He grabbed the delivery from inside the home and carried both packages toward the back of it as agents arrived, according to the affidavit. While not every department provided figures, most have. This was a sophisticated operation operating in northern Ohio, said DEA Special Agent in Charge Keith Martin, in a news release. Get Breaking News & Exclusive Contest in Your Inbox: Here's Where to Find the Best Corned Beef in Cleveland! All rights reserved (About Us). Special Agents from the DEAs Cleveland office were called in, and with the help of numerous law enforcement agencies, the drug trafficking ring was shut down. When police arrested the suspects, they also seized 17 firearms, nearly 1,500 rounds of ammunition, approximately $592,579 in cash, more than 13 kilograms of cocaine, more than 22 kilograms of marijuana as well as heroin and crystal methamphetamine as part of the investigation. The investigation included the DEA Cincinnati field office, the FBI and the Hamilton County Regional Enforcement Narcotics Unit. The National Read Across America Day takes place every year on March 2, Geisels birthday. Everyone arrested is being held in Cleveland city jail. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The massive operation involved the collaboration of not just the FBI, but also the United States Border Patrol and Ohio Attorney General's Office along with a slew of police departments across Northeast Ohio. Some overbilled thousands for CLE event parking, Ice Wine Festival celebrates local award-winning, Kenny previews Spring & Summer Camps at Cleveland, Strongsville High Schools Mustang Express, Soup For The Soul has the right ingredients to, Browns may look to rework Watson contract, Who Browns will play in Hall of Fame game, Ex-Browns coach Freddie Kitchens has a new job, Cleveland Browns to release veteran: AP source, Cleveland Browns announce 2023 coaching staff changes, Heres who the Browns will play at home next season. The suspects just indicted now get a chance in the coming days to go to county court to begin defending themselves. Johnny S. Phillips, aka "Nasty" or "Reef," age 39, of South Euclid, Ohio; Errick Phillips, aka "E" or "Ike," age 41, of Lyndhurst, Ohio; William Mangum, Jr., aka "Billy" or "Steel Bill," age 43, of Cleveland; Virginia Perez, age 35, of Laredo, Texas; Rachele Lynn Munoz, age 32, of Laredo, Texas; Richard A. On Monday, the FBI and DOJ announced that 13 people had been arrested for allegedly bringing hundreds of pounds of cocaine into Northeast Ohio, the Department of Justice announced on Monday. The drugs included fentanyl, carfentanil, heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine andfentanylanaloguespressed to look like Percocet. CLEVELAND (WJW) The FOX 8 I-Team has found dozens of charges now filed against two people for a local drug trafficking and dog-fighting investigation. I wondered who told? Last year, the number increased to 3,364, according to data obtained by Dennis Cauchon of Harm Reduction Ohio and analyzed by Hall. A weekly compilation of engaging digital content. The FBI said it has records of conversations between the men saying they were selling numerous pounds of marijuana and hundreds of pills at a time. The wholesale value of the seized drugs is conservatively estimated at $3 million. Davis and Elonzo Davis, who are uncle and nephew, were supplied with drugs by Vaughn, Davis, Washington, Oliver and Rogers, officials said. Amer Jabir allegedly transported large quantities of weed from California to Chicago. During the raid in the house, records show, police also found heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, and hundreds of pills. Ohio Connections Academy Student Named National Merit Finalist, Cleveland PD Find Body At Euclid Beach Park + Illegal Gun Sales, Gambling Help Line Triples Calls + Missing 12-Year-Old Boy, Cleveland Area: The Latest 5 Open Houses In The Area, Check Out These Homes For Sale In Cleveland, Here's How Many Guns Were Sold In Ohio Last Month, Local Jobs: See Who's Hiring In The Cleveland Area, Shop These 5 Cleveland Area Farmers Markets Like A Pro, Info Here, 12 Best Places In The Cleveland Area To Take Visitors. U.S. Attorneys Office said the bust was a major step in curbing the rising fentanyl trade. Cleveland, OH - A record drug bust in the city of Cleveland. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. We hope this investigation saved countless lives by preventing fentanyl from reaching our communitys streets., The FBI is proud to have worked alongside our federal and local partners to bring to justice those who harm our communities by distributing this deadly drug, stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Chris Hoffman. The cocaine was delivered to Johnny S. Phillips and Errick Phillips. Marshal Service as well as several other departments. CLEVELAND (WJW) Three men were recently indicted and arrested on charges of drug trafficking in Cleveland, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced in a press conference Tuesday afternoon . In August 2010, approximately seven kilograms of cocaine that were supposed to be delivered from Illinois to Cleveland were seized in Michigan from two couriers. Arrested today and charged in the indictment are Christopher Ficklin, 49, of Cleveland Heights, Ohio, and Robert Atkinson, 41, of Cleveland, Ohio. