Narcotics

Workshop offers education on growing threat of illegal drugs

December 4, 2007 -- TALLAHASSEE, FL – Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum and Colonel Bill Janes, Director of the Florida Office of Drug Control, today hosted a presentation before the Governor and Cabinet on the current state of the drug trade in Florida. The workshop was designed to provide Florida’s leaders with the latest information and insight into the growing threat of illegal drugs, new trends, and the significance of drug quantities seen in the state today.    » read more »

20 charged in $8.7 million dollar cocaine and marijuana ring

December 3, 2007 -- MONROEVILLE - Twelve out of 20 individuals, accused of trafficking $8.7 million worth of cocaine and marijuana in and around Western Pennsylvania, were arrested today by agents from the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Bureau of Narcotics Investigation (BNI) and local police.    » read more »

Biden Resolution Shines a Spotlight on National Meth Epidemic

November 16, 2007 -- Washington, DC – To help address the continued scourge of methamphetamine use in America, U.S. Senator Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (D-DE) joined Sens. Max Baucus (D-MT), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), and other Senators in cosponsoring a resolution designating November as National Methamphetamine Awareness Month (S.Res.366). The Senate unanimously passed the resolution.    » read more »

November 14, 2007 - Vermont Attorney General William H. Sorrell announced today that Sonja J. White, age 43, of Chester, Vermont, was arraigned on November 13, 2007, in Vermont District Court for Windsor County on two felony counts of Obtaining a Regulated Drug by Deceit, two misdemeanor counts of Abuse of a Vulnerable Adult, and one misdemeanor count of Recklessly Endangering Another Person.    » read more »

11 Suspected Drug Dealers Charged

November 9, 2007 -- HARRISBURG - A large-scale heroin conspiracy operating in Lewisburg has been broken-up by agents from the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Bureau of Narcotics Investigation (BNI), resulting in the arrest of 10 out of 11 suspected drug dealers.

Attorney General Tom Corbett said the investigation focused on the sale and distribution of heroin in Union, Snyder, Northumberland, Berks, Lehigh and surrounding counties in Central Pennsylvania.    » read more »

The Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics (OBN) is urging support by the retail industry and parents regarding the recall of Aqua Dots, a toy found to contain a chemical that converts to a popular date-rape drug. Mark Woodward, Spokesman for the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotic says his agency has seen the potentially life-threatening health affects this chemical poses.

"Gamma-Butyrolactone, which the human body naturally converts into the date-rape drug GHB, has the ability to completely incapacitate a healthy adult. The affects on a small child could be devastating."
- Mark Woodward, OBN Spokesman    » read more »

The New Program Will Use Civil Enforcement To Take Legal Action Against Landlords of Crime-Plagued Properties in Communities Across the State

ALBANY, N.Y. (November 8, 2007) – New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo today unveiled “Nowhere to Hide” – a new program under his statewide Guns, Gangs and Drugs Initiative designed to take legal actions against landlords who permit the properties to be persistently used for criminal activities.    » read more »

November 5, 2007 -- After weeks of lackluster campaign appearances, cancellations, and staff defections, today the Washington Post reports Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson has been traveling to campaign events using the private jet of Philip Martin, a friend and advisor with a criminal record for dealing drugs.

Though Thompson was asked about the story this morning on Meet the Press, he failed to denounce ties to Martin, pledge to stop using his plane, or agree to return the money raised by him.    » read more »

American Bar Association Applauds Biden’s Leadership on Sentencing Reform and Urges Senators to Support Biden Bill

November 5, 2007 -- Washington, DC – The American Bar Association recently announced its “strong support” for Senator Joseph R. Biden, Jr.’s (D-DE) Drug Sentencing Reform and Cocaine Kingpin Trafficking Act of 2007 and “urge[d]” Senators to support the bill. Sen.    » read more »

November 5, 2007 -- SUNBURY - State narcotics agents have arrested 13 of 17-suspected drug dealers operating a more than $1.7 million drug trafficking ring in Northumberland and surrounding counties.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett said the investigation focused on the illegal distribution of powder and crack cocaine during a 17-month period from January 2006 through June 2007 in Northumberland, Snyder, Montour, Columbia and 11-5-07 DeJesus Drug Invessurrounding counties.    » read more »

Biden Calls on Colleagues to Support his Legislation to Abolish Unjust Crack/Powder Cocaine Sentencing Structure

November 1, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, DC – On the day the new crack cocaine sentencing guidelines take effect, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Drugs, Sen. Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (D-DE) reiterated his call to eliminate completely the crack/powder cocaine sentencing disparity.    » read more »

Sentenced To 9-10 Years In State Prison

November 01, 2007 -- SPRINGFIELD – A Chicopee man, who serves as the national vice president of the Diablos motorcycle gang, has pled guilty in connection with trafficking cocaine in Western Massachusetts. Yesterday afternoon, Keith Gallagher, age 52, entered a change of plea from not guilty to guilty on charges of Trafficking in Cocaine (3 counts). Hampden Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Kinder sentenced Gallagher to serve nine to ten years in State Prison.    » read more »

BIDEN Legislation will Restrict Teen Access to Cough and Cold Meds Containing Dextromethorphan (DXM)

October 31, 2007 -- Washington, DC — U.S. Senator Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (D-DE), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Drugs and the Caucus on International Narcotics Control, introduced the Dextromethorphan Abuse Reduction Act of 2007, legislation that will curb the alarming rise in medicine abuse, including the misuse of cough and cold medicines containing Dextromethorphan (DXM).    » read more »

31 October 2007 -- Members of the international community are meeting Wednesday in Afghanistan to reduce record-high opium production and illegal drug trafficking.

The anti-drug conference opened in Kabul with United Nations experts discussing the security threat that opium poses to Afghanistan and surrounding nations.    » read more »

12 Charged In "Operation Pill Hill"

October 31, 2007 -- PHILADELPHIA - A $2.6 million prescription drug distribution ring was broken-up today by the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Bureau of Narcotics Investigation (BNI) resulting in the arrest of five out of 12 suspected drug dealers operating in and around Philadelphia.

Attorney General Tom Corbett said the investigation, known as "Operation Pill Hill" focused on the illegal distribution and use of Oxycontin in Philadelphia, Chester, Montgomery, Delaware and Bucks Counties.Operation Pill Hill    » read more »