Arrested: Trinh, Phuong T. 34, Rockford

Arrested: Trinh, Phuong T. 34, Rockford Charge: Seven counts - Unlawful Delivery of a Controlled Substance (Cocaine) within 1,000 feet of a Church and Possession with intent to deliver cocaine (100-400 grams).
Bond: $250,000
Phuong Thanh Trinh. The several weeks long investigation concluded on 9/25/08 when the Rockford Police Department’s Narcotics Unit arrested Trinh outside his residence at 1117 19th St. and executed a search warrant there. When Trinh was taken into custody he had over 220 individual bags of cocaine that were packaged for sale. The Narcotics Unit also recovered a large amount of United States Currency, two handguns, and a rifle. Trinh was charged with seven counts of Unlawful Delivery of a Controlled Substance and one count of Possession with Intent to Deliver Cocaine (100-400 grams). Trinh was lodged in the Winnebago County Jail.

Neil Andrew Knickle was ordered to serve 20 months on house arrest as part of a two-year conditional sentence

Neil Andrew Knickle was ordered to serve 20 months on house arrest as part of a two-year conditional sentence handed down September 23. He'll be on a curfew for the final four months. The conditional sentence will be followed by a year on probation.Mr. Knickle, 42, pleaded guilty to charges of possessing cocaine for the purpose of trafficking and carelessly storing firearms stemming from a search at his home on August 8, 2007.Federal prosecutor Josh Bryson told the court police believed Mr. Knickle was a significant player in the local cocaine scene. They arrested him and searched the home where he lived with his two children, finding 312 grams of cocaine in the maintenance area of a hot tub in the master bathroom.Officers also seized several sets of scales, 13 boxes of small plastic bags, cash, a handgun and a plate containing cocaine residue.They found three shotguns and a rifle which were improperly stored in the basement.The cash has since been returned to Mr. Knickle after an investigation determined it was not related to drug activity.Quoting case law that called the sale of cocaine an "evil trade," "poison" and "despicable," Mr. Bryson said Mr. Knickle made the decision to sell from his residence knowing his two teen children lived there. He said it was one of the largest cocaine seizures in this area, showing that Mr. Knickle had "extensive involvement" in the trade. "This is certainly a lot of cocaine for the streets," Mr. Bryson said, asking for a prison term of three and a half years.But defence lawyer Franceen Romney argued her client's involvement was not that extensive. He was using cocaine himself and selling it to five or six people. He had no prior criminal record."This whole procedure has had a devastating effect on his family," Ms Romney said. "Mr. Knickle is ashamed, embarrassed in front of the children and also the community for what has occurred."

Royal Hall entered a guilty plea to criminal possession of a controlled substance

Royal Hall, 27, of Rombout Avenue, entered a guilty plea to criminal possession of a controlled substance, a felony, in proceedings in Dutchess County Court.Hall told Judge Gerald V. Hayes he had more than half a gram of cocaine in his car when police searched it Feb. 1.In exchange for his guilty plea, Hall was promised a sentence of no more than six months in jail and five years on probation. He is due to return to court Oct. 30 for sentencing.

Jorge Mercado Alcocer, aka "Chino," whose hearing had been postponed from last week, was denied bond Monday

Jorge Mercado Alcocer, aka "Chino," was arrested Sept. 17 in El Paso along with eight other suspected members of a group that a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration official said is linked to the Sinaloa drug cartel. Mercado, 29, whose hearing had been postponed from last week, was denied bond Monday by Magistrate Judge Norbert Garney. Mercado, who had his right foot bandaged and used crutches in court, was indicted on charges of conspiracy to smuggle and distribute a controlled substance and conspiracy to launder money. The ring, identified by the DEA as the "Jorge Mercado Drug Trafficking Organization," was allegedly responsible for smuggling more than a ton of cocaine to cities such as Chicago, Baltimore and Atlanta, a DEA agent testified in detention hearings for other suspected members. Drug proceeds were allegedly deposited out of state in Bank of America accounts and the cash would then be withdrawn in bulk a few days later at bank branches in El Paso. The DEA investigation included wire taps, surveillance and a cooperating defendant. A DEA agent testified Mercado was apparently unemployed but claimed that he was given money by his parents from apartments they own in Juarez. Following a wire-tapped phone call July 12, Mercado was stopped for a traffic violation while carrying about $31,000 in cash wrapped in green cellophane bundle, a DEA agent said.

Police arrested Dennis Corbett inside a Washington Ave. home around 4:30 a.m. after receiving a tip he was there.

Authorities say Corbett fled the scene of a traffic stop on the 18th of this month. He’s accused of having $14,000 worth of heroin stashed in his vehicle when he was pulled over. Authorities had been searching for 22-year-old Dennis Corbett since he allegedly ran from them earlier this month.Corbett left behind his car, in which police found hundreds of packets of heroin worth $10,000, in addition to thousands of dollars worth of Ecstasy pills.Police arrested Corbett inside a Washington Ave. home around 4:30 a.m. after receiving a tip he was there.Corbett was arrested without incident.Dennis Corbett of 1441 Washington Avenue is in custody after his arrest early this morning. Police say an anonymous tip led them to Corbett’s residence where he was arrested without incident around 4:30 am.The 22-year-old Corbett is facing several charges including criminal conspiracy and possession with intent to deliver. He was placed in Blair County Prison in lieu of $30,000 straight cash bail.

Daniel Deandrade was the leader of “the Stratford Operation”, a crack ring in the Bronx.

Daniel Deandrade was sentenced in US District Court in Manhattan.According to court documents, from 1999 through November 2006, Deandrade was the leader of “the Stratford Operation”, a crack ring in the Bronx.The gang distributed anywhere between 80 and 300 kilograms of crack over the course of its existence.
Cocaine was smuggled into the US from Columbia and Deandrade and others cooked it into cocaine in several apartments across the Bronx. The crack was then sold on Stratford and Westchester avenues in the Bronx by several individuals who worked for Deandrade.From 2001 through October 2003, he was also a crack supplier for a narcotics rink in Utica, “the Utica Operation,” that sold crack, cocaine, ecstasy, heroin and marijuana.He provide that operation with between 10 and 20 kilograms of crack.

Paulette Chambers and her mother Ambrozine Heron, were caught with a car full of the drug as they tried to drive through Dover ferry port

Paulette Chambers and her mother Ambrozine Heron, were caught with a car full of the drug as they tried to drive through Dover ferry port in March this year. Heron’s adapted Nissan Pathfinder was stopped by customs officials who discovered 40 food tins containing pure cocaine. Customs had become suspicious after the Pathfinder had made 14 trips to Holland to collect their shipments. It is thought Jamaican-born Heron, from Smethwick, West Midlands, was used as a cover for a major drug smuggling operation run by her daughter. Heron, who suffers from asthma, diabetes and arthritis, was stopped at Dover by customs officials already suspicious by the number of trips the Pathfinder had made to the continent since October last year. Sniffer dogs found two shopping bags on the back row of seats and investigators found 40 tins of palm oil containing the drugs worth just over £1 million.
She now faces a lengthy prison sentence after being found guilty of the importation of Class A drugs at Canterbury Crown Court. Her daughter has already admitted her part in the smuggling operation. Edmund Anderson, a 47-year-old security guard was acquitted of any involvement. He allegedly told customs officers he had been on a three-day Easter holiday shopping trip in the south of France with the two women, but he allegedly later changed his story to claim he was just acting as a taxi driver for them. Despite the confusion of details, he was found innocent of being involved in the drug smuggling operation. The grandmother claimed Chambers had been having an affair with Mr Anderson, something he vehemently denied.
He told the court he had no idea what went on after dropping the pair off at a flat in Almera, near Amsterdam. When questioned by police, Heron denied drug smuggling.
She said: “I don’t know anything about that. “I just went with my daughter. I didn’t ask any questions because I’m not a nosy person. “I don’t smoke or drink. What am I doing with drugs?” Heron had lived in the Midlands since she arrived from Jamaica in 1949, and had never been in trouble with the police previously.
The prosecution earlier this month told the court it found a Lloyds TSB bank account used by Chambers. It was found to have had more than £81,000 put into it a month before she was stopped at Dover. Police also found she had a Visa card in the company name of Everol Electricals. It was registered to the same address as her TSB account and had nearly £100,000 cash held in it between December 2007 and March 2008. Prosecutor Quentin Hunt said the bank accounts contained the proceeds from the group’s enterprise as drug traffickers. Both women will be sentenced next month.

Ruben de la Cruz is wanted for questioning.

Dominican Customs (DGA), Army and Drugs Control (DNCD) agents seized 127 packages of cocaine in an export warehouse located on 27 de Febrero Avenue, near Manoguayabo.
The drug was found in 10 pallets of floor ceramics, and would be exported to an industrial park in Carolina, Puerto Rico. DGA director Miguel Cocco and DNCD director Gilberto Delgado went to the place where four suspects were arrested. Cocco said the investigation is ongoing and that another suspect, Ruben de la Cruz is wanted for questioning.

Nina Freije was arrested Tuesday and faces two counts each of possession of a controlled substance

Nina Freije was arrested Tuesday and faces two counts each of possession of a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance for sale, according to Lt. Craig S. Carter of the Escondido Police Department.She also faces one count of transportation of a controlled substance, Carter said, adding that the arresting officers seized nine grams of crystal methamphetamine and seven syringes loaded with heroin. Freije was booked into the Vista jail and held in lieu of $75,000 bail.She may be arraigned as early as Friday afternoon, according to San Diego County Sheriff's Department's Web site.

Joseph J. Pace Jr., 20, was charged with drug-induced aggravated battery inflicting great bodily harm

Joseph J. Pace Jr., 20, of the 11600 block of Bernice Avenue was charged with drug-induced aggravated battery inflicting great bodily harm, police said. Bail was set at $200,000 at a hearing Monday in McHenry County Circuit Court. The woman, whose last known address was in Carpentersville, was hospitalized Aug. 17, police said.
The woman has since been released and should recover, said Nichole Owens, chief of criminal prosecutions for the state's attorney's office.

Nguyen Thi Trang (24) claimed to be a student. She was arrested while boarding a Hanoi-bound flight

Nguyen Thi Trang (24) claimed to be a student. She was arrested while boarding a Hanoi-bound flight around 12.30 a.m. “The accused had concealed 4.28 kg of heroin in specially made cavities in her sandals and the false bottom of a suitcase”, A.K. Koushal, Commissioner of Customs, told The Hindu.
“The accused flew from New Delhi to Bangalore by a Jetlite flight on Wednesday night. We had information on her. She was taken into custody as she was getting ready to take the connecting flight to Hanoi,” said Bijoy Kumar Khar, Additional Commissioner of Customs.
The Customs officials said that the examination of her baggage and two pairs of sandals had led to the seizure of a huge quantity of heroin.