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew W. Shepherd and Duncan Brown. Johnny S. Phillips, Richard A. CLEVELAND Twelve defendants were indicted Tuesday in a major drug trafficking conspiracy in which large shipments of cocaine were flown by private chartered airplanes from Texas to Cleveland. Michael Thomas, an agent with Homeland Security Investigations, said in an affidavit filed in U.S. District Court in Cleveland that authorities had seized a package Monday from a commercial carrier that had been shipped from Yuma, Arizona. The parcel was sent by a person named Granny Mattis to a person on Claasen Avenue. The courier was believed to be traveling from Cleveland to Texas, according to the indictment. Police video showed what happened when a drug raid turned into an investigation into dog fighting and animal neglect. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). Breaking: large scale federal drug operation underway this morning in Lorain County. A walk into the backyard revealed piles and piles of junk and rows and rows of cages with dogs. and Highland Hills police in executing 7 search warrants over two days which resulted in eight arrests, the confiscation of 7 firearms including two assault rifles and the seizure of 8 vehicles. And more dogs. Inside the home, investigators found crystal meth, fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, 3 firearms and $9500 in cash. In August of 2020, Jones posted a video of himself flashing a large stack of money and a large bag of marijuana and claimed to have his "weed license," the complaint alleges. Mike DeWine suffered injury while in East Palestine, Closed Captioning/Audio Description Problems. The site is secure. Only @WEWS cameras are there. CLEVELAND The FBI's Cleveland division says it has seized more than 80 pounds of suspected fentanyl in an operation against an international drug ring's Ohio arm. CLEVELAND Twelve defendants were indicted Tuesday in a major drug trafficking conspiracy in which large shipments of cocaine were flown by private chartered airplanes from Texas to Cleveland. Copyright 2018 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. More than 13 kilograms of fentanyl, at least 17 guns and more than a million dollars of alleged drug money was found during the searches. For media inquiries about ICE activities, operations, or policies, contact the ICE Office of Public Affairs at (202) 732-4242. These charges disrupt an alleged fentanyl pipeline that stretched from a source cartel in Mexico, through California and Arizona and onto the streets of Cincinnati, Acting U.S. Attorney Vipal J. Patel said via a press release. In 2010, officers made 224 seizures of the drug in metropolitan communities. This was higher than that," he said. The investigation revealed Jones was allegedly one of Christopher Mitchell's, the owner of Bubba Dubba's Vape Shop, main suppliers. CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - Agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration busted up a major drug operation peddling dangerous substances from Cleveland, thru Ohio and into West Virginia. SEVP is a part of the National Security Investigations Division and acts as a bridge for government organizations that have an interest in information on nonimmigrants whose primary reason for coming to the United States is to be students. Uh Oh! Naked Pic of Serena Williams Goes Viral! 700 pounds of marijuana, 400 pounds of edibles, and 200 pounds of "marijuana dabs" were also seized, along with a large amount of cash and several guns, according to Akron Detective David Garro. An official website of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration Authority Delegation Program 287(g). Methamphetamine has long had a stronghold in the states Appalachian region and rural communities, as it requires the mixing of toxic chemicals in open spaces to avoid detection. 02.21.2023. ", "I would like to commend the members of our Narcotics Unit for a job well-done in getting drugs and dangerous weapons off our streets and criminals out of our neighborhoods," said Mayor Jackson. Brown appeared Tuesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge David Ruiz on charges of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession charges. "This case is an example of HIDATA's ability to help coordinate investigations that span several city, county and state boundries, said HIDTAExecutive Director Derek Siegle. That's when the DEA was brought in to help with the investigation. Copyright 2020 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. The investigation began with the Martins Ferry Police Department when officers noticed an uptick of drug activity in the small community. Davisand others used homes in Elyriato sell and store drugs. Police say the drugs have a street value of $2 million. He would then distribute some of the marijuana in Chicago before moving the