Crime Correspondent

Police in Vantaa have uncovered one of the largest cocaine distribution rings in Finland

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1LO77QASIqpZYJclFa5xcbamls9wpZeIyj_PXftE8lMkoNIt_odlAk4Nj-xmq1_o7Ab61KdgftxsiXzFxxVx9ypSQnhi9wmBcMPTI5WKIxyAlLYQu7620-NMQy_RxCEAhvUKMnJ2Ab0k/s1600-h/koka.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436044398351374210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1LO77QASIqpZYJclFa5xcbamls9wpZeIyj_PXftE8lMkoNIt_odlAk4Nj-xmq1_o7Ab61KdgftxsiXzFxxVx9ypSQnhi9wmBcMPTI5WKIxyAlLYQu7620-NMQy_RxCEAhvUKMnJ2Ab0k/s400/koka.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" /></a> Police in Vantaa have uncovered one of the largest cocaine distribution rings in Finland. A total of fifteen suspects have been questioned during the investigations, five of whom are now in detention. One of the prime suspects is said to have trained restaurant security personnel. In addition to Finnish suspects, the ring includes nationals from Nigeria, Gambia, France and Syria. The gang is thought to have smuggled around 1.5 kilograms of cocaine last year. This is equivalent to some 86,000 doses with a street value of around 150,000 euros. Cocaine was packed into egg-sized containers which the smugglers had swallowed and then brought into the country. House searches led to the confiscation of narcotics from several locations amounting to 350 grams. Police say this is one of the largest ever seizures in Finland and equivalent to some 20,000 doses. However, they believe it only represents about ten percent of the overall consignment of cocaine. Security Trainer Is A Prime Suspect Among the prime suspects is a Finn involved in the security sector, who is believed to have acted as a wholesaler in the illicit dealing. Police confiscated a large sum of cash from him along with cocaine and a 9 mm. Glock handgun of the type also used by law enforcers. He was involved in the licensed training of restaurant security personnel. The cocaine was sold in restaurants in the city centre of Helsinki and at partiesProsecutions are anticipated later this month.

Police in Vantaa have uncovered one of the largest cocaine distribution rings in Finland

Police in Vantaa have uncovered one of the largest cocaine distribution rings in Finland. A total of fifteen suspects have been questioned d...

Benjimen G. Chaltry, 35; Jacob L. Martin, 26; and Robert J. Rogers, 31; were charged Monday with felony counts of possession of 10 to 50 grams

Benjimen G. Chaltry, 35; Jacob L. Martin, 26; and Robert J. Rogers, 31; were charged Monday with felony counts of possession of 10 to 50 grams of heroin with intent to deliver, which is punishable by up to 15 years in prison. All three remain in jail on cash bonds: $50,000 for Martin, $45,000 for Rogers and $30,000 for Chaltry. “(Chaltry) was going to Chicago to purchase heroin that was then going to be sold in Marinette County,” Assistant District Attorney Joel Urmanski said while arguing for the high cash bonds. “It’s indicated this is not the first time there was a trip to Chicago to make a purchase.”According to Adams:Nelson was doing traffic enforcement on northbound Interstate 43 near the southern county line when he noticed a car with several equipment violations and two occupants not wearing seatbelts. He then discovered the driver, Chaltry, had a revoked license.After Martin lied about his name, Nelson searched the car and its occupants. The heroin was found in the car and in the passengers’ possessions, including 60 baggies that were stuffed in Rogers’ shoe.Adams said each of the baggies, called bindles, typically sells for $80 to $100. All three men are also charged with misdemeanor cocaine possession, and Martin and Rogers are charged with misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia. Martin also faces a count of obstructing an officer.Martin is wanted in Brown County, where a judge issued a warrant in June after he failed to appear on a charge of felony marijuana possession, online court records show.Rogers, who was strapped into his chair during a video court appearance from jail, is the only one of the three with a felony record, though all three have multiple misdemeanor convictions, according to court records. Rogers has been convicted of felony burglary and theft, as well as misdemeanors including damage to property, battery and possession of drug paraphernalia; Chaltry has three drunken driving convictions and one marijuana possession conviction; and Martin’s prior convictions include resisting an officer and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Benjimen G. Chaltry, 35; Jacob L. Martin, 26; and Robert J. Rogers, 31; were charged Monday with felony counts of possession of 10 to 50 grams

Benjimen G. Chaltry, 35; Jacob L. Martin, 26; and Robert J. Rogers, 31; were charged Monday with felony counts of possession of 10 to 50 gra...

Aaron Diaz, 31,and Steven Pedraza, 22, of Hartford, Conn., were both taken into custody Sunday, according to state police.

Aaron Diaz, 31,and Steven Pedraza, 22, of Hartford, Conn., were both taken into custody Sunday, according to state police.The incident began after State Police Trooper Brendhan Shugrue had stopped a 2009 Jeep Cherokee on Interstate 91 north of Exit 16 for a traffic violation, but later learned neither Diaz nor Pedraza had the authority to be driving the vehicle, according to state police.Diaz, the driver of the vehicle, had allegedly struggled with police as they attempted to arrest him and fled the scene on foot, according to state police. While running, Diaz allegedly threw a bag containing 500 bags of heroin, according to state police, which troopers recovered.With the assistance of a state police helicopter and search dogs, state police were eventually able to locate Diaz on Westfield Road and Hillside Avenue, and place him under arrest. He is facing charges of using a motor vehicle without authority, trafficking in heroin, a subsequent offense of possession of heroin with the intent to distribute, conspiracy to violate narcotic laws, assault and battery on a police officer and resisting arrest, according to state police. Some area residents took notice of the circling police helicopter and troopers in their neighborhood during the manhunt."Not sure what is going on, but police said they are searching for someone and to stay inside our house. This neighborhood is not an area of Holyoke that usually has criminal activity," states Roosevelt Avenue resident Sandy Dias in an e-mail to abc40 and Fox 6 Sunday during the search. Pedraza, who had been a passenger in the vehicle, had also been arrested for using a motor vehicle without authority and conspiracy to violate narcotics laws, according to state police.Both men had been held overnight at the Northampton State Police Barracks while awaiting arraignment in Holyoke District Court Monday.

