The opioid crisis is an epidemic amid a pandemic and cannot be ignored. How Supreme Court ruling could affect how we use social media, RAW: FILE-JUSTIN BIEBER CANCELS JUSTICE WORLD TOUR DATES, Bruce Willis' wife getting help and support from dementia specialist, Bette Midler confesses to having 'some tailoring done' on her face, Prince and Princess of Wales pledge long-term support to therapy gardens, MCU star Jeremy Renner seen exercising two months after snowplough accident, Bette Midler unsure if Hocus Pocus 3 will happen. There was an error processing your request. Success! Authorities said they also seized six handguns, four drum-style gun magazines, more than 120 rounds of ammunition, more than $60,000 in cash, and 40 cell phones. All Rights Reserved. Breezy at times too.. Mostly cloudy with a shower possible late. An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Seal pup rescued trying to cross highway in Ocean County, Biden to nominate Julie Su as US labor secretary, U-Haul leads police on 90 mph chase through more than 50 streets across Philadelphia, Police investigate deadly box truck, cherry picker accident in Mercer County, Toddler drops bottle near orangutan at LA Zoo: Watch what happens next, Questions remain about accused killer of Temple police officer: 'I wish I could explain it', I didnt realize: Woman mistakenly eats heart-shaped chip that could have won her 100K. holds hearing for developer Atiyeh's proposed trucking terminal, Whitehall couple celebrates 75th wedding anniversary, Voting begins March 1 in What's So Cool About Manufacturing Contest. Authorities arrested Rivera, Arius Cooper, Lynchel Cooper, and John Reppert in Reading. Search form. AUGUSTA, GA - Eight men and one woman have been named in a newly unsealed federal indictment for taking part in a major drug trafficking conspiracy that funneled cocaine and other drugs from Atlanta to the Waynesboro, Ga., area. Statewide, DAs have raked in more than $64 million in cash using the procedure in that time. An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. "This amount is a fairly conservative estimate.". By David Chang Published October 14, 2021 Updated on October 15, 2021 at 11:06 am NBC Universal, Inc. Police arrested six people accused of taking part in a massive drug trafficking. As a result of the investigation, Maximino Lopez Suarez, age 34, and Jesse William Garcia, age 24, were taken into custody and charged with multiple counts of possession of a controlled substance, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, and criminal conspiracy. By noon Tuesday, the overdoses increased to 101, Adams said. Authorities said they charged the defendants with committing offenses involving violations of the Pennsylvania Crimes Code and the Pennsylvania Controlled Substance Act; delivery of controlled substances, which included bulk amounts of heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine; dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity; corrupt organization; and criminal use of communication facility. Search. NEWS. An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. "Numerous parcels destined for residences in Reading, Pa., were intercepted and seized by the postal service," Adams said. At 423 S. 7th Street, Detectives found approximately 6,000 packets of heroin, with an estimated potential street value $30,000, Approximately $114,000.00 in U.S. currency, two (2) AR style assault rifles, and bulk quantity of a cutting agent. Authorities said they seized evidence that included 27.5 kilograms of cocaine with a potential street value of $2.7 million and 5.5 kilograms of fentanyl with a potential street value of $1.6 million. Success! There was a problem saving your notification. The district attorney said it's not a new approach, but it's on the rise again. Get local Breaking News alerts sent directly to your inbox. Authorities said the drug dealer was being supplied with the cocaine by an outfit in Reading, and the people in Reading were getting it in the mail. "I am certain that the penalties he's going to face, if and when convicted, will be extremely severe," Adams said, "so he will be incarcerated for a long, long, long time.". . Eli Lilly to cut insulin prices, cap costs at $35 for many people with diabetes. "It's a very significant drug bust, being the amount of narcotics that were seized, including the amount of heroin and fentanyl, especially since we're seeing an uptick in overdoses," Pentheny said. READING, Pa. Investigators dub it "Operation Caribbean Snowfall.". According to Police, the organization peddled street-level quantities of heroin, fentanyl and cocaine from several homes in the 300 and 400 blocks of South 7th Street and surrounding neighborhood. ", DOWNLOAD:FOX 29 NEWS APP | FOX 29 WEATHER AUTHORITY APP, SUBSCRIBE:Good Day Digest Newsletter|FOX 29 Philly on YouTube. Officers seized 200 bags of suspected heroin/fentanyl, 10.5 grams of suspected bulk cocaine, 141 bags of suspected cocaine packaged for street sales, drug packaging material. Subsequently, they were committed to Berks County Jail. We promise, as we have promised previously, we will continue to investigate and prosecute these peddlers of poison in our community, he said. How Supreme Court ruling could affect how we use social media, RAW: FILE-JUSTIN BIEBER CANCELS JUSTICE WORLD TOUR DATES, Bruce Willis' wife getting help and support from dementia specialist, Bette Midler confesses to having 'some tailoring done' on her face, Prince and Princess of Wales pledge long-term support to therapy gardens, MCU star Jeremy Renner seen exercising two months after snowplough accident, Bette Midler unsure if Hocus Pocus 3 will happen. "Detectives from the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office identified a drug dealer operating in Norristown that was distributing cocaine," Adams said. Thieves memorizing passcodes to cellphones so they can try to steal money, What the Tech? As of Thursday afternoon, 17 of the 27 defendants were in custody following raids in the early-morning hours. Eli Lilly to cut insulin prices, cap costs at $35 for many people with diabetes. Get local Breaking News alerts sent directly to your inbox. The investigation culminated with millions of dollars worth of drugs being taken off the streets and a major operation now out of service. Authorities said Noel Rivera, 28, ran the organization out of Berks County. ", "I call fentanyl the common denominator of death.". Two-thirds of the patients that have presented with overdose symptoms had to be hospitalized, he added. "This large amount of fentanyl was seized at 122 Pennwyn Place, the location where Daniel Delacruz was operating from.". Since Sunday, officers from the Reading Police Department and the district attorneys office have executed three search warrants in the city. - . More than $1M worth of drugs seized, 12 suspects in custody after drug bust in Schuylkill County. Get local Breaking News alerts sent directly to your inbox. SHILLINGTON, Pa. - A drug bust has taken nearly $300,000 worth of illegal drugs off the streets of Berks County, according to law enforcement authorities. