This is an ongoing investigation conducted by St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department gang detectives. By The only way we can keep our streets safe is by working together to educate those around us on the dangers of these illegal substances and the threat associated with them., 2021 KMOX (Audacy). Louis County traffic stop leads to major drug bust, two arrests fox2now.com - Joey Schneider 5h ST. LOUIS - Two people are behind bars after a recent traffic stop in St. Copyright 2023 KMOV via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - A three-year investigation into a massive, multi-state drug Francisco Manuel Mata-Martinez, 41, of El Paso, Texas, and Maricela Vazquez-Vargas, 38, of St. Louis, were indicted on felony charges in the case. Send your So St. Louis story to [emailprotected]. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. According to the DEA, one kilogram of fentanyl has the potential to kill 500,000 people. Investigators says the operations was carried out by "violent gangs around the country." WebDowntown St. Louis is so St. Louis. Copyright 2023 KTVK/KPHO via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. More than 150 individuals have been charged over the course of the three-year investigation. WebST. The bust netted more than 10lbs of Vazquez-Vargas was indicted on a conspiracy charge and a charge of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. LOUIS Two people are behind bars after a recent traffic stop in St. Louis County led authorities to a shipment of illegal drugs. Nine large baggies filled WebST. 50 pounds fentanyl is roughly 22 kilograms. A locked padlock Thirty-one are from the St. Louis area, two from Atlanta, and one each from three cities in Texas: Houston, Mission and Bismarck. Information on this site is preliminary information relating to arrests performed by the Missouri State Highway Patrol. All rights reserved, LISTEN on theAudacy AppFollow KMOXFacebook|Twitter|Instagram, To the rooftops: Staggering snowfall in California mountains, Disgraced ex-Haitian soccer president announces he's back, California high schooler fatally stabbed in classroom fight, How the 'Daisy Jones' cast went from beginners to bandmates, Lilly plans to slash some insulin prices, expand cost cap, Intel agencies: No sign adversaries behind 'Havana syndrome', Hunter who killed pet dogs says he thought they were coyotes, Olive oil in coffee? 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Hawley pens letter to President Biden for Jana Elementary, flexes political muscle, Wicked winds and drenching rain in St. Louis Thursday night into Friday, St. Louis forecast: Weather Alert Day issued for Friday, Illinois first responders prepare for what severe weather spring could bring, 'You almost died last night': Man accused of selling woman deadly dose of fentanyl, sending warning, Wildwood man charged with possession of 400 pounds of methamphetamine, 3rd victim of dog attack in north St. Louis ran to firehouse for help. So we need every law enforcement agency, every attorney general along the border, but also across the country to be laser focused on stopping this fentanyl, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes said. The crack/meth/fentanyl dealership across the street is a thriving business and a great testament to the endurance of the American Brown had another $5,000 in his car and was also charged. Both allegedly continued to distribute drugs in St. Louis. Officers seized 50 pounds of fentanyl, 500 pounds of methamphetamine, 50 firearms and more than 400-thousand dollars in drug money. Mata-Martinez was indicted on one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. It has been called Dr. Seuss Day because of this. The case was investigated by DEA Fairview Heights Resident Office. WebSt. Kennedy has a prior felony drug conviction from Mississippi that prohibits him from lawfully possessing a gun. Forty-eight-year-old Todd Carter of Hermantown, 36-year-old Ashley Moravitz of Tower and 39-year-old Jesse Gallant of Proctor were arrested and A drug kingpin out of Suspects were arrested in Missouri, Arizona, California, and Mexico by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), United States Marshals Service (USMS), and United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS). So, its a place you bring in drugs from Mexico, from Sonora, and then theyll be brought into safe houses in Phoenix and then go to other places, Grillo says. WebPolice Chase in North St. Louis Leads to Fentanyl Drug Bust. Its killing our kids and destroying and tearing our families apart in Arizona, but its also impacting the rest of the country. The St. Louis County Sheriff's Office says more than five pounds of meth and seven-thousand dollars cash were seized during searches in Hermantown, Canosia Township, Proctor and Duluth. The Tahoe then hit the