Aaron Diaz, 31,and Steven Pedraza, 22, of Hartford, Conn., were both taken into custody Sunday, according to state police.

Aaron Diaz, 31,and Steven Pedraza, 22, of Hartford, Conn., were both taken into custody Sunday, according to state police.The incident began...

John Hill, Peter McLeod and Kevin O'Hagan were seized at Puerto Plata Airport airport as they tried to board two flights to London.

John Hill, Peter McLeod and Kevin O'Hagan were seized at Puerto Plata Airport airport as they tried to board two flights to London.Cops swooped on the trio following a tip-off from the Scottish Crime & Drug Enforcement Agency.Sources said the cocaine was destined for the Glasgow area.Colombian cocaine had a very high purity and it could have been bulked up into more than 100 kilos, netting up to £2.5million.Sources claim the trio were working for a serious organised crime group.Hill, 53, from Linlithgow, West Lothian, was booked to travel home on a Thomas Cook flight. McLeod, 25, and O'Hagan, 28, both from Glasgow, were due to return to the UK on a separate charter. Both flights were scheduled to arrive at London Gatwick Airport.Local cops had been told by the SCDEA to look out for the trio and they were snared after an x-ray machine detected 7.14 kilos of cocaine in a suitcase on February 1.The SCDEA's Allan Moffat said: "By the time this seizure hit Scotland's streets, it would have grown in volume."The purity would have decreased after dealers bulked it with adulterants - some of them dangerous substances in their own right."

John Hill, Peter McLeod and Kevin O'Hagan were seized at Puerto Plata Airport airport as they tried to board two flights to London.

John Hill, Peter McLeod and Kevin O'Hagan were seized at Puerto Plata Airport airport as they tried to board two flights to London.Cops ...

44-year-old Richard Crayton of Mosinee charged with the distribution of heroin

44-year-old Richard Crayton of Mosinee charged with the distribution of heroin, which resulted in the death of an individual from use of the...

Johnnie Stephens, 28, New Washington, as he left the Polaris Mall in Columbus.Troopers found 8.8 grams of heroin

Johnnie Stephens, 28, New Washington, as he left the Polaris Mall in Columbus.Troopers found 8.8 grams of heroin, valued at more than $1,200, and an additional 10 balloons of the drug in the vehicle.Officials say Stephens purchased the heroin from two Columbus-area drug runners who Delaware County detectives also arrested.The sellers had 85 balloons of heroin, a Toshiba laptop and $2,400 in cash. Officials say Stephens purchased the drugs from the two sellers and paid with cash and the laptop, which was likely stolen.Huron County Sheriff’s Sgt. Annette McLaughlin said her department has worked with other agencies for several months to track Stephen’s whereabouts.Stephens will face felony charges of possession of heroin in Delaware County after the highway patrol sends the substance to its lab for testing, McLaughlin said. The degree of the felony depends on the weight of the drug.Stephens has served time for similar drug offenses in the past and sells drugs to heroin users in the Willard and Plymouth areas, officials said.

Johnnie Stephens, 28, New Washington, as he left the Polaris Mall in Columbus.Troopers found 8.8 grams of heroin

Johnnie Stephens, 28, New Washington, as he left the Polaris Mall in Columbus.Troopers found 8.8 grams of heroin, valued at more than $1,200...

1970s teen idol Leif Garrett has been released from jail on a charge he carried heroin into a Los Angeles subway station.

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxrFpA_dEZDjgdfP4XBYFRAtJrokh0d1kU4AT91Zgs2bdMxxKODv6ssu2xDq_zHS4L0HdoLEVEGT6EIpUeS7XJhj6LtiqyLBZG8BIursydpgq-H7Ypt79Wkv3O7RHvsbiJbLXG7kJ9jNI/s1600-h/lief.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434833037492271586" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxrFpA_dEZDjgdfP4XBYFRAtJrokh0d1kU4AT91Zgs2bdMxxKODv6ssu2xDq_zHS4L0HdoLEVEGT6EIpUeS7XJhj6LtiqyLBZG8BIursydpgq-H7Ypt79Wkv3O7RHvsbiJbLXG7kJ9jNI/s400/lief.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 186px; height: 230px;" /></a> 1970s teen idol Leif Garrett has been released from jail on a charge he carried heroin into a Los Angeles subway station.Los Angeles County sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore says the actor and singer was arrested late Monday for heroin possession and released on bond Wednesday.Whitmore says the 48-year-old was shaking and sweating.Whitmore says Garrett denied having drugs at first and allowed them to search him, then acknowledged that he had black tar heroin in his shoe.Garrett has a history of drug use, including a 2006 arrest at another Los Angeles subway stop for having heroin.He is due back in court Feb. 24.It was not immediately clear if Garrett had an attorney

1970s teen idol Leif Garrett has been released from jail on a charge he carried heroin into a Los Angeles subway station.

1970s teen idol Leif Garrett has been released from jail on a charge he carried heroin into a Los Angeles subway station.Los Angeles County ...

Sheryl Cwele, wife of state security minister Siyabonga Cwele, is accused of conspiring with a Nigerian man to bring cocaine into South Africa

Sheryl Cwele, wife of state security minister Siyabonga Cwele, is accused of conspiring with a Nigerian man to bring cocaine into South Africa by enlisting young white women as mules to travel overseas to collect the drugs."I wish to categorically state that I never knowingly participated in any drug trafficking, conspiracy or incitement to deal in drugs as set out in the indictment or at all," Cwele said yesterday in a bail application filed with the provincial high court. Cwele, a 50-year-old municipal director of health and community services, was arrested last week at her workplace. The Pietermaritzburg High Court has scheduled her bail hearing for Friday.Allegations of Cwele's drug trafficking surfaced last year after the arrest of Tessa Beetge, a South African woman caught in Brazil in June with cocaine worth almost $300,000 .Beetge's family told a South African newspaper last year that Cwele had offered to find a job for her friend and former neighbour Beetge, who is listed in the indictment.Cwele and Frank Nabolis, a Nigerian arrested last month, face charges of conspiring to traffic drugs between Turkey, South America and South Africa.Cwele's bail application said she met Nabolis through an acquaintance and agreed to help him recruit two white people to work for his company.

