The Meth Raid That Wasn’t
June 30th, 2009 by Russ
A few weeks ago we reported a story that had reached the national papers about a meth “superlab” discovered on a rental property owned by Bell, California mayor, Oscar Hernandez. Los Angeles Fire Department and Hazardous Materials spokespeople are now amending that story.
So, let’s revisit some of the salient details of the original story and see what’s left:
Investigators found a methamphetamine “super lab” during a raid Saturday on a property owned by the mayor of a Los Angeles suburb.
Well, as it turns out, no lab was found. No traces of chemicals that would be produced by such a lab were found. No one nearby smelled or had otherwise heard of any such lab.
The original story also claimed:
Police also found two children on the premises who were put in the custody of welfare officials.
According to LA Child Protective Services, no children were taken from the home. And finally, according to the LA sheriff’s department:
Investigators said the lab would be able to produce as much as 20 pounds of methamphetamine at once.
The Sheriff’s Department now confirms that they seized not 20 pounds, not one pound, but one ounce of meth from the site. And the two superlab masterminds initially arrested? They have now been released without charge.
Wow. Seemingly, someone has laid an incredible whopper on the national press. This entire story has a very ‘Roswell’ feel to it. It makes one wonder what that drug task-force actually did find in that apartment: Jimmy Hoffa? The safehouse where Michael Jackson faked his own death? Dr. Venture’s super-secret child cloning facility?
Only one thing is certain. The LA Sheriff’s Department is at the center of this. The truth is out there.
Joint Smoking Teen Faces Stern Consequences
June 9th, 2009 by RickWhen Ian Barry, a 17-year old junior from Peninsula High School in Gig Harbor, WA, lit up a marijuana joint and smoked it during his presentation of his essay on the legalization of marijuana last Tuesday, he wasn’t “pulling a stunt” or trying to become a martyr for the cause. He just wanted to show that pot doesn’t warrant the negative taboo and should be legalized.
The end of Barry’s essay:
I have provided you with information, facts and statistical evidence that all point towards the legalization of marijuana. [...] But the truth is it doesn’t matter what I say until you, the people, stand up and besiege the government to re-address the litigation of marijuana.
Barry said:
I see myself as someone who holds himself to a high moral value. [...] As Sir Isaac Newton said, ‘Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. [...] I don’t think there would have been another way I could have gotten this reaction.
After the incident, he was arrested, whisked away to Tacoma and taken to the Remann Hall juvenile detention center. He was also expelled and must meet with administrators from his school to determine if he would be allowed to finish his classes. As well as academic punishment, Barry still faces misdemeanor charges of “unlawful drug possession” and he realizes this would go on his record.
Canada Reports Drug Use High, Crime Low
May 20th, 2009 by Russ
Something is rotten in the state of Canada. The country’s national statistics agency, Statistics Canada, recently reported that while the overall crime rate is at a 30-year low, drug arrests are at a 30-year high. Befuddled Canadian officials could only speculate as to any causes for the huge discrepancy.
Several possibilities could explain this phenomenon:
- Some sort of Brave New World-esque ‘Soma’ drug has pacified all of the canucks simultaneously. Good old burglary and assault just can’t compete with the vast psychotropic pleasures offered by this new substance.
- Someone at the provincial police department thought they might try only enforcing drug crimes for a decade or three. After all, why go through all of the legwork of investigating and pursuing actual violent criminals when you can simply hit up your local street corner and do some drug rips? Easy in, easy out, arrest rates stay up, and no homework for the cops.
- Every single Canadian criminal is now safely behind bars.
To be fair, #3 can’t be the case. As it turns out, Statistics Canada reports that almost half of all drug charges in 2007 were stayed, withdrawn, or dismissed. Furthermore, 2 out of 3 of all of the record-tallying drug arrests were for marijuana.
It would seem that the nation of Canada has proved that there is little to no association between drug use and crime (as the heightened drug use has corresponded with the lowest crime rate in memory.) Also, it appears that due to the remarkably low crime rate, there is virtually nothing for the Canadian police to do with their time other than harass weed smokers (who inevitably are released without charge.)
There are few things more dangerous than hicks who are both bored and heavily armed. Perhaps the National Curling and/or Hockey League should expand their recruitment — for all our sakes.
Round-up: Drug Related Charges/Arrests
May 8th, 2009 by Rick
- Patricia Gutierriez, a dumbass manager at a Brownwood KFC, faces ten years in prison for dealing drugs out their drive-thru.
- Previously convicted on drug related charges, Orlando Alexander, 40, of Tacoma, WA, faces six and half years in prison for federal gun and drug charges.
- Four men from Mission, TX face up to 40 years and a $2,000,000 fine for sending a ton and a half of pot through the mail for a year.
- Convicted sex offender and a true degenerate to society, Thomas Y. Pellerin of Vermont, was arrested and held on various charges of him trying to trade sex with teens for drugs.
- A man in the Philippines is given a thirty year prison sentence for possessing 436 grams of pot.
- Crime stoppers tips and an ongoing investigation led to the arrest of two brothers in Colorado and the seizure of 85.6 grams of cocaine.
