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veggie
Registered: 07/25/04
Posts: 17,504
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Justice Department announces largest drug bust in 10 years
#6621356 - 02/28/07 05:36 PM (17 years, 1 month ago) |
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February 28, 2007 - Fox News Justice Department Announces $45 Million Multi-Ton Drug Bust Targeting Mexican Organization
The Justice Department on Wednesday announced the largest drug bust in 10 years as it rounded up more than 400 members of a Mexico-based cartel distributing tons of cocaine, marijuana and methamphetamines in the United States.
U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales announced the roundup Wednesday during a press conference in San Diego.
"Operation Imperial Emperor" targeted the Mexico-based Victor Emilio Cazares-Gastellum, a.k.a. "Victor Emilio Cazares-Salazar," drug trafficking organization, which Justice says has been responsible for supplying multi-ton quantities of cocaine, as well as large amounts of methamphetamine and marijuana, monthly to distribution cells throughout the United States.
The organization has also laundered millions of dollars generated from this illegal activity, according to the Justice Department.
"Today's actions deal a significant blow to the Victor Emilio Cazares-Gastellum drug trafficking organization, whose members are accused of importing and distributing multi-ton quantities of cocaine and other illicit drugs to communities across the country on a monthly basis," Gonzales said. "These arrests demonstrate what can be achieved when domestic and international law enforcement partners team up against a common foe."
Federal or state charges were unsealed Wednesday morning against 139 defendants in California, Arizona, Illinois and New York.
The 20-month investigation led by the Drug Enforcement Administration and aided by more than 100 federal, state, local and foreign law enforcement agencies, has so far resulted in the seizure of approximately $45.2 million, 27,229 pounds of marijuana, 9,512 pounds of cocaine, 705 pounds of methamphetamine, 227 pounds of pure methamphetamine or "ice," and 11 pounds of heroin.
The investigation has also netted $6.1 million in property and assets, as well as roughly 100 weapons and 94 vehicles. The drug ring is based in Sinaloa, Mexico.
"What's key about this organization is they obviously were dealing in all types of drugs, which means their customers, their victims, were throughout the whole spectrum of U.S. society — rich, poor, old, young, the methamphetamine especially and what we've seen here is a new trend in past couple of years," Justice special agent-in-charge Steven Robertson told FOXNews.com. "This organization had cells, which are little distribution sub-groups based throughout the U.S."
Robertson, who said the bust is the largest in about a decade in terms of amount of drugs and assets seized, as well as number of arrests, said law enforcement is seeing a disturbing new trend in the world of narcotics.
In the past, meth was cooked in small toxic labs here in the United States, "where literally you could cook it on a hotplate in your apartment," Robertson said.
Some of the products being used to make meth — like ephedrine and pseudoephedrine products found in cold medicines — are normally ground up and put through a filtering and cooking process.
But The Combat Meth Act restricted the number of tablets a person can buy in one day, thus resulting in some regular cold medications to now be behind the counter at your local pharmacy.
The amount one person can buy is now limited to 3.6 grams, which is 146 30-milligram tablets during a 30-day period.
It's because of that restriction that makes making meth harder here in the United States, so, Mexican drug rings have seized that opportunity.
"Mexican drug trafficking organizations have realized 'ok, there's a new need,'" Robertson said.
So, drug cartels are cooking meth in what are called 'super labs' outside of the country, then smuggling the drugs into the United States through regular smuggling routes along the southern border.
"This organization branched out and was in fact moving significant amounts of meth, in addition to cocaine and marijuana," Robertson said.
According to court papers unsealed Wednesday, the Mexico-based organization contracted the transportation of drugs to the United States by land, air and sea. Metric ton shipments were transported out of Colombia and Venezuela, through Central America to Mexico, by tractor trailer, non-commercial vehicles, and aircraft.
Once in Mexico, the narcotics were transported into the United States through various border entries in the Southwest.
After arriving in the United States, the drug shipments would be broken down further in cities like Los Angeles and San Diego for further distribution in Nevada, Arizona, New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Colorado, Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, Texas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Illinois, Kansas, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Washington and Oregon.
"The Cazares-Gastellum drug empire that rose to such heights of power in only two years, fell today at the hands of DEA and our partners," said DEA Administrator Karen P. Tandy. "This sprawling drug domain, headquartered in Mexico, penetrated deep into all corners of this country. Today we ripped out this empire's U.S. infrastructure from its commanders and transportation coordinators to its local distribution cells across the country, stripped it of $45 million in cash, and tossed it into the dustbin of history."
