Thread: Michigan Bust Seizes Drugs Totaling $150 MILLION

Michigan Bust Seizes Drugs Totaling $150M

Largest amount of heroin found in state's history

Updated: Thursday, 18 Aug 2011, 7:31 AM CDT
Published : Thursday, 18 Aug 2011, 5:58 AM CDT
By myFOXDetroit.com Staff

PONTIAC, Mich. (WJBK) - Around $150 million worth of drugs are off the streets after Oakland County Sheriff's and federal authorities seized the largest quantity of heroin ever discovered in the state.

According to a release, a traffic stop last week in Pontiac led to the search of a apartment on Pike St. where 69 kilograms of heroin and 10.5 kilograms of cocaine were discovered. "The sheer quantity of drugs we confiscated last week in our own backyard is startling," said Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard.

The couple living in the apartment have been charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine and heroin. They are Juventino Urioste Valdovino and Lila Torres-Garcia.

FOX 2's Simon Shaykhet has more from the scene, including interviews with neighbors.

http://www.myfoxhouston.com/dpps/news/n ... r_14614547

That's a lot of dope off the street! That couple better hope they are sentenced to long long prison terms 'cause otherwise they're D-E-A-D.

News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: March 15, 2012
Contact: Rich Isaacson
Number: (313) 234-4310

Largest Heroin Bust in Michigan History Nets Seven Additional Defendants

March 15 (Detroit, MI) - Nine individuals have been charged in a first superseding indictment with violating various federal drug laws which include conspiracy to distribute 69 kilograms of heroin and 10 kilograms of cocaine, announced United States Attorney Barbara L. McQuade. Ms. McQuade was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Robert L. Corso of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, (DEA).

Those newly indicted were Reyes Tapia Nunez, 39, Rachel Bias-Torres, 42, Miguel-Valle-Nunez, 37, Fidel Cortes Mendez, 42, Dwight Jerice Brewer, 38, Jorge Mariscal-Mota, 39, and Branda Lee Flores, 42.

This case began in August of 2011, when DEA Special Agents / Task Force Agents in Oakland County seized the largest quantity of heroin ever discovered in the State of Michigan.

The first superseding indictment, which was returned on February 14, 2012, is part of a previous indictment that alleges that Juventino Urioste Valdovino and Lila Torres-Garcia possessed with intent to distribute multi kilo quantities of heroin and cocaine in Pontiac, Michigan.

When DEA agents executed a search warrant at a residence on Pike Street in Pontiac, Michigan, they seized over $566,000 in US currency, along with the multi kilo quantities of heroin and cocaine. The estimated value of the drugs is well over $150 million street value. The residence on Pike Street was a stash house of both money and drugs.

Members of this drug trafficking organization reside in Mexico, Georgia, Illinois, North Carolina and Michigan. Shipments of heroin and cocaine would be received at the Arizona Mexico border, and subsequently delivered to Michigan. Once the drugs arrived in Michigan, multi kilo quantities of both heroin and cocaine would then be distributed to individual members throughout metropolitan Detroit.

It is estimated that this organization is responsible for distributing well over 150 kilograms of heroin and cocaine throughout metropolitan Detroit and sending millions of dollars in drug proceeds to Mexico.

DEA Special Agent in Charge Robert L. Corso stated "Today's arrests are significant. As evidenced by the fact that the largest heroin seizure ever made in Michigan came from this organization, we know that these drug traffickers have direct ties with the Mexican drug cartels. Halting this operation has curtailed the flow of millions of dollars of illegal drugs into metropolitan Detroit. There is an opiate abuse epidemic in Michigan, and this case exemplifies how DEA is attacking the supply side of that problem. An investigation of this complexity can only be accomplished with the assistance from our state and local partners and they are to be commended for their outstanding efforts on this case."

This case was investigated by special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration's Detroit Field Office SONIC group (South Oakland Narcotics Intelligence Consortium) with the assistance of the Oakland County Sheriff's Office NET Task Force.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

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News from DEA, Domestic Field Divisions, Detroit News Releases, 03/15/12