The Mega Merged Drug Busts Thread

[hoptis]

Melbourne, Australia

Police arrest two in huge drug haul
April 6, 2007 - 2:26PM

Federal police have seized Australia's largest haul of phenylacetic acid, which is used in the manufacture of illicit drugs.

Australian Federal Police (AFP) seized more than 125kg of the substance and arrested two men in raids across Melbourne's northern suburbs last night.

Phenylacetic acid is a precursor chemical used in the manufacture of amphetamines.

The haul could have made almost 90kg of speed with a street value of more than $10 million, police said.

Houses in Eltham North and Coburg were searched as well as a business premises in Thomastown under a joint operation with customs officials.

The raids came after a customs strike team identified a suspicious shipment of phenylacetic acid, originating from India, early last month.

The AFP monitored the shipment's delivery to a business premises in Thomastown on March 22.

Officers last night allegedly seized five containers of phenylacetic acid from the property as well as documents and computer equipment.

More than $21,000 in cash was allegedly seized in a separate raid on an address in Eltham North, where a 37-year-old man was arrested.

A 35-year-old man was arrested in a search on a Coburg house.

AFP Assistant Commissioner Tim Morris said the operation had successfully dismantled a well organised syndicate.

"This amount of precursors could potentially have made nearly 90kg of speed with an approximate street value of more than $10 million," he said.

Customs acting national director of enforcement and investigations Brian Hurrell said a national strike team was working with partner agencies to detect illegal overseas shipments.

"Customs and police will continue to work together to disrupt attempts to import precursor drugs into the country and investigate those responsible," he said.

A 37-year-old Eltham North man and a 35-year-old Coburg man have each been charged with pre-trafficking a controlled precursor.

The Eltham North man is also charged with importing a controlled precursor.

The maximum penalty for these offences is 25 years' jail.

The pair appeared in Melbourne Magistrates Court early today and were remanded in custody to reappear in court on April 10.

AAP

The Age

 

[hoptis]

Perth, Australia

Crash biker had drugs in undies, helmet scanner
April 08, 2007 12:00am

By NICOLE COXA MOTORCYCLIST who allegedly had drugs hidden in his underwear tried to avoid police by wiring a police scanner to his helmet and mounting a radar detector on his bike.

But his alleged elaborate set-up unravelled when he fell off while negotiating a roundabout near Bunbury on Monday night.

Police said they were alarmed at the lengths the man went to avoid being caught. "It's a huge concern that people go to such a degree to not be detected, especially in a climate where a lot of motorcyclists are being killed (on the roads)," South-West District Superintendent Mick Sutherland told The Sunday Times.

"This is the first time we've seen something like this."

Officers detected the motorcyclist travelling at 86km/h in a 70km/h zone along Estuary Drive, Bunbury, but lost sight of him when he sped away.

Another officer later found the man pinned under his machine near the Preston River bridge. Kyal Hiron, 32, of Eaton, was taken to Royal Perth Hospital with broken ribs, a fractured collarbone and internal injuries. He was in a stable condition.

Police allegedly found white powder, believed to be amphetamines, in clip-seal bags in his underwear, along with tablets.

Police say Mr Hiron will be charged by summons with reckless driving, failing to stop, driving on a cancelled licence, driving an unlicensed vehicle and possessing amphetamines.

Further charges may be laid pending results of a blood test.

Sunday Times

 

[hoptis]

Perth, Australia

Men severely injured in drug lab blast
April 13, 2007 10:44am

THREE men have been severely burnt in a suspected drug lab explosion south of Perth.

Police and emergency crews were called to a unit in Armadale last night after after the explosion blew out windows and tore off part of the roof.

Three men, aged 28, 30 and 47, were injured in the blast.

"All three had suffered severe burns and were subsequently conveyed to Royal Perth Hospital burns unit," a police spokesman said.

All three were in serious but stable condition.

During an inspection of the unit, emergency crews found evidence of a clandestine drug lab, the police spokesman said.

