Drug trafficking

May 28, 2008 -- STOCKTON -- California Department of Justice special agents, in partnership with the Stockton Police Department, today arrested members of the violent Norteno street gang, which terrorized Stockton with drive-by shootings and crystal methamphetamine trafficking at the direction of the Nuestra Familia prison mafia.    » read more »

21 May 2008 -- In Mexico, President Felipe Calderon continues his fight against powerful drug cartels as the death count mounts. More than 1,300 people have died this year in Mexico in violence connected to the illicit drug trade. In recent weeks some high-ranking police officials have been targets of drug gangs, leading some analysts to wonder whether the Mexican government or the criminal gangs will win the fight.

Mexican police: Photo by Ese Oso/Chris (CC)    » read more »

May 14, 2008 -- OROVILLE -- California Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced that special agents in the California Department of Justice Bureau of Gambling Control and Butte County Inter-Agency Task Force have shut down a methamphetamine laboratory operating from motor homes parked at Feather Falls Casino.

“State investigators encountered a mobile methamphetamine laboratory operating right in the middle of the casino parking lot,” Attorney General Brown said. “The suspects disguised their mobile meth operation by hiding amongst legitimate visitors who were parking in the casino’s parking lot.”    » read more »

Multi-agency crackdown “Operation Slim Chance” leads to indictment of 24

ALBANY, N.Y. (May 8, 2008) - New York Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the indictment of 24 New Yorkers accused of taking part in a highly organized narcotics distribution organization operating in the Capitol District and supplied from Long Island.

In the indictment unsealed in Schenectady County Court yesterday, a Grand Jury charged 24 people with possession and/or sale of narcotics and conspiracy to sell narcotics. The majority of arrests stemming from the Indictment occurred this morning throughout the Capitol Region. The indictment is the result of a multi-agency investigation known as “Operation Slim Chance,” led by the Attorney General’s Organized Crime Task Force (OCTF).    » read more »

Senator Says Progress Has Been Made, More Needs To Be Done To Stamp Out Meth, Other Drug Use

April 22, 2008 -- (Washington, D.C.) – Montana’s senior U.S. Senator Max Baucus and others today urged the Senate Appropriations Committee to provide $235 million for the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) Program, which helps drug tasks forces coordinate efforts to curb drug trafficking.

Anti-methamphetamine graffiti on a house near Billings, Montana: Photo by Eric Chan (CC)    » read more »

April 7, 2008 -- ALLENTOWN - Fifteen suspected drug dealers and users were charged today by the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office with passing fraudulent prescriptions, illegally distributing Percocet and exchanging heroin for prescription drugs.

Pennsylvania prescription drug ring

Attorney General Tom Corbett said the investigation, known as "Operation Bad Scripts," began in January 2008 and focused on the illegal prescription distribution ring of Melinda Miller, 26, 318 Johnsonville Road, Bangor, Northampton County.

Opr Bad Scripts chartEvidence and testimony regarding the case was presented to a statewide investigating grand jury, which recommended the criminal charges being filed today.    » read more »

March 19, 2008 -- HARRISBURG - Pennsylvania Attorney General narcotics agents today arrested three men involved in a $1.6 million cocaine distributing operation in Harrisburg. One of the accused is a Pennsylvania Department of Revenue employee.

Attorney General Tom Corbett said that this investigation, known as "Operation High Stakes," put an end to John Hollins' alleged distribution scheme, which had been operating since 1987.

Pennsylvania Attorney General announces Operation High Stakes: 3 arrested in $1.6 million cocaine distributing operation bust in Harrisburg.    » read more »