-from detnews.com-

By Mike Martindale, The Detriot News

TROY — A routine traffic stop for speeding turned into a major drug bust for Troy police who found 12 kilograms of cocaine — with a street value of $1.2 million — in the rear of a Ford Explorer.

Two Arlington, Ill. men arrested in the traffic stop on Interstate 75 Thursday were arraigned today on a charge of delivery of over 1,000 grams of a controlled substance. It is believed to be one of the largest drug seizures ever in Troy.

“That’s a large load of cocaine and we’re glad to get it off the street,” said Troy Police Lt. Gerry Scherlinck.

Scherlinck said two Troy traffic safety officers were focusing on speed enforcement around 5 p.m. Thursday on southbound Interstate 75 near Coolidge when the 2007 Ford Explorer whizzed by them in the right lane, tailgating another motorist and doing about 73 miles per hour. It is a posted 65 mile an hour zone at that location.

Police became suspicious when neither the driver, Anthony L. Gonzales, 21, nor Andon Filipi, 27, could produce a driver’s license and officers found more than $13,000 cash in the vehicle, Scherlinck said. The drugs were found plastic wrapped in 12 packages inside a duffle bag in the vehicle’s rear hatch..

The charge is a felony punishable by up to life in prison. Troy 52-4 Magistrate Donald Chisolm entered not guilty pleas for both men. Gonzales, also charged with driving without a license, was ordered held in the Oakland County Jail in lieu of $600,000 cash assurety, no 10 percent bond and Filipi on $1.2 million cash bond.

Both will have preliminary examinations on April 12 before Judge Dennis Drury.

-from ktvz.com-

By Barney Lerten
Officers also raid homes in Bend, Madras

Two Bend men were arrested after an alleged drug sale at a busy Redmond intersection, followed by coordinated drug raids of their home in Bend and another in Madras. Authorities said Friday they recovered a quarter-pound of crystal methamphetamine and $2,000 in cash in a search of the men and their car.

Alberardo Diaz-Garcia, 26, and Jeronimo Pineda-Pineda, 21, both of 61550 Brosterhous Rd. No. 35 in Bend, remained in the Deschutes County Jail Friday on drug and conspiracy charges, as well as a no-bail hold for federal immigration officials, a jail officer said.

During the past month, a joint investigation by the sheriff’s office/Redmond police street crimes unit, along with Central Oregon Drug Enforcement Team detectives, turned up “credible information” that the men were involved in meth sales and distribution in the Bend, Redmond and Madras areas, said sheriff’s Det. Sgt. Scott Shelton.

A surveillance program monitored the men’s activities, and on Thursday, detectives observed an alleged drug sale in the area of Highway 97 and Maple Avenue in Redmond, Shelton said in a news release.

With help from Redmond police, a traffic stop was made around 1:30 p.m., he said. During the search of the men and their car, officers recovered the crystal meth and cash. Shelton said the meth could have provided more than 200 user amounts, wit a street sales value of more than $10,000.

Based on information detectives developed, they applied for and were granted search warrants for the two men’s apartment in Bend and a manufactured home at 1728 Clackamas Street in Madras.

Those raids took place simultaneously around 3:30 p.m. Thursday, also involving Oregon State Police, Jefferson and Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies and Bend and Redmond police. No one was home at either place at the time of the raids, Shelton said.

-from nbc5.com-

Officials Calls Nabbed Pot Super Potent

CHICAGO HEIGHTS, Ill. — For the second time in two days, Cook County sheriff’s police make a major pot bust.

A raid of a Northfield township home Thursday led officers to a second home in south suburban Chicago Heights Friday.Police said nearly $2 million worth of marijuana was discovered in Friday’s bust and Thursday’s was worth $6 million.

Authorities said both busts revealed elaborate growing systems for the drugs, including heat, lights and water for fertilization.

“Hundreds of thousands of dollars were put into just the operation of these places,” said one of the agents on the case. “To take this offline is an amazing thing …The potency the THC levels of these plants is the highest you’re going to get.”

Copyright 2007 by NBC5.com. All rights reserved.

-from news14charlotte.com-

By News 14 Carolina

CHARLOTTE — An FBI safe streets task force operation Friday morning has put a dozen suspected gang members behind bars. Nearly 100 federal, state and local law enforcement officers participated in the sweep.

The arrests were made in Charlotte’s Hidden Valley neighborhood. Authorities say the suspects were part of the Hidden Valley Kings gang.

A 48-count indictment was also unsealed containing drug and gun charges against those 12 individuals and another eight defendants. Three of them are already behind bars on other charges.

Authorities are still looking for the other five suspects — 28-year-old Roscoe Abell, 23-year-old Chavius Barber, 23-year-old Kevin Johnson, 26-year-old Steven Cureton and 25-year-old Charlie Strother.

Anyone with information about any of the suspects is asked to call 911.

-from indystar.com-

By Katie Merlie

FISHERS — Two Indianapolis residents were arrested late Wednesday, ending a 10-month drug investigation in Fishers and Noblesville.

-from shreveporttimes.com-

By Vickie Welborn

MANSFIELD – A “buy bust” operation at a Mansfield motel Thursday afternoon was a bust for a reputed drug dealer who was caught selling cocaine to undercover officers, according to information from DeSoto Parish Sheriff Rodney Arbuckle.

Tri-Parish Drug Task Force agents set up video and audio equipment in a motel room to record a transaction with Cedric Jermaine Gee, 21, of Mansfield. The investigation was prompted by information that Gee was making deliveries of cocaine and other drugs to customers at the motel, Arbuckle said.

An undercover officer made arrangements with Gee to purchase $400 worth of powder cocaine. Gee fled from the offices after the exchange was made, but he was arrested without incident after a brief chase.

Agents are securing an arrest warrant for a second suspect who drove Gee to the motel. The man, whose name is not yet being released, left the scene in a vehicle.

Gee was booked into the DeSoto Detention Center on one count each of distribution of cocaine, second or subsequent offenses and probation violation. Gee has an extensive arrest record with prior drug convictions. He is on felony probation until 2011 for a possession of cocaine with intent to distribute conviction.

-from ssonet.com.au-

Five people boarding the All Gay Cruises three-day cruise were charged with drug offences at the ship’s launch yesterday.

The Daily Telegraph reported a 38-year-old Surry Hills man was not allowed to board after drug detection dogs alledgedly found him in possession of 20 pills.

Two Victorian men and a Darlinghurst resident were charged with possession but allowed to board. Another man was issued with a cannabis caution.

The cruise ship left Darling Harbour as scheduled.

-from pensacolanewsjournal.com-

By Associated Press

BAYOU LA BATRE, Ala. - Authorities arrested 27 accused crack cocaine dealers in a raids throughout south Mobile County early Thursday.

Joined by U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents, the U.S. Marshals Service, undercover officers from the Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board and the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, Bayou La Batre police targeted 54 people.

Besides the 27 people apprehended Thursday, Bayou La Batre Police Chief John Joyner said 10 others already were in custody for other violations.

“That’s pretty decent. It’s more than I was expecting, to tell the truth,” he told the Press-Register which first reported the raid on its Web site.

The arrests included seven of 12 people indicted by a federal grand jury on crack conspiracy charges. Two others under federal indictment already were in state custody on unrelated charges. Most of the 12 operated in a roughly 1 1/2-block area on Alba Street in Bayou La Batre, near Alba Middle School, police said.

“I think it’s great. I think this will send a message that we’re not going to tolerate this,” Bayou La Batre Mayor Stan Wright said.