News.com.au

 

[fruitfly]

101-year-old Zambian man nabbed over cannabis cultivation, trafficking
People's Daily Online
April 20, 2007

Zambia's Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) has arrested a man aged 101 for allegedly cultivating and trafficking cannabis, local newspaper Zambia Daily Mail reported Friday.

DEC spokesperson Rosten Chulu confirmed the arrest of Timothy Chilekwa, a peasant farmer of Namembo village in Southern province who was born in 1906.

Chulu said the old man was nabbed for alleged unlawful cultivation of cannabis weighing 1.2 tons.

He was also found trafficking two sacks of cannabis weighing 6. 95 kg, Chulu said.

The spokesperson said the 101-year-old would appear in court soon.

In the meantime, the DEC also arrested several other suspects from all over the country for trafficking cannabis, a drug that is widely seen in Zambia's rural areas illegally planted for quick money.

Link

 

[easyzstreet]

Ecstasy Bust

There was a large bust, over a million pills monthly, this is what the DEA had to say about it.....

"Ecstasy is anything but what its name implies – it offers only addiction, pain, and in some instances, death.” Administrator Tandy said."

Glad to know he knows what hes talking about. Thats our government for ya

Source:
http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/pubs/pressrel/pr111705.html

 

[MazDan]

Im going to move this over to Drugs in the Media easystreet......... Once there I suspect it will be added by the mods to a drug busts mega thread.

Cheers.

 

[AmphetamineNinja]

Oh know ecstasy is bad!. Im scared, me mum was right im taking scoops out of my brain. I must be to dull to know im addicted. Pray for me to have the strength to deal with this terrible afliction.

 

[dilated_pupils]

Oh know ecstasy is bad!. Im scared, me mum was right im taking scoops out of my brain. I must be to dull to know im addicted. Pray for me to have the strength to deal with this terrible afliction.

Not to burst your bubble, but you said "Oh know" rather than "Oh no" which is fine, this is just the internet, I make mistakes all the time. But my point is, drugs definitely don't help. Not saying I'm anti-drugs, I'm pro drugs, or at least drug education..

 

[Kalash]

Did you know that over 43% of ecstasy users are addicted?

And over 34% are ecstasy abusers?


Yeah... it's addictive alright...

If you consider once a week an addiction.

As for abuse...
I blame ignorance.
Higher doses don't equal a greater high... with MDMA they obliterate the good feelings.

A little education could go a long ways.
Unfortunately we don't get the education... and drugs get further criminalized...



And... anyone know what study they're referring to?
With the damage 7 years later?

That one been debunked yet?

 

[jykkE]

This was posted in 2005.

 

[Kalash]

Side note - apparently "addiction" had to be re-defined to apply to ecstasy...

From NIDA's site...

Addiction: A chronic, relapsing disease characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use.


Ah... maybe not... the term they used was "dependant" not addicted.

A survey of young adult and adolescent MDMA users found that 43 percent of those who reported ecstasy use met the accepted diagnostic criteria for dependence, as evidenced by continued use despite knowledge of physical or psychological harm, withdrawal effects, and tolerance (or diminished response), and 34 percent met the criteria for drug abuse.

Though... I'm having trouble distinguising dependent and addicted...

de·pend·ent (d-pndnt)
adj.
1. Contingent on or subordinate to another.
2. Relying on or requiring the aid of another for support.
3. Hanging down.

Thesaurus...
5. dependent - addicted to a drug

So... if dependency is equal to addiction...
How does their statement add up?
Diminished response (tolerance), known risk/harm, and withdraw effects are now mandatorily referred to as "dependency"?

People that drink once can get a hangover, know it isn't good for them... etc...
The only thing missing is tolerance...
And that builds up pretty fast.

That doesn't mean one is addicted to alcohol if they drink every weekend...

It means that they enjoy drinking when they don't have to worry about being at work/school.

