Major Mexico/US tunnel busted

A haul of drugs being smuggled from Mexico to California was seized from a cross-border tunnel equipped with ventilation, lighting and an underground rail system. The tunnel connected warehouses in Tijuana and San Diego, extending about 610 metres. The raid netted 590 kg of cocaine, 39 kg of methamphetamine, 7.7 kg of heroin, 1 kg of fentanyl and 1,360 kg of pot. No arrests were made. The tunnel had a rail-cart system, forced air ventilation, high voltage electrical cables and panels, an elevator at the tunnel entrance, and a drainage system.

The average depth of the tunnel was 31 feet. The length of more than 14 football fields surprised authorities. It went under several warehouses in San Diego and was beside a section of Trump's wall.

The discovery came a little over two months after a 4,309-foot-long tunnel was found in the same area.

See ----->El Chapo tunnel master 'Quirino' busted

'High Risk' convict Justina Ellis on the lam - Busted

Justina Ellis was picked up without incident by the VPD.

Vancouver Police are searching for a high-risk offender. Justina Ellis, 37, did not return to her East Vancouver halfway house and now has a Canada-wide warrant. She won a court battle to label her a 'dangerous offender' in 2019. The Yukon woman claimed she has lived a life of abuse caused by white colonialism. Ellis is five feet four inches tall and weighs 135 pounds. Her background includes multiple robberies and violence. She's indigenous and is considered dangerous. The public ought not approach her.

McMillions

“McMillions” had a bombshell for the finale: Jerry Colombo’s mother was the informant whose tip broke the case wide open.

See ----->The McDonald’s Monopoly sweepstakes fraud - 'McMillions'

Gangsters turn to Trump, Coronavarus to get out of Jail

Paul Schiro, 82, feels the “the epidemic has accelerated the urgency and necessity” of his request. The mobster has been in custody since 2002. He was convicted as part of the Family Secrets prosecution, that decimated the Chicago mob. Schiro’s attorney pointed to changes in the law created by the First Step Act, which was signed by Trump in 2018. Schiro was sentenced in 2009 to 20 years in prison when he was 71. He is not due to be released until April 2024. One of Schiro’s co-defendants, Joey “the Clown” Lombardo, died in jail last fall at the age of 90. Another mob hit man, Anthony Calabrese, was shot down for clemency by Trump in 2018.

25 years in prison for 'Doctor Money' Gallagher

'Doc' lured seniors through his weekly radio broadcasts.

W. Neil “Doc” Gallagher liked to tell radio listeners his investment advice was guided by scripture. Cops claim he ignored the part “Thou shalt not steal.”

Gallagher, 78, faces civil and criminal charges saying he stole more than $19m from senior citizens, who put their faith in him.

“The Money Doctor” pitched his retirement-planning services through weekly broadcasts that blended investment talk with cheery Christian tidings. He bought airtime for his shows on three Dallas-area AM stations. In 2016, he published “Jesus Christ, Money Master,” a book offering faith-based financial advice.

Starving monkey ‘gangs’ brawl in Thailand as tourists MIA

Monkey “gangs” have taken to the streets of Thailand to brawl over food as tourism has dried up. Usually well fed, times are tough. Street fights are breaking out regularly in Lopburi, an area famous for it's monkeys. Each “gang” has around 500 members. They steal anything they get their hands on.

Charges dropped against 11 Vagos bikers

A month after eight members of the Vagos MC were acquitted in a long running racketeering trial, federal prosecutors dropped all charges against each of their co-defendants, except one. Local biker John Halgat is still facing drug and gun charges.

See ----->Vagos bikers walk for HA killing

Recidivist ponzi scammer wants out of jail to tend elderly mother

Wayne R. Ogden, 55 cheated hundreds of investors of an estimated $18.6m in three Ponzi schemes. He wants release early due to “compassionate, extraordinary circumstances.” Ogden’s 81-year-old ailing mother has no one else to care for her he says. The U.S. Bureau of Prisons denied Ogden’s early release request, saying he didn't meet agency criteria. Ogden is turning to Trump's First Step Act to get outta the can.

When Ogden was sentenced in 2013, prosecutors were certain he would re-offend when he was released.

“The public at least will get a 10-year break from a remorseless, conscienceless serial thief.” Ogden has been ordered to pay $18.6 million in restitution.

Rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine released from prison early due to COVID-19

The rapper was serving his sentence in a private jail.

