That's just in the city of Denver alone. 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 approached the Colorado Department of Law. That's just like a massive wave of support for federal legalization, which could immediately tackle part of this problem. Most of the drugs came from Mexico and have a street value in the "millions of dollars," according to Dunn. All rights reserved. 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Between 2016 and 2020, the number of fentanyl deaths has increased tenfold. The police investigation into Mills led police to search two homes, one in the 3000 block of North Race Street and another in the 12100 block of Amherst Circle in Aurora. 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. The massive bust was a collaboration between Carroll County, New Hampshire and Maine. Then on the law enforcement side, it's like, "Oh, well, this is absolutely justified because these people are so dangerous.". 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. You can find more resources about fentanyl at www.denvergov.org. 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?". Then approaching alleged members of this group was a whole other path that I had to go down. 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. 2020 / 06:11 PM MST. Pretty much every other reporter in Denver had moved on from the story. "This investigation is not about the amount of drugs seized or number of people arrested," said Olesky. Peel saw 191 fatal drug overdoses in 2021 -- up from. 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. You some, some people didn't want to talk about this, some people believe they were subjected to overzealous law enforcement and some people, you know, wanted to just sort of address the errors of their pasts and express remorse for what they had done. Arthur Mills, 59, was arrested on Thursday, according to the Denver Police Department. "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. 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.". 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. Yeah, it's tough because I feel like in these situations, the truth always lies somewhere in between, right? This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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. And they did have registered patients as well, but they were using all their allotted plants to really grow for the black market and ship it out of state. The investigation first started in March 2019 after a tip from law enforcement in Las Vegas, Reuter said. of methamphetamine, 4 lbs. N.S. / CBS Colorado, UPDATE: Aurora Woman Who Was 'Kingpin' Of Drug Running Operation Sentenced To Prison. Agents said Colorado communities are safer now with the seized drugs and weapons off the streets, but the work is far from over. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. 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. When it started, they had about ten requests for supplies a month. Updated: Oct 8, 2020 / 07:49 PM MDT . Walker spoke with Salon about how long he waited to report this story, how the members of "The Syndicate" gamed the medical marijuana system, and what it would take for federal legalization to actually work. of cocaine, 5 lbs. Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Acting DEA Administrator Timothy Shea announced the bust at a press conference Wednesday. 35 arrested after multiple drug busts across Maine, New Hampshire border. They also took out paraphernalia consistent with illegal narcotic sales, a sawed-off shotgun and $9,434 in cash. Officials says 30 people were indicted. February 19, 2020 / 10:59 PM But even if you were to do that, then this is returning the conversation again to states like California and, to some extent, Colorado. RELATED: More than $60,000 in cocaine seized from Edwards mobile home. And then even if you have legal dispensaries, you'll also need to ensure supply and then also have a competitive price. ------------------------------------------. Fentanyl alone drove the increase in opioid deaths in 2020, according to the Colorado Health Institute. Has Denver seen its last snow of the season? The fentanyl is believed to have been manufactured south of the U.S. border, and smuggled into the U.S. and eventually brought to Colorado. Four others are in Mexico and one is at large in the U.S. First and foremost is we don't want people to die preventable deaths. They'd covered the bust, but they were on to other things. You still need to make sure that consumers can find weed in conveniently available locations. "This criminal enterprise was responsible for poisoning our community and furthering the meth and opioid epidemic, but today our community is safer" said. Officers found more . The Syndicate had made 12 million dollars in 4 years, and 32 people involved were indicted. 35 people were arrested earlier this week after a drug distribution investigation between police departments and officials . Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.