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. Here's what to know. This investigation, its subsequent arrests, and the seizure of a large quantity of illegal drugs and firearms will undoubtedly make that neighborhood and our city safer said Tornielli. That is why charges like involuntary manslaughter or assault are not being levied. November 16, 2022 video 5 suspects, car caught on video after pistols, rifles stolen in. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. WHYY thanks our sponsors become a WHYY sponsor How Supreme Court ruling could affect how we use social media, RAW: FILE-JUSTIN BIEBER CANCELS JUSTICE WORLD TOUR DATES, Bruce Willis' wife getting help and support from dementia specialist, Bette Midler confesses to having 'some tailoring done' on her face, Prince and Princess of Wales pledge long-term support to therapy gardens, MCU star Jeremy Renner seen exercising two months after snowplough accident, Bette Midler unsure if Hocus Pocus 3 will happen. Markyrie McCray, Jr., 24, was sentenced on Sept. 8, 2021, by U.S. District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks, to 30 months' imprisonment after being convicted of conspiracy to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base, commonly known as "crack cocaine.". There was an error processing your request. Peterson first condemned Hamlin on Sunday . Detectives are still looking for two others, Luis Sanabria, aka "Streetz," and Charles Matthew, aka "Black.". He also said the bust involved product worth a lot of money: 27.5 kilograms of cocaine with a street value of $2.7 million and 5.5 kilograms of fentanyl that could sell for up to $1.6 million. During the search warrant, Jayson Cuadrado, 38, and Dimitri Ortega, 28, were taken into custody and charged with felony drug and related charges. That does not mean the source has been eliminated completely, Adams said. The arrest warrants were issued by Magisterial District Judge Priscilla Campos. "It made a big dent in that specific organization's income and supply," Pentheny said, "but just like anything else, you arrest one person and there's multiple people lining up to take their place. "People are dying every day from overdosing on some of the substances that were confiscated in this investigation," said Berks County District Attorney John Adams. The blue bags seem to be the bags that contain the substances that are causing all of the overdoses in our community, Adams said. Search. Now officials believe there is another unknown substance in the drug cocktail causing the overdoses. During the raid, drugs with a street value over $500,000 were seized, along with three fully loaded firearms and a large amount of cash, Adams said. Starting in December, a two-month investigation that primarily utilized wire taps identified 23 suspects and seven locations that were points of distribution for a large drug ring believed to be behind the tainted blue packets, Adams said. A total of 101 people were hospitalized in a matter of a few days in mid-September, with three dying. There was a problem saving your notification. You have permission to edit this article. Brand New App to watch all of WFMZ-TV News and Syndicated Programing 24/7 on your Streaming App enabled TV. Error! About 250 blue glassine packets each containing suspected heroin/fentanyl. Campers can experience a variety of activities from archery to horseback riding. He added that Narcan, an injection used to counter opioid overdoses, was ineffective. NFL running back Adrian Peterson, who was furious after seeing Damar Hamlin's jacket at the Super Bowl, said he has now personally reached out to the 24-year-old athlete to express his thoughts. The district attorney said that the intelligence gathered during the investigation showed that the street level dealers who were arrested in September got the drugs they sold from the targets of Wednesdays raids. One of those organizations, officials said, spanned a vast area, with networks in other Pennsylvania cities, including Allentown, Harrisburg, and York, as well as in Florida, New York, and Puerto Rico. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. Authorities said he's 46-year-old Carlos Lopez Rosado, who coordinated some deals from inside a federal prison in Schuylkill County. Multiple specimens have been sent to a specialty lab in an effort to determine what is in the drugs, Santoro said. Adams said that six individuals believed to be involved in the ring remain at large. Reading police, the District Attorneys Offices drug task force, state police and officials from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agencies worked together to launch an intensive joint investigation to discover the source of the tainted drugs. The arrest warrants were issued by Magisterial District Judge Priscilla Campos. Postal workers also came in close contact with the heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine. & Possession of Drug Paraphernalia; 35 780-113(a)(31) Possession of small amount of marijuana; Source: Douglass Township Police Department. "The individuals charged today manipulated and abused terrified, vulnerable young women. You can also contact Crime Alert Berks County by sending a text to 847411, starting the message with keyword alertberks, or by calling 877-373-9913. Thieves memorizing passcodes to cellphones so they can try to steal money, What the Tech? Berks County District Attorney John T. Adams and Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele announced Friday that 27 people were charged with operating a large-scale drug trafficking. On 16 June 2014, Wayda was arrested in Toms River, NJ. The indictment in USA v. Rhaney et al, dubbed Operation Washout, represents a significant, coordinated attack on . This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. qy. Papademetriou said his organization provides Narcan with no questions asked and urged people to arm themselves with it. Two of the three raids recovered 500 blue bags that contained heroin, fentanyl and other drugs, Adams said. Insulin prices, cap costs at $ 35 for many people with diabetes only once., was ineffective not mean the source has been sent to a specialty lab in effort... 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