Tekashi 6ix9ine was ordered freed from a Manhattan federal lockup four months early by a judge who cited his asthma and the greater danger of the coronavirus outbreak. Prosecutors did not oppose the action. Tekashi 6ix9ine's testimony against members of the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods earned him leniency from charges that could have subjected him to a minimum 37 years.

Bikini model girlfriend and a Rolls-Royce to life in jail - Darren John Mohr

Darren John Mohr, 46, has been found guilty of conspiring to import cocaine into Australia. He was charged over a plot to ship half a tonne of cocaine into Australia in 2016. The happy couple are pictured in designer garb in front of a Rolls Royce just before Mohr got busted. He wears a Hubolt wrapped around his wrist which retails at around $17k while the little woman wore a diamond-encrusted Rolex believed to be worth more than $45k.

Mohr claimed innocence and ignorance while he was unaware of the real reason for the boat's voyage.

Eleven jurors deliberated for more than a day before returning a verdict. Since the bust, others have pleaded guilty to the plot and are currently serving long prison sentences. The two lovebirds split about 3 months after the bust. Mohr bragged about his high living lifestyle on social media. He claimed to be unemployed in court.

Ad on Kijiji opened door for Hells Angels bust

Mark David Heickert

Operation Harley began with Paul Francis Monahan, 63, a member of the Nomads N.B. Monahan posted an ad on Kijiji selling a Harley Davidson on behalf of a full-patch in London. An undercover cop contacted Monahan. Talk eventually turned to cocaine, which was available for between $48k to $50k per kilo. Cops were monitoring Monahan’s cellphone and learned his contact was Mark David Heickert, a full-patch in Oshawa.

Heickert met with the buyer each time, receiving $47k for one kilo on the first two occasions and $94k for two kilos in the last transaction. After the last deal, police moved in and arrested Heickert. Monahan's home was raided along with the clubhouse in Musquodoboit Harbour. Heickert pleaded guilty to conspiracy to traffic cocaine, conspiracy to possess proceeds of crime and breaching his release conditions by having contact with a member of the HA. He was sentenced to 55 months in prison.

Monahan pleaded guilty last April and is still awaiting sentencing. He is free on $7k bail.

See ----->Hells Angels charged with drug trafficking in Nova Scotia

Mexican meth mule pulls 8 years

Armando Esparza-Ochoa, 31, was busted on Sept. 1, 2018, after border surveillance detected him crossing the border west of the Osoyoos port of entry. Cops found Ochoa hiding in bushes about two kilometres west of his entry point. A backpack was found nearby containing 12.8 kg of meth. Esparza-Ochoa was living in the U.S. picking fruit and was offered $2,500 for the drug run. Ochoa was seeking asylum in Canada, claiming he fears retribution. Prosecutors called it ironic Ochoa would be using the very offence he committed to apply for asylum in Canada. ".. you are by no means innocent." the judge told Ochoa through an interpreter. He sentenced Ochoa to eight years. He has been in custody since his arrest so he has about six years left to serve.

The Mexican Mafia

The Mexican Mafia, also known as La Eme (Spanish for "the M"), is a highly organized Mexican American criminal organization in the United States. Despite its name, the Mexican Mafia did not originate in Mexico and is entirely a U.S. criminal organization. Officials estimate that there are currently around 300 official members of the Mexican Mafia with around 1,000 associates

Black Hand of Death

Members are expected to engage in tests of their loyalty to La eMe, which often includes murder. The penalty for refusing orders or failing to complete an assigned task is often death. Members may also be punished or murdered if they commit any of four major infractions. These include becoming an informant, acts of homosexuality, acts of cowardice, and showing disrespect against fellow gang members. A member of the Mexican Mafia may not be murdered without prior approval by a vote of three members. The murder of non-members requires no formal approval. La eMe is involved in a large variety of criminal activities both inside and outside the prison system.

La eMe has a blood in, blood out credo: Murder or drawing of blood is a prerequisite for membership and anyone trying to get out will be killed. The Mexican Mafia is the controlling organization for almost every Hispanic gang in Southern California. Members of almost all Hispanic gangs in Southern California are obliged under the threat of death to carry out any and all orders from Mexican Mafia members.