Mohammed Yousaf,Ansar Iqbal, sentenced to eight years each

Mohammed Yousaf, of Normandy Road, Perry Barr, Ansar Iqbal, of Selston Road, Aston were sentenced to eight years each while Shaied Iqbal, of Drummond Road, Aston, was imprisoned for six and a half years.It is reported that detectives from Staffordshire Police’s Major Crime Unit worked with colleagues from the West Midlands, Greater Manchester and Bedfordshire forces for 10 months to break the ring.
Over pounds weight of drugs were seized, as part of Staffordshire’s Operation Nemesis, including heroin with a street value of £4 million, 1.5 kilos of amphetamine and an amount of cocaine.

Emily Kattuk was first arrested on Sept. 15 as she arrived in Sanikluaq on a flight from Winnipeg.

Emily Kattuk was first arrested on Sept. 15 as she arrived in Sanikluaq on a flight from Winnipeg. Police allege cocaine was found in her luggage.
Kattuk was next arrested on Sept. 22 by police who were responding to an impaired driving complaint. Police allege she was found with marijuana.

Ricky James Montgomery, the former hotelier Bradley James Evans and a Maroubra man, Hayden Rodgers - were found guilty

Former South Sydney footballer Ricky James Montgomery, the former hotelier Bradley James Evans and a Maroubra man, Hayden Rodgers - were found guilty.Since then, their lawyers have raised concerns over the role of the then Crime Commission investigator Mark Standen, who faces drug charges, and his link with Steven James, the key Crown witness against them.three eastern suburbs men to conspire with others to import a large amount of cocaine.The plan, hatched in phone calls and during meetings between co-conspirators in Spain, Canada and at the Clovelly Surf Life Saving Club, was to import the drugs hidden in a truck that was being shipped from Panama to Sydney on a container ship.At Patrick's dock at Darling Harbour, dock workers known to one or more of the conspirators were to offload the truck and its contents, and take the drugs out of the terminal.But neither the Illinois-registered truck, nor its expected 30-kilogram illegal cargo, ever made it to Australia.
Yesterday - more than six years after the conspiracy started and after two lengthy trials - the three men were sentenced for their roles.James, who had taken a leading role in the import plan, had misled the court at his own sentencing hearing and successfully minimised his role, Judge Peter Zahra found yesterday. He found he could not trust James's testimony unless it was corroborated and found Evans and Rodgers were not as involved in the conspiracy as Montgomery.
All three would face a difficult time in prison because of the effect on their families, and various physical and psychological ailments, Judge Zahra ruled.
Montgomery, who had a record, was sentenced to a minimum of nearly 11 years. Evans received a minimum prison term of seven years, and Rodgers was given a minimum six-year prison sentence.

Lynne Wilson, a teacher at Treasure Coast High School, was arrested after she tried to return items for which she had not paid.

Lynne Wilson, a teacher at Treasure Coast High School, was arrested after she tried to return items for which she had not paid.Police said they found cocaine in her pocket while she was being placed under arrest.

Maria Guadalupe Trevino-Venegas, Laura Trevino and her sisters, Adriana and Evelia, have been convicted

Maria Guadalupe Trevino-Venegas, Laura Trevino and her sisters, Adriana and Evelia, have been convicted of conspiring and possessing with intent to distribute cocaine. All of the suspects are from Brownsville. They were arrested at a border crossing in Brownsville, after a smuggling attempt in June. Authorities say the women had over 40 pounds of cocaine strapped to their bodies.

Jose Carlos "Charlie" Hinojosa, 31, of Roma - who now faces multiple counts of conspiracy, drug smuggling and money laundering in the ongoing case.

Sheriff Reymundo "Rey" Guerra has not been named in the 17-count indictment against more than 10 men and women accused of working with the Gulf Cartel.But a case file partially unsealed last week lists the warrant used to search his office among others described as "related" to the smuggling investigation.Federal authorities would not confirm Thursday whether the sheriff is expected to face any criminal charges in connection with the case or whether he is suspected of any wrongdoing at all.Guerra declined to comment when reached by phone Thursday afternoon.Agents executed a sealed search warrant on Guerra's Rio Grande City office on Sept. 4, taking boxes filled with documents, electronic equipment and photos.Investigators also seized a "gold-colored badge" from a safe under the sheriff's desk and an evidence bag filled with "a green leafy substance" from a drawer in the office, according to the federal receipt drawn up after the seizure.Two days earlier, authorities targeted a residence belonging to Jose Carlos "Charlie" Hinojosa, 31, of Roma - who now faces multiple counts of conspiracy, drug smuggling and money laundering in the ongoing case.Federal prosecutors allege Hinojosa and more than nine associates smuggled more than 2 tons of marijuana and 1,200 pounds of cocaine into the United States. Then, they reportedly helped move nearly half a million dollars in proceeds from narcotics sales back south across the border.Agents took several documents, stacks of cash wrapped in cellophane and magazines of ammunition during their search of Hinojosa's home, court documents state.He was arrested the same day as part of a nationwide sweep of men and women suspected of working with the Gulf Cartel, a Mexican drug trafficking organization that controls smuggling routes from Nuevo Laredo in the west to Matamoros in the east.
U.S. Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey said during a news conference last week that 175 cartel members and associates - including Hinojosa and his alleged accomplices - had supplied drug markets in Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, New York and even Italy.The 15-month investigation - dubbed "Project Reckoning" - involves several separate cases in federal courts across the country.
But nearly all feature links to the Rio Grande Valley because of its status as the Gulf Cartel's primary smuggling corridor, federal investigators said Thursday.
In all, more than 23 Valley residents have been indicted nationwide and several more people are expected to come under prosecutorial scrutiny as the names of several yet unnamed defendants are released.But it remains unclear whether Sheriff Guerra will be one of them.As Starr County's top law enforcement official, he polices a region with one of the highest rates of drug trafficking in the country.He succeeded Eugenio "Gene" Falcon as sheriff in 1998, after Falcon was charged with accepting bribes from a bail bondsman.

Byronell Arline was arrested on a cocaine possession charge by the New Port Richey Police Department

Byronell Arline was arrested on a cocaine possession charge by the New Port Richey Police Department at 12:19 a.m. Sunday. He was released that morning on $5,000 bail.
Arline, 18, who landed a scholarship to play football at Dodge City (Kansas) Community College, returned to Florida in July after a two-week stint at Dodge City.
At the time, Ridgewood football coach Chris Taylor said Arline didn't feel "like he fit in there, so he decided to come home."That scholarship was the culmination of a record-setting high school season and career for the running back. In 2007, Arline's senior season, he ran for 2,188 yards and 35 touchdowns, eclipsing records set in 2001 by former Wesley Chapel star Tyrone Tomlin.He ended his career with 5,189 rushing yards, which broke the mark set in 2000 by former Land O' Lakes back Godfrey Pestana

Indicted for conspiracy to distribute cocaine or methamphetamine, or both, included the accused ringleader of the organization, Bertario Santos-Rojas,

Indicted for conspiracy to distribute cocaine or methamphetamine, or both, included the accused ringleader of the organization, Bertario Santos-Rojas, 36, of Auburn, and three cousins, all of them brothers: Ignacio Pena-Garcia, 32, Jose Vidal-Barraza, 21, and Antonio Rojas-Perez, who is being held by immigration.Others arrested include: Maria Baez, 30, Jesus Yordani Moreno Zuarez, 20, Nestor Cruz-Santiago, 22, Baltazar Davila Cervantes, 24, Christian Ruelas-Ortiz, 22, Martin Miguel Velasco, 30, Daniel Roberto Lopez-Lopez, 24, Simon Ruiz Garcia, 37, Maura Meza, 24 and Georgina Fernandez, 22.Also arrested and indicted was Daryl Shears, 43, of Renton, accused of being one of Rojas' best customers, allegedly buying as many as 15 kilos of cocaine a month.Felicia Bowen, 36, an Eastside real estate agent, also was among those arrested. Bowen, who had served time in prison, was featured last year in a local publication for her reputed success in going straight.
At one point during the investigation, agents stopped a vehicle leaving Bowen's Renton home, finding a duffel bag holding 15 bricks of suspected cocaine, each block 8 inches long and just as thick. In the passenger seat was Bowen's teenage son and behind the wheel was the boy's friend. Neither of the juveniles was indicted in the federal case.The yearlong investigation was set off by what was initially a routine event -- the arrest in January 2007 of a petty drug dealer in downtown Seattle, police Chief Gil Kerlikowske said.That dealer provided valuable information, Kerlikowske said.U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Sullivan said a series of phone taps authorized by the Federal Wiretap Act were key to making the arrests. Agents were able to listen to hours of conversation between the defendants as they allegedly arranged drug sales and purchases.
"We were getting it from the horse's mouth," Moorin said.
Even so, agents had to interpret the conversations, peppered with code words for cocaine such as "girls," "white cars," "paint" and sometimes "snow."
Authorities allege that customers in the Seattle region would place their orders with some of the defendants, who made arrangements with contacts in Mexico to have the drugs smuggled into the United States, typically hiding the material in vehicles.
One vehicle, a Cadillac Escalade, was stopped by Oregon State Police in November 2007 and seized when a drug-sniffing dog found evidence of narcotics. A search later revealed 31 kilos of cocaine and $11,000 in cash hidden in the vehicle's speakers.
Rojas was a passenger in the vehicle, but not arrested at the time while the investigation continued.On Sept. 10, authorities allegedly learned through surveillance and phone taps that some of the defendants were arranging to deliver 15 kilos of cocaine to Shears at Bowen's home. Investigators moved in to make the arrests.But Rojas was not the peak. Federal agents said the Auburn man was very likely working for one of the Mexican drug cartels in Sinaloa, Mexico.
"You don't do this on your own," Moorin said.In addition to the arrests, investigators seized 50 kilos of cocaine, 30 pounds of methamphetamine, nearly $1 million in cash, 23 vehicles and a boat.

Gregory Kaczmarek former Schenectady police chief has been charged with conspiring to distribute drugs

former Schenectady police chief has been charged with conspiring to distribute drugs in upstate New York. Gregory Kaczmarek was arraigned along with his wife on a second-degree conspiracy charge Thursday. The Kaczmareks are also charged with multiple counts of felony cocaine possession and conspiracy to sell marijuana. Lisa Kaczmarek was charged earlier this year after a state investigation that also led to the arrest of her son and more than 20 other people. Authorities say they picked up drugs on Long Island and sold them in the Albany area. When Kaczmarek was named chief in 1996, he met with reporters to deny rumors he used cocaine. He retired in 2002 amid a corruption scandal.

