feds bust suspected ecstasy drug network

foolsgold

foolsgold

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Contra Costa Timesmercurynews.com

Posted: 04/24/2012 12:21:48 PM PDT
April 24, 2012 8:36 PM GMTUpdated: 04/24/2012 01:36:36 PM PDT


Twenty-five individuals, many of them rappers associated with one of the Bay Area's largest entertainment labels known as "Thizz Entertainment," have been charged in a major nationwide drug trafficking ring focused on Ecstasy, according to a federal prosecutor.

Agents seized about 45,000 Ecstasy pills, 4 pounds of crack cocaine, a half pound of heroin and $200,000 in suspected drug profits, and forfeited about 230 acres of property valued at about $1 million. The suspects, from Vallejo, Stockton, Oakland, Fairfield, Los Angeles, New York and Oklahoma City, were arrested Thursday, U.S. Attorney Benjamin Wagner said.

The investigation, led by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, uncovered a network of drug distributors centered in Vallejo's Crest neighborhood, across Highway 37 from the Six Flags Discovery Kingdom theme park.

Thizz Entertainment was started in 1996 by Andre Hicks, a Vallejo rapper who went by Mac Dre. The word "thizz" derived from the feeling one feels while on MDMA, or ecstasy. On November 1, 2004, Mac Dre was shot and killed after a performance in Kansas City, Mo., which started a brief Vallejo-Kansas City rap war.

More than 60 artists have released albums on the label since Mac Dre's death, some were arrested in the federal drug probe.

Arrested on suspicion of multiple drug counts in the two federal complaints and in custody were: Major Norton, performs under the name "Dubee", Lawrence Nelson, Narco McFarland Sr., Eric


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Robinson, Eileen Knight, Ung Duong, Phat Nguyen, Marcus Davis, Michael Smiley, Anthony Young and Anthony Payton.

Charged and not yet in custody were: Michael Lott, performs under the name "Miami the Most," Gaylord Franklin, performs under the name "Geezy," Clifford Bullock, Latroy Cunningham, Dante Barbarin, Beshiba Cook, Bruce Thurmon, performs under the name "Little Bruce," Damian Peterson, Mikel Brown and Andre Cawthorne.

Charged and released from custody were Nicholas Ramirez and Tiffany Brown.

The origins of Thizz Entertainment go back to the Vallejo-based Romper Room Gang, which prosecutors say participated in armed bank robberies, drug trafficking and murder during the 1980s and 1990s. Many members of the gang were sent to prison, including Mac Dre who spent five years in prison. When he was released from jail, he changed the name of "Romp Records" to Thizz Entertainment and his popularity soared.

During the investigation, agents uncovered trafficking in ecstasy, cocaine, cocaine base, heroin, Oxycodone and marijuana. Drug shipments were sent from the Vallejo area to Oklahoma City; Jamaica; Queens, N.Y.; Atlanta; and Milwaukee, Wis.
 
MindWeather said:
MDMA scarce? In Canada? Doesn't safrole flow oh so freely there?
Click to expand...

Afaik, the only organic source of safrole here is found in one type of tree, which is only occasionally found in southernmost Ontario and some scarce parts of southern B.C.

Isolating and isomerizing the plant oil safrole will give you the isosafrole, however, not only is isosafrole a controlled precursor chemical of the Canadian Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (Schedule VI - Class A), but apparently it takes a shitload of Sassafras albidum bark to obtain amicable amounts of isosafrole, which can then be used to synthesize 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine.

There are other ways of obtaining safrole, but again, afaik, you need a lot of starting material.

Also, on March 12th, 2012, controversial Bill C-10, drafted by our republican fucktard of a Prime Minister - Steven Harper, also known as 'the Safe Streets and Communities Act' was passed into law. This rescheduled MDMA from Schedule III to I, which, as a result, imposes much harsher penalties (minimum prison terms) on the possession and/or distribution of MDMA.

It's therefore understandable as to why - as of late - 3/4 ecstasy pills in the area contain no actual MDMA:

1) The precursor chemical is not particularly easy to come by in amicable quantities, where as, let's say I wanted to synthesize Methamphetamine - I could very easily obtain large amounts of ephedrine at a very cheap price and with no other medical ingredients included.

2) Being caught manufacturing ecstasy now carries the same criminal liability as if you were busted converting opium to heroin.

3) Taking into account the aforementioned 1 and 2 - the investment is simply not worth the risk, regardless of the demand.

I suppose that, depending on where you live, knowing where to look and perhaps a little bit a luck on top, you'll find some good quality molly. That luck, unfortunately, for many of us, has run its course. I need a tissue.
 
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Hrm. There's a load of sassafras in the woods behind my house. Too bad the root bark is what's required and it's a stupidly low yield. Anyhow.

"Thizz <anything>" is saying "we mess with drugs, come bop us."
 
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