The indictment claims that a person named Julian Green was the "leader and supervisor" of the operation. DENVER (KDVR) Police have announced a significant drug bust in Denver that turned up more than 200 pounds of drugs, including meth, cocaine, heroin, crack and thousands of fentanyl pills.. One Colorado school district is making mental health a priority. The find was part of a coordinated Aurora drug bust announced Feb. 19, 2020. Illicit Drug Use. 15) Deandre Hill, 41 years of age, of 138 Middle Road in Aurora. . Tipsters can remain anonymous. Gov. The masked pills caused elevated concern among federal authorities, Dunn said. But it is also very cheap to produce either in China or Mexico. Adams County Sheriff's Office, Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office, Aurora Police Department, Colorado State Patrol, Commerce City . The civil forfeiture documents filed in federal court in Colorado name 14 people and mention there are others involved in bringing cocaine and meth from Mexico to Colorado. In the latest drug bust, authorities seized 200,000 fentanyl pills in an operation which was operating out of a business calledHondu Multiservicios, LLC at 6671 Federal Boulevard, according to the grand jury indictment obtained by The Gazette. It lists 21 individuals total. Jared Polis signed Colorado's new fentanyl accountability bill at a ceremony at the state Capitol in May the new law provides stricter criminal penalties for the possession of small amounts of fentanyl and other drugs laced with it. Most street users will not purposely want to take fentanyl some do, but for the most part they dont, because of how serious it is, how its so hard to dose because a microscopic amount can be fatal and theyre fearful of that, he said. Denver7 reporter Liz Gelardi tells us more about a drug ring hiding in plain sight. The investigation that turned into a joint wiretap probe with the 18th Judicial District, DEA, Arapahoe County and Denver police began in December 2021, Kellner said. The availability and accessibility of fake pills (laced with fentanyl) right now is absolutely staggering. Colorado had more drug seizures, per pound, from 2017 through 2021 than any other state in the country the second state was California. It's a favorite destination for foodies, putting the spotlight on the city's food scene through hundreds of local restaurants. Detectives pulled off a major drug bust in the Eagle Vail area this week and arrested Matthew DeAngelo. You have permission to edit this article. Powdered cocaine is abused throughout the greater metropolitan area, and crack cocaine is abused primarily in northeastern Denver and in Aurora, just outside Denver. Those 11 people are included in a federal indictment that was released later on Tuesday. Authorities also recovered 10 guns during the investigation, which began in January 2019. The fentanyl flooding Colorado this summer is cheaper, now comes in pink and white, and is sometimes laced with the taste of monk fruit. Because of Thursday's law enforcement. Investigators say the group was dealing over two pounds (one kilogram) of heroin every week in Denver. 29 pounds of methamphetamine, $57,000 in cash, and a Taurus 9mm semi . According to the documents, some of the drugs sold by Tapia-Rubio were brought in from Mexico, via California. Lieutenant Greg Spayth says the incident was a sizable bust that will keep these drugs off the street. Anyone who has a tip related to illegal drug dealing in Denver can share it with police through Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-STOP (7867). "These are usually going into the hands of our teenagers and our younger adults out there, so anytime you can get a good arrest like this, any hit that we can make that takes this out of the hands of the kids, that's great," Spayth said. Five people were arrested in Fort Collins after their alleged role in a drug bust. In the latest drug bust, authorities seized 200,000 fentanyl pills in an operation which was operating out of a business called Hondu Multiservicios, LLC at 6671 Federal Boulevard, according to the grand jury indictment obtained by The Gazette. #9news @9WantsToKnow pic.twitter.com/rW4LkXCrHr. Denver Restaurant Week is officially upon us! Aurora Police said the investigation began in September after their narcotics. Today our community is safer, Phillips said. There is an unindicted co-conspirator that we are yet to identify as the primary source that would coordinate with this drug trafficking ring, Kellner said.