16.2 percent of those surveyed in the United States had tried cocaine at least once

World Health Organization study published in July of this year noted that 16.2 percent of those surveyed in the United States had tried cocaine at least once. The latest available research from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration found cocaine use on the rise and noted that 70 percent of new "initiates" to cocaine "were aged 18 or older." In the Colombian magazine Semana, a recent interview with two female survivors of a paramilitary massacre described being taken to a nearby soccer field and made to watch as the members of their small town of El Salado were alternatively shot at close range or crudely hacked to death by large machetes. And at every death, of which there were sixty six, the paramilitaries, some of whom were said to be in a drugged stupor, banged drums. The members of the unit that committed this act have admitted their culpability but described the victims as "guerrillas." What does this have to do with the broad leafy expanses of our New England campus? Simply this, the paramilitaries, equally culpable Marxist guerrillas, the corrupt judges, bought politicians and systematic violence that plagues the Andean republic of Colombia is financed and supported by the sale of a chalky white powder, the end result of a complicated refining process of that well respected, hardy, native plant, coca. At every stage of its production and transportation from its habitat in the Andes to that great market that is the United States, this product steadily acquires a darker tincture as men and women found inconvenient to its sale and movement are permanently removed or silenced. Thus frictions in the market are lessened and profits made. The reason I write this is that statistics would say, though it is impossible to conclude with any certainty, that there are independent minded students and faculty on this campus that use cocaine. They may in their defense believe that they are merely acting out on a personal freedom that is long cherished in this country, that the harm done is merely to themselves, to their own body to which they are ultimately responsible. In fact it would be easy to say that at whatever price fluctuation, a gram of cocaine is the cheapest way to ensure the most misery across the widest swath of area. With one small exchange one can tingle a malevolent chain that stretches across hemispheres and bloodies by in large the poorest and the most deprived of the Americas. Progress, the miracle of globalization, and something to consider on a Saturday night.

Stanley Richards allegedly had in his possession seven grams of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking. He pleaded not guilty

Stanley Richards, on Saturday September 20, allegedly had in his possession seven grams of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking. He pleaded not guilty. He is being represented by defense counsel Gary Ramlochand.In making a bail application, Ramlochand told the court that his client has a reputed wife and two children, and is the sloe breadwinner of his household.According to Ramlochand, on the day in question Richards was attending a funeral at Le Repentir cemetery where he was approached by the police, beaten in the public and searched.He told the court that the accused was subsequently taken to the Brickdam Police Station where he was striped naked, tortured and burnt with cigarettes.
He said his client was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was treated for various injuries.The lawyer added that given the medical condition of his client bail should be granted, since the law says bail can be granted in special circumstances.However, police prosecutor Denise Griffith objected to bail on the ground that the law as it relates to narcotic charges is clear.She added that the part of the law which states that bail should be granted if a special reason is given relates to the offence and not to the offender.As it relates to the allegation leveled against the police about the accused being tortured, Griffith informed the defence that they should take whatever action necessary since they are aware of the law. The defence then asked for an independent medical examination to be done on his client.His request was, however, denied and bail was refused. Richards was remanded and is expected to make his next court appearance on October 1.

caffeine content of energy drinks varies over a 10-fold range, with some containing the equivalent of 14 cans of Coca-Cola

"The caffeine content of energy drinks varies over a 10-fold range, with some containing the equivalent of 14 cans of Coca-Cola, yet the caffeine amounts are often unlabeled and few include warnings about the potential health risks of caffeine intoxication," says Roland Griffiths, Ph.D., one of the authors of the article that appears in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence (September 2008).Johns Hopkins scientists who have spent decades researching the effects of caffeine report that a slew of caffeinated energy drinks now on the market should carry prominent labels that note caffeine doses and warn of potential health risks for consumers.The market for these drinks stands at an estimated $5.4 billion in the United States and is expanding at a rate of 55 percent annually. Advertising campaigns, which principally target teens and young adults, promote the performance-enhancing and stimulant effects of energy drinks and appear to glorify drug use.
Without adequate, prominent labeling; consumers most likely won't realize whether they are getting a little or a lot of caffeine. "It's like drinking a serving of an alcoholic beverage and not knowing if its beer or scotch," says Griffiths.
Caffeine intoxication, a recognized clinical syndrome included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders and the World Health Organization's International Classification of Diseases, is marked by nervousness, anxiety, restlessness, insomnia, gastrointestinal upset, tremors, rapid heartbeats (tachycardia), psychomotor agitation (restlessness and pacing) and in rare cases, death.Reports to U.S. poison control centers of caffeine abuse showed bad reactions to the energy drinks. In a 2007 survey of 496 college students, 51 percent reported consuming at least one energy drink during the last month. Of these energy drink users, 29 percent reported "weekly jolt and crash episodes," and 19 percent reported heart palpitations from drinking energy drinks. This same survey revealed that 27 percent of the students surveyed said they mixed energy drinks and alcohol at least once in the past month. "Alcohol adds another level of danger," says Griffiths, "because caffeine in high doses can give users a false sense of alertness that provides incentive to drive a car or in other ways put themselves in danger."
A regular 12-ounce cola drink has about 35 milligrams of caffeine, and a 6-ounce cup of brewed coffee has 80 to 150 milligrams of caffeine. Because many energy drinks are marketed as "dietary supplements," the limit that the Food and Drug Administration requires on the caffeine content of soft drinks (71 milligrams per 12-ounce can) does not apply. The caffeine content of energy drinks varies from 50 to more than 500 milligrams."It's notable that over-the-counter caffeine-containing products require warning labels, yet energy drinks do not," says Chad Reissig, Ph.D., one of the study's authors.Griffiths notes that most of the drinks advertise their products as performance enhancers and stimulants – a marketing strategy that may put young people at risk for abusing even stronger stimulants such as the prescription drugs amphetamine and methylphenidate (Ritalin). A 2008 study of 1,253 college students found that energy drink consumption significantly predicted subsequent non-medical prescription stimulant use, raising the concern that energy drinks might serve as "gateway" products to more serious drugs of abuse. Potentially feeding that "transition" market, Griffiths says, are other energy drinks with alluring names such as the powdered energy drink additive "Blow" (which is sold in "vials" and resembles cocaine powder) and the "Cocaine" energy drink. Both of these products use the language of the illegal drug trade.Griffiths and colleagues are currently collecting case reports of intoxication from energy drinks in children and adolescents.

currently studying what may potentially be the most powerful substance for eliminating all traces and effects of cocaine in the body.

Cocaine dependence is presently one of the most common forms of addiction in the US, as shown by increasing number of cocaine-related emergency situations reported around the country. Furthermore, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, around 35.3 million Americans aged 12 and older have used cocaine in 2006.Cocaine addiction is hard to treat and overdoses are quite common. These two problem areas are a group of chemists seek to address with the development of a new drug for cocaine addiction treatment.According the said group, they are currently studying what may potentially be the most powerful substance for eliminating all traces and effects of cocaine in the body. This substance, they also believe, could lead to the formulation of an effective medication drug that would treat addiction and overdose of the common illicit drug. An effective drug for treatment of cocaine addiction is yet to be discovered and the implications of the current study may prove to be a breakthrough if they come out successful.This current study led by Chang-Guo Zhan points to the use of a substance similar to butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) to be the most promising approach to treating cocaine addiction and overdose. According to the researchers, BChE is a “natural blood protein that helps break down and inactivate the drug.” The problem, however, is that natural occurrences of the said substance proves to be too weak and inefficient to be used for medical purposes such as addiction treatment.The researchers sought to overcome the said discrepancy by designing and producing a potent and stable form of BChE. Using this substance they were able to effectively breakdown and metabolize cocaine present in an addicts body. Moreover, the substance they produced was able to process cocaine up to 2,000 times faster than natural BchE. The group noted that this is very promising as anti-cocaine medication because the reduction of the drug levels in the blood and body is key to preventing cocaine overdose.The group also observed that their substance was able to prevent convulsion, and consequently death, when they injected it to mice that were overdosed with cocaine.The full text of the study’s findings is published in the September 24 issue of the Journal of the American Chemical Society, a weekly publication.

Enrique Araque Estrada, 52, and Rene Manuel Sanchez, 46, both of Phoenix, were charged for allegedly being in possession with the intent to distribute

Enrique Araque Estrada, 52, and Rene Manuel Sanchez, 46, both of Phoenix, were charged for allegedly being in possession with the intent to distribute 5 or more kilograms between September 2006 and March 2007, according to a court complaint.
If convicted, the three men face a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Dwight David Shinaul,was charged with one count of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute the drug

Dwight David Shinaul, 28, of Brooklyn Park, was charged with one count of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute the drug, the office said.According to his indictment, Shinaul conspired with others to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine between Jan. 1, 2007 and Aug. 26, 2008. Additionally on Aug. 26, 2008 he was in possession 500 or more grams with the intention to distribute it.
Officers attempted to stop Shinaul who was in his vehicle on Aug. 26 after he engaged in a drug transaction. He led police on a short chase before he was caught. Police saw him emptying his pockets of bags containing 79.7 grams of cocaine. Police recovered about $8,440 in cash from Shinaul's pocket, the complaint said.

Gang's local leader, Jose Diaz, was arrested July 30 on felony narcotics charges

Gang's local leader, Jose Diaz, was arrested July 30 on felony narcotics charges, she said.Investigators found $86,000, seized nearly 9 pounds of cocaine and recovered four handguns during their probe, Brennan said. Diaz wired $40,000 to $50,000 a week in drug proceeds to associates in Puerto Rico, prosecutors said. On June 5, a Connecticut resident bought cocaine hidden in a child's pegboard stool, Brennan said. The cocaine was still inside the stool when investigators recovered it near Waterbury, Conn., she said.The nine were indicted Aug. 29 on charges that included conspiracy, criminal sale and possession of a controlled substance, money laundering and weapons possession. They pleaded not guilty at arraignment in Manhattan's state Supreme Court.Six were held without bail, two were released without bail and one was held in $35,000 bail. They were ordered to return to court Oct. 6.

Dwayne Loncke had in his possession two kilograms of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking. To the charge he pleaded not guilty

Dwayne Loncke, appeared yesterday at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court before Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson.It is alleged that on Tuesday, September 16, at Fifth Street, Alberttown, Loncke had in his possession two kilograms of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking. To the charge he pleaded not guilty.He was represented by Defence Counsel Glenn Hanoman, who told the court that his client has a fixed place of abode at 65 Hadfield Street, Stabroek.He added that Loncke has been married for the past eight years and has a son. Currently, he said, his client is pursuing studies in Accountancy at the Business School.Hanoman added that the defence is very eager to begin the trial and requested an early date. Loncke was remanded and is scheduled to make his next court appearance on October 6.

Daniel King was sentenced to federal prison after pleading guilty in July to one count of structuring.

Daniel King was sentenced to federal prison after pleading guilty in July to one count of structuring. The charge involves making bank deposits in amounts less than $10,000 to avoid reporting requirements. Federal authorities say King also bought a $1.15 home in Saratoga and made other purchases in the late 1990s from his cocaine trafficking activities. After the government seized some of his assets, King fled the country for about a year. When he returned in 1999, prosecutors say King was able to escape arrest by living in Texas under an assumed name. When the 67-year-old King finishes his 18-month sentence, he'll be on supervised release for three years.