Sheryl Cwele, wife of state security minister Siyabonga Cwele, is accused of conspiring with a Nigerian man to bring cocaine into South Africa

Sheryl Cwele, wife of state security minister Siyabonga Cwele, is accused of conspiring with a Nigerian man to bring cocaine into South Afri...

Ian Stephens, 41, from Aliwal Road, Battersea Rise and husband and wife Elias Hajichambi, 39 and Sharan Hajichambi, 38, pleaded guilty to conspiracy

Ian Stephens, 41, from Aliwal Road, Battersea Rise and husband and wife Elias Hajichambi, 39 and Sharan Hajichambi, 38, from Cherrywood Lane, Morden all pleaded guilty to conspiracy to import Class A drugs.Successful businessman John Beaumont-Griffin, 47, from Winterdown Road, Esher pleaded not guilty to the same charge and two additional charges of supplying a Class A drug but was convicted on all three counts by a jury following a trial which concluded on Friday at Kingston Crown Court. Ringleader Stephens was jailed for 10 years, Elias Hajichambi given five years and Sharan Hajichambi sentenced to two years. Beaumont-Griffin was jailed for four and half years.In addition, Beaumont-Griffin had his Aston Martin DB9, which was used to transport drugs, seized by police as it had been used in crime. Stephens also had his Cherokee Jeep confiscated.Detectives from SCIT were alerted to the conspiracy after customs officers intercepted a package destined for an address in Esher containing food items which had arrived on a British Airways flight from Guyana on April 23 last year.Two food tins containing Chinese sauce were X-rayed and drilled into and a white powder was discovered inside. The powder later turned out to be a kilogramme of cocaine with a street value of £100,000.Two days later a further package from Guyana containing two identical tins addressed to a flat in Thornton Heath were also intercepted. Inside the tins was a further kilo of cocaine. An undercover officer posing as a delivery man for the courier company delivered the first package to Beaumont-Griffin at his Esher address which was under surveillance.He was later observed taking the package in his Aston Martin to the Hajichambi’s home in Morden before leaving. A short while later Stephens arrived in his Jeep to collect it.Stephens was arrested in his vehicle shortly after leaving the property and the drugs package recovered. Sharan Hajichambi and Beaumont-Griffin were both detained at their homes shortly after.When officers searched the Hajichambi’s home they discovered a plastic bag containing a Tupperware box with white powder, two sets of electronic scales, spoon and milk tablets.They also found “dealer lists”, £2,700 in cash in a bedside drawer and a further £360 in Sharan Hajichambi’s handbag.When officers searched Stephens' home they found electronic scales, clear bags, dealer lists and a bag containing crack cocaine. In addition they found a stab proof vest and Taser stun gun.Another stun gun and travel documents to Guyana in the name of a convicted drug smuggler were found in his Jeep. Cash invoices showed Stephens had recently had £3,000 worth of upgrades carried out on his vehicle despite the fact he was on state benefits. A subsequent investigation identified a total of 19 packages coming into the UK from Guyana that are linked to the investigation. Financial records showed that since 2006, Stephens had transferred a total of £148,000 to Guyana.Detective Inspector Wendy Clay said following the case: “Stephens and his group had clearly been using the route from Guyana to Gatwick to bring in significant amounts of cocaine for their own selfish gain.“Surrey Police is committed to tackling head on the scourge of class A drugs and this case shows we will not tolerate their import, sale and supply. “The professionalism of the officers involved in the covert operation helped halt this conspiracy in its tracks and should serve as a warning to other criminal gangs that we will use all methods at our disposal to bring those responsible for importing cocaine into the country to justice. “In addition to the time they will serve in prison, both Stephens and Beaumont-Griffin have had their expensive cars taken away from them. This reinforces the message that crime doesn’t pay and if you use your vehicle whilst committing offences we will use the powers available to us to seize it.”Surrey Police will now seek a Confiscation Order under the Proceeds of Crime Act to seize any available assets any of the group may have. Successful businessman John Beaumont-Griffin, 47, from Winterdown Road, Esher pleaded not guilty to the same charge and two additional charges of supplying a Class A drug but was convicted on all three counts by a jury following a trial which concluded on Friday at Kingston Crown Court.Ringleader Stephens was jailed for 10 years, Elias Hajichambi given five years and Sharan Hajichambi sentenced to two years. Beaumont-Griffin was jailed for four and half years.In addition, <blockquote>Beaumont-Griffin had his Aston Martin DB9, which was used to transport drugs, seized by police as it had been used in crime. Stephens also had his Cherokee Jeep confiscated.</blockquote> Detectives from SCIT were alerted to the conspiracy after customs officers intercepted a package destined for an address in Esher containing food items which had arrived on a British Airways flight from Guyana on April 23 last year. Two food tins containing Chinese sauce were X-rayed and drilled into and a white powder was discovered inside. The powder later turned out to be a kilogramme of cocaine with a street value of £100,000.Two days later a further package from Guyana containing two identical tins addressed to a flat in Thornton Heath were also intercepted. Inside the tins was a further kilo of cocaine.An undercover officer posing as a delivery man for the courier company delivered the first package to Beaumont-Griffin at his Esher address which was under surveillance. He was later observed taking the package in his Aston Martin to the Hajichambi’s home in Morden before leaving. A short while later Stephens arrived in his Jeep to collect it.Stephens was arrested in his vehicle shortly after leaving the property and the drugs package recovered. Sharan Hajichambi and Beaumont-Griffin were both detained at their homes shortly after.When officers searched the Hajichambi’s home they discovered a plastic bag containing a Tupperware box with white powder, two sets of electronic scales, spoon and milk tablets.They also found “dealer lists”, £2,700 in cash in a bedside drawer and a further £360 in Sharan Hajichambi’s handbag.When officers searched Stephens' home they found electronic scales, clear bags, dealer lists and a bag containing crack cocaine. In addition they found a stab proof vest and Taser stun gun.Another stun gun and travel documents to Guyana in the name of a convicted drug smuggler were found in his Jeep. Cash invoices showed Stephens had recently had £3,000 worth of upgrades carried out on his vehicle despite the fact he was on state benefits.A subsequent investigation identified a total of 19 packages coming into the UK from Guyana that are linked to the investigation. Financial records showed that since 2006, Stephens had transferred a total of £148,000 to Guyana. Detective Inspector Wendy Clay said following the case: “Stephens and his group had clearly been using the route from Guyana to Gatwick to bring in significant amounts of cocaine for their own selfish gain.“Surrey Police is committed to tackling head on the scourge of class A drugs and this case shows we will not tolerate their import, sale and supply. “The professionalism of the officers involved in the covert operation helped halt this conspiracy in its tracks and should serve as a warning to other criminal gangs that we will use all methods at our disposal to bring those responsible for importing cocaine into the country to justice.“In addition to the time they will serve in prison, both Stephens and Beaumont-Griffin have had their expensive cars taken away from them. This reinforces the message that crime doesn’t pay and if you use your vehicle whilst committing offences we will use the powers available to us to seize it.” Surrey Police will now seek a Confiscation Order under the Proceeds of Crime Act to seize any available assets any of the group may have.