remaining supply to Cleveland and Detroit, where it was moved to his customers. Garro said no one from the vape shop has been charged, but the investigation is continuing. Then they found dogs. local drug trafficking and dog-fighting investigation. "Today's seizure and arrests continues to send a clear message that if you come to Cleveland to set-up shop, our Officers will shut you down.". We are out on the streets everyday combating the drug traffickers that are bringing drugs not only into the country, but also Ohio.. Anytime we are able to dismantle an organization dealing in fentanyl, heroin and meth, its a big deal, said Special Agent in Charge Keith Martin. Officers later arrested him. According to a report by Fox19, the years long investigation began when an Arizona man allegedly sourced illicit drugs from across the border and helped plan the transport of those drugs through the West Coast to individuals in the Cincinnati area. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. Some of the edibles seized included children's cereal infused with liquid THC, repackaged and sold. "The fact that people could be ingesting what they thought was Percocetwhich contained fentanyl is incredibly dangerous," said U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman. Photos courtesy of the Akron Police Department. Officials say the drugs came from a trafficking network in Mexico and would've been enough to kill 20 million people. The drugs were estimated to be worth about $200,000. During the search, officers found 57.9 grams of cocaine, 99.3 grams of methamphetamine, 15.2 grams of heroin, and 105 grams of marijuana, according to a press release from Canton police. "Fentanyl is a poison affecting the lives of countless Ohioans and Americans. Thomas said in the document that Brown arrived five minutes later and approached the home with a second parcel that appeared similar to the one that had been placed on the porch. If convicted, the defendants' sentences will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendants' prior criminal records, if any, the defendants' roles in the offenses and the characteristics of the violations. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Garro believes it was the largest haul of its kind for Akron police. AKRON, Ohio More than 20,000 cartridges containing THC were seized after search warrants were executed at multiple . Posted at 4:21 PM, Sep 07, 2020. and last updated 9:45 AM, Sep 09, 2020. Among those arrested were 6 males believed to have a link to a west coast Mexican gang. Detectives assigned to the Narcotic's Unit Gang Impact Squad turned a street level drug trafficking investigation into Cleveland's largest ever drug seizure. Gomez-Orrantio, who is a native of Mexico, was arrested in connection with the indictment at the U.S.-Mexico border over the weekend and had $20,000 on him at the time of his arrest. During the search, officers found 57.9 grams of cocaine, 99.3 grams of methamphetamine, 15.2 grams of heroin, and 105 grams of marijuana, according to a press release from Canton police. Cleveland animal control officers and the Animal Protective League hauled away 12 dogs. ", "This investigation is a sterling example of how federal, state and local law enforcement were able to successfully dismantle a major narcotics smuggling organization in the Cleveland area," said Brian M. Moskowitz, special agent in charge of ICE HSI for Michigan and Ohio. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure youre on a federal government site. Copyright 2020 WOIO. Lorain County recently became part of the Ohio High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Program or HIDTA. Jones used social media to advertise marijuana/THC products, the complaint states. The second package contained a similar amount of methamphetamine, according to Thomas' affidavit and authorities. Why are colorectal cancer patients getting younger? In documents filed Friday in U.S. District Court in Cleveland, officials said officers grabbed nearly 50 pounds of cocaine, more than $2.4 million in cash and a ledger that shows a North Royalton. Emad Silmi allegedly obtained large quantities of cocaine and then sold it to other drug dealers at Global Auto Body & Collision in Cleveland. Mike DeWine suffered injury while in East Palestine, Improvements coming to I-480 near Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, Senator Nickie Antonio interview rail hearing, Adam Sandler to take the stage at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Closed Captioning/Audio Description Problems. The 5 Best Cleveland Facebook Groups To Follow ASAP, 5 Best Walking Trails In Cleveland, No Hiking Required. FBI Cleveland, the Cleveland Division of Police, and National Center for Missing and Exploited Children Release Age-Progression Image of Missing Person Ashley Summers. All told, more than a ton of marijuana products was confiscated. Someone inside the home picked up the package and brought it inside. Troy Davis went to South Carolina to buy Jenkins pills laced with fentanyl that were pressed to look like 30 mg Percocet pills, DOJ officials said. And at the time of the raid, officers even found a child inside. 