Devan A. Williams,was arrested charged with felony counts of trafficking and possession of cocaine

Devan A. Williams, 1259 Oxford Ave. NW, was arrested in the 600 block of Wilson Place NW, where police said he also was riding a stolen bicycle. Williams was charged with felony counts of trafficking and possession of cocaine, and tampering with evidence. He also was charged with misdemeanor counts of receiving stolen property related to the bicycle, and for possession of marijuana.

Gareth Morley admitted possessing cocaine with intent to supply

Gareth Morley, 27, turned would-be small- time commercial dealer because he wanted to make cash for Christmas. But he was caught after police raided his home and discovered 28grammes of the drug, with a purity of 15per cent. Some of the cocaine was for his own use but at least 20 bags, possibly more, were to be sold to raise profit, Burnley Crown Court heard. Morley, of Hillside Road, admitted possessing cocaine with intent to supply. An allegation of supplying cocaine was left to lie on the file. His barrister had urged the court to pass a suspended sentence, but a judge said that would have been “unduly lenient” for such a serious offence.

Shawn Pimpleton Officers found 4 ounces of crack and a loaded Glock .45 semi-automatic pistol in his pockets.

arrested Shawn Pimpleton, 31, during a traffic stop Dec. 23, 2007. Officers found 4 ounces of crack and a loaded Glock .45 semi-automatic pistol in his pockets. Pimpleton was released and was pulled over again by police two weeks later. This time, they found "a dealer-size quantity of marijuana" and ammunition for another handgun, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.Pimpleton -- who has two convictions for assault and four convictions on drug charges -- has never served more than a year in jail.Now he'll be spending a decade in a federal prison.
At sentencing Monday, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Andy Colasurdo -- a King County deputy prosecutor cross-designated to bring more serious gun cases to federal court -- told U.S. District Judge James Robart, "It appears that the consequences were never severe enough to motivate him to change his behavior."Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the FBI investigated the case.

Tyrell H. Gorham affiliated with the Bloods arrested and charged with aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs

Tyrell H. Gorham, 23, of Elm Street, had been under investigation by the Kennebec Valley Drug Task Force, which includes Waterville police, police said Monday in a written statement.Detective Chris Paradis and Officer Duane Cloutier, working with task-force members from the Oakland Police Department and Kennebec Sheriff's Office, went to Gorham's Elm Street apartment at 1 p.m. Sunday, according to police.
Gorham was on the porch, where police say they found a gram of crack cocaine in one of his pockets. During a search of his room in the apartment, police found 28 grams of crack cocaine, with a street value of about $3,000, the statement said.
Gorham was arrested and charged with aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs, a Class A felony because of the amount of narcotics seized and the proximity of his apartment to two area schools -- the Maine Children's Home for Little Wanderers on Silver Street and the Albert S. Hall School on Pleasant Street.Police said Gorham claims to be affiliated with the Bloods, a national gang known for its violence and involvement in drug trafficking. He is originally from Jamaica, Queens, N.Y., police said."Since July of 2006, the Waterville Police Department has arrested or summonsed Gorham 18 times, for crimes ranging for driving offenses, possession of narcotics, terrorizing and assault," Police Chief Joseph Massey said. "To say that we characterize him as a danger to our community would be an understatement."
A check of Gorham's criminal record shows arrests in New York for forgery and weapons possession, according to police.After his arrest, Gorham was taken to Kennebec County Jail to await arraignment, which is scheduled for December 9 in Augusta Superior Court. He was unable to raise $200,000 cash for his bail. Also arrested with Gorham was Nicholas Powell, 19, of Benton, who was at the Elm Street apartment and had an outstanding warrant for his arrest, according to police. Like Gorham, Powell was unable to raise bail and was taken to jail.

Wanda Elaine Folden admitted selling drugs in the Charleston area for 10 years

Wanda Elaine Folden, 41, pleaded guilty in July, admitting that she had 143 grams of crack on May 31, 2007, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Folden gave the crack, along with marijuana and other drug paraphernalia, to a juvenile and told the child to hide it in the family's van, according to the release. Folden later admitted selling drugs in the Charleston area for 10 years, according to the release. She was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin.

Lee R. Whitworth,Cheryl L. Smith charged with two counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance, crack cocaine

Lee R. Whitworth, 56, of Belvidere was charged with two counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance, crack cocaine, within 1,000 feet of public housing. The Class 1 felony is punishable by four to 15 years in prison. Whitworth was taken to the Boone County Jail on $50,000 bond.Cheryl L. Smith, 52, also of Belvidere was charged with two counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance, crack cocaine, within 1,000 feet of public housing. Smith’s charge was also a Class 1 felony. She was taken to Boone County Jail on $50,000 bond.

Arturo Alerja was in the bathroom of Farra's night club using and selling cocaine

Arturo Alerja, 30,was in the bathroom of Farra's night club using and selling cocaine at 1:04 a.m. Iowa City Police Sgt. Mike Brotherton, who responded to the bar, said the DOC officer was off-duty and not assisting in any police operations.
Sgt. Troy Kelsay said Santiago told the bar staff about what he saw and helped to identify Alerja so the staff could decide what action to take. Kelsay said Santiago did not try to arrest or restrain Alerja. However, when the situation between the bar staff and Alerja escalated and became physical, Santiago helped to restrain him.
When he arrived at the bar, Brotherton said Alerja was agitated, combative and ignoring commands to stop. Alerja assaulted the officers and bit Brotherton on the arm, causing an injury and breaking the skin. Brotherton said the injury did not require stitches.Alerja continued to resist until he was put in a squad car. He then refused to provide his name, date of birth and other information to the police, according to the criminal complaint. Brotherton said he's not even sure Alerja is the suspect's name and they are using finger prints to try to positively identify him."Nobody knows who this guy is," he said.Brotherton said no drugs were found, but he said Santiago saw Alerja snorting cocaine. Alerja was exhibiting symptoms consistent with using a stimulant such as cocaine, Brotherton said.Alerjo was charged with interference with official acts, assault on a peace officer and assault on a peace officer causing bodily injury.

David Royston, Michael Ginnelly,ran the drugs racket from Mr Pickwicks in Leman Street, Whitechapel on the edge of the City.

Southwark Crown Court heard former currency broker Ginnelly even sold £100 worth of the class A drug while sitting in the car with his three children.David Royston, 44, and ex-currency broker Michael Ginnelly, 55, ran the drugs racket from Mr Pickwicks in Leman Street, Whitechapel on the edge of the City.Over 12 months the pair supplied cocaine in increasing amounts to a series of undercover police officers.
Boasting he had 25 years experience in the drugs business, Ginnelly lived in a rundown council estate and fronted the deals while his partner in crime Royston drove around in a Rolls Royce and lived in a riverside apartment.The pair began as 'low level retailers' supplying a 'couple of Gs' for £100 at a time before progressing into 'wholesale traders', earning £8,500 for just one deal.As well as selling in the upstairs bar of Mr Pickwicks, Royston supplied wraps from his partner's insurance business down the street.The dealers even arranged a lunch meeting at the OXO Tower to discuss supplying two kilos of cocaine a month after two undercover cops posed as dealers based in Brighton.They were arrested on July 6 last year, after officers from the Met's Clubs and Vice Unit swooped after a 20-month operation called Telon.Ginnelly pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine between July 5, 2006 and July 7, 2007, and was sentenced to five years.Royston pleaded guilty to the same count and was given a six-year jail term.Passing sentence, Mr Recorder Phillip Katz QC said: 'What the pair of you are doing sitting here having gotten involved in this I really don't understand, it makes no sense to me.'You are both intelligent and successful men but there you are waiting for me to pass a sentence of imprisonment on you.'He continued: 'What this started out as was retailing cocaine from drinking premises above a bar in Leman Street.
'It was of a low level to people that you believed to be users and they were small amounts.'That went on for some months because the first evidence of a larger deal was not until December 2006 when Mr Ginnelly effectively supplied amounts for £1,000.'The judge added: 'After the OXO Tower meeting nine ounces was supplied for £8,500 by you because you had been tempted out of greed by the proposition that was put to you by these undercover officers to up the stakes.'I don't think this was entrapment, I don't think there was anything wrong with this, I think this was the officers in the case seeing how far you were prepared to go.'The court heard that during the operation just over a total 307grams of cocaine was sold by the defendants, worth around £11,000.Prosecutor Ann Darlow said: 'These defendants were subject to an intensive surveillance operation involving a number of test purchase officers.'At the commencement of the operation they supplied smaller amounts of cocaine wrapped in lottery tickets, less than a gram, but during the course of the operation amounts offered for supply escalated and the Prosecution put the case that this was wholesale dealing by both the defendants.'Following a meeting with two undercover officers in Mr Pickwicks in July 2006, Ginnelly quickly established himself as a dealer with plenty of contacts and gave the police his mobile number.
In March last year, Ginnelly, himself a heavy drug user, met with an undercover officer while he sat in a car with his three children.Ms Darlow said: 'He told the officer to get into the car to carry out the deal in front of the children, supplying two wraps of cocaine for £100.'Royston also dealt to officers from a basement boardroom and Ginnelly later claimed he was in the process of setting up a first floor members only bar at Mr Pickwicks so he could freely distribute cocaine.
As the deals got bigger, the pair began arranging meetings with the undercover officers at hotels around London.The biggest deal, for a 'nine ounce bar', took place in a hotel room near Tower Bridge and netted the dealers £8,500.
They were finally arrested on July 6 last year.

Lawrence Doyle was arrested in June 2007 after family members upset about his cocaine use and dealing from their home tipped off police

Lawrence Doyle of 7 Elwell St. was arrested in June 2007 after family members upset about his cocaine use and dealing from their home tipped off police.After searching his house and finding 2.8 grams of cocaine in separately packaged bags, detectives searching Doyle's car and clothes found 21.8 grams of cocaine, a vial with six OxyContin tablets and $1,216 in cash.Doyle pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute Thursday in Essex County Superior Court in Salem. A third count of possession with intent to distribute was thrown out.
In addition to the prison time, Doyle received two years of probation and was fined $240.

John Smith, 33, was stopped in a taxi in the city and drugs, weighing just over two kilos, were found.

John Smith, 33, was stopped in a taxi in the city and drugs, weighing just over two kilos, were found. He claimed he had stolen a rucksack from two men who had asked him for directions in a pub and said he did not know what was inside. However, drugs officers had witnessed him hand over money in return for the bag of cocaine.
Advocate depute Morag Jack told the High Court in Edinburgh that Smith had been put under surveillance during a drugs operation. She said that on 6 December last year he was seen meeting two men who had got off a coach at the bus station. All three went into The Abode pub in the city's St Andrews Street. The prosecutor said: "The accused was seen to hand over a bundle of cash to one of the other men. In return he received a rucksack." Smith got into a taxi but the vehicle was stopped by police and he was detained. Inside the rucksack, police found two blocks of compressed powder wrapped in black tape. Analysis revealed it was 25% pure cocaine with a potential street value of £107,560. Smith earlier admitted being concerned in the supply of the Class A drug. Lord Kinclaven told him he would have jailed him for five years for the offence, but for his guilty plea. The judge said: "As a courier you were playing an essential part in the drug trade."