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Seuss
Error: divide byzero
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Re: Justice Department announces largest drug bust in 10 years [Re: veggie]
#6621361 - 02/28/07 05:38 PM (17 years, 1 month ago) |
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> "Operation Imperial Emperor"
That about sums it up, right there...
-------------------- Just another spore in the wind.
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Mushouse
Mycomancer
Registered: 06/26/06
Posts: 500
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Re: Justice Department announces largest drug bust in 10 years [Re: veggie]
#6621590 - 02/28/07 06:39 PM (17 years, 1 month ago) |
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Quote:
What's key about this organization is they obviously were dealing in all types of drugs, which means their customers were throughout the whole spectrum of U.S. society
It looks like everyone in America wants drugs. We'd better keep them illegal.
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wireless
Thizziswhatis
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Re: Justice Department announces largest drug bust in 10 years [Re: Mushouse]
#6621745 - 02/28/07 07:21 PM (17 years, 1 month ago) |
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The part they dont say is that this drug seizure will have little impact on people have access to drugs. I don't notice anything in fluxuation when this amount of drugs is seized.
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jewunit
Brutal!
Registered: 01/11/07
Posts: 34,264
Loc: Ohio
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Re: Justice Department announces largest drug bust in 10 years [Re: veggie]
#6621760 - 02/28/07 07:26 PM (17 years, 1 month ago) |
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That's a lot of fucking drugs and cash. Wow.
-------------------- !
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ThreePieceSuit
disastrophe
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Re: Justice Department announces largest drug bust in 10 years [Re: wireless]
#6621764 - 02/28/07 07:28 PM (17 years, 1 month ago) |
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Quote:
wireless said: The part they dont say is that this drug seizure will have little impact on people have access to drugs. I don't notice anything in fluxuation when this amount of drugs is seized.
One Mexican drug cartel gets taken in, at least one pops up to take his place.
You're obviously making headway in this war on drugs. Soon, there won't be any drug producers left, anywhere. Everything will be perfect.
-------------------- I'm so lucrative, even my birthday suit is in three pieces.
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Riboflavin
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Re: Justice Department announces largest drug bust in 10 years [Re: ThreePieceSuit]
#6621845 - 02/28/07 07:51 PM (17 years, 1 month ago) |
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The government just doesn't seem to get it. When there's a market this big for any one thing you can't stop it, legal or no. All they did maybe, was create a temporary deficit in the supply for that particular area which will only cause other folks with different hook-ups to make more money on what they already have. It happens all the time, someone gets busted with a few pounds around town, the town goes a bit dry for a little bit, but eventually someone else seizes the opportunity to make some quick cash. And that's why it's good to network with folks from other towns.
-------------------- All that groks is God.
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trippindad82
Trusted Cultivator of Trich
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Re: Justice Department announces largest drug bust in 10 years [Re: Riboflavin]
#6621873 - 02/28/07 07:58 PM (17 years, 1 month ago) |
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Give it a few weeks and most of that will be right back out on the streets, just with the govt making its cut this time around.
-------------------- Trying to explain a journey to someone who has never experienced it is like trying to explain what a zebra looks like to blind person who has never seen a horse. ^^^The above matter may be a complete fantasy that I concocted out of possible boredom.^^^ --------------------------------------
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dedjam
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Re: Justice Department announces largest drug bust in 10 years [Re: trippindad82]
#6623397 - 03/01/07 07:02 AM (17 years, 1 month ago) |
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Quote:
trippindad82 said: Give it a few weeks and most of that will be right back out on the streets, just with the govt making its cut this time around.
Someone understand the process well!
Side note...lets go terps!
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Diploid
Cuban
Registered: 01/09/03
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Loc: Rabbit Hole
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Re: Justice Department announces largest drug bust in 10 years [Re: veggie]
#6623447 - 03/01/07 07:35 AM (17 years, 1 month ago) |
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"Today's actions deal a significant blow to the Victor Emilio Cazares-Gastellum drug trafficking organization"
Today's actions serve only to raise prices and increase the profit motive for organized crime while barely putting a dent in the flow.
That'll teach those drug traffickers to mess with the DEA!