Why is ecstasy so different?
And what's that 34% abuse thing? Just another number (ironically 43% reversed because it's made up?) to make you think it's even WORSE for those people?

How do you abuse ecstasy?
By not knowing that an increased dose won't work for you?


Continued use is a far cry from dependency or addiction.
And why do alcohol and tobacco continue to get a double standard?

 

[Kalash]

This was posted in 2005.

The drug bust was.
The website I'm quoting (NIDA - some governmental drug thing... I'm sleepy and wanna go pass out...) was updated in Aug. 2006.

Still quoting Dr. Ricaurte's studies that were retracted if I'm not mistaken (and I may be... note I said I was tired... and not sure if that 7 year report on the monkeys was disproved or not...)

They're still valid arguments..

Why does ecstasy get a special definition for addiction?

 

[lalalaa]

megamegamegadrugbust

http://www.expatica.com/actual/article.asp?subchannel_id=1&story_id=40115

23 May 2007

AMSTERDAM (AP) - Dutch authorities said Wednesday they had carried out the largest drugs bust in the Netherlands' history, seizing 2.5 million Ecstasy tablets and enough raw materials to make 8 million more.

In addition to the 210 kilograms (463 pounds) of materials for making Ecstasy, authorities also found 270 kilograms (595 pounds) of speed and 210 kilograms (463 pounds) of hashish in a warehouse in an industrial park in the southern city of Veldhoven.

''The drugs were packed in buckets and wooden crates,'' the national prosecutor's office said in a statement, estimating the total value of the haul at ''several tens of millions of euros.''

No suspects have been arrested yet, the statement said. The drugs were destroyed after several samples were taken as evidence.

 

[[eK]]

http://www.expatica.com/actual/article.asp?subchannel_id=1&story_id=40115


AMSTERDAM (AP) - Dutch authorities said Wednesday they had carried out the largest drugs bust in the Netherlands' history, seizing 2.5 million Ecstasy tablets and enough raw materials to make 8 million more.

In addition to the 210 kilograms (463 pounds) of materials for making Ecstasy, authorities also found 270 kilograms (595 pounds) of speed and 210 kilograms (463 pounds) of hashish in a warehouse in an industrial park in the southern city of Veldhoven.

man amsterdam would be an easy place to score

 

[Junglistvibe]

POLICE were today celebrating Australia's second-largest ecstasy haul after seizing tablets with an estimated street value of $37 million from crates imported from Germany.

Agents arrested two men and seized about 532,000 tablets during yesterday's bust in Sydney's south.

Pills cost $70??!

 

[CloudyHazeD]

