It was a winning decision not just for the Operation Jackpot prosecutors but also for the global war on drugs because it would discourage future American drug kingpins from fleeing to those countries to avoid prosecution. Throughout the extensive multi-agency investigation, it was revealed that the much of the drug trafficking was coordinated by current and former prison inmates through contraband cell phones. Charlestons famous restaurant, 82 Queen, was seized as well. Forty-three co-conspirators are charged with Trafficking Methamphetamine, 400 Grams or More (Conspiracy), which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years and a maximum sentence of 30 years. When I saw the address come up we knew people that used to live on that road. According to authorities, six of the . The trucks run by Mexican restaurant Los Primos. <p>Pounds of various drugs were transported by taco trucks owned by a restaurant as part of a large drug-dealing operation in South Carolina, state authorities said Wednesday.</p> Taylor Lynnette Glover (Lancaster County Sheriff's Office) It was unprecedented for the agencies to share information, much less work together and out of the same office. Attorney General Alan Wilson said a joint investigation in the Upstate called "Los Banditos" alleges much of the drug trafficking was run and . Those murders look very much like a drug hit and probably not a hit by some low down on the food chain drug users. CLICK HERE. By FOX Carolina News Staff. What is the talk on the street? Last week, deputies seized more than 30,000 grams of the drug fentanyl from a home on Golden Pond Drive in Clover. The McCoys were served with notice of the states intention to seek life without the possibility of parole at their bond hearings last week. North Carolina. NYC Asking People to Give Bikes to Illegal Aliens! A 30-month long ordeal ensued as the Australian court wrestled with whether the two could be extradited on a drug kingpin charge. Thirteenth Circuit Solicitor Walt Wilkins said in thestatement, This was a very large scale organized drug operation that allegedly was trafficking kilograms of drugs every week into Greenville County,, The hard work and dedication of the Greenville Drug Enforcement Unit, SLED, and the South Carolina State Grand Jury has significantly decreased the availability of drugs in the Greenville Community and arrested some of its worst drug dealers., Aristocrat Constance Marten and Sex-Offender Mark Gordon's Missing Baby Found Dead in Countryside, Cops Say, GOP Legislator Introduces Bill That Would Eliminate Florida's Democratic Party, Florida Student, 17, Who Attacked Teacher to Be Tried as Adult, Woman Convicted in Connection to Lady Gaga Dognapping Sues Singer for $500,000 Reward Money, 5 Ballet Dancers Seriously Injured in California Hit-and-Run Car Crash Strive to Heal to Return to the Stage, 17-Year-Old Michigan Boy Slain by 13-Year-Old and 14-Year-Old Who He Offered Ride Home on Cold Night: Police. Given their standards and their college educations, the two men were nicknamed the Gentlemen Smugglers.. News 19 reports that much of the operation was in the Upstate counties. 'These definitely are major players.'. SPARTANBURG COUNTY, SC (WSPA) - Spartanburg County Sheriff Chuck Wright announced Thursday charges for 53 suspects during their Operation Repeat Offender drug operation. with 100 defendants facing nearly 500 charges, sending drugs and phones into prison through hollowed out court transcripts, Do not sell or share my personal information. South Carolina prosecutors have announced its biggest drug bust in state history, with 100 defendants facing nearly 500 charges. Back then, the U.S. Attorneys Office had little security and nothing to keep someone from walking off the street and into a prosecutors office. He was an assistant United States attorney at the time. TikTok video from True Crime Stories (@truecrimestories215): "The 1981 South Carolina Drug Smuggling Bust In The Edisto River #truecrime #truecrimecommunity #truestory #truecrimetiktok #makingamurderer #AlexMurdaugh #trending #fyp". Mandy does an amazing job with her investigative journalism. Wilder still, the two main characters hail from Columbia, South Carolina. Click to skip ahead and jump to the 10 biggest drug busts in U.S. history. In time, the drug trade grew crowded in South Florida. He said, Hi Bart, my names Christy Campbell, and Im here to turn myself in, says Bart. For more information about our use of cookies, our collection, use, and disclosure of personal information generally, and any rights you may have to access, delete, or opt out of the sale of your personal information, please view our. You didnt have any last words. Published: May. They grew their network to include names like Tom Rolex Rhoad, John Smokin Sneakers Jamison, Ashley Brunson, Bob Willie the Whale Bauer, Christy Campbell, and Frank Gunn, to name just a few, and occasionally partnered with a Virginia smuggling ring led by Barry Ice Cream Toombs that included Virginia brothers Lee and Michael Harvey. Email him at mark@fitsnews.com. S.C. circuit court judge DeAndrea Benjamin denied bond for 23 of the 32 defendants. Author: Holly Matkin. The last fugitive from Operation Jackpot was arrested in 2007. Hes an incredible person to me of course. Drugs, money, torture and murder were all part of a detailed web of gang-related, organized crime that flourished in South Carolina from at least 2017 until now, according to a federal. For those who want the full story of this local legend, Jackpot is a something-for-everyone kind of tale. RAPID CITY, S.D. CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Nine people are facing federal charges after a major drug bust in the Hollywood area of southern Charleston County. Youre gonna eventually know someone this has happened to and I think Cody would be very proud of all of us for trying to help stop this problem, said Alsobrooks. We are forever indebted to his brave service and pray that he will Rest In Peace. Kingpin Les Riley, who grew up in Columbia and attended USC, had a