Arrested Marcel Levon Williams recovered two baggies of crack cocaine, a baggy of green leafy vegetation, a marijuana cigarette, $364 in cash

Arrested Marcel Levon Williams around 9:40 a.m. at 1114 E. 19th St. and recovered two baggies of crack cocaine, a baggy of green leafy vegetation, a marijuana cigarette, $364 in cash, among other items, a police report said.Williams was indicted by a federal grand jury on six charges that accuse him of possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute. The charges stem from incidents between March 1, 2007, and Sept. 3, 2008, according to the indictment.
The indictment, which was filed Sept. 11, was made public after Williams’ arrest.

Ruby L. Holley and 37-year-old Jeremy James entered guilty pleas to the charge of dealing in cocaine, a class B felony.

Ruby L. Holley and 37-year-old Jeremy James entered guilty pleas to the charge of dealing in cocaine, a class B felony.Holley admitted under oath to selling .32 grams of cocaine to a confidential informant near Ninth and North streets in Logansport on May 4, 2006. She was arrested more than a year later along with 28 other suspects in what the Cass County Drug Task Force called Bought & Paid For 2. The Logansport resident has been in the Cass County Jail on a bond of $5,000 cash/$25,000 surety since her arrest.Holley’s plea agreement calls for 10 years in prison, with two years suspended, according to deputy prosecutor James Ackermann.During his plea hearing, James admitted to selling one-eighth of an ounce of cocaine to a confidential informant in the 1200 block of George Street on May 18, 2006. He was arrested in July of the same year during the Bought & Paid For investigation that resulted in a county-record 41 arrests.
James’ plea agreement capped his possible prison time at 10 years. He has been out of jail since Jan. 23, 2007, when he posted a $25,000 surety bond.Sentencing for Holley and James is scheduled for Oct. 27 before Judge Rick Maughmer, who took both plea deals under advisement.A class B felony carries a sentencing range of six to 20 years in the Indiana Department of Correction.

Jose Diaz a/k/a Jose David Diaz-Ortega, was arrested on July 30, 2008

Jose Diaz a/k/a Jose David Diaz-Ortega, was arrested on July 30, 2008. A total of 9 people have been arrested and charged in an indictment unsealed today. A five-month investigation revealed that Jose Diaz a/k/a Jose David Diaz-Ortega, directed associates in Puerto Rico to ship kilograms of cocaine, concealed inside children's toy tool boxes and large building toy container boxes, to New York City. The organization used United States Postal Service Express Mail to make deliveries to drop off addresses in Manhattan and the Bronx. Eight other members of the Diaz-Ortega drug or money laundering enterprise in the Bronx, New Jersey and Puerto Rico, also face top felony charges. The narcotics were destined to be sold to buyers on the East Coast. One sale occurred on June 5, 2008 at Diaz-Ortega's Bronx residence. A Connecticut resident purchased a kilogram of cocaine concealed inside a child's pegboard stool. With the assistance of the New Haven Drug Enforcement Administration District Office and the Ansonia Police Department, the cocaine, still inside the stool, was recovered in the Waterbury, Connecticut area. Diaz-Ortega and Jesus Diaz, an employee in Prima Check Cashing, a money remitter and check cashing business at 1740 First Avenue in Manhattan, are also charged with laundering the proceeds of the narcotics business. As often as twice a week, Diaz-Ortega brought drug proceeds amounting to $40,000-$50,000 to Prima Check Cashing where Jesus Diaz, with the assistance of Lisa Rodriguez, sent wire transfers to associates in Puerto Rico. He also converted drug proceeds received in smaller denominations into $100 dollar bills. Diaz-Ortega stashed currency in his residence at 1314 Clay Avenue in the Bronx. A June 13, 2008 search warrant at Diaz-Ortega's home led to the recovery of $86,400 and a .380 caliber handgun. Diaz-Ortega, who was not home at the time, was arrested on July 30, 2008 at First Avenue and 101st Street in Manhattan. He is being held on bail in the amount of $500,000 cash/ $250,000 bond. His next court date is October 6, 2008 before the Honorable William Wetzel, Supreme Court Part 34. He and eight of his co-conspirators were indicted by a Special Narcotics Grand Jury on August 29, 2008. This morning a search warrant at Cessa Eddy's Prospect Avenue Bronx home led to the recovery of a .38 caliber, .25 caliber and .9 millimeter handguns and an ounce of cocaine and an ounce of marijuana packaged in numerous plastic zip lock bags for distribution. Teams of DEA agents and Special Narcotics investigators arrested the remaining defendants charged in the indictment, including: Mark Marasi, Cessa Eddy, Jackeline Viera, Jesus Diaz, Lisa Rodriguez, Juan Carambot, Jose Weekes and Julio Perez

David A. Gooch charged with criminally negligent homicide and criminal injection of a narcotic drug

Catskill police arrested 33-year-old David A. Gooch and charged him with criminally negligent homicide and criminal injection of a narcotic drug, both felonies, and criminal possession of a controlled substance in the 7th degree and criminal possession of a hypodermic instrument, both misdeamenors.Gooch is accused in the death of 49-year-old Dennis Byrne. Byrne was transported to Columbia Memorial Hospital in Hudson by a private vehicle. Byrne was pronounced dead at the hospital, state police said.State police said the charges are the result of both men using heroin at a residence in the town of Catskill.
Gooch was arraigned before Greenville Town Justice Richard Schrieber and ordered held in the Greene County Jail on $25,000 bail or $50,000 bond.

Dani Rodriguez was taken into custody when Anti-Crime officers found him holing 25 packets of heroin

Dani Rodriguez of Throop Avenue was taken into custody when Anti-Crime officers found him holing 25 packets of heroin. The bust culminated a weeklong investigation, police said.Rodriguez was charged with possession of heroin and related distribution counts, including being within 1,000 of a public park and within a 1,000-foot school zone. He is free on $35,000 bail.In July, Anti-Crime officers and personnel from the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office arrested Rodriguez after a search of his home on Wellington Place turned up 91 packets of heroin and nearly $1,600 in cash, all of it believed to be proceeds from drug sales.He had been held on $50,000 bail in that case.

Marshall Pittman,Raven Reebel,Brittany Cook All three were booked into the Multi-County Correctional Center

Arrested Marshall Pittman, 20, 868 Chatfield Road, on two charges of possession of heroin and a charge of drug paraphernalia; Raven Reebel, 23, LaRue, on two charges of possession of heroin; and Brittany Cook, 19, last known address 868 Chatfield Road, on a charge of possession of heroin.detectives located 2.7 grams of heroin with a street value of $350 and drug paraphernalia.All three were booked into the Multi-County Correctional Center.The MARMET-METRICH Drug Task Force consists of detectives from the Marion County Sheriff's Office and Marion Police Department.

Ben Dionne charged with conspiracy to possess marijuana with the intent to distribute and failure to appear in U.S. District Court in Bangor.

Ben Dionne, 29, is back in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service after fleeing to Canada nearly two years ago. Dionne, who has dual citizenship, was extradited to the U.S. earlier this year. He was turned over to American authorities Monday in Madawaska, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.He is charged with conspiracy to possess marijuana with the intent to distribute and failure to appear in U.S. District Court in Bangor. Dionne was one of six men indicted by a federal grand jury two years ago for allegedly being part of a marijuana smuggling and distribution ring that stretched from the St. John Valley to Portland.Dionne was released on Sept. 12, 2006, on $5,000 unsecured bail after pleading not guilty to the drug charge in federal court in Bangor. He failed to stay in touch with U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services and a warrant was issued for his arrest two weeks later, according to court documents.In November 2006, a grand jury indicted him on a new charge — failure to appear.Dionne is scheduled to be arraigned on that charge Monday. A federal judge also will hear a motion to revoke his bail on the drug charge and hold him without bail until his case is resolved.If convicted, he faces a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in federal prison. Dionne also could be fined up to $4 million on the drug charge. He faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 on the failure-to-appear charge.All but one of Dionne’s alleged co-conspirators have been convicted.John “Scooch” or “Scoochy” Pascuccui, 50, of Gorham also pleaded not guilty to drug conspiracy. He and Dionne are not scheduled to be tried until after the first of the year.Michael Pelletier, 57, of St. David was sentenced in January to 20 years in prison after being found guilty in July 2007 of drug smuggling, money laundering and Social Security fraud. Michael Easler, 28, of St. David was sentenced in August 2007 to 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to similar drug and money laundering charges.
Raymond “Rocky” Fogg, 56, of Winn and Anthony Caparotta, 43, of Caribou were found guilty in June of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute marijuana. The jury also found Fogg guilty of Social Security fraud. Both men face between 10 years and life in federal prison.

Paul Bruce was caught with 28 wraps of the drug

Paul Bruce was caught with 28 wraps of the drug when he ran on to a bus after officers spotted him acting suspiciously. And as well as having the drugs, which weighed about five grams, the 25-year-old also had £160 in cash. Rachel Marshall, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court how officers saw him acting suspiciously on Friday, November 9 last year. She said they followed him as he ran on to a bus and saw him put something into his backside. He was arrested and officers later recovered a package which contained 28 wraps of drugs. When he was questioned he told police he was acting under duress as he had previous drug problems and his dealer had beaten him up. He said he had to do jobs for him including acting as a courier which is what he was doing when he was arrested. The court heard he had a number of previous convictions for dishonesty consistent with drug addiction as well as possessing cannabis in 2000 and heroin in 2003. Bruce, who gave the court a care of address in Purton Road, pleaded guilty to possessing heroin with intent to supply. Mike Pulsford, defending, said his client accepted he had bought the drugs and was to supply them to friends. His client’s mother had left him some money to look after himself while she went away, he said, and he had spent it on the drugs.
He said that he had also withdrawn some money from his bank account shortly before he was arrested as his Giro had just been paid in. Although he had planned to sell the drugs, he said he did not have an opportunity before he was arrested, so none of the money came from that. He said in the time since the offence his client had stopped taking drugs and had been offered work if he kept his liberty. But jailing him, Judge John McNaught said: “A lot of the criminal cases that come before the court here and up and down the country are drug related. “Higher courts in London tell me what I have to do to people who are caught with class A drugs with intent.
“The courts do what they can, it may not be much but they do what they can. Anyone who risks it must know that they may go to prison.” He also ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the drugs and the confiscation of the £160 he had on him when he was arrested.