Ian Stephens, 41, from Aliwal Road, Battersea Rise and husband and wife Elias Hajichambi, 39 and Sharan Hajichambi, 38, pleaded guilty to conspiracy

Ian Stephens, 41, from Aliwal Road, Battersea Rise and husband and wife Elias Hajichambi, 39 and Sharan Hajichambi, 38, from Cherrywood Lane...

Jamil Young, 25, and Brian Walker, 23, are the known proprietors of the home and have been implicated in the alleged drug-dealing enterprise

Jamil Young, 25, and Brian Walker, 23, are the known proprietors of the home and have been implicated in the alleged drug-dealing enterprise...

Susan Olsen, 51, was arrested on three counts of maintaining a drug trafficking place

Susan Olsen, 51, was arrested on three counts of maintaining a drug trafficking place, two counts of delivery of heroin near certain places, one count of party to delivery of heroin near certain places and one count each of possession with the intent to deliver heroin near certain places, conspiracy to commit possession with the intent to deliver heroin and possession of narcotics.Thomas Oakley, 53, was arrested on charges of maintaining a drug trafficking place, possession with the intent to deliver heroin, conspiracy to commit possession with the intent to deliver heroin and possession of drug paraphernalia.Steven Messner, 47, was arrested on charges of maintaining a drug trafficking place, delivery of heroin near certain places, deliver heroin near certain places, conspiracy and possession of drug paraphernalia.Officers from the Street Crimes Unit could not be reached for comment Tuesday night. Oakley, 53, was arrested on charges of maintaining a drug trafficking place, possession with the intent to deliver heroin, conspiracy to commit possession with the intent to deliver heroin and possession of drug paraphernalia.Steven Messner, 47, was arrested on charges of maintaining a drug trafficking place, delivery of heroin near certain places, deliver heroin near certain places, conspiracy and possession of drug paraphernalia.Officers from the Street Crimes Unit could not be reached for comment Tuesday night.

Susan Olsen, 51, was arrested on three counts of maintaining a drug trafficking place

Susan Olsen, 51, was arrested on three counts of maintaining a drug trafficking place, two counts of delivery of heroin near certain places,...

arrest warrant for 44-year-old Vernon V. Ellefson Jr. of Cheyenne.

Ellefson and a group of other men are accused of supplying the drugs that killed bull rider 21-year-old Bryan John Guthrie of Cheyenne last ...

MATHEW Stokes's 71-game career is teetering after he was arrested on Wednesday morning and charged with drug trafficking

MATHEW Stokes's 71-game career is teetering after he was arrested on Wednesday morning and charged with drug trafficking over the alleged purchase of one gram of cocaine.The World Anti-Doping Agency penalty for trafficking is a minimum ban of four years and can be a lifetime suspension. If Stokes is to play again he needs the more serious of the two charges reduced or dropped.Legal sources indicated yesterday that while there are provisions for the reduction of the WADA ban in its code - up to 75 per cent of a suspension can be removed, for example, if an athlete offers up information that leads to the conviction of others - there would be little scope for Stokes to appeal.The 25-year-old has told police that he purchased the gram of cocaine on January 19 for friends visiting from the Northern Territory. A conviction for possession, rather than trafficking - especially out of competition - could mean he escapes WADA punishment.A spokesman from the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority told The Australian last night that the out-of-competition use or possession of stimulants is not prohibited under the World Anti-Doping Code. Stokes travelled to Melbourne last night, ahead of today's legal meeting, with sources indicating that player and club were told on Wednesday to be confident that the trafficking charge could be dismissed. According to evidence Stokes gave to police, the cocaine was neither for his own use nor procured for profit. Similarly, telephone intercepts which discovered Stokes arranging to purchase the drug, do not indicate that he intended to use the drug or sell it. He was asked by the AFL to take a urine test on Wednesday, which may or may not vindicate this claim. Stokes was said by Geelong chief executive Brian Cook to be "shattered and really struggling". He was visited by teammates at his home in Highton, near Geelong, during the morning before leaving with teammate James Kelly for meetings with officials and the club's leadership group. He returned to Highton in the late afternoon before leaving for Melbourne, where he was expected to meet with his management.If Stokes does succeed in having the trafficking charge downgraded or dropped and appears before the Geelong Magistrates Court on March 12 to face a single charge of possession, he will still face a lengthy spell on the sidelines imposed by the reigning premiers and approved first by the AFL.Geelong expects to announce later today what disciplinary action it will take against Stokes, who has been stood down indefinitely.Following a lengthy meeting at Skilled Stadium yesterday between the players' leadership group and Stokes, the penalties recommended by the players were forwarded to chief executive Brian Cook and the football department.The Geelong board will consider the recommendations today before announcing what sanctions it will impose.Evidence presented to the court during his bail hearing on Wednesday afternoon indicated that when the substance of his text messages and calls to alleged drug dealer Matthew Randall were revealed to him, Stokes admitted purchasing the cocaine for $500.Admitting that he purchased it for his visitors meant that he soon became the first AFL footballer to be charged with trafficking drugs.Police said they had no evidence of Stokes using cocaine.