, Players given Kratom by Colorado coach, police say, Skier Shiffrin's quest for 86th win extended after downhill, 77 inches of snow fall at Colorado ski area in 9 days. We can help you keep up. Angelina Maestas posted court documents on Facebook that openly accused another member of the trafficking operation with cooperating with police. AURORA, Ill. - Eighteen people were arrested and charged with numerous illegal gun and drug related felonies in Aurora Wednesday. Kellner acknowledged that stopping this operation will only put a temporary pause on business. Private and rental vehicles and commercial trucks fre-quently are used to transport drugs into and through Colorado. Phillips called the operation a sophisticated group with numerous international and interstate ties and said it has been operating in the Denver region for several years, trafficking high volumes of drugs on a weekly basis. Besser said he worries that fentanyl could soon be laced into vape products, which are already incredibly popular with many younger users. AURORA, Colo. A 24-year-old man was arrested on drug charges late last month after a four-month investigation. All Rights Reserved. Both Besser and District Attorney John Kellner stressed the fact that fentanyl pills are not only blue in color, but pink and white. Tapia-Rubio is named in the court records, among 13 other people. Special Agent Garrett Croon (312) 829-1199. He was in the Denver County jail as of Friday night. - 7 pounds heroin and 7 pounds crack The big storm system from the southwest is still on track to move across southern New Mexico. The case involves a wiretap investigation that began in December and also netted $60,000 in stolen merchandise. The Aurora Police Department received information about narcotics . Its hard to keep the calculations updated in real time as the pills come in, he added. Deputies conducting a routine traffic stop in Adams County took one person into custody after finding methamphetamine, fentanyl, and stacks of cash in the car. Jared Polis has endorsed the proposal to change the name of Mount Evans in a letter to the U.S. Board of Geographic Names. Drug kingpins dont always touch the drugs, but they do always touch the money.. The police investigation into Mills led police to search two homes, one in the 3000 block of North Race Street and another in the 12100 block of Amherst Circle in Aurora. Published: Jun. Vallejo-Gallo, who is in her early 40s, faces more than 50 counts, including the rarely levied charge of continuing a criminal enterprise or a drug kingpin charge, according to local U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn. Douglas. The influx of fake prescription opioids is a growing and deadly concern for this office and the law enforcement community as a whole, he said. In 2021, illegal fentanyl killed 709 people in Colorado, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Three Arrested in Aurora Drug Sweep. Largest Database of Colorado Mugshots. Authorities arrested that woman and 23 other members of two Mexican drug trafficking operations that were based in Denver and Aurora during an operation last week, Dunn said. Polis said the plan will build on previous efforts to bring down costs and increase transparency. The Colorado State Patrol reported that it has seized 225 pounds of fentanyl through the first half of this year, compared to 150 pounds in 2021. for the State of Colorado (19.3 percent) but is higher than the national rate (14.7 percent) (Figure 1). 200,000 fentanyl pills seized in what Colorado law enforcement considers life-saving busts, Indie 102.3s March Local 303 Meetup feat: Deva Yoder, News That Matters, Delivered To Your Inbox, Fentanyl is everywhere, and showing up in other illicit drugs. The Denver Police Department is launching a new program they say will help them curb crime throughout the city by starting with tracking some cars. Kellner said the sting operation began in December 2021 with a single drug buy that evolved into more purchases, then wiretaps, search warrants and seizures. Electric vehicles are the future, at least that's what Colorado's Energy Office is hoping. The DEA estimates that 1 kilogram of fentanyl, or 2.2 pounds, can kill up to 500,000 people if lethal doses are ingested. So its often mixed with other substances, oftentimes inert substances, and then pressed into pill form to look like prescription oxycodone.. Fentanyl is being mixed with heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine and illegally produced marijuana. Fatal doses involving the drug have skyrocketed since 2015, and last year, more than 800 Coloradans died after , It sounded just like a plot out of Breaking Bad. A search of the vehicle yielded $18,645 USC, 254.81 grams cannabis, 231 pills of Alprazolam (Xanax), 108 pills of Oxycodone, 25 pills MDMA and a digital scale. Body cam video shows a handcuffed suspect being thrown to ground by an Aurora police officer. But make no mistake: In this case, my understanding is the drugs here were actually bound for Colorado. NASCAR superstar Chase Elliott had successful surgery for an unspecified injury to his left leg Friday night, hours after a snowboarding accident in Colorado. The Colorado legislature may finally let it. Authorities have also seized $16 million in drug money. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) - The Albuquerque Police Department is trying to get to the root of the problem when it comes to violent crime . As first reported by The Denver Gazette, the largest U.S. highway seizure of pure fentanyl powder occurred June 20 on Interstate 70 near Georgetown. State and federal authorities confiscated 200,000 fentanyl pills, 9.4 pounds of heroin, a kilogram of cocaine and multiple firearms in an operation they say culminated in one of the largest seizures of fentanyl pills in Colorado history. AURORA, Ill. (WLS) -- Three men from Mexico and a Bolingbrook man face drug charges after Kane County Sheriff's detectives said they found nearly 160 pounds of cannabis in a Jeep in west. It has arrested 65 high-level defendants and confiscated 500,000 fake fentanyl pills, 360 pounds of meth, 104 pounds of cocaine and taken nearly 200 guns off the street that were tied to drug operations. for top stories from 9NEWS curated daily just for you. They expect to lose product, but what they want the most is to get them money down south,Besser said. The Adams County Sheriff's Office says they were part of a large task force which took down a massive drug bust. AURORA, Colo. (CBS4) - A popular grocery store in Aurora was raided as part of the takedown of a large-scale cocaine and methamphetamine organization. Food Bank of the Rockies says statewide, that's about $53 million to $55 million less per month. Besser had a laundry list of what the DEA is doing behind the scenes to eradicate drug traffic, including the investigation of 50 active cases, a third of which are in the 18thJudicial District. Come Wednesday, families will be receiving their SNAP benefits without the additional emergency allotments they've been getting for the last three years. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Fentanyl pills, previously known as "blues" because of their blue color, are now available in pink and white. There was a 403 percent increase in the number of pounds seized of fentanyl between 2017 and last year on Colorados highways. Colorado Drug Threat Assessment 2 Colorado's well-developed transportation infra - structure and its central location in the western United States are ideal for the movement of licit and illicit goods into and through the state. The DEA says his busts have kept 20 tons of illicit drugs off the streets . In the Denver-Aurora-Broomfield MSA, an annual average of 416,000 persons aged 12 or older used any . 10.21.2010 victim - janine ann johler - aurora, colorado 11.15.2011 UNSOLVED/COLD CASE HOMICIDE - NEBRASKA 06.08.2017 VICTIM - SANTANA ACOSTA - PHOENIX, ARIZONA It takes a good days drive to cover Colorado, but well help you do it in a few minutes. At least two of those charged were in the United States illegally, according to a 52-count indictment filed in Colorado District Court. Win tickets to Cheyenne Frontier Days, The Daddy of 'Em All before tickets go on sale! Dean Narciso The Columbus Dispatch 0:00 1:38 The Franklin County Prosecutor's Office announced late Friday afternoon the indictments of 79 people and the seizure of nearly $6 million in drugs in. Ive never seen anything like this. Authorities seized 400 pounds of methamphetamine, 15,000 fentanyl pills, 5 pounds of heroin and 4 pounds of cocaine during the sweeping arrests last week, Dunn said. They then distributed the substances across the state. According to DEA estimates, one kilo of pure fentanyl powder is enough to kill 500,000 people. Colorado's first fully-licensed legal marijuana tour bus is now open for business. This was an organization that was working here bringing it in from the west coast.. The three suspects were identified as 25-year-old Martin Eduardo BustosTorres, 23 . In February of 2016, the DEA Strike Force Group began investigating illegal drug trafficking activities of Jose Tapia-Rubio who lived in the 1200 block of E. Arizona Avenue in Aurora, according to the civil forfeiture documents. On Wednesday, the department shared details on the case . On the early morning of Thursday, Mar. Authorities allowed the driver who was caught ferrying a record haul of pure fentanyl powder. Officers were called to a local hotel when housekeeping found a brown paper bag containing two plastic baggies filled with a white crystalline substance and a glass smoking pipe. The arrests were made by over 500 law enforcement officers, making this the largest drug bust in Denver history. 21, 2022 at 1:05 PM PDT. Colorado law enforcement officials said Wednesday that millions of lives may have been saved after several months of undercover investigation into those suspected of distributing illegal fentanyl. A 19-year-old Arizona man is under arrest in Colorado's high country after authorities found large amounts of drugs in his car. illicit drug in the past year. APD estimated the drugs' street value at more than $200,000. Example video title will go here for this video. He will miss this weekend's NASCAR race at Las Vegas. Another option for Fire TV is to have the app, Players given Kratom by Colorado coach, police say, Skier Shiffrin's quest for 86th win extended after downhill, 77 inches of snow fall at Colorado ski area in 9 days, Cellphone data connected man to teen's overdose death, 'So much needless loss': DEA agent hopes to reduce fentanyl-related deaths, Man arrested in