It is not possible to stop the flow of goods as long as there is demand for those goods, and there will always be demand for drugs. Duh.
-------------------- Republican Values: 1) You can't get married to your spouse who is the same sex as you. 2) You can't have an abortion no matter how much you don't want a child. 3) You can't have a certain plant in your possession or you'll get locked up with a rapist and a murderer. 4) We need a smaller, less-intrusive government.
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JoelLoveland5
Giant Reptile
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Re: Justice Department announces largest drug bust in 10 years [Re: Riboflavin]
#6624052 - 03/01/07 11:05 AM (17 years, 1 month ago) |
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Quote:
Riboflavin said: The government just doesn't seem to get it. When there's a market this big for any one thing you can't stop it, legal or no.
They get it just fine. They know they can never win the war on drugs, but their logic is you got to have a war on something.
Later
-JL5000
-------------------- Newb Friendly Tek for The Lazy by "Hydro420" http://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/5278987/an/0/page/0 Great Newb Friendly Cloning Tek by "Creamcorn" http://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/5874305#5874305 One Goal, One Passion - Joel Loveland "Dont Be Wise In Your Own Opinions"
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EntheogenicPeace
Scholar
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Edited by EntheogenicPeace (12/25/14 04:03 PM)
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EntheogenicPeace
Scholar
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Edited by EntheogenicPeace (12/25/14 04:03 PM)
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SuperD
Cacti junky
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Posts: 6,648
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Re: Justice Department announces largest drug bust in 10 years [Re: Diploid]
#6624712 - 03/01/07 02:55 PM (17 years, 1 month ago) |
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Nice point Diploid, if you recall in Barry Cooper's video, he does say cops get an adrenaline rush from chasing after suspects, and eventually they build a 'tolerance' and require something more dangerous to keep that natural drug-rush feeling going on. I think this is one reason it will be difficult to cripple the DEA. When DEA agents serve a large drug trafficking search warrant, knowing some suspects are armed and willing to shoot, you better fuckin' believe that's an adrenaline rush! To DEA agents, it's like a fucking sport, instead of hunting after ducks or deer, these slimeballs go for drug organizations.
-------------------- D Manoa said: I need to stop spending all my money on plants and take up a cheaper hobby, like heroin. Looking for Rauhocereus riosaniensis seeds or live specimen(s), me if you have any for trade
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chodamunky
Cheers!
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Re: Justice Department announces largest drug bust in 10 years [Re: EntheogenicPeace]
#6625458 - 03/01/07 06:22 PM (17 years, 1 month ago) |
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Quote:
EntheogenicPeace said:
Quote:
JL5000: They get it just fine. They know they can never win the war on drugs, but their logic is you got to have a war on something.
Exactly... they understand it very well.
It's a war on your own citizens and their rights... or course they KNOW this, this is their plan... they take billions of tax pay dollars to fund the DEA and all the cops, vehicles, equipment, drug bust operations, flying over to south america to cause shit in other countries, funding covert operations to overthrow governments, etc. etc.. the money needs to come from somewhere and DRUGS is where big bucks are... this is a huge conspiracy going straight to the top of the government. These fuck heads know exactly what they are doing... the ironic thing is... even if they would make all drugs legal, there would be huge tolls on the economy... i mean, look at all the empty prisons you'd have, you'd have to fire all those guards and everybody else that involved with processing criminals like lawyers, court houses... millions of people are employed by this drug war. They will NEVER make drugs legal until there is a social revolution in America, and only then will you see positive changes... the systems we have now are too big in their momentum to just stop them... many people will die before any significant changes take place.. major revolutions happened before, hundreds of times, in every part of the world... this time there is gonna be a difference... it will be a Global Revolution because how closely knit the world has become thanks to technology. These are exciting times people, there will be hell on earth for a few years, just trust your intuition and believe you will survive it.
Cheers!
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EntheogenicPeace
Scholar
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Re: Justice Department announces largest drug bust in 10 years [Re: chodamunky]
#6627842 - 03/02/07 11:54 AM (17 years, 30 days ago) |
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Edited by EntheogenicPeace (12/25/14 04:04 PM)
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EntheogenicPeace
Scholar
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Re: Justice Department announces largest drug bust in 10 years [Re: SuperD]
#6630572 - 03/03/07 02:43 AM (17 years, 30 days ago) |
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Edited by EntheogenicPeace (12/25/14 04:04 PM)
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