Stephen Elsdon twice supplied crack cocaine to an undercover officer

Stephen Elsdon twice supplied crack cocaine to an undercover officer during a Cleveland Police operation to target peddlers in Hartlepool last year.
The 38-year-old was given a 12-month suspended prison sentence with probation service supervision. The Recorder of Middlesbrough, Judge Peter Fox, QC, also ordered that Elsdon undergoes a drug rehabilitation programme over the next two years. He told him: "You are one of the few - very, very few - people who get convicted of supplying Class A drugs who don't go straight to prison.
"You have got a great deal of ability and a great deal going for you, and you are only 38. There is a lot yet you can do with your life, but its down to you."
Teesside Crown Court heard that Elsdon was asked by an associate who became friends with the undercover officer to find crack cocaine.
The pal - jailed last month three years for supplying heroin to the officer - was one of the main targets of Operation Beckford, but Elsdon was not.
Paul Cleasby, mitigating, said Elsdon was a conduit, but since his arrest, he has become drug-free and found a job in the demolition industry. Elsdon, of Masefield Road, Hartlepool, admitted two charges of supplying Class A drugs - on October 24 and November 2 last year. Mr Cleasby told the court: "He recognises the offence in which he became embroiled were serious. He is making every effort to address his underlying issues."

Hector “Guero” Omero Rodriguez was arrested and charged for intent to obtain and distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine and money laundering.

Hector “Guero” Omero Rodriguez was arrested and charged for intent to obtain and distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine and money laundering. He was picked up along with other arrestees during the morning hours of Sept. 17 as apart of a North Texas drug dealing crackdown known as “Operation Dos Equis.”In total, more than $1 million cash, approximately 300 kilograms of cocaine, approximately 400 pounds of methamphetamine, approximately 20 weapons, and various explosive devices were seized in the North Texas area.The arrests were part of "Project Reckoning," a multi-agency law enforcement effort led by the DEA. According to the statement, the Gulf Cartel is responsible for transporting multi-ton quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, and marjiuana from countries in South and Central America to the United States, as well as the distribution of those narcotics within the U.S. "Project Reckoning" is a 15-month investigation that has led to the arrests this week of more than 175 individuals throughout the United States and Italy.
In the northern district of Texas, "Operation Dos Equis" focused on the Mexican cocaine distribution organization, and stems from a federal grand jury indictment charging 21 defendants with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine and money laundering.Another North Texas effort, titled "Operation Vertigo," was an investigation into a methamphetamine distribution organization, and included 11 defendants charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine."Operation Dos Equis and Operation Vertigo are an unprecedented success in North Texas, resulting in the largest combined seizure ever of money and drugs at one time," Roper said.
Special Agent Capra said that the combined national drug enforcement activities during the course of the operation have significantly disrupted the Gulf Cartel's transportation and distribution networks, and that the cooperation among domestic law enforcement agencies was instrumental in the successful outcome of the investigation.

Juan Delarosa, 56, drug counselor was initially arrested in January this year after authorities, who had been alerted to his criminal activity,

Juan Delarosa, 56, was initially arrested in January this year after authorities, who had been alerted to his criminal activity, caught him with more than bags of heroin and two bags of cocaine in his jacket pocket. He is now charged with felony and misdemeanor counts of attempted promoting of prison contraband. Upon his initial arrest he was charged with third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance.prison drug counselor faces felony charges after being caught smuggling heroin and cocaine into the Riker's Island jailhouse.Delarosa began working as a drug-treatment counselor at Rikers Island Prison in February 2004. Correction officers told the Village Voice that he initially did a good job, but in the months leading up to his arrest he had done less and less, even sitting in his office all day "nodding out."If Delarosa is convicted of the felony charges he faces up to four years in prison.

David Danso, who allegedly attempted to smuggle a substance suspected to be cocaine , jumped from the first floor of the Kotoka International Airport

David Danso, who allegedly attempted to smuggle a substance suspected to be cocaine outside the country, jumped from the first floor of the Departure Hall of the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) to escape arrest.
The suspect, who was fleeing from operatives of the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) after he had been invited by them, received multiple fractures on his left thigh as a result of the heavy fall on the ground floor of the main airport building.
He is currently on admission at the 37 Military Hospital receiving treatment and the doctors say he will be there for the next 10 weeks.
Two other suspects, Daniel Mensah, 23, and Frank Amoako, 37, who were arrested later are in custody pending further investigations.
The three suspects have together expelled a total of 199 pellets of the drug.
The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of NACOB, Mr Francis Opoku Amoah, told the Daily Graphic yesterday that about 10:30 p.m. on August 30, 2008, Danso, who was resident in London, was the last person to go through departure formalities to board a London-bound flight.
Mr Amoah said while Danso was on his way to board the aircraft, operatives of NACOB invited him for random checks but he quickly turned and took to his heels.
According to the NACOB PRO, after meandering his way through Immigration Control, Danso jumped onto the ground floor.
Mr Amoah said Danso was rushed to the 37 Military Hospital where he was admitted for treatment.
While on admission, he said, the suspect expelled 64 pellets of the substance.
He said upon interrogation, Danso claimed that a United States of America-based friend of his, Alhaji Musah, had sent him £1,500 to enable him to meet his financial obligations in Ghana before returning to London.
Mr Amoah said Danso, however, claimed that Alhaji Musah gave him that amount on condition that he took some drugs to London on his behalf.
On Mensah, the PRO said the suspect was arrested at the airport about 7.00 p.m. on September 6, 2008 while going through departure formalities for Holland.
Mr Amoah said the suspect confessed to swallowing 65 pellets of the drug which had been given to him by someone he identified only as Emma at Madina for a fee of 3,500 euros.
He said the suspect had since expelled all the 65 pellets.
According to Mr Amoah, Amoako was arrested on September 10, 2008 while going through departure formalities for Germany, where he was based.
He said Amoako confessed to swallowing 50 pellets but expelled 70 pellets after he had been detained.
The PRO said Amoako claimed that he was to deliver the drugs to someone he identified only as Shivry in Berlin for a fee of 3,500 euros.

Anthony Connolly was arrested on Wednesday evening after UK Border Agency officers searched a truck carrying a consignment of beer at Dover.

Anthony Connolly, of North Sudley Road, Mossley Hill was arrested on Wednesday evening after UK Border Agency officers searched a truck carrying a consignment of beer at Dover.They found a number of brown-taped packages containing heroin hidden in two holdalls on top of the engine block under the cab of the tractor unit.Connolly, 42, was the driver of the van searched when it arrived at Dover’s eastern docks on a ferry from Calais.He appeared before magistrates in Folkestone, Kent, yesterday and was remanded in custody until September 25.
Spokesman for HM Revenue and Customs in the south east Bob Gaiger said: “HMRC play a vital role in the fight to prevent illegal drugs from entering the UK.”

Marcus Steadman, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply crack cocaine, was sentenced to four years in prison.

Marcus Steadman, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply crack cocaine, was sentenced to four years in prison.
judge also ordered him to complete the remainder of the five-year sentence he was serving while in Sudbury and sentenced him to an additional 230 days.
West Derbyshire MP Patrick McLoughlin said people convicted of serious drugs offences should not be sent to open prisons.
He said: "This is a person who has obviously caused a lot of damage and I find it absurd that someone convicted of this type of crime can be considered for an open prison.
A spokeswoman for Sudbury Prison said Steadman would have been assessed for suitability for Category D (low security, open jail) conditions by a governor at the prison from which he was sent.
She said: "I am unable to give any further information as the computer records held are now unavailable."
Steadman had been convicted of possession with intent to supply drugs. After he walked out of his Sudbury sentence, he became involved in the drugs ring when he was recruited by a "Mr Big" in London. The ring was centred on Teesside.
Cleveland police could not yesterday give details of which prison Steadman, now of no fixed abode, was sent to when he began his five-year sentence, or when he was transferred to Sudbury.
The Derbyshire jail could also not immediately give those details.
Teesside Crown Court had heard that the drugs ring became known as the Donna Network, because addicts telephoning to get crack cocaine spoke to a woman who gave the false name Donna.
It is likely the group first targeted Middlesbrough in 2004. They hoped to establish the town as the regional hub from which to supply crack cocaine to the North East.
Police estimate that the Donna Network had a turnover of £1m a year from its Middlesbrough dealings. It is believed that the drug cash fuelled lavish lifestyles among the hierarchy and was also sent to Jamaica to invest in property.
Steadman was arrested by police in Teesside in April last year. The court was told he had been brought from London to run so-called safe houses in Middlesbrough.
He was jailed along with seven others involved in the drugs scam.
Detective Constable Kevin Harper, a police intelligence officer for Sudbury Prison, said it would be unlikely that Steadman would end up in an open jail again.
He said: "The majority of prisoners who abscond from the prison are recaptured very quickly. Those found to abusing the open prison conditions, such as Steadman, would be unlikely to be considered for those conditions again."
Sudbury had faced criticism because of its number of escapees. However, figures released exclusively to the Evening Telegraph recently revealed how the number of absconders had reduced by 75% since the introduction of a new policy which takes a harder line on those who try to flee.
Between January and June 2006, 48 inmates walked out of the prison, compared with 12 this year – a 75% reduction.
In 2006, 86 prisoners escaped but, by the end of 2007, this was reduced to 54.
Mr McLoughlin said: "I would say that Sudbury has improved dramatically in the rate of absconders, particularly since the introduction of a new system which means the consequences of absconding are more severe."

Pasquale Barbaro “I would rather be poor and free than a millionaire"posed too much of a risk of violating bail conditions and fleeing the country

Barbaro, from Griffith in NSW, is facing five charges of trafficking commercial quantities of ecstasy, money laundering and dealing with the proceeds of crime over a large ecstasy haul uncovered by Australian Federal Police. Pasquale Barbaro posed too much of a risk of violating bail conditions and fleeing the country and therefore refused the application. The 15 million pills were hidden in tomato tins in a container shipped from Italy to Melbourne in June last year. Twenty-five people allegedly involved in the syndicate - stretching from the NSW town of Griffith to Europe - have been charged. Mr Garnett said he agreed with police evidence that Mr Barbaro was the head of the international syndicate allegedly responsible for the 4.4 tonnes of ecstasy. He said that even though there were delays in the case and it would most likely not go to trial until 2010, he had to balance this against the seriousness of the charges and the strength of the prosecution case. The Melbourne Magistrates Court yesterday heard Mr Barbaro believed Mr Mokbel should have stayed “underground” and could have “lived like a king” with his children, “eating fish and drinking champagne” if he had been smarter. The court heard police recorded conversations between the accused and another co-defendant in May last year after they had been watching the news of Mr Mokbel's arrest in Greece on television.
Prosecutor Brent Young told the court listening devices captured Mr Barbaro talking about knowing people who had successfully lived happily in the “mountains of Lebanon” without being caught. “What's money,” he allegedly said. “I would rather be poor and free than a millionaire in jail. F..k that!”