MATHEW Stokes's 71-game career is teetering after he was arrested on Wednesday morning and charged with drug trafficking

MATHEW Stokes's 71-game career is teetering after he was arrested on Wednesday morning and charged with drug trafficking over the allege...

charged Dewayne Bynum, 24, 4007 Harvey St., Monroe with possession of crack cocaine

charged Dewayne Bynum, 24, 4007 Harvey St., Monroe with possession of crack cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana, ille...

Thomas (T.J.) Gleason, the 34-year-old chef at the Ruddy and Dean North Shore Steak House, and another man, Ralph Fleischmann, 40, arrested

Thomas (T.J.) Gleason, the 34-year-old chef at the Ruddy and Dean North Shore Steak House, and another man, Ralph Fleischmann, 40, have both been arrested on felony drug dealing charges, accused of selling $100 worth of cocaine at the bar. The restaurant, which sits just a block away from both the state Supreme Court building house and the NYPD 120th Precinct stationhouse in St. George, has long been a haunt for attorneys and police officers who work in the area. As authorities tell it, an undercover police officer walked in on the night of Jan. 14 and spoke with Gleason, telling him, “I need $100 of powder.” Gleason’s response, according to court papers, was “I’m out. I’ll make a call. Wait by the bar and I’ll let you know when he’s here.” Gleason then made a call to someone named “Pookie,” according to a law enforcement source, and about an hour and a half later, Fleischmann showed up. The officer gave Gleason $100, and after a conversation, “both defendants engaged in a transaction underneath the bar ledge,” according to court papers. After that, Gleason handed the officer a Ziploc bag and a plastic twist of cocaine, authorities allege.Authorities say Fleischmann was the restaurant’s manager, but both the bar’s owner, Danny Mills, and the current manager, Kim Hogan, said that’s simply not true. “Ralph never worked here,” she said. “Ralph has nothing to do with this bar.” Mills called the drug bust an “isolated incident,” sparked by a 311 complaint, and said the arrests shouldn’t reflect badly on his business or reputation. “We are a clean place,” Mills said. Gleason, he said, made a bad decision by calling someone up to get drugs at the request of a stranger. “He made a silly decision, helping a guy he didn’t know. And there are consequences.... he’s fired,” Mills said. “He made that choice, and for that he lost his job.” Mills also took issue with a statement in the report that Fleischmann and Gleason were arrested inside the bar. The two men, he said, were arrested outside of the building. Both Gleason, of Cooper Terrace in New Springville, and Fleischmann, of the 100 block of Townsend Avenue in Clifton, face charges of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, as well as third-, fifth- and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, said William J. Smith, a spokesman for District Attorney Daniel Donovan. They’ve since been released on $1,500 bail, pending return appearances to Stapleton Criminal Court on March 11. Neither could be reached for comment today.

Thomas (T.J.) Gleason, the 34-year-old chef at the Ruddy and Dean North Shore Steak House, and another man, Ralph Fleischmann, 40, arrested

Thomas (T.J.) Gleason, the 34-year-old chef at the Ruddy and Dean North Shore Steak House, and another man, Ralph Fleischmann, 40, have both...

Suresh Surendranath Nair is accused of killing both women at his Elizabeth Bay apartment last year.

Suresh Surendranath Nair is accused of killing both women at his Elizabeth Bay apartment last year.It is alleged that in November the 41-yea...

Caro Quintero's Sonora cartel was tied to the 1985 torture and killing of an undercover Drug Enforcement Administration agent