teen's fentanyl overdose death in Loveland, Distribution of a controlled substance - fentanyl 4-50 grams, Attempt to distribute a controlled substance - fentanyl 4-50 grams, Possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute - fentanyl 4 grams, Possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute - schedule 3/4. In Mexican cities, the pills can be made for roughly 4 cents each. 2019 Sentinel Colorado. This is a portion of the money they seized. In 2021, she decided to return to local news. Example video title will go here for this video. Ever., Seizure of 200,000 fentanyl pills declared one, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Get to know all 17 Denver mayor candidates , Seizure of 200,000 fentanyl pills declared one of largest ever in Colorado, Woman attempted 4 carjackings in 9 minutes, Denver police say. These cases were combined, and eight people were ultimately indicted in June from both cases following undercover busts and wiretaps that happened between December 2021 and May. Law enforcement seized over 110,000 counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl, 6. The DEA, 18th Judicial District, Arapahoe and Douglas County Sheriffs, and Denver Police recently netted a huge bust of fentanyl, heroin and cocaine. It's the largest drug case in recent history out of the Franklin County, Ohio, prosecutor's office and including 79 people indicted and more than $5 million of narcotics . University of Denver students are calling out campus leaders to halt a controversial speaker stepping foot on campus. Officials have arrested 24 of the people mentioned in the indictment on a slew of charges, including racketeering, money laundering and conspiracy to distribute various drugs. Ive got a news flash for you. Four locations were searched in Aurora on Thursday as part of this drug bust, sources say. Aurora only hired 17 new police officers last year. The Oscars will air on ABC and can be streamed on ABC.com and the ABC app as well as Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, AT&T TV or FuboTV. Published: Jun. Tipsters can remain anonymous. At the news conference, officials also highlighted the Colorado State Patrols recovery last month of 114 pounds of pure fentanyl on Interstate 70 near Georgetown from a vehicle headed toward Denver. It starts with a small case that can be built into something meaningful, Kellner said. In my opinion, bulk fentanyl quantities like this hold the caliber of weapons of mass destruction-type concern when we take into consideration the worst possible outcomes of this poison being pushed out in mass to our communities, said Brian Besser, the special agent in charge of the DEAs Denver Field Division. NBA investigating social media post by Ja Morant following game in Denver, State Democrats introduce assault weapons ban, How a debate over support for the ERA turned into anti-trans rhetoric at the Colorado state Capitol, Colorados Mount Evans could soon be Mount Blue Sky. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports are the primary drivers of the recent increase in opioid overdose deaths in the U.S. before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Courtesy of the Adams County Sheriff's Office. The drugs are estimated to have a street value in the millions, said FBI Special Agent in Charge Dean Phillips. Court records show he's been charged with the following felonies: Ramirez' next court date is scheduled for Jan. 6. The Aurora residence was on the 12100 block of Amherst Circle. Another six people were also charged as a result of a year-long investigation: four members of the alleged ring who remain at large in Mexico, one who remains at large in the United States and one individual who is in state custody, Dunn said. The Special Operations Unit found $18,645 in cash, 250 grams of marijuana, 231 Xanax pills, 108 oxycodone, 25 pills of molly, and a digital scale all in the car. Date: 3/3 12:44 am #1 failed to present . It is in your neighborhood, it is saturated everywhere.. iTunes:http://on9news.tv/itunes Google Play:http://on9news.tv/1lWnC5n, HOW TO ADD THE FREE 9NEWS+ APP TO YOUR STREAMING DEVICE. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) - Police in Colorado Springs made a major drug bust and believe they have their prime suspect in custody. Douglas County Sheriff Capt. What do you think. Fentanyl pills are extremely cheap right now, officials said Wednesday. They're sold in the Denver area wholesale for $3 a pill or retail for $10 to $20, investigators say. Law enforcement officials said cartels have designed the latest batches to be attractive to young people, with one official comparing their creativity to Baskin-Robbins ice cream flavors. Denver police and firefighters responded to an apartment at 8330 Quincy Avenue for a suspected drug operation. Press Release. First published on March 11, 2022 / 7:35 PM. According to the 1999 and 2000 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA), 8.9 percent of individuals age 12 and over surveyed in Colorado reported having abused an illicit