County agents arrest 12 in suspected Ecstasy ring

[email protected]
06/07/2007

With 12 arrests, 750 Ecstasy pills, 21/2 pounds of marijuana, a half-ounce of cocaine and more than $10,000 in cash confiscated - the Lake County Narcotics Agency has been busy the last few months.
Dan - or Special Agent 76, who requested his full name not be used - said he and other narcotics agents have been infiltrating an Ecstasy ring on the west side of Lake County since October.
"These people were the main suppliers in Lake County, even Euclid and parts of Cleveland," Dan said.
He said the investigation began when someone introduced Dan to Melissa M. Westmoreland, 19, of 325 E. 200th St. in Euclid, who sold Dan Ecstasy twice in October and November.
"I met with her on one occasion and bought 90 pills and then bought 92 pills another time," Dan said.
Through Westmoreland, Dan met some of her associates, Beth A. Christiansen and Roy K. Rodriguez.
"I think Roy was with Missy (Westmoreland) one of the times I bought from her, but I can't be sure," Dan said. "He had his hood pulled up."
Rodriguez, 20, of 26101 Country Club Road, Unit 707, in North Olmsted, was very leery to sell to anyone he did not know, but still sold 47 pills to an undercover agent in November in Willowick, Dan said.
Dan said most of the people in the Ecstasy ring got their pills from Christiansen.
Christiansen, 20, sold Ecstasy to Dan twice in October and November, including a time when she had children in the back seat of her car, he said.
Each new connection led to more staged buys. Agents were introduced to Beth's older brother, Andrew Christiansen, 23, who sold marijuana on three different occasions to undercover agents, Dan said.
Andrew's supplier - Eric M. Burrington, 20 - unknowingly sold marijuana to agents four times in the last six months, Dan said.
Burrington, whose address is listed as 789 Charles St. in Willowick, also faces a cocaine possession charge from Willoughby Police Department.
Kevin W. Cole, 18, of 37356 Second St. in Willoughby, sold 55 pills of Ecstasy and marijuana to agents, Dan said.
"It's one big group," Dan said. "They're all friends. They all interact."
Tushar T. Patel, 21, of 359 E. Overlook Drive, Eastlake, also sold marijuana to agents on three separate occasions, Dan said. Michael D. Niederkorn, 21, 552 Kalene Court in Eastlake, who Dan said drove Patel during one of the sales, pleaded guilty to attempted trafficking, a first-degree misdemeanor, in Willoughby Municipal Court.
Joseph R. Nicholson, another friend of Beth's, sold 220 Ecstasy pills to agents during three buys in March and April, Dan said. Nicholson, 20, of 32126 Dickerson Road in Willowick, introduced Dan to Amanda L. Kish, the agent said.
Kish, 19, of 34830 Lake Shore Blvd., Eastlake, sold Ecstasy to agents twice in April and May, Dan said.
All of the members of the Ecstasy ring were arrested in quick succession in May, Dan said.
The investigation came to an apex when narcotics agents and the West Lake County SWAT Team executed a search warrant May 8 on the Christiansen's house at 28926 Edgewood in Willowick.
As agents entered the home, Beth and her boyfriend, Benjamin G. Boncser, 26, of 1426 E. Miner Road, Mayfield Heights, ran upstairs and began flushing drugs down the toilet, LCNA Sgt. Brad Kemp said.
Agents searched Beth's bedroom and found 30 Ecstasy pills, psychedelic mushrooms, $2,000 in cash and a digital scale, Kemp said.
Norman Christiansen, 55, Beth and Andrew's father, was also arrested and charged with permitting drug abuse. He pleaded guilty in Willoughby Municipal Court.
When the arrests were made, the impact on the Ecstasy trade in Lake County was immediate, Dan said.
After the raid on the Christiansens' house, agents set up a buy with Kish.
"I only have 17 (Ecstasy pills)," she said, according to Dan. "This is the only Ecstasy left in Lake County."
All of the people implicated in the Ecstasy ring have been arraigned and are waiting to be bound over to Lake County Common Pleas Court.
Westmoreland was charged with two counts of trafficking Ecstasy, a first- and second-degree felony. If convicted on both charges, she could be sentenced to up to 18 years in prison and $35,000 in fines.
Beth was charged with two counts of trafficking, tampering with evidence, possession of Ecstasy and possession of criminal tools. If convicted on all counts, she could be sentenced to 29 years in prison and $47,500 in fines.
Rodriguez was charged with one count of trafficking. If convicted, he could receive five years behind bars.
Cole was charged with two counts of trafficking marijuana and one count of trafficking Ecstasy. If found guilty, he could be punished with 10 years in prison.
Burrington received four charges of trafficking marijuana. He could be sentenced to five years in jail if convicted.
Patel could be sentenced to 31/2 years in jail if convicted of three charges of trafficking marijuana.
Nicholson could serve 24 years in jail if convicted of three counts of trafficking Ecstasy.
Kish could be sentenced to a maximum of 13 years in prison if convicted of two counts of Ecstasy trafficking.
Boncser was charged with tampering with evidence and could be sentenced to five years in jail if convicted.
Dan credited several other law agencies for helping during the investigation. He thanked the Euclid, Mentor, Kirtland, Painesville, Wickliffe, Willoughby and Willowick police departments, DEA and West Lake County SWAT Team.
"It's a cooperative effort. Without these other agencies, we wouldn't exist," Dan said.
Dan said he expects people to replace the dealers who were arrested, but any new dealers will know the narcotics agency is looking for them.


http://www.news-herald.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18439885&BRD=1698&PAG=461&dept_id=21849&rfi=6

 

[bingalpaws]

isn't this thread for major busts? And why the hell are they all about listing these people's home addresses??

