We have stopped some sources of these drugs, Adams said. Clearly, a bad batch of drugs landed in our community, and we are taking steps to stamp out this problem.. The ring that was taken down Wednesday is thought to be behind the blue packets of opioids that led to the overdose outbreak that overwhelmed local hospitals last fall, Adams said. Nearly $300K worth of drugs seized in Berks Caitlin Rearden Jan 26, 2021 Updated Jun 2, 2022 MGN SHILLINGTON, Pa. - A drug bust has taken nearly $300,000 worth of illegal drugs off the. There was an error processing your request. "The principals in the other organization were identified as Carlos Balestier-Marrero, Nelson Rivera and David Delacruz.". Berks Weekly is an independent and locally owned digital newspaper covering the City of Reading and Berks County. READING, Pa. Investigators dub it "Operation Caribbean Snowfall.". NEWS. The indictment in USA v. Rhaney et al, dubbed Operation Washout, represents a significant, coordinated attack on . As a result of the investigation, Maximino Lopez Suarez, age 34, and Jesse William Garcia, age 24, were taken into custody and charged with multiple counts of possession of a controlled substance, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, and criminal conspiracy. The defendants were charged with committing offenses involving violations of the PA Crimes Code and the PA Controlled Substance Act, delivery of controlled substances which included bulk amounts of heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine, dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity, corrupt organization, and criminal use of communication facility. Additionally, because of the scope of the investigation, detectives from Berks, Bucks, Chester and Montgomery Counties teamed up with the City of Reading Police Department, the Pennsylvania State Police, Agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Postal Service Inspectors, United States Homeland Security Investigations and the Liberty Mid-Atlantic HIDTA. Thieves memorizing passcodes to cellphones so they can try to steal money, What the Tech? Berks Countians agree wholeheartedly, as they've voted SMYMCA Best Summer Camp seven years in a row. Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the suspects still at large can contact Crime Alert Berks County via anonymous text to 847411, starting the message with keyword alertberks, or by calling 877-373-9913. Here's what to know. READING, Pa. - The Pennsylvania State Police announced Monday that charges have been filed against three people connected to a drug . "These seized parcels contained four kilograms of cocaine," Adams said. LIFE. How Supreme Court ruling could affect how we use social media, RAW: FILE-JUSTIN BIEBER CANCELS JUSTICE WORLD TOUR DATES, Bruce Willis' wife getting help and support from dementia specialist, Bette Midler confesses to having 'some tailoring done' on her face, Prince and Princess of Wales pledge long-term support to therapy gardens, MCU star Jeremy Renner seen exercising two months after snowplough accident, Bette Midler unsure if Hocus Pocus 3 will happen. BOAT BUST: The county's biggest drug bust seized 3,164 pounds of methamphetamine from the above panga boat, which came ashore at Arroyo Quemada Beach on August 19, 2020. This does not match the symptoms we would expect from xylazine (the horse tranquilizer), Santoro said. If you know the. Investigators said they obtained and served search warrants at these locations on Nov. 3 and 4. Those charges were later dropped. A donation of any size to your nonprofit media organization supports the future of media access in our community - the things you love, and the places you care about, by the people you know. He also said the fentanyl was tested and had extremely high potency and was very dangerous, leading to the question of what is being done to ensure workers can do their jobs safely. Authorities said he's 46-year-old Carlos Lopez Rosado, who coordinated some deals from inside a federal prison in Schuylkill County. Chadwick Allen Creger , 46, of Rural Hall, possession with intent to manufacture sell and deliver methamphetamine 3 counts, sell methamphetamine 3 counts, deliver methamphetamine 3 counts, conspiracy to sell and deliver methamphetamine 2 counts, and possession of drug paraphernalia 3 counts. Here's what to know. "Stop selling your poison in our communities, because its not gonna be tolerated, and with these arrests, I think we severed a pipeline in our region," said Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele. Austin Davis about making history, why he got into public