Joseph Hyde. , who now lives in Thailand, was stopped in his car by police in March last year and was found with 3.3 grams of cocaine

Thomas Thompson, 52 of Dragside, South Shields was jailed for seven years, Aaron Fada, 33, of Braybourne Street, South Shields was jailed for three years and Simon Welsh, 33, of Strathmore Gardens, South Shields was jailed for 21 months.
Joseph Hyde. , who now lives in Thailand, was stopped in his car by police in March last year and was found with 3.3 grams of cocaine, with a street value of £200.
Following his interview and release police began surveillance on Hyde and which led them to a number of other criminals. As a result three men were jailed for a total of over 11 years. A fourth defendant, John Scott, 38, of Chaucer Avenue, South Shields had his sentence for supply of cocaine and transferring money to Thailand adjourned until October 20 for the preparation of a psychiatric report.
The court heard Callum Taylor, 24 who died of a suspected drugs overdose after ahouse party would have also been sentenced for his part in the crimes.
Thompson had pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine and transfering money, Fada, pleaded guilty to supplying cocaine and Welsh pleaded guilty to supplying cocaine and transfering money Tim Gittins, prosecuting, said that after Hyde and Scott were stopped by the police it, "Led detectives to the doors of the other defendants."
Thomas Thompson, who was described as Hyde's "Number one man" had his home raided in July last year. There police found 250 grams of cocaine, with a street value of £40,000, a 'debtors list' which totalled £400,000 and £8,400 in cash. Police also found a cache of weapons including batons, flick knives, knuckle dusters and a crossbow. Mr Gittins said: "He made frank admissions that the cocaine was there ready to be distributed in South Shields.
"He was clearly frightened and remorseful during the course of interview. "Enquiries revealed Thompson, Welsh and Scott had been responsible over a period of time for transferring large quantities of currency to Thailand."
The court heard that between January and July 2007 Thompson had sent £51,000 to Thailand, while Welsh had sent £5000, most of it in his partner's name.
In September 2007 police raided A and S Auto Salvage in Gateshead, which belonged to Welsh and Fada. There police found around 130 grams of cocaine and 230 grams of cannabis resin. Glen Gatland, defending Thompson, said that he was not making huge profits from the drugs and was paid £150-£200 a week for driving Hyde around.
He said: "The mastermind behind all this was Mr Hyde, who escaped abroad."
Judge Beatrice Bolton, sentencing Thompson, said: "Hyde is undoubtedly the man behind this operation but you were is number one man. "On your arrest you were ready, willing and able to tell police what had been happening."
The Judge said Fada was not at first "on the police radar" but the raid on his business implicated him in drug dealing.

Richard J. Scirocco,was caught with the drugs after a state trooper pulled his 1997 Chevy Trailblazer over for speeding and a marked lanes violation

Richard J. Scirocco, 42, of 10 Howe Street, was caught with the drugs after a state trooper pulled his 1997 Chevy Trailblazer over for speeding and a marked lanes violation, police said. Scirocco was driving with another man, Scott Carty Jr., 21, in the passenger seat, police said. Both men acted nervously and moved toward the center console of the car when the trooper approached them, police said.Inside the center console, the trooper allegedly found a double-edged knife, one plastic bag containing four more plastic bags of cocaine and 13 loose bags of cocaine packaged for sale.Both men were arrested and charged with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and drug violation in a school zone. Scirocco was also charged with a marked lanes violation and failure to signal before making a turn.Scirocco received 464 votes for mayor last year and finished third against incumbent Joseph A. Curtatone and challenger, Suzanne Bremer. On Election Day, Scirocco drove around the city in a stretch limousine while teenagers shouted, “Vote for Scirocco, vote for change” through a bullhorn from the vehicle’s windows.After the election results came in showing that he had finished third, Scirocco blamed his loss on media coverage of his past arrests. Four women, all mothers of his children, had each taken out restraining orders against him, and Scirocco once pled guilty to punching his child’s mother in the face.He was also put in handcuffs in March 2004 after police said he bought three kegs of beer for more than 30 teenagers. He was the city’s Little League Baseball president at the time.“If the papers had given me a chance and not gone through with a smear campaign against my name, maybe people could have had a different perspective of me and I would have prevailed,” Scirocco said after the loss last year. “I’m not a bad person; at least I don’t think I am. The media is completely the reason I lost.”

Omar Stevenson, faces two counts of illegal drug sales and two of illegal drug possession.

Omar Stevenson, 30, of 234 School St., is accused of selling cocaine July 15 and Aug. 15 on School Street, police said. When he was arrested Monday outside his home, Stevenson had a plastic bag of marijuana, police said. He faces two counts of illegal drug sales and two of illegal drug possession. He was scheduled for arraignment yesterday at First District Court, Hempstead.

Gary Bryant,claimed he was ordered to transport 140 wraps of the class A drug from Liverpool to dealers in North Wales to clear his own drug debt.

Gary Bryant, 35, of Tynwadd, Llanerchymedd, Anglesey, claimed he was ordered to transport 140 wraps of the class A drug from Liverpool to dealers in North Wales to clear his own drug debt.The Recorder of Chester, Judge Elgan Edwards, commended two officers from British Transport Police, Joan Moore and Geoffrey Robinson, for their actions which led to Bryant’s arrest.Judge Edwards said: “As a result of their actions they have prevented a sizeable degree of public harm being done.“I issue a Crown Court commendation to both of them.”Bryant was seen acting suspiciously walking across a bridge linking the platforms at Chester station on Monday, June 23, at about 11pm, Chester Crown Court was told.Peter Hussey, prosecuting, said: “Officers approached him and suspected that he may be in possession of drugs.
“From his pocket he produced a plastic bag about the size of a golf ball with a number of smaller packages within. Analysis revealed it was crack cocaine and that there were 140 bags of £10 deals ready for selling.”Bryant, a father of three, pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine with intent to supply.Andrew Green, defending, said: “For much of his life he has had a longstanding addiction to class A drugs.“For a repeat offender with a history of addiction to hold down any semblance of family life and stay away from the courts would have taken some resolve and determination.”Judge Elgan originally sentenced Bryant to five years’ jail but reduced it to four after listening to Mr Green’s argument

Leslie Adgar and Jon Patton pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute cocaine and heroin. Those crimes carry a statutory minimum penalty of 10 years

Leslie Adgar, 42, of Decatur, Ga., was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Judge J. Owen Forrester to 10 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Jon Patton, 44, of Lawrenceville, Ga., got 10 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Andre Mays, 24, of Atlanta, was sentenced to 2 years and six months of probation and ordered to perform 160 hours of community service for entering a secure airport area in violation of federal screening requirements.
Patton and Mays were, at the time of the crimes, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees working at HJIA. Adgar was a Delta Air Lines Inc. (NYSE: DAL) employee, also assigned to HJIA.All three defendants pleaded guilty on June 18.In December 2007, a confidential source working for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) brokered a deal with TSA employee Patton to send two kilograms of cocaine through Hartsfield-Jackson to New York. Patton set transportation fees of $5,000 for the first kilogram of cocaine and $3,000 for every kilogram after. Patton provided the source with a piece of luggage that was later used to carry the two kilograms of cocaine past security and onto the Delta flight.On Dec. 19, 2007, at the direction of the DEA, the source met with Patton and a second TSA employee, Mays, at Hartsfield-Jackson and handed them a carry-on bag packed with two kilograms of fake cocaine and $4,000. Both Patton and Mays were in TSA uniform and on duty at Hartsfield-Jackson when they took the luggage. The $4,000 was one-half of the total $8,000 transportation fee; the plan was for the source to hand the second $4,000 to Adgar in New York when the sham drugs were delivered.After taking the source's bag, Patton and Mays went into a bathroom in Hartsfield-Jackson's North Terminal. About two minutes later, Patton was seen inside the bathroom standing outside of a closed bathroom stall talking to Mays in the stall. Patton no longer had the bag. Mays was not visible, but the bag was on the floor inside the stall outside of which Patton was standing. Patton and Mays then exited the bathroom together. Patton once again was carrying the bag. Mays, who had entered the bathroom with his coat open, now had his coat closed. Mays was next spotted on the other side of the security check point.
Patton walked around the magnetometers, sending the bag through the x-ray machine. Patton and the bag were not challenged by TSA screeners. Patton retrieved the bag and eventually met with Adgar in the T concourse, giving her the bag. Adgar immediately boarded a Delta flight to New York's LaGuardia Airport.
After arriving at LaGuardia, Adgar met with the source, who paid Adgar the remaining $4,000 of the smuggling fee. Adgar gave the source his bag with the two kilograms of fake cocaine. Adgar later boarded another Delta flight and came back to Atlanta.
In late January, the source and Patton negotiated a second smuggling transaction. On Jan. 23, the source traveled to Hartsfield-Jackson and gave Patton with the same carry-on bag that was used in the December deal. This time, however, the bag was packed with one kilogram of fake heroin and $4,500. Patton was in uniform and on duty when he took the luggage.After taking the bag, Patton passed the heroin through the security checkpoint without notice. He then went near Gate T-8 and gave Adgar the bag. Adgar then boarded a Delta flight bound for LaGuardia Airport. After arriving in New York, Adgar deplaned and returned the bag with the sham heroin in it to the source. In exchange, the source handed Adgar the remaining $4,500. Adgar later boarded a Delta flight from New York to Orlando.A third and final transaction happened Feb. 15. The source and Patton negotiated a three-kilogram cocaine deal, again from Atlanta to New York. The source arrived at Hartsfield-Jackson and gave Patton with the same carry-on bag that had been used in the previous two deals. The bag was packed with three kilograms of fake cocaine and cash. Patton was again in TSA uniform and on duty at Hartsfield-Jackson when he took the luggage. Patton passed the fake cocaine through security without incident. Inside the airport, Patton provided Adgar with the bag. Adgar was arrested by DEA agents while attempting to board a Delta flight to LaGuardia Airport. Patton and Mays were arrested shortly thereafter.Adgar and Patton pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute cocaine and heroin. Those crimes carry a statutory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.Mays pleaded guilty to entering a secure airport area in violation of federal screening requirements, a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in prison.

Trial of Aaron Washington and Vonnie Williams is expected to take two or three weeks.

Trial of Aaron Washington and Vonnie Williams is expected to take two or three weeks. Washington and Williams were indicted in March on 36 counts, including operating a criminal enterprise. If convicted they could face up to 99 years in prison.Prosecutors say for several years the operation used women as mules to smuggle cocaine, sometimes in their bodies, on flight to Juneau

Maria Venegas Vda. De Trevino admitted to hiding the drugs on her body

Aside from the nearly 20 pounds of cocaine Trevino-Venegas had strapped to her body, agents say they discovered another 17 pounds of narcotics in the 2006 Mercedes ML350 being driven by one of the sisters.Maria Venegas Vda. De Trevino, 60, and her three daughters were arrested June 18 when she attempted to smuggle $1 million worth of cocaine through the B&M International Bridge.United States Attorney Don DeGabrielle says Trevino-Venegas, a resident immigrant from Mexico, admitted to hiding the drugs on her body.During a secondary inspection agents say the woman and her daughters tried to run back across the bridge into Mexico, but were arrested before they reached the mid-point.Laura Trevino, 31, Adriana Trevino, 23, and Evelia Trevino, 27, are all accusedof conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. Evelia and Adriana Trevino are also charged with possessing with intent to distribute cocaine.The three sisters will go on trial next month. Their mother is in the custody of the U.S. Marshals and will be sentenced Jan. 12, 2009. She faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison as well as a $4 million fine.