Southern upbringing that included hunting, fishing, and escorting the occasional debutante. In a case reaching both sides of the Rio Grande, 43 Upstate drug trafficking defendants now face a total of 170 charges after being indicted by the South Carolina statewide grand jury. A wall in the back of the room filled with pictures of young people in the same situation. A drop in the bucket compared to whats out there, she said. Barry Foy and Les were making so much money it was hard to figure out what to do with it all. And hes just missed beyond words, she said. March 3 (UPI) -- A sheep spotted wandering loose on a British highway was given a lift back to its owner by a concerned bus driver on her first day on the job. The task force, in concert with the U.S. Attorneys Office, worked to bring the Gentlemen Smugglers and their associates to justice. On Wednesday, a Durham man was arrested after a chase hitting 120 mph and the "Gray Death" drug was found, deputies say. The investigation was dubbed Las Seoritas because several women among the main targets allegedly fled to Mexico to escape prosecution in the United States. According to North Charleston authorities, Vernon Tyrell Willis, 26, has been arrested and charged with 13 counts of second-degree assault and battery. Pinch the little fish to get info on the big fish. Curiously, though, police did not immediately say what type of drug Jonathan Sears allegedly possessed/ intended to distribute. Man who sent videos of adults sexually abusing infants to FBI agent sentenced to 19 years, Questions mount about how John Fetterman was allegedly able to pen letter with fellow Democrats while under supervision for depression in hospital, Thug breaks through child's bedroom window in middle of night but Dad gets whole family out of home, grabs machete, and takes hack at crook, Newly released footage shows horrific moment a suspect fleeing police in stolen vehicle smashed into a sedan, bringing down a building. Federal drug unit targets South Surrey home in bust spanning Lower Mainland. Thanks to a corrupt jailer, Bob later escaped from a Charleston County jail and disappeared. With each trip, Barry and Les learned more about the smuggling business. While law enforcement had tried to catch the smugglers in the past and, in a few instances, succeeded, they were hampered in the 1970s by unsophisticated or nonexistent equipment, insufficient support, and the miles and miles of South Carolina shoreline. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and seven children. Tolson said the amount of fentanyl recovered in the bust was enough to kill every person in York County. In most areas, major highways were within an easy distance, aiding quick distribution to major cities like Atlanta; New York; Washington, D.C.; and Chicago. According to the South Carolina Attorney Generals Office, the owners of the Los Primos restaurant located in Greenville, South Carolina, allegedly ran and facilitated most of the drug trafficking. The defendants, mostly from South Carolina, were traced to alleged narcotics operations through a 'paper trail' of bank drafts, passports and other documents. Got a tip or a story idea for Mark? March 2 (UPI) -- A Florida woman earned a Guinness World Record when she completed 23 ultra-marathon runs -- 31.1 miles -- in a 23-day period. Georgia. Carolina Panthers founder, former owner Jerry Richardson dies at . They felt guns were unnecessary and, in fact, invited violence. The story is utterly fantastic, with a list of villains so long one has trouble keeping up with them all. Bone-Breakers, crossbow . The cocaine was found in secret compartments aboard a twin-masted, 47-foot sailing yacht named the 'Arc.'. https://www.augustachronicle.com/story/news/local/hampton-county-guardian/2021/07/23/county-wide-operation-pentagon-nets-least-18-arrests-h-c/8075562002/. While Columbia police referenced an ongoing investigation in the statement they provided to the Post and Courier, the paper declined to provide its readers with any additional information as to what that inquiry might entail. pic.twitter.com/d7G9ESlzUY, Florida Police Benevolent Association (@FL_PBA) January 30, 2023. ", Woman wins $100,000 lottery prize 11 hours after $11,000 casino jackpot. The drugs were busted in international waters of the Eastern Pacific Ocean off the coasts of Mexico, Central and South America, and also in the Caribbean Sea. Some even volunteered to come along, enticed by the idea of cruising the Caribbean and returning on mattresses of marijuana bales. Copyright 2023 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. I live in a small ass county not in South Carolina Our local da parades around big drug bust like this once a year. Im thinking serious cartel and/ or gang bosses who are higher up. Cape Fear Bust: 20 arrests, 50 weapons, 10,000 grams of narcotics. Simpson Says Hes Not Qualified To Say If Alex Murdaugh Did It. The third island resident was identified as Kathy G. Gerald, 39. 'For the most part, these drugs were not headed for South Carolina,' he said. As a true crime community, we promote civil discussions surrounding the alleged crimes of Alex Murdaugh and related entanglements. |, All of these experiences relate to the astounding volume of marijuana and hashish smuggled into South Carolina by the so-called Gentlemen Smugglers with a street value, in todays dollars, of $1.8 billion. Both sides ceased fire when the smugglers boats arrived to pick up hashish because drug money paid for the war to go on. Folks, if this was a bag full of terrorists, if this was anthrax, our response would be overwhelming. U.S Attorney E. Bart Daniel said the half-ton of uncut cocaine valued at $10 million was the largest confiscation of drugs in South Carolina history. Our hearts go out to Sergeant Kevin Forsbergs family, friends and colleagues at Broward Sheriffs Office where he served in the BSOs Homicide Unit. South Carolina. This major drug trafficking ring was anything but unbelievable, said Solicitor Walt Wilkins.
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