150 bales of marijuana, ranging in weight from 18 to over 27 pounds, were found hidden in a tractor-trailer of dry soup. This is the second large drug bust announced by the FBI this week. The case was investigated through the combined efforts of the DEA, ICE HSI, FBI, United States Marshal's Service, Ohio Highway Patrol, Erie County Prosecutor's Office, Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Office, Lake County Narcotics Agency, Cleveland Police Department, Cleveland Heights Police Department, Euclid Police Department, Lyndhurst Police Department, North Royalton Police Department, South Euclid Police Department, and Westlake Police Department. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. The conspiracy, which also included shipments of cocaine to Cleveland from Atlanta and a suburb of Chicago, included nearly 20 flights between August 2009 and March 2012, according to the indictment. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely. Some of the animals were severely injured., The video recently released to the I-Team shows investigators in the backyard saying, Oh, my goodness. Call 1-866-DHS-2-ICE to report suspicious activityReport Crime, Learn facts about U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. A traffic stop on Memorial Day 2020 in Cincinnati led to the discovery of more than four kilograms of fentanyl in the front bumper and wheel wells of one of the vehicles. Brown is being held without bond. "The hard work by our Gang Impact and Major Investigations Squads has dealt a major blow to the drug traffickers in this area," said Chief McGrath. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Huge Haul: Cleveland Police Detail City's Largest Drug Bust, Melt Bar & Grilled closes 2 Ohio locations, Ohio Gov. Last week, the I-Team revealed the. AKRON, Ohio More than 20,000 cartridges containing THC were seized after search warrants were executed at multiple locations, according to Akron police. "While this started with our narcotics unit, it developed quickly into something much bigger," said ElyriaPolice Chief Duane Whitely. "They called the narcotics unit and said, 'Hey, these people are selling drugs. Cleveland, OH -Arecord drug bust in the city of Cleveland. FBI CLEVELAND CARTEL GANG NARCOTICS & LAUNDERING TASK FORCE ANNOUNCE THE SEIZURE OF 88 POUNDS OF DRUGS VALUED AT $5.2 "I commend the efforts of the FBI Cleveland Cartel Gang Narcotics & Laundering Task force for the stellar results of this successful initiative," Cleveland Police Chief Wayne Drummond wrote. The indictment includes charges for drug trafficking, dog fighting, even child endangering. That has changed in recent years, as large shipments have spiked the demand across the state, particularly in cities. Mitchell has been charged with possession of cocaine, possession of heroin, aggravated possession of drugs and possession of marijuana. The Canton Police Department, Stark County Metro Narcotics Unit and Canton Police Department's Special Investigation Unit conducted a traffic stop of Jack Mitchell, 43, in the 1000 block of Market Avenue north. At least 24 kilograms of cocaine and $157,500 in cash were seized as part of the investigation. No formal charges have been filed. His attorney, Bret Jordan, declined to comment, as he said the case is in its preliminary stages. Investigators arrested Robert L. Brown, 43, of Akron at an address in Slavic Village on Monday on federal charges involving shipments from Arizona, according to records filed in U.S. District Court in Cleveland. Garro referred to Jones as "a wholesaler" and said the suspect supplied the East Tallmadge business with illegal drugs. All rights reserved. 02.15.2023. ", DEA Special Agent in Charge Robert Corso said: "The investigation has successfully taken down a major cocaine trafficking organization operating in Northern Ohio. According to a criminal complaint filed in The United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Michael Dugger, 29, led a drug trafficking organization, supplying heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine and illegal prescription medication to communities in Southeast Ohio and Northern West Virginia. We remain committed to getting fentanyl, and those who distribute it, off the streets.. With the trafficking ring accused of selling drugs across America, investigators in Washington, D.C. as well as several other states are continuing their work. The FBI did not release the names of those arrested in Northeast Ohio, nor did they reveal the addresses of the raids. At 5 p.m . They found 161 grams of heroin, 355 grams of methamphetamine, 112 grams of cocaine, 1,104 grams of marijuana and five firearms. Authorities say the arrest highlights a key trend in Ohio: Methamphetamine, which had long been considered a drug brewed by backyard cookers in rural parts of the state, has moved into large cities, where users have taken advantage of a higher-quality, cheaper brand that is often shipped here. Cuyahoga County prosecutors convicted him a few years ago, and he was sentenced to ten months in prison.