service, Historians remember folklore and legend surrounding the 'Lizzie Lincoln House', Berks History Center, NAACP discuss more inclusive exhibit opportunities, Police seek thief suspected in over a dozen burglaries at Lowe's stores, Exeter supervisors meet in relative peace, Hearing continues on proposed expansion of Bethlehem Landfill, Nazareth girl holds book drive to donate to elementary students, Lehigh Valley Legends join sports buddies program for kids, Palmer Twp. Early morning raids in Berks County have brought down a local drug ring responsible for selling opioids that lead to 101 people being hospitalized with overdoses in September. Police also seized $4,187 vials of cocaine (street value of $41,800), 508 grams of bulk methamphetamine (street value of $50,800), 7lbs. There was an error processing your request. Thieves memorizing passcodes to cellphones so they can try to steal money, What the Tech? There was an error processing your request. Search . 27 defendants charged in major multi-county drug ring, NBC's Hoda Kotb off 'Today' show due to family health issue, Wendy Williams Is Planning TV Comeback After Battling Health Issues, Zachary Quinto Cast in Lead Role of NBC Medical Drama Pilot Wolf, Stormcenter - School / Business Application. More than $1M worth of drugs seized, 12 suspects in custody after drug bust in Schuylkill County. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. holds hearing for developer Atiyeh's proposed trucking terminal, Whitehall couple celebrates 75th wedding anniversary, Voting begins March 1 in What's So Cool About Manufacturing Contest. Brand New App to watch all of WFMZ-TV News and Syndicated Programing 24/7 on your Streaming App enabled TV. Several suspects were arrested and drugs were seized. Berks County authorities announced the arrest of 48 people during an undercover investigation known as "Operation Tourniquet". Thieves memorizing passcodes to cellphones so they can try to steal money, What the Tech? Success! ", "I call fentanyl the common denominator of death.". Other evidence seized includes four hydraulic floor jacks, steel plates, and a steel H-frame for the pressing of cocaine and heroin/fentanyl, authorities said. On November 3rd and 4th, 2022, search warrants were obtained and served at the following locations: As a result of this investigation, the following summary of items of evidence were recovered and seized: The arrested individuals were transported to the Sheriffs Central Processing Unit and are awaiting arraignment. June 24, 2014, 1:44 PM. Authorities said they also seized nine vehicles, more than $200,000 in cash, and 21 guns during the searches. With the help of the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Reading Police Department, and a host of others, 27 people are being charged with dealing large quantities of heroin, fentanyl and cocaine being delivered from Mexico to Reading. Austin Davis about making history, why he got into public service, Historians remember folklore and legend surrounding the 'Lizzie Lincoln House', Berks History Center, NAACP discuss more inclusive exhibit opportunities, Police seek thief suspected in over a dozen burglaries at Lowe's stores, Exeter supervisors meet in relative peace, Hearing continues on proposed expansion of Bethlehem Landfill, Nazareth girl holds book drive to donate to elementary students, Lehigh Valley Legends join sports buddies program for kids, Palmer Twp. of marijuana (street value of $31,783), 791 grams of bulk MDMA (street value of $7,919), in addition to various pistols and rifles. His home at 119 N. Third St. was one of the locations that was raided. Search. Two of the three raids recovered 500 blue bags that contained heroin, fentanyl and other drugs, Adams said. The packets that flooded Reading streets and led to the overdoses included heroin, fentanyl and other chemicals, including a tranquilizer used by veterinarians to sedate horses. Eli Lilly to cut insulin prices, cap costs at $35 for many people with diabetes. Adams said that all of the suspects, if convicted, face substantial jail time and fines in excess of $100,000. The blue bags seem to be the bags that contain the substances that are causing all of the overdoses in our community, Adams said. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. 2022 Hugg Media Group. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. In May 2021, PSP provided the results of its investigation to Pennsylvania Senior Deputy Attorney General Heather Castellino for presentment to the 45th Statewide Investigating Grand Jury. "Despite the COVID crisis, we are still hard at work and we will arrest you if you are involved with the distributing of illegal substances, drugs in our community," said Adams. "People are dying every day from overdosing on some of the substances that were confiscated in this investigation," said Berks County District Attorney John Adams. Milder with a mix of clouds and sun. What weve seen this past weekend and what we are learning about this past weekend is something that no one could have imagined or could have expected.. Hector M. Rivera, 50, of Reading, PA; Dushawn O. Ellis, 31, of Reading, PA; and Bridget M. Thompson, 36, of Lancaster, PA were charged with various crimes related to corrupt organizations, trafficking individuals, prostitution, and other related offenses. TikTok sets new default time limits for minors, Lilly plans to slash some insulin prices, expand cost cap, Finland's Parliament gives final approval for NATO bid, Metaverse in spotlight at MWC tech fair even as doubts arise, Nigerian president-elect Bola Tinubu strikes unified tone, US futures, global shares up on strong China factory data, Supreme Court hears dispute between New York and New Jersey, Here are the countries that have bans on TikTok, Turkey intends to hold elections on May 14 despite quake, What the Tech? The investigation was unable to identify the exact source of the drugs used by the people who overdosed and who died, Adams said. Austin Davis about making history, why he got into public service, Historians remember folklore and legend surrounding the 'Lizzie Lincoln House', Berks History Center, NAACP discuss more inclusive exhibit opportunities, Police seek thief suspected in over a dozen burglaries at Lowe's stores, Exeter supervisors meet in relative peace, Hearing continues on proposed expansion of Bethlehem Landfill, Nazareth girl holds book drive to donate to elementary students, Lehigh Valley Legends join sports buddies program for kids, Palmer Twp. 2023 FOX Television Stations, Ghislaine Maxwell lawyer fighting for new trial or conviction reversal, Supreme Court hears New York vs. New Jersey dispute over port watchdog, Surgeon runs down Philadelphia street to retrieve organ from transport vehicle stuck in traffic, 'Silly seal alert!' That is why charges like involuntary manslaughter or assault are not being levied. Twelve of 14 suspects are in prison, while the other two remain at large. Individuals were arrested Thursday in an early-morning round-up. Error! The female victims received payments from the customers which they would then turn over to either Rivera, Ellis or Thompson. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. NFL running back Adrian Peterson, who was furious after seeing Damar Hamlin's jacket at the Super Bowl, said he has now personally reached out to the 24-year-old athlete to express his thoughts. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. A 25-year-old Berks County man has been charged with sexual abuse of a child, along with other charges. "Despite the COVID crisis, we are still hard at work and we will arrest you if you are involved with the distributing of illegal substances, drugs in our community," said Adams. They put their victims lives at risk for a profit," said Attorney General Josh Shapiro. "FedEx, UPS, and U.S. mail are unfortunately being utilized by the bad guys to ship their product to our area," said Berks County District Attorney John Adams. Authorities announced the arrest of 48 people during an undercover investigation known as "Operation. Berks County. Eli Lilly to cut insulin prices, cap costs at $35 for many people with diabetes. The Berks County district attorney's office provided photos related to a drug investigation dubbed "Operation Blue Crystal.". The bust was the result of a nine-month investigation which ramped up in the last 30 days, officials said at a news conference Tuesday. A total of twenty-three mid to high-level suspects were identified and charged with committing offenses involving violations of the PA Crimes . "This was a multi-million dollar drug organization with connections as far west as Los Angeles, California, as far south as Puerto Rico," said Berks County District Attorney John Adams, who. The investigation was forwarded to the WRPD Criminal. Those suspects still being sought by authorities were identified as: David Ortega, Sinking Spring Carlos Martinez, 37, of Reading Joshua Rivera, 34, address unknown Jose Garcia-Maldonado, 34, of Reading Jose Rivera-Bilbreu, 50, of Paradise Township, Lancaster County Anthony Caraballo, 22, of Reading Eric Mayo, 27, of Reading Carlos Cruz-Lind, 33, of Reading Theodore Thomas, 25, of Reading Joshua Manon, 24, of Reading Robert Stoudt, 53, of Cumru Township George Laborde, 47, of Reading Samuel Gonzalez-Cordero, 37, of Orlando, Florida Victor Cancel-Alvarez, 21, of Orlando, Florida "We are hopeful that these individuals will turn themselves in in the near future or we will catch them," Adams said. Here's what to know. More than $1 million worth of meth, fentanyl and heroin were seized. "Today, 27 defendants were charged with operating a large-scale drug trafficking organization that operated in Berks and Montgomery counties and other surrounding counties," Berks County District Attorney John Adams said during a news conference in Reading on Thursday. 