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlrJk8NA45JHRHl4HNtfB2yWwb-YXifBi1orMjaCYiY_TH28BRoXHtm-o3y_MIozjIU3JaYRwvfVlr3sORr1eT-LJZCQaxrwM0TEEbncirNjtcxafNlswqg2I-KbSERGUKi0CAdjJS9oc/s1600-h/miguel.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434817064980787074" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlrJk8NA45JHRHl4HNtfB2yWwb-YXifBi1orMjaCYiY_TH28BRoXHtm-o3y_MIozjIU3JaYRwvfVlr3sORr1eT-LJZCQaxrwM0TEEbncirNjtcxafNlswqg2I-KbSERGUKi0CAdjJS9oc/s400/miguel.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 264px; height: 400px;" /></a> Caro Quintero's Sonora cartel was tied to the 1985 torture and killing of an undercover Drug Enforcement Administration agent, Enrique "Kiki" Camarena Salazar. Caro Quintero's brother, Rafael Caro Quintero, is in prison in Mexico for the slaying, but authorities never directly linked Miguel Angel to the crime. A. James Kolar, then the sergeant in charge of the Boulder narcotics unit, said police were called to the hotel after a maid found the money."He apparently went off and left the money in the room," Kolar recalled after Thursday's sentencing. "We were checking it out, and he came back to get it."Police didn't immediately arrest the man, but they followed him to a grocery store parking lot where they discovered an RV packed with nearly a half ton of marijuana. Police then questioned the suspect, who said he was working for the cartel.Following that trail, the investigation led to several suspects in Colorado and in Arizona, Kolar said. "We had no idea that Mr. Quintero was involved," said Kolar, now the police chief in Telluride, a ski resort town in southwestern Colorado. "It wasn't until we got indictments from federal agents that witnesses started providing information that led to Quintero."Enrique Camarena Salazar was working for the DEA out of Guadalajara, Mexico, when he was kidnapped on Feb. 7, 1985, by five armed men who threw him into a car and sped away. He was tortured and beaten to death. The 37-year-old agent left behind a wife and three children.Caro Quintero's brother was convicted in Camarena's slaying. After his brother's arrest, federal authorities say Caro Quintero took over the operation that smuggled thousands of tons of marijuana and cocaine into the U.S. in the 1980s.Prosecutors said under Caro Quintero's direction, the cartel exported two to four tons of marijuana a month to Colorado between 1985 and 1988. It was distributed throughout the United States by aircraft and vehicle.Caro Quintero was indicted in Colorado in 1990 on charges that included smuggling marijuana in half-ton amounts in 1987. Prosecutors say he also conspired with two other people to import thousands of pounds of marijuana into Arizona and was recorded on the phone trying to sell marijuana to an undercover drug agent. "The thing about this case is it demonstrates that it's not a matter of whether we're going to get these guys, it's a matter of when," said Jeffrey Sweetin, Denver DEA special agent in charge.Caro Quintero was arrested in December 2001 in Los Mochis, Mexico, and served a drug sentence in that country. He was extradited to the U.S. last February. Camarena's slaying was commemorated each year by students in Calexico, Calif., where he attended high school. Students wore red ribbons in the agent's memory. The remembrance expanded and was made national by Congress in 1988 as Red Ribbon Week, during which drug and violence prevention campaigns are held in schools each October. Camarena was a native of Mexicali, Mexico. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps and the Calexico and El Centro, Calif., police departments before joining the DEA.

Caro Quintero's Sonora cartel was tied to the 1985 torture and killing of an undercover Drug Enforcement Administration agent

Caro Quintero's Sonora cartel was tied to the 1985 torture and killing of an undercover Drug Enforcement Administration agent, Enrique ...

Luis "Louie Lou" Ojeda, called a large-scale cocaine trafficker

Luis "Louie Lou" Ojeda, called a large-scale cocaine trafficker by federal officials and a stellar landlord and family man by his supporters, was sentenced Wednesday to 12½ years in federal prison and five years supervised release. Chief U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson also ordered Ojeda to forfeit $19,309 in cash that was seized from him. A jury had found Ojeda guilty in October of conspiring to possess with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, and possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. He has been held in federal custody since his conviction. Ojeda was a target of a federal, state and local investigation, led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, into cocaine trafficking in eastern Connecticut. Investigators used surveillance, controlled purchases of cocaine, GPS tracking devices and court-authorized wiretaps to build their case. They seized 9 kilograms of cocaine and more than $35,000 in cash. The investigation revealed that Ojeda purchased more than 20 kilograms of cocaine over a period of several years from co-defendant Anthony Morse of Gales Ferry, which he sold to customers. Near the end of the conspiracy, when Morse was having trouble procuring cocaine from his sources, Morse began to obtain cocaine through Ojeda, who had alternate sources of supply. Ojeda faced a mandatory minimum prison term of at least 10 years. New London prosecutor Paul J. Narducci, who is cross-deputized as a special assistant U.S. attorney, argued that Ojeda had put "a lot of cocaine into the streets of New London." Gambling records seized from the area's two casinos indicated that Ojeda had spent $1.7 million at Foxwoods Resort Casino between 2001 and 2007 and $1.3 million at Mohegan Sun during the same time period. Ojeda's attorney, Jonathan Einhorn, asked for a reduction in the sentence, arguing that Ojeda was not a drug dealer of the same caliber of others convicted of the same offenses. He said Ojeda was a legitimate contractor who had rehabilitated several New London properties to provide safe and affordable housing for low-income families. Ojeda's family members asked the judge for mercy, and Ojeda also spoke at length. He apologized for embarrassing his family and vowed to improve himself in prison. "I will find a way to better myself and get back to my family a better man," he said. Following Ojeda's conviction, Morse pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, 5 kilograms or more of cocaine. He was sentenced on Jan. 10 to 6 years of imprisonment, followed by 10 years of supervised release

Luis "Louie Lou" Ojeda, called a large-scale cocaine trafficker

Luis "Louie Lou" Ojeda, called a large-scale cocaine trafficker by federal officials and a stellar landlord and family man by his...

Five men were arrested and a “substantial” sum of cash was also seized during subsequent raids at addresses in Teesside and County Durham.

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrVguX8QJ2bO9nl3tkRUgotUdQcSf-ra7BErxUzvxHV9nHvxlLWJoGIWO9AfD2_H4d3WZtrPRxfGWLXl4nw6PZa_25VF9-2FpM7Myvrxng-bZJyHH8Hs0DSq5b_s_6q9EfuMJ6iX86X6E/s1600-h/albert-road-333888076.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432547347935358226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrVguX8QJ2bO9nl3tkRUgotUdQcSf-ra7BErxUzvxHV9nHvxlLWJoGIWO9AfD2_H4d3WZtrPRxfGWLXl4nw6PZa_25VF9-2FpM7Myvrxng-bZJyHH8Hs0DSq5b_s_6q9EfuMJ6iX86X6E/s400/albert-road-333888076.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 243px;" /></a> Five men were arrested and a “substantial” sum of cash was also seized during subsequent raids at addresses in Teesside and County Durham.Police pulled over the driver of a Range Rover for talking on a mobile on Albert Road, Middlesbrough on Wednesday.Officers searched the vehicle and discovered around £500-worth of what was believed to be class A drugs. police retrieved a holdall bag from the car.Five men, aged 18, 21, 22 and 24, were arrested by the roadside, Cleveland Police confirmed.DC Andy McLoughlin said: “Officers pulled over a car in a random check and found a quantity of what are believed to be class A drugs worth approximately £500.Subsequent inquiries have resulted in the searching of a number of properties in the Cleveland and County Durham areas and a substantial amount of cash has been recovered.”All five men have now been bailed pending further investigations.

