Drug trafficking

Co-Defendant Receives 10-Year Sentence

August 10, 2007 -- TRENTON – New Jersey Attorney General Anne Milgram and Criminal Justice Director Gregory A. Paw announced that the leader of a major drug trafficking network operating in Atlantic and Gloucester counties was sentenced to state prison today, along with a co-defendant. Members of the network were responsible for the distribution of at least 10 kilograms of cocaine per week for approximately one year preceding their arrests in March 2004.    » read more »

August 6, 2007 -- ALTOONA - A $2 million methamphetamine and cocaine trafficking ring was broken-up today by the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Bureau of Narcotics Investigation (BNI) and the Blair County Drug Task Force, who have arrested six of seven suspected drug dealers.

Attorney General Tom Corbett announced the charges at a press conference this morning at the Altoona City Council Chambers. Corbett was joined by the District Attorney's of Blair and Cambria counties and local law enforcement.    » read more »

July 11, 2007 -- Paterson, New Jersey – The New Jersey State Police yesterday stopped a car for erratic driving on I-280 and ended up with five arrests, $1 million of heroin and an apartment-based heroin production facility.    » read more »

July 9, 2007 -- BOSTON – Today, a Springfield, Massachusetts couple was arraigned on charges they sent two packages containing a total of 136 pounds of marijuana via air mail to their Springfield apartment. James Robinson, age 47, and Vershon Rouse, age 38, both of Springfield were arraigned today in Springfield District Court on Trafficking in Marijuana (1 count) and Conspiracy to Violate Drug Laws (1 count).    » read more »

July 6, 2007 -- TRENTON – New Jersey Attorney General Anne Milgram and Criminal Justice Director Gregory A. Paw announced that two New Jersey men have been indicted on first-degree drug charges in connection with an alleged conspiracy to distribute 23 kilograms of cocaine.    » read more »

July 3, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – At a press conference in Des Moines today, Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) congratulated Iowa law enforcement officials for advancing the fight against meth by completing a statewide lockup of anhydrous ammonia tanks. All 99 Iowa counties have now been provided with tank locks. As a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Harkin secured virtually all of the funding for the tank locking effort through the Community Oriented Policing Services Meth Hot Spots program.    » read more »

July 2, 2007 -- In Thursday's All American Presidential Forum moderated by PBS' Tavis Smiley, Democratic presidential candidate Mike Gravel repeatedly shared his belief that the "war on drugs" is a failure and should end immediately.

Held at Howard University, the primetime Democratic forum was the first to feature a panel consisting entirely of African-American journalists. The forum focused mainly on issues relating to the African-American community. Topics discussed included immigration, healthcare, as well as inequities in education and income between the races.    » read more »

July 2, 2007 -- AMBRIDGE - A black tar heroin ring was shut down today when 23 out of 27 suspected drug dealers - including ten illegal immigrants - were arrested on charges of trafficking a rare type of heroin in and around Allegheny and Beaver Counties, Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett announced the arrests at a press conference at the Ambridge Police Department.    » read more »

June 27, 2007 -- Sen. Biden: “The current sentencing structure for crack and powder cocaine is based on bogus notions and old logic. It’s time to fix this unjustified disparity.”

Washington, DC — U.S. Senator Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (D-DE), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Drugs and the Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control, introduced today the Drug Sentencing Reform & Cocaine Kingpin Trafficking Act of 2007, legislation to eliminate the current sentencing disparity between the crack and powder forms of cocaine.    » read more »

26 June 2007 -- Afghanistan's poppy harvest is growing rapidly and this year's yield could exceed last year's record crop. Top counter narcotics officials from the United States and Britain say Afghanistan's growing trade in illegal drugs is firmly linked to the Taleban insurgency.

In the recently released World Drug Report, the United Nations says Afghanistan produced dramatically more opium in 2006, increasing its yield nearly 50 percent from the previous year.

The report says more than 90 percent of the world's heroin now comes from poppies grown in Afghanistan.    » read more »

June 25, 2007 -- Washington – Today four senior members of the Senate Judiciary Committee introduced legislation to correct the disparity in Federal sentencing between powder and crack cocaine violations. Under current law, it takes 100 times more powder cocaine than crack cocaine to trigger the same five- and ten-year mandatory minimum sentences – referred to as the “100 to 1 drug ratio.” The Fairness in Drug Sentencing Act, introduced by Senators Orrin G.    » read more »

June 25, 2007 -- WILKES-BARRE - Two former police officers were arrested today on unrelated charges of illegally obtaining Schedule II prescription narcotics for their own personal use.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett identified the defendants as Robert Greg Santarelli, 37, of 512 Church St. and 815 Blakely St., Jessup; and Angela Novack, 23, of 953 Lincoln Ave., Dickson City. Santarelli is a former Jessup Police Officer and Novack is a former part-time Dickson City Police Officer.Robert Santarelli    » read more »

June 20, 2007 -- SAYRE - A former podiatrist from Sayre was arrested yesterday by agents with the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Bureau of Narcotics Investigation (BNI) for obtaining and ordering excessive amounts of prescription medication for his personal use.

Attorney General Tom Corbett identified the defendant as Dr. Brian Halton, 48, of 1179 Pennsylvania Ave, Sayre. Dr. Halton is not currently practicing as a podiatrist.    » read more »

06-19-2007 -- Rudy Giuliani Political Director Mark Campbell made the following statement today regarding the indictment of Thomas Ravenel:

"Our campaign has no information about the accusations pending against Mr. Ravenel. Mr. Ravenel has stepped down from his volunteer responsibilities with the campaign.”    » read more »

19 June 2007 -- Canadian officials have seized 160 kilograms of cocaine and arrested five Mexican nationals in connection with the drugs.

Police say they discovered the cocaine in late May after it was shipped to the Port of Montreal from Mexico.

They say the five have visitor status in Canada and face charges of drug possession and trafficking.

The cocaine was said to have been stashed in plastic bags of four kilograms each and hidden in a shipment of frozen mashed mango.

Source: VOA News