12 suspects are in prison and more than $1 million of drugs were seized in a large drug bust in Schuylkill County. "During this investigation, troopers determined that Irizarry was associated with numerous other significant illegal drug traffickers," Adams said. (AP) Authorities say an 11-month investigation that began with a drug overdose in southeastern Wisconsin has netted 106 pounds of cocaine with an estimated street value up to $6 million. "This large amount of fentanyl was seized at 122 Pennwyn Place, the location where Daniel Delacruz was operating from.". TikTok sets new default time limits for minors, Lilly plans to slash some insulin prices, expand cost cap, Finland's Parliament gives final approval for NATO bid, Metaverse in spotlight at MWC tech fair even as doubts arise, Nigerian president-elect Bola Tinubu strikes unified tone, US futures, global shares up on strong China factory data, Supreme Court hears dispute between New York and New Jersey, Here are the countries that have bans on TikTok, Turkey intends to hold elections on May 14 despite quake, What the Tech? Authorities said they also seized six handguns, four drum-style gun magazines, more than 120 rounds of ammunition, more than $60,000 in cash, and 40 cell phones. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. The investigation began in July 2022 and involved dangerous undercover work. The investigation did not stop there, Adams said. Thieves memorizing passcodes to cellphones so they can try to steal money, What the Tech? "Two undercover officers infiltrated this organization and purchased bulk quantities of cocaine and fentanyl," Adams said. ", DOWNLOAD:FOX 29 NEWS APP | FOX 29 WEATHER AUTHORITY APP, SUBSCRIBE:Good Day Digest Newsletter|FOX 29 Philly on YouTube. Santoro said that after patients use one bag they become tired and fall asleep for a lengthy period. / . "This case is a testament to the millions of men, women, and children who are trafficked worldwide and, in every city, suburb, and town in this great commonwealth.". Berks County District Attorney John T. Adams and Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele announced Thursday that twenty-seven defendants were charged with operating a large-scale drug trafficking organization in Berks, Montgomery, and other surrounding counties. holds hearing for developer Atiyeh's proposed trucking terminal, Whitehall couple celebrates 75th wedding anniversary, Voting begins March 1 in What's So Cool About Manufacturing Contest. When they wake up they are disoriented, have trouble walking, are weak, have a slow heart rate and their blood pressure is up, he said. Reading, PA 19601 p. 610-478-6208. Brand New App to watch all of WFMZ-TV News and Syndicated Programing 24/7 on your Streaming App enabled TV. Detectives arrested the alleged leader of the organization, Luis Pacheco, and his main underling, Jose Antonio Torres-Rodriguez, while serving the search warrant at 343 S. 7th Street. Authorities said the organization's leader was Carlos Lopez Rosado, an inmate at a federal prison in Schuylkill County. "Clearly, the ones that have the high bails were the leaders of this corrupt organization.". There was an error processing your request. Papademetriou said his organization provides Narcan with no questions asked and urged people to arm themselves with it. Crime Map; Site; Home; About Us. Over 100 law enforcement officers raided those seven locations dismantling the ring in an effort designated Operation SmackDown. Detectives from the Berks County District Attorney's Office have dismantled a large-scale illegal drug distribution network headquartered in the south side of the City of Reading. Locations that was raided 2022 and involved dangerous undercover work or redistributed were the leaders of this corrupt organization ``! Et al, dubbed Operation Washout, represents a significant, coordinated attack.... 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