Five men were arrested and a “substantial” sum of cash was also seized during subsequent raids at addresses in Teesside and County Durham.

Five men were arrested and a “substantial” sum of cash was also seized during subsequent raids at addresses in Teesside and County Durham.Po...

Raymond Chan, displayed signs of intoxication and when asked to exit the vehicle

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWkPmvJDFdVGD8IU6VDk29R4hVcwDLCgXD1il6Y_3XAe8WQJB_6CaePtQ1R6Ruj2Gz1b_evTvPslJZ3CSmjTzAvW8ApewmopLHszup55qTjY6MXtukWc8eh6o4walOICO4BBfl9EHfC3U/s1600-h/chan.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432543559041692466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWkPmvJDFdVGD8IU6VDk29R4hVcwDLCgXD1il6Y_3XAe8WQJB_6CaePtQ1R6Ruj2Gz1b_evTvPslJZ3CSmjTzAvW8ApewmopLHszup55qTjY6MXtukWc8eh6o4walOICO4BBfl9EHfC3U/s400/chan.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 400px;" /></a> Raymond Chan, displayed signs of intoxication and when asked to exit the vehicle, he was unable to stand by himself, police said. Chan stated that he had used cocaine a couple hours prior and that he had cocaine and Xanax in his pockets. He was charged with driving while intoxicated by drugs, criminal possession of a controlled substance and several traffic violations. He is due at First District Court in Hempstead on Jan. 29.

Raymond Chan, displayed signs of intoxication and when asked to exit the vehicle

Raymond Chan, displayed signs of intoxication and when asked to exit the vehicle, he was unable to stand by himself, police said. Chan state...

Vernon V. Ellefson Jr. was charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin and cocaine resulting in death

Vernon V. Ellefson Jr. was charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin and cocaine resulting in death, and another count of di...

Margarito Saucedo, 37, was on his way to the Chicago area to deliver the drugs

Margarito Saucedo, 37, was on his way to the Chicago area to deliver the drugs when he was pulled over, and the second man, Moses Moreno, 41, was the intended recipient of the drugs. He was arrested later in Aurora.The pair have been charged in federal court in Springfield with conspiring to distribute cocaine.The traffic stop happened about 10:30 a.m. Jan. 11. An Illinois State Police trooper pulled over a tractor-trailer with Texas license plates between Elkhart and Lincoln. The truck, which was heading north, had an expired registration sticker on the trailer, authorities said. The trooper talked to the driver, Saucedo, and asked for his logbook, driver’s license and other paperwork, according to an affidavit filed in federal court. The trooper determined Saucedo had no valid driver’s license and that he had been arrested previously for a drug violation and aggravated assault with a weapon. During a search of the truck, the trooper allegedly found what was described as a “trapped compartment” in the bunk area of the truck. Inside, the trooper found 10 packages of suspected cocaine, each one about a kilogram in weight, according to the affidavit. Saucedo allegedly told the trooper later he was to be paid $1,000 per kilogram to deliver the drugs to a man at a motel in Aurora. He allegedly told police he had delivered eight to 10 kilograms on at least five prior occasions to the man. Agents with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration went to the Aurora hotel, where they reportedly watched Moreno retrieve what he thought were the drugs from Saucedo.

Margarito Saucedo, 37, was on his way to the Chicago area to deliver the drugs

Margarito Saucedo, 37, was on his way to the Chicago area to deliver the drugs when he was pulled over, and the second man, Moses Moreno, 41...

Jamaican drug gang Shower Posse leaders would arrange for buyers to meet Amilcar Caballero

Amilcar Caballero was sentenced to three years probation after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute a controlled dangerous substance; Calle-Munoz was sentenced to two years probation after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance; Kida was sentenced to two years probation after pleading guilty to possession of a controlled dangerous substance; Lewis was sentenced to time served after being in the Passaic County Jail for 581 days awaiting the case’s resolution, after pleading guilty to conspiracy, intent to distribute and unlawful possession of a weapon.Watson was sentenced to three years in state prison after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute, conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of a school and unlawful possession of a weapon. Amilcar Caballero in the case, was a bit more specific. “There were serious questions about the integrity of one of the state’s most important witnesses,” Breite said outside of court. He declined to say which witness, or what the problem was. “My client was never found to be in possession of drugs. There were no drugs found in his vehicle. There were no drugs founds in his home. He has no prior criminal record,” Breite added.Authorities alleged that leaders of the notorious Jamaican drug gang Shower Posse would arrange for buyers to meet Caballero, 37, along his assigned route, which included stops in Teaneck and other nearby towns. Authorities said it was in Teaneck where they witnessed Caballero drop off packages of cocaine. Caballero was arrested at the UPS hub in Secaucus after he finished his route on March 21. He was charged with drug distribution and conspiracy and fired by UPS.Investigators said at the time of the arrests that the group was led by Oral Watson, a 33-year-old Jamaican national from Paterson, and distributed crack and powder cocaine to dealers throughout Passaic, Bergen and Morris counties. Also arrested was Dwight Donald Lewis, 39, of Paterson, who leased an apartment in Hackensack that the gang used as a stash house, authorities said. Laura Kida, 41, of Pine Brook, and Fabricio Zambrano, 29, and Carlos Calle-Munoz, 28, of Dover, were also arrested as associates of Watson and Lewis.All of the defendants entered guilty pleas to various charges in October and were sentenced Thursdayby state Superior Court Assignment Judge Donald J. Volkert in Paterson.