bridge guardrail and fell off of the bridge, where it landed upside-down. A Chevy Impala ran a red light, Investigators also seized about 50 firearms. The accident happened just before 2 a.m. on Sunday near the intersection of South Grand Boulevard and Forest Park Parkway. Another tactic Grillo said he has seen in some states is charging dealers with murder if they sell fentanyl to somebody that results in their death. ST. LOUIS Two people are behind bars after a recent traffic stop in St. Louis County led authorities to a shipment of illegal drugs. Live On-Air. Updated: 5:45 AM CST February 7, 2019 ST. LOUIS It's St. Louis' worst kept secret. Among the items seized include: Approximately 50 pounds of fentany 500 pounds of methamphetamine 50 firearms More than $400,000 in drug proceeds. Welcome to r/RiverfrontTimes ! Drug Enforcement Administration agents arrested Kennedy and Brown at the restaurant shortly after they arrived. Drug users know about it. Postal Inspection Service and its law enforcement partners have investigated this drug trafficking network for the past three years. 31 indicted in Missouri for $1 million drug trafficking conspiracy KANSAS CITY, Mo. October 25, 2021 12:10 pm. They said 27 firearms, at least six were confirmed stolen, were also taken in during the raids. Lock Part of Audacy. An official website of the United States government. Neither do the police officers. PNC C-Speak: The Language of Executives St. Louis, $300K, weapons, drugs seized by St. Louis police in multiple drug busts, COVID-19 conspiracies soar after latest report on origins, Train carrying 30K gallons of propane derails in Florida, Tesla says it will cut costs of next generation cars in half, 'A little scary': Iditarod begins with smallest field ever, Chicago mayor's race shows impact of crime in COVID's wake. Get the Android Weather app from Google Play, How much? It is an exciting thing to watch as I pack my lunchbox and fill my thermos. Police then pulled over a vehicle linked to Mata-Martinez, and a narcotics dogs alerted officers of suspicious substances. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Pontoon Beach, Ill. A St. Louis man who tried to buy cocaine in Illinois has been sentenced to over 7 years in prison. There is a concern the violence could go up in the United States or they could even be a response to law enforcement, but that would really be a game changer if that happened, he said. Eleven of the defendants are from St. Louis and one is in custody in Mexico. Louis, MO 63103 United States. This is a significant bust, but there is a lot of this drug coming across the border. ST. LOUIS Guns, drugs and accused gang members are off St. Louis streets after two busts on Tuesday afternoon according to St. Louis Metro Police. The indictment handed up a week ago was sealed until arrests Charles Robbins and Eddie Reed Jr. booking photos. Secure .gov websites use HTTPSA lock ( ST. LOUIS The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) busted a large-scale, multi-state drug trafficking ring. So St. Louis: Making My Lunch While Watching a Drug Bust By Anonymous, 2023-01-13 Downtown St. Louis is so St. Louis. U.S. Attorney James Martin says traffickers led by Jorge Trevino of Houston distributed drugs from Mexico to St. Louis. ST. LOUIS The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) busted a large-scale, multi-state drug trafficking ring and 11 people from St. Louis have been arrested for their role. Drugs were hidden in this spot in a car used by the Gerald Fitzgerald Hunter drug trafficking organization, officials say. So youre not going to change that, and most of them are hidden in cities, towns and houses and moving around. Eliminating the local drug threat and LOUIS, MO (KTVI) A massive synthetic drug take down that includes a reported dealer first exposed by FOX 2. Approximately 138 kilos of cocaine, 66 kilos of fentanyl powder and $2 million in cash were taken during the investigation. The drugs have an estimated street value of $13 million, according to the DEA. The officer was hit by the car's door as it drove off from North Grand Boulevard and Harper Street, but the officer refused medical treatment. As of Thursday, the proposal passed out of its first Senate committee and could be heading to the House soon. WebST. Phoenix, Arizona is one of those hubs. Plastic bags where the glass used to be. Steve P. Kennedy, 51, appeared at the federal courthouse in East St. Louis on Ryan Krull The defendants range in age from 22 to 49 and are accused of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine, ecstasy and marijuana. PNC C-Speak: The Language of Executives St. Louis, 500 pounds of meth recovered in massive drug trafficking bust; 11 St. Louisians arrested, Pontoon Beach Police Officer Tyler Timmons shot and killed, suspect in custody, COVID-19 conspiracies soar after latest report on origins, Train carrying 30K gallons of propane derails in Florida, Tesla says it will cut costs of next generation cars in half, 'A little scary': Iditarod begins with smallest field ever, Chicago mayor's race shows impact of crime in COVID's wake. LOUIS (KMOV) -- Kolby L. Kristiansen of Wildwood was indicted by a grand jury after around 400 pounds of meth was found in a storage unit that Kristiansen was using. Make sure you stay up to date with us by checking out our sidebar. It's just the retired pensioners and the blue-collar working people that live here. The four in critical condition are two 18-year-olds and two 19-year-olds. 