Mob Wives star Drita D'Avanzo walks on gun, drug charges

The raid on the Staten Island home of Drita and Lee D’Avanzo on Dec 20 of last year yielded two loaded guns, several pounds of pot and illicit pain killers. Most of the 17 charges against the couple were dropped after mafioso Lee D’Avanzo pleaded guilty to possession of a weapon by a felon. D’Avanzo served time for bank robbery. He'll be sentenced in July. The reality TV show Mob Wives was canceled in 2016 after six seasons.

Maksim Boiko - Cryptothief Rapper

The US arrested Russian Maksim Boiko for money laundering. His Instagram that promoted his rap career is now evidence. Boiko laundered money using cryptocurrencies, conspiring with transnational organized crime organization QQAAZZ.

While he was carrying out the scheme, Boiko was chronicling his rapper lifestyle on his Instagram account under the handle @plinofficial. Boiko's money-laundering outfit operated by opening bank accounts and accepting wired money stolen by cyber criminals.The criminals then cashed the money out of the bank accounts. He also transferred “criminally-derived funds from fiat currency into electronic currency, such as Bitcoin."

Drug trafficker Bruno Varin had millions in stolen art

Bruno Varin, 73, was a large independent cocaine dealer, but when he was busted in 2014, he was said to have ties to the Montreal Mafia, the Hells Angels and the West End Gang. Varin was moving 20kg of cocaine each week. One of the group’s shipments was seized on May 6, 2014 after a pickup truck crossed the Canada-U.S. border. A dog working for Canada Border Services Agency sniffed out 123 kg of cocaine hidden inside the bed of the truck.

Cops learned Varin had hoarded a collection of about 30 paintings and bronze artworks. Some had been reported stolen more than 35 years ago. Stolen art is often used as currency among criminals. Some will accept stolen artworks at 20% of their estimated value. Varin conceded he has been involved in drug trafficking for “between 45 and 50 years.”

Varin plead guilty to eight charges including possession for the purpose of trafficking. He was sentenced to 10 1/2 years in prison. Authorities seized three cars and properties owned by Varin, and had him declared owner of a building that was in his daughter’s name.

Narco Subs

With cocaine production at record highs, authorities say the semi-submersible has become the favored tool to smuggle cocaine. 33 semi-submersibles were intercepted in 2019, most of them along Colombia’s Pacific coast. 80% of Colombia’s drug trade moves out through the Pacific, and about 14% sent via the Caribbean. The rest is smuggled across land borders.

Tumaco is situated just north of the border with Ecuador, in Colombia’s southwestern Narino department, which has more land under coca cultivation than anywhere else in the world. The subs are notoriously difficult for navy patrols or radar to detect.

The subs are built in the labyrinth of mangroves that make up much of Colombia’s Pacific coast.

Most trips are two or three days. The subs are crewed by two to four men. Longer voyages require resupply at sea. Questions about longer trips were answered in Nov when a 22 meter vessel was busted off Spain’s Galician coast carrying 3 tonnes.

The cartels are constantly upping their game. They are using winged torpedo-like tubes known as “parasites” These are fixed to the underside of large ships. A new tactic is a GPS-equipped “buoyed cargo” designed for clandestine recovery at sea.

Rapper Broke Boy Lord hit with trafficking charges

New York rapper 'Broke Boy Lord' (Jamel Brown) and his city school custodian brother were nailed with bulk quantities of heroin, fentanyl and cocaine. Cops busted Randolph Brown in his mercedes with $200k of fentanyl outside the Springfield Gardens school where he worked as a janitor.

13 Denver Hells Angels face numerous charges

Top row, from left: Jason P. Sellers, Michael J. Dire, Jared B. Orland, Clinton Williams. Middle row: William “Kelly” Henderson, William “Curly” Whitney, Justin A. Wright, Peter M. Baron. Bottom row: Dominic P. Robichaud, Adam Mulcahy, Jimmy Salazar, Derek A. Beste

Joshua O’Bryan regained consciousness on July 12, 2019 inside a tattoo shop in Englewood after being beaten. He was hogtied and bleeding. With members of Denver’s HAMC around him, shop owner Dusty Ullrich blacked out O’Bryan’s 'Death Head' tattoo and scrawled the word 'Bad' as other HA recorded the ritual on their phones. O’Bryan said he was left in a Denver alley while his former brothers stole his tools, motorcycles and cash. After death threats, O’Bryan told police about what happened, launching an investigation that resulted in 13 full patch facing a mountain of charges. The resulting raids netted wholesale amounts of meth, cocaine, cash and dozens of guns.

See ----->Federal agents raid Hells Angels clubhouse in Denver