- Three men from Bossier City, LA, were arrested for various drug related charges — all stemming from a noise complaint check that led police inside of the home.
- A missing Nevada man, Isaiah Marsh, is reportedly connected to a huge marijuana growing operation.
- Former Olympic swimmer, Scott Miller, pleads guilty to supplying ecstasy.
New Jersey Man Avoids Serious Time
May 7th, 2009 by Rick
On Tuesday, Pedro Covil, 24, dodged spending 56 and a half years behind bars when he entered a plea agreement that gave him ten years for first-degree cocaine possession with intent to distribute, second-degree conspiracy to distribute drugs and second-degree possession of a firearm while distributing drugs.
It all started May 21, during Operation Blood Money, a six-month investigation led police to the arrest of 61 people and the seizure of more than 6.5 ounces of cocaine, ecstasy, heroin, marijuana, two handguns, ammunition, gang-related materials, and $6,772. Police found 43 packs of heroin and about 19 grams of cocaine, along with a loaded .38-caliber handgun with ammunition in Covil’s home safe. Another 4.5 ounces of cocaine was stashed at another location, in New Brunswick.
Sentencing for Covil is on June 26th. Covil would have to serve five years of that sentence before he could be eligible for parole.
Teen Arrested After Marijuana Mass Mail
May 7th, 2009 by Erin
James “9milz” Truong, 18, from West Hartford has been sentenced to five years in prison, but under a plea deal he will only have to serve one of those years and three years of probation. He was convicted for various drug trafficking related charges after sending mass e-mails to potential buyers, announcing his new acquisition of marijuana. He asked them to call his cell to arrange for pick-ups.
After being arrested three times in the past six months for various charges, you’d think a homeboy would lope his merchandise.
By checking the text messages on Truong’s cell phone, police were able to arrest eight people who bought weed from Truong or his buddy at the two apartments on Oakwood Avenue and Prospect Street in West Hartford. Police recovered more than $3,000 in cash, over 14 ounces of marijuana, digital scales, packaging supplies and cell phones.
Round Up: Odd News Across the Nation
May 4th, 2009 by Rick
Citizen’s Arrest on… Himself
A 50-year old South Carolina man found a crack pipe in his bag and tried to arrest himself.
Drunk Man Smuggles Sock o’ Pot into Jail
A drunk man in Georgia was arrested after being found passed out in someone’s car and taken to jail, where he became more belligerent as guards found a bag of weed in his sock.
Fake Piss Lands 4 in Jail
Four Texas men go to jail for being idiots actually. Yes, it’s a crime. Read more here.
Man Arrested for Pot Possession and Fleeing
A man in South Carolina tried to evade police through two cities and winds up crashing into a SUV.
Armed Robbery Leads to 100g of Pot
Two men in Illinois were arrested and charged with armed robbery, felony marijuana possession and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute after being pulled over for being suspects to a mugging.
Indiana Drug Task Force Called in After Wreck
A man in Indiana dies after colliding with a semi — his Nissan is smashed to pieces, $20 bills were floating in the air and a small amount of marijuana was found.
200 Immature Pot Plants Seized After Traffic Stop
A man in Florida was arrested and charged with multiple drug charges after he initially ran a stop sign.
Major Drug Busts of the Week
April 28th, 2009 by Rick
Trucker Busted, 600 Pounds of Pot Seized
On Thursday, a trucker from Texas was pulled over on Interstate 70 in Lafayette County in NW Missouri and after a search of his tractor trailer at a secondary location, police find 600 pounds of marijuana.
Two Arrested on Missouri Drug Bust
A drug raid was authorized in Neosho, Missouri which led to 2 arrests and the seizure of an undisclosed, but large amount of meth, individually packaged for resale, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and a large amount of cash.
Heroin Packed Iranian Books Seized
On Friday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers said that earlier in the week at a DHL center based in Wilmington, Ohio they intercepted a shipment of heroin, hidden in books that originally came from Iran.
Border Patrol Agents Score a Turkey
In 3 separate incidents, U.S. Border Patrol agents from the Tucson Center, stopped hidden compartment smuggler operations. All together 3,684 pounds of marijuana were seized. All together in the first 6 months of the fiscal period of 2009, the Tucson Center has seized about 600,000 pounds – a record for Border Patrol.
On Wednesday, at Border Patrol Checkpoint State Route 85, agents arrested 4 people when they found 1,000 pounds of marijuana ($800,000) within a hidden compartment in 2 vehicles’ trailers.
Also on Wednesday, at Interstate 19 Checkpoint, a man was arrested after a K-9 drug sniffing dog alerted agents to the presence of possible contraband in a vehicle and after a secondary inspection was conducted 127 pounds ($101,600) was discovered in a hidden compartment.
Agents from the same station on early Thursday chased a suspicious vehicle and stopped the vehicle 3,000 feet north of Mexico causing the driver to bail and like Speedy Gonzalez, haul ass back home, leaving behind 2,557 pounds (over $2,045,000) of marijuana, packaged in 105 bales.