Rajput Kaleem Uddin was charged with smuggling a Class C drug

Rajput Kaleem Uddin, 38, a Pakistani national who arrived on Tyneside from Karachi, Pakistan, via a flight from Dubai, was later charged with smuggling a Class C drug and remanded to appear before Newcastle Crown Court by city magistrates.steroids with a street value of £50,000 were seized at Newcastle Airport after they were found stashed in a suitcase.Customs and excise officials searching a wheelie suitcase found it contained 20kg of an illegal form of testosterone used for bodybuilding – the equivalent of several thousand doses.

Chinaemerem Callistus Ukwanna Igboanusi, 25, has been charged with attempting to smuggle Class A drugs into the UK

Chinaemerem Callistus Ukwanna Igboanusi, 25, of Tamworth Road, Fenham, Newcastle, has been charged with attempting to smuggle Class A drugs into the UK.The £150,000 stash was found in the lining of a suitcase after officers searched the baggage on board the flight.150,000 of cocaine on a flight to Newcastle Airport from Cameroon. And police revealed yesterday two Nigerian nationals have been charged following the discovery of 2kg of the Class A drug at the airport.
UK Border Agency officers detected the drugs from a flight arriving into Newcastle from Cameroon via Paris on Wednesday last week.

Peter Musoloki fled but his wife Christine Lanyero was arrested and charged with unlawful possession of opium.

UPDF officer, Peter Musoloki. The officer fled but his wife Christine Lanyero was arrested and charged with unlawful possession of opium. The rolled sticks were found in a water jar, according to the Police. The Police said Musoloki deals in opium rolls of which he sells at about sh1,000 each. “He buys and sells to his fellow soldiers and a gang of youth who reside at Kasubi Small-Gate,” said the regional Police spokesman, Jonhson Kilama.  He said the hunt for the retired soldier continues adding that people should desist from dealing in bhangi. A team of 23 Police constables, headed by the district Police commander, Yasin Ndimwibo, conducted the operation. Kasubi ward local leaders said the rate of bhangi smoking in the area was very high, especially among soldiers and the youth. They said they had warned them in vain. According to a recent Police report, Uganda is East Africa’s biggest producer of opium. The report also indicated that cocaine and heroin were being smuggled into Western markets through Uganda.

Tanisha Samuel, 20, and Shereen Mariah Hardy, 17, were held as a spot check at Sangster International Airport, Montego Bay

Tanisha Samuel, 20, and Shereen Mariah Hardy, 17, were held as a spot check at Sangster International Airport, Montego Bay, uncovered 2.3kg of the drug.The pair, unemployed and from the Derby area, are set to appear before Montego Bay Resident Magistrates' Court.HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) said the drugs, weighing around 2.3kg and with a value of around £170,000, were apparently found stitched into the hair pieces.A JCF spokeswoman said the pair, both unemployed and from the Derby area, were charged with possession, dealing and attempting to export cocaine, and will appear at Montego Bay Resident Magistrates' Court on Wednesday.They had been on holiday in Jamaica for two weeks before their arrest, and have allegedly told police they were to be paid £4,000 for smuggling drugs into the UK, an HMRC spokeswoman said.

Hugo L. Olmedo-Lopez, 38, was charged with possession of cocaine

Hugo L. Olmedo-Lopez, 38, was charged with possession of cocaine and littering. He also had an active warrant in Florida for trafficking in heroin. At about 12:30 p.m., a police officer working with the Building and Health Department on Oakdale Avenue saw a yard with a chair, plastic pool, bottle and paper littering the lawn. There was also a large amount of dog feces in the yard, the report stated. Olmedo-Lopez answered the door and seemed nervous when police asked for his full name and other identification, the report said. Inside the house, police found a large white bag inside a vase, and a scale. An officer noted in the report that there were posters from the movie “Scarface” — about a Florida cocaine dealer — hanging on the walls of the living room. The house was turned over to narcotics detectives for further investigation.

Scott Rozsa, 37, pleaded guilty to several charges

Scott Rozsa, 37, pleaded guilty to several charges stemming from his May 2004 arrest, which also turned up three guns and more than $130,000 cash inside his car and home.He was on bail at the time for an earlier arrest for conspiracy to traffic five kilograms of cocaine from British Columbia. "He was fairly high on the chain of distribution here in Manitoba," Crown attorney Michael Foote said in court Monday.
Rozsa admitted to the conspiracy charge and was sentenced to three years in prison.
"The clear message here is crime doesn't pay," said defence lawyer Tim Killeen.
The university-educated Rozsa had been living a crime-free lifestyle that included being an award-winning car salesman until he got involved with the wrong people, the defence lawyer said.He was receiving cocaine by the kilogram "off the boat" from Columbia and repackaging it in his home for resale in Winnipeg, court was told.Killeen said his client learned a valuable lesson during his previous jail stint and it's unfortunate he is now going back into custody, away from his family and community supports.Many reference letters were submitted to court, and a packed gallery of loved ones attended Monday's hearing."There's a real good chance you have turned your life around," Queen's Bench Justice John Scurfield told Rozsa.
"It frankly saddens me that I have to do what I have to do today."Rozsa was given double-time credit for six months of pre-trial custody, leaving him with another six years on his sentence. He won't be eligible for accelerated parole after serving one-sixth of his time because he's no longer a first-time federal offender.

Inspector Mohammed .A. Kamara and Sgt. Patrick Johnson,detained on allegation of involvement in the landing of the 700 kg of cocaine

Inspector Mohammed .A. Kamara, head of the Police Special Branch, Sgt. Patrick Johnson, formerly of the Congo Cross Police Station and Mr. Kabbah of the Office of National Security (ONS) are currently detained at the Pademba Road Maximum Prison on allegation of involvement in the landing of the 700 kg of cocaine and trafficking of the substance.The trios were arrested last Saturday and whisked to prison for protective custody. They are currently helping police in the investigation. Allegation abounds that they have vital information, which could be used in the ongoing investigation.

Nnadozie Kenneth ingested 65 pieces of substance suspected to be cocaine on his way to Paris

Nnadozie Kenneth, who claimed to be a car dealer in Lagos ingested 65 pieces of substance suspected to be cocaine on his way to Paris last Saturday, Ofoyeju further stated that Kenneth who is married with three children also claimed that it was his first time of trafficking in drugs. “My wife felt like tearing me into pieces when she saw me in this condition,” Kenneth had said regretfully. Kenneth would have been paid 300 Euros if he had succeeded in transporting the substance to France, said Ofoyeju.

Tanisha Samuel, 20, and Shereen Mariah Hardy, 17, were detained after a random spot check at Sangster International Airport, Montego Bay, on Sunday.

Tanisha Samuel, 20, and Shereen Mariah Hardy, 17, were detained after a random spot check at Sangster International Airport, Montego Bay, on Sunday.HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) said the drugs, weighing about 2.3kg and valued at £170,000, were apparently found stitched into the hair pieces.A Jamaican police spokeswoman said the two women were charged with possession, dealing and attempting to export cocaine, and will appear at Montego Bay Resident Magistrates' Court on Wednesday.
The pair were on holiday in Jamaica for two weeks before their arrest, and have allegedly told police they were to be paid £4,000 for smuggling the drugs into the UK, an HMRC spokeswoman said.The arrests came about through Operation Airbridge, a UK-Jamaican collaboration to catch drugs couriers - known as mules - before they board planes from Jamaica.Tony Walker, of the UK Border Agency and head of Operation Airbridge, said: "The Airbridge operation is delivering real results in this and other cases by helping to protect both countries from the violence and corruption that always accompanies the trade in illegal drugs."The number detected at UK airports from Jamaica has fallen from about 1,000 every year to five in 2007, the HMRC said.

Ron Sailor Jr was sentenced to five years and three months in prison for money laundering and defrauding the church he once led as pastor.

Ron Sailor Jr was sentenced to five years and three months in prison for money laundering and defrauding the church he once led as pastor.“I understand I could have taken a very different route,” Sailor, 33, told U.S. District Court Judge Jack Camp before sentencing. “I’ve repented before God for my mistakes.”During an hour-long sentencing hearing, Sailor’s family and friends described one side of the former four-term Democratic lawmaker while prosecutors described another. But Sailor didn’t challenge prosecutors’ descriptions of his crimes.Sailor showed leadership qualities as a teenager when speaking to youth groups organized by the NAACP, the judge was told. As pastor, Sailor energized his congregation. As legislator, he inspired members of his constituency.“Ron had an outstanding life in every way,” Sailor’s father, Ron Sailor Sr., a pastor and former TV and radio personality, told Camp. “He helped people in many ways.”But last December, Sailor, who represented parts of DeKalb and Rockdale counties, was ensnared in an undercover drug sting at an Atlanta hotel.During meetings with a man he believed to be a drug dealer, Sailor agreed to launder $375,000 in illicit drug proceeds into money that appeared to have come from legitimate sources, prosecutors said Tuesday. But when he was arrested, Sailor learned that the “dealer” was, in fact, an undercover agent.
Sailor quickly acknowledged wrongdoing to federal prosecutors and went even farther, agreeing to help with a corruption investigation by apparently implicating other public officials in wrongdoing. Prosecutors have not brought any charges or outlined the nature of the corruption.When Sailor pleaded guilty in March to money-laundering charges, his help in the corruption probe appeared certain to yield him greatly reduced prison time at sentencing.But federal prosecutors soon learned that Sailor was not finished committing crime.In the days before his plea, Sailor fraudulently obtained a $250,000 loan using his own church, Greater New Light Missionary Baptist Church in southwest Atlanta, as collateral. Sailor used the proceeds from the loan to cover various personal expenses, including debts.“His conduct with respect to money became amoral,” Sailor’s lawyer, Bruce Maloy, said. “He found himself in a downward spiral and, I don’t mean this as a pun because he was a pastor, he began robbing Peter to pay Paul.”
Sailor always intended to repay the money, Maloy insisted.But Maloy said when the undercover agent proposed money laundering, “it didn’t stop [Sailor]. It wasn’t even a speed bump in the road.”Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Hathaway questioned whether Sailor was truly remorseful for what he did, or simply remorseful he got caught.“At the same time he was working with the government and looking the FBI in the eye and saying he was going to cooperate, he was working a new scheme,” Hathaway said.Camp told Sailor if he had hooked up with a real drug dealer and arranged to launder the cocaine profits, “you would have done a great deal of damage to your community.”
Camp ordered Sailor to repay $147,802 to his church and serve 240 hours of community service after his release from prison.
After the sentencing hearing, U.S. Attorney David Nahmias described Sailor as a man of great potential whose conduct “went way off the rails.”