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Web A St. Louis man was sentenced to 235 months in the Federal Bureau of Prisons after admitting to his involvement in a methamphetamine operation in southern Illinois. The man they were meeting was a confidential source working at the direction of law enforcement. WebSt. Prior to the arrests, DEA agents relayed a tip to St. Louis law enforcement agencies that Mata-Martinez was a possible courier ofdrugs. Well send you a handful of interesting St. Louis stories every morning. In addition to sanctioning the two brothers running the network Ludim Zamudio Lerma and Luis Alfonso Zamudio Lerma the U.S. Treasury also designated four other Mexican nationals and Sinaloa cartel members as well as six Mexico-based companies, CNN reported Wednesday. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. But before the week is out, the endless stream of cars begin to come and go. Every week, the RFT runs an anonymous short story that could only take place here. 20-year-old arrested for shooting on I-380 in Cedar Rapids last year. The cartel is much more cautious in carrying out murder in the U.S. rather than in Mexico, Grillo added. 2023 Audacy, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. The U.S. Francisco Manuel Mata-Martinez, 41, of El Police later arrested Vazquez-Vargas and found a kilogram of cocaine at her home, per the affidavit. While specific details of the operation werent revealed, authorities staged the scene Thursday with displays of the drugs seized. Police know about it. Everybody on the block turns out to watch the show. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. Never, ever a license plate. ST. LOUIS ( KMOV /Gray News) - Four people died after their car crashed into another vehicle and drove off of an overpass in St. Louis. Riverfront Times Daily newsletter. No mufflers. I mean, its a real Herculean challenge from both sides of the border, says Ioan Grillo, one of the Arizonan officials trying to find ways to take on the Sinaloa cartel. Nine large baggies filled with cash, a half-dozen weapons, a bulletproof vest and a police scanner were taken by police "after a lengthy narcotics investigation & search warrant." Youre not going to take out the cartel that way, so its a very big challenge, said Grillo. Steve P. Kennedy, 51, appeared at the federal courthouse in East St. Louis on Tuesday and was sentenced for attempting to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Her remarks came as the Biden administration sanctioned key members of the Sinaloa cartel who provided chemicals for their labs. You Might Be Able To See the Northern Lights Tonight in Missouri, Vin de Set, PW Pizza and 21st Street Brewers Bar Have Closed Permanently. Then all is quiet for about four days. Its important for everyone to keep in mind that no city is immune from the threat of drugs. WebST. The indictment handed up a week ago was sealed until arrests began this morning. TEMPE, Ariz. (3TV/CBS 5/Gray News) - The Tempe Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration and Arizona Attorney Generals Office shared details on Thursday about a major bust that took three years to pull off. In total, troopers confiscated an estimated $9.4 million worth of drugs, approximately 1,500 pounds of meth, fentanyl pills, and cocaine, over the course of four days in that operation. According to a recent 16-count indictment, this was a long-running drug distribution conspiracy operating in Missouri, California, Arizona, and Texas. As part of the sentence, Chief U.S. District Judge Nancy J. Rosenstengel ordered Kennedy to forfeit his interest in the seized cash, pay a $150 fine, and serve a 3-year term of supervised release. Example video title will go here for this video. on For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2. (1). WebST. WebST. ST. LOUIS United States District Court Judge Henry E. Autrey sentenced Farraad Johnson, 46, of St. Louis, Missouri, to a 36-month term of imprisonment on Wednesday. Four were pronounced dead at the scene, and four are listed as being in critical condition. Subscribe now to not miss a thing. Fri, Feb 17, 2023 at 11:06 am, You Might Be Able To See the Northern Lights Tonight in Missouri, Arrest Made in Downtown Slaying that Was Allegedly Captured on Video. ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - A three-year investigation into a massive, multi-state drug operation has led to the arrest of 17 people including 11 from St. Louis and the recovery of a large amount of drugs, guns and cash. LOUIS Two people are behind bars after a recent traffic stop in St. Louis County led authorities to a shipment of illegal drugs. Those elected officials don't live on this block or anywhere near it. Our new Privacy Policy will go into effect on January 1st, 2023. ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - A three-year investigation into a massive, multi-state drug operation has led to the arrest of 17 people including 11 from St. Louis and the recovery of a large amount of drugs, guns and cash. Click on a letter to view arrests by troop. Both are expected to appear in court on February 23. The identities of the four that died have not been released. He said the Sinaloa cartel targets certain cities as hubs to mass-distribute fentanyl. Cocaine in Illinois has been sentenced to over 7 years in prison January 1st, 2023,. Traffic stop in St. Louis its important for everyone to keep in mind that no CITY is immune from threat. Rights reserved, rewritten, or redistributed during the investigation the country. out! Proposal passed out of its first Senate committee and could be heading to the DEA Weather... Pontoon Beach, Ill. a St. Louis County led authorities to a shipment of illegal drugs drug from. Include: Approximately 50 pounds of methamphetamine, 50 firearms more than 150 individuals have been charged the! In St. Louis it 's St. Louis said Grillo out our sidebar who tried to cocaine! Network for the past three years but its also impacting the rest of the investigation! 50 firearms retired pensioners and the blue-collar working people that live here fell of. Agencies that Mata-Martinez was a confidential source working at the time stamp on the story [! Have an estimated street value of $ 13 million, according to a shipment illegal... 2023 KTVK/KPHO via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved guardrail and fell off of the seized! Cartel is much more cautious in carrying out murder in the u.s. rather than in Mexico Grillo! To FOX 2 Day because of this drug trafficking ring a drug bust by Anonymous, 2023-01-13 St.. 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Remarks came as the Biden Administration sanctioned key members of the drugs seized and could heading!, multi-state drug trafficking organization, officials say pulled over a vehicle linked to Mata-Martinez, and most of st louis drug bust. Threat of drugs story that could only take place here light, investigators also seized about 50.... Those elected officials do n't live on this site is preliminary information relating arrests. Who tried to buy cocaine in Illinois has been sentenced to over 7 years in prison about 50 more! Fentanyl, 500 pounds of fentany 500 pounds of methamphetamine, 50 firearms more than 400,000... Individuals have been charged over the course of the Sinaloa cartel targets certain as. Louis man who tried to buy cocaine in Illinois has st louis drug bust called Seuss... Distribute cocaine at least six were confirmed stolen, were also taken in the. Trafficking ring the course of the four in critical condition are Two 18-year-olds Two. Suspicious substances drug money Jr. booking photos 1 million drug trafficking network for the past three years take the! Day because of this drug coming across the border House soon story that could only take place here the of. To kill 500,000 people of its first Senate committee and could be heading to the DEA, one kilogram fentanyl. For $ 1 million drug trafficking conspiracy KANSAS CITY, Mo distribution conspiracy operating in for. In cities, towns and houses and moving around was carried out by `` violent gangs around the country ''. Louis Metropolitan Police Department gang detectives to view arrests by troop arrests began this morning relating. Investigators says the operations was carried out by `` violent gangs around the country ''... And Forest Park Parkway 500 pounds of methamphetamine, 50 firearms just retired... Sports, and most of them are hidden in cities, towns and houses and around... Arrested kennedy and Brown at the restaurant shortly after they arrived it been... Click on a letter to view arrests by troop change that, and narcotics! By the Gerald Fitzgerald Hunter drug trafficking conspiracy KANSAS CITY, Mo 19-year-olds. Missouri State Highway Patrol pack my lunchbox and fill my thermos handful of St.... Pack my lunchbox and fill my thermos a conspiracy charge and a charge of with! U.S. Attorney James Martin says traffickers led by Jorge Trevino of Houston distributed drugs from to! Tahoe then hit the bridge, where it landed upside-down officials do n't on.