 

[phr]

They do that here too. If you're suspected of shit and it's in the news they give your address, at least the block number.

 

[phr]

Police seize suspected heroin in Pratt St. raid

After more than a month of surveillance, plainclothes police officers raided a house early yesterday in Southwest Baltimore, arrested three men and seized a large amount of suspected heroin packaged for street sale.

A police spokesman said the officers found 3,200 gel caps and a loaded handgun in the basement of a home in the 2500 block of W. Pratt St. when they entered about 6:45 a.m. The men were involved in a heroin-dealing operation that received large quantities of the illegal drug twice a day, police said.

Agent Donny Moses, the spokesman, said the seized drugs represented a half-day's worth of the quantity normally sold out of the house. "This was the morning supply," he said.

Related Links

* Police raid nets large heroin seizure Video

Police displayed several bags of the gel caps on a pool table in the station house basement.

Officers said that drug buyers come from the neighborhoods and from across the city and the region - even as far away as Tennessee.

The gel caps were filled with what appeared to be a white granular substance, and Moses said it would be tested to see if it is indeed heroin. Dozens of gel caps filled small plastic bags that were each labeled "3.5" or "2.5" - the officers said they did not know what the labels meant. Each cap costs about $10 on the street.

The three men arrested at the house were charged with possession of heroin with intent to distribute and handgun violations. They were identified as Thomas P. Hill, 55, of the 200 block of N. Calhoun St.; Maron B. McDonald, 22, of the 3400 block of Spelman Road; and Arnold Burton, 40, of the 2500 block of W. Pratt St.

Hill pleaded guilty to an intent-to-distribute charge in 2004 and received a suspended sentence with probation. The next year, he violated his probation and was ordered to spend a year in prison.

Burton was charged with drug possession last June and was given one year of probation by a city District Court judge. That probation ended July 24.

Link!

Apparently they busted one of the largest heroin distributors, at least in SW Baltimore. There's a video of what they seized. They got 3200 gel caps of scramble. The cop in the video claims it was just their morning supply, and that they typically get two of these packages a day. At one point in the video the officer even smiles and says something along the lines "this probably isn't even a dent."

 

['medicine cabinet']

^yea man, 3200 isnt shit on the street. ive seen G pack sell out in like 5 minutes before when the dope is good. im pretty sure i know where they raided, at least the general vicinity.

least it wasnt the good raw shit

believe it or not, scramble sells way more than raw. its easier to find scramble on the street over raw. ow some dealers will have both, but if you are in the jects its almost always scramble. a lot of the raw is around the city and county line on the west side. for some reason there seems to be more raw dope over on the west side of bmore....

at these scramble spots they usually make all the fiends stand in line and they hitr everyone off like that. like everyone will be wondering around trying to not looks suspect, then someone will yell line up and everyone forms a single file line and the slanger and his muscle will hit everyone off. meanwhile you have dopesick junkers pushin up in the line, ppl yelling keep the line! if its a long line they will usually only let u get a max of 5 pills, that way they get more ppl served and out of there cause the whole place is hot as shit, they want the buyers out of there asap.

i got chased out of a hole by the undercovers one afternoon, i was waiting in line for like 10 mions cause there was a lot of ppl and they kept running out, they wernt putting a max on the pills that day, one dude bought like 50...so it was a mad house. all of the sudden these 5 big ass guys in bulletproof vests come charing, everyone scattered and took off. i was next in line to cop too, so i didnt get my dope, but i got away, and for me, that was a fair trade.