drug in the month prior to the survey compared with 6.3 percent nationwide. On Feb. 28, the drug task force made up of officers from the Safford, Thatcher, and Pima Police departments, Graham County Sheriff's Office, and Arizona Department of Public Safety, raided the residence at about 6:45 a.m. by announcing their presence via a loudspeaker and breaching the front door using door rams and pry bars. See reviews, photos, directions, phone numbers and more for Odom Memorial Community Drug Bust locations in Aurora, CO. While conducting a series of arrests across Denver and Aurora Feb. 12, officials also seized large amounts of cash, cars and at least 10 guns, many of which were assault rifles, Phillips said. Robert D. Grant, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Gregory Thomas, Chief of the Aurora Police Department (APD), announced today the arrest of three individuals for violation . You think the cartels are in Mexico? FRANKLIN COUNTY, Ohio . The Aurora residence was on the 12100 block of Amherst Circle. Federal and local law enforcement agencies say the drugs come into the state from Mexico. There's a rise in anxiety, depression and even suicidal thoughts. Deputies say Payton Yates and Keith Tacy were living at the house. AURORA, Mo. The suspects, aged 25 to 71, were rounded up following an investigation that authorities have called 'Colorado's largest marijuana bust' since the drug was legalized for medical use in November 2000. Eighteenth Judicial District Attorney John Kellner said at a press conference in the south Denver suburb of Centennial on Wednesday that across both cases in addition to the 200,000 fentanyl pills, officials found four guns, 9.4 pounds of heroin, 1 kilogram of cocaine and $60,000 in stolen merchandise. 2023 Colorado Public Radio. Those documents were protected by court order. Investigators say 12 people, most of whom were already in jail on unrelated charges prior to the drug ring investigation, were able to sneak narcotics into the jail with mail. 9Wants to Know saw members of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Aurora Police Department at two locations in Aurora, one was a home, the other a business, in the Mississippi and I-225 area. President Biden had basal cell carcinoma removed from his chest, the White House shared. Colorado Drug Bust: Heroin, Cocaine & Fentanyl Found Phoenix Man's Car A 19-year-old Arizona man is under arrest in Colorado's high country after authorities found large amounts of drugs in. Deputies found 274 marijuana plants and 60 pounds of packaged pot in an illegal grow operation. Denver Health Officials Warn About Increase In Deadly Overdoses Linked To Fentanyl. There are about 6 million people living in Colorado.Editor's Note: A previous version of the story said the amount of fentanyl seized could kill as many as 25 million people. Meaning heavier snow in southern Colorado and across the south-eastern plains. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. Police shared the following details about the large amount of drugs that were captured: - 179 pounds methamphetamines The Drug Enforcement Administration announced a "major investigation" involving the seizure of 110,000 fentanyl-laced pills in the Denver area. Another option for Fire TV is to have the appdelivered directly to your Fire TVthrough Amazon. Federal and local law enforcement busted suspected members of a Mexican organization accused of distributing cocaine and meth in Colorado and other state, sources tell 9Wants to Know. An Aurora woman led an extensive international drug trafficking organization that distributed high volumes of methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin and fentanyl throughout Colorado, U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn said at a news conference Wednesday. Perry Bertsch. It says that the alleged drug activity spanned from Indianapolis down to southern Indiana cities like Princeton and . The source of these narcotics originated in Mexico. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. "The Boss" performed in Colorado as part of his Springsteen E Street Band 2023 Tour and also surprised a Denver store owner a few hours before the show. A 40-year Colorado news veteran, Carol McKinley started in radio, and traveled the world as a network TV correspondent/producer. On January 23, 2019, a federal Superseding Indictment was filed against Dana Faulkner, also known as "Diablo" (age 40), of Aurora, CO, charging him with Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances (methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine) in the Rapid City and Northern Black Hills area, Use of Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking Crime, Police shared the following details about the large amount of drugs that were captured: - 179 pounds methamphetamines - 43 pounds. Yates is Pierce's sister. Its crucially important to include a financial component in investigations of drug-related crimes, Amanda Prestegard, acting special agent in charge of IRS Criminal Investigations said.