Jamaican drug gang Shower Posse leaders would arrange for buyers to meet Amilcar Caballero

Amilcar Caballero was sentenced to three years probation after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute a controlled dangerous substance...

Coco (coconut) Candy José Pena, and his longtime friend and colleague Cesar Rodriguez, 33, from the Bronx, New York, were arrested

<blockquote>"I didn’t know having candy was a crime," he said.</blockquote> José Pena, a 48-year-old plumber, and his longtime friend and colleague Cesar Rodriguez, 33, from the Bronx, New York, were arrested on January 15 after police found a bag of what they thought was cocaine, reports The New York Post.The "drugs" were finally tested five days later and determined to be popular Coco (coconut) Candy. The charges were dropped.The ordeal began when the pair stopped at convenience store on the way to a party. When they came out of the store police asked to search their Ford minivan."I said ‘Go search.’ I even opened the door," Rodriguez told The Post.An officer rummaged around, came out holding a "Hello Kitty" sandwich bag, and shouted "Bingo!" the men said."It’s only candy!" Rodriguez said, as the cops handcuffed him and Pena, and several other police cars rushed to the scene.Rodriguez said he bought a 50-cent bag of Coco Candy, a hard coconut-based treat, almost every day. Because it easily crumbles, he puts it in a sandwich bag. "Can you test it? Can you taste it?" Rodriguez asked the cops. "Shut up!" they replied.The two men were jailed for cocaine possession. Pena got out after three days, but Rodriguez was held two more, because he could not make $5000 bail the judge imposed on him due to a prior robbery conviction, the New York Daily News reported.The two men are now planning to file a $2 million (A$2.21m) lawsuit, the Daily News reported.The men’s lawyer, Neal Wallerstein, said the cops could have realized their mistake quickly."That’s the reason why they have a field-test kit," he said, referring to the New York Police Department’s portable drug identification equipment.The Bronx District Attorney’s office confirmed that the case was dropped after authorities realized there were no drugs. The NYPD had no comment. Rodriguez said he still loves Coco Candy. <blockquote>"It’s really sweet," he said. "I could get addicted to this candy."</blockquote>

Coco (coconut) Candy José Pena, and his longtime friend and colleague Cesar Rodriguez, 33, from the Bronx, New York, were arrested

"I didn’t know having candy was a crime," he said. José Pena, a 48-year-old plumber, and his longtime friend and colleague Cesar R...

Reynaldo "Pichy" Laureano, 36, of Allen Place, was one of 56 Hartford-area people arrested

Reynaldo "Pichy" Laureano, 36, of Allen Place, was one of 56 Hartford-area people arrested last year after a yearlong federal crac...

Dion Anthony, 25, of Williams Street, New London, pleaded guilty in U.S. District court Friday to distribution of cocaine base.

Dion Anthony, 25, of Williams Street, New London, pleaded guilty in U.S. District court Friday to distribution of cocaine base.Authorities s...

Sarah Griffiths, 27, an ex-carer, took a mobile, eight sim cards, three wraps of cannabis and 57 tablets of Buprenorphine into Everthorpe Prison

Sarah Griffiths, 27, an ex-carer, took a mobile, eight sim cards, three wraps of cannabis and 57 tablets of Buprenorphine into Everthorpe Pr...

Flying instructor David John Lloyd, 63, of Llangristiolus near Llangefni, is charged with conspiracy to import illegal drugs.

Flying instructor David John Lloyd, 63, of Llangristiolus near Llangefni, is charged with conspiracy to import illegal drugs.A passenger abo...

convicted Billy Comer Jr., 36, of the sale of cocaine within 1,000 feet of a church

convicted Billy Comer Jr., 36, of the sale of cocaine within 1,000 feet of a church. Comer sold crack cocaine to an informant on July 22, th...

Anthony John Mulraney was jailed for 18 months.

Anthony John Mulraney sealed his own fate after he couldn't be bothered to speak to a probation officer before he was sentenced.The 32-year-old refused to co-operate with any order which could have kept him out of prison - even after a judge urged his advocate to "talk some sense into him".With no previous convictions for drug dealing and only one for possession, jail was "not a forgone conclusion", said Judge Les Spittle.But Mulraney would not contribute to a pre-sentence report and insisted from the dock: "I don't want a report." Judge Spittle was left with no option but to lock him up at Teesside Crown Court. Mulraney was caught with drugs at the home he shared with his partner and their young son, Prosecutor Ian Mullarkey told how police raided Mulraney's home on Greencroft Walk, Park End, Middlesbrough on April 24 last year. A total of 447 diazepam tablets were found stashed in various parts of the house. They included 375 pills in make-up boxes, 45 on a glass cabinet in the living room, 15 in a biscuit tin in the kitchen and one bag in Mulraney's trouser pocket. A small quantity of cannabis was also discovered.On arrest Mulraney told police, referring to his partner: "It's all mine. She had nothing to do with it." His text messages pointed to dealing.Mulraney initially told officers in interview the tablets were for his own use, using 200 tablets a week, then said he was minding 200 pills for a friend, his supplier.He later said he bought 1,000 tablets for £150 and sold them for 50p each, spending profits on clothes and to fund his own addiction.Mulraney, now of Melsonby Avenue, Park End, admitted possessing diazepam with intent to supply and possession of cannabis. He had a long criminal record with offences of dishonesty. Brian Russell, defending, pointed towards Mulraney's lack of previous similar offending and his guilty plea.Judge Les Spittle said he did not know whether Mulraney had problems which might merit an approach other than imprisonment. He told the defendant: "It's by your own request that you don't seek this court to have a pre-sentence report prepared upon you to give this court further information."Even if you did have a particular problem using drugs yourself, your principal motivation was gain, financial gain."Mulraney was jailed for 18 months.

Anthony John Mulraney was jailed for 18 months.

Anthony John Mulraney sealed his own fate after he couldn't be bothered to speak to a probation officer before he was sentenced.The 32-y...