"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. 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. 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. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar 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. Jones used social media to advertise marijuana/THC products, the complaint states. "The people who were arrested today were a nuisance, a problem in Elyriafor a number of years," said DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Keith Martin. All of that just steps away from a school. A weekly compilation of engaging digital content. 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. 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. The numbers are telling. 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. 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. The investigation revealed Jones was allegedly one of Christopher Mitchell's, the owner of Bubba Dubba's Vape Shop, main suppliers. The 5 Best Cleveland Facebook Groups To Follow ASAP, 5 Best Walking Trails In Cleveland, No Hiking Required. "While this seizure represents the largest in our history, it is but another small battle in our much larger war on drugs. Copyright 2019 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Mitchell has been charged with possession of cocaine, possession of heroin, aggravated possession of drugs and possession of marijuana. DEA dismantles narcotics ring operating in Ohio and West Virginia, Melt Bar & Grilled closes 2 Ohio locations, Ohio Gov. From there, the investigation identified several more local distributors and led to search warrants at several locations in late 2020. It is alleged . Back then, about a dozen dogs were also involved, and that case also involved a drug investigation. The suspects just indicted now get a chance in the coming days to go to county court to begin defending themselves. Many of the edibles were packaged in a way that would be very appealing to children, bearing a striking and frightening resemblance to popular breakfast cereals, candy and snack foods.. In addition to the conspiracy charge, defendants William Mangum, Jr., Virginia Perez, Rachele Lynn Munoz, Nora Flores, Errick Phillips and Johnny S. Phillips are also charged with interstate travel in aid of a racketeering enterprise for trips they took between Ohio and states such as Texas, Illinois and Georgia as part of the drug trafficking enterprise. Last week, the I-Team revealed the. Among those arrested were 6 males believed to have a link to a west coast Mexican gang. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. "You can sell hemp and hemp products, but by Ohio law, hemp has got to have less than .3 percent THC content. 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. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Investigators did not say if they. Some of the animals were severely injured., The video recently released to the I-Team shows investigators in the backyard saying, Oh, my goodness. Get Breaking News & Exclusive Contest in Your Inbox: Here's Where to Find the Best Corned Beef in Cleveland! 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. Davis and Elonzo Davis, who are uncle and nephew, were supplied with drugs by Vaughn, Davis, Washington, Oliver and Rogers, officials said. Narcotics Unit detectives working with Ohio's High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area investigators seized approximately 3,000 pounds of marijuana and over $386,000 cash following an investigation into a west coast drug trafficking operation. Lorain County recently became part of the Ohio High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Program or HIDTA. 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. Brown is being held without bond. ", "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. Someone inside the home picked up the package and brought it inside. Copyright 2018 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Combating cross-border criminal activity is a critical component of the overall safety, security and well-being of our nation. AKRON, Ohio More than 20,000 cartridges containing THC were seized after search warrants were executed at multiple . Example video title will go here for this video. If you have a information about illegal drug activity, report it to the DEA, here. Huge Haul: Cleveland Police Detail City's Largest Drug Bust, Melt Bar & Grilled closes 2 Ohio locations, Ohio Gov. One neighbor we met didnt want to be identified. Additionally charged in the indictment as part of the drug trafficking organization is David Gomez-Orrantia, 41, of Mexico. An official website of the United States government. No formal charges have been filed. "They called the narcotics unit and said, 'Hey, these people are selling drugs. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. Police say the drugs have a street value of $2 million. 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. In 2010, officers made 224 seizures of the drug in metropolitan communities. 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. That has changed in recent years, as large shipments have spiked the demand across the state, particularly in cities. After arresting the three men, agents seized more than 100 pounds of marijuana and more than $1 million in cash from locations in Chicago and North Olmsted, the FBI said. His attorney, Bret Jordan, declined to comment, as he said the case is in its preliminary stages. 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. 150 bales of marijuana, ranging in weight from 18 to over 27 pounds, were found hidden in a tractor-trailer of dry soup. Last week, the I-Team revealed the investigation with exclusive video from the bust, and we found one suspect had been convicted of dog fighting before. Meth had been predominately rural, as people had manufactured it from precursor drugs. A walk into the backyard revealed piles and piles of junk and rows and rows of cages with dogs. The drugs were estimated to be worth about $200,000. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. And at the time of the raid, officers even found a child inside. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. If you use a windshield cover, you can at least forget about scrapping the ice off your windshield to save some time and hassle. 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. That's when the DEA was brought in to help with the investigation. Only @WEWS cameras are there. In January 2011, approximately four kilograms of cocaine were seized from Errick Phillips as he was traveling back from Illinois to Cleveland. The case was investigated by the DEA's Cleveland office, ElyriaPolice Department, HIDTA, Lorain Police Department, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and U.S. "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.". While not every department provided figures, most have. Watch a past report in the video, above; click here for more. || RELATED: Police Find 66 Pounds Of Cocaine Found On Beach ||, || RELATED: 5 Cops Charged With Killing Manuel Ellis ||. This was a sophisticated operation operating in northern Ohio, said DEA Special Agent in Charge Keith Martin, in a news release. The seizure of the cartridges was part of a lengthy investigation by federal, state, and local investigators that started in early 2019. The FBI announced late Thursday that they now have in custody Michael Love and Jimmy Gadsen, They are still looking for Forrest Gilmore and Jermail Johnson. There is a misconception going around that marijuana is a harmless drug and that is simply not true. Johnny S. Phillips, Richard A. At least 24 kilograms of cocaine and $157,500 in cash were seized as part of the investigation. I wondered who told? The cocaine was delivered to Johnny S. Phillips and Errick Phillips. It looks like candy. 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 . They found 161 grams of heroin, 355 grams of methamphetamine, 112 grams of cocaine, 1,104 grams of marijuana and five firearms. "The fact that people could be ingesting what they thought was Percocetwhich contained fentanyl is incredibly dangerous," said U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman. "While this started with our narcotics unit, it developed quickly into something much bigger," said ElyriaPolice Chief Duane Whitely. Get the Android Weather app from Google Play, Woman carjacked at ATM; CLE police search for justice, Boy, 8, hung by neck in amusement park accident:. Episode 5: What's it like to be a special agent with HSI? And more dogs. 02.21.2023. The investigation included the DEA Cincinnati field office, the FBI and the Hamilton County Regional Enforcement Narcotics Unit. Police said Third District. local drug trafficking and dog-fighting investigation. Thomas' affidavit said the agents intercepted the package and seized more than 6 pounds of methamphetamine. All Rights Reserved. The drugs were estimated to be worth about $200,000. The second package contained a similar amount of methamphetamine, according to Thomas' affidavit and authorities. 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 FBI did not release the names of those arrested in Northeast Ohio, nor did they reveal the addresses of the raids. "Identifying, investigating, and apprehending drug traffickers and the networks in which they work are one of the highest priorities of the FBI.". Inside the home, investigators found crystal meth, fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, 3 firearms and $9500 in cash. 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. U.S. Attorneys Office said the bust was a major step in curbing the rising fentanyl trade. Then they found dogs. Uh Oh! 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. Cleveland animal control officers and the Animal Protective League hauled away 12 dogs. "He was also manufacturing cereal containing THC, gummies containing THC. Seized as part of the drug Trafficking Area Program or HIDTA marijuana, ranging in weight from 18 over. There, the complaint states our narcotics unit release the names of arrested... 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