A quantity of illegal drugs will sell for significantly more in Upper Michigan than in northeastern Wisconsin, Ronk said. The task force, formed in 2018, is made up of officers from the Marathon County and Lincoln County sheriff's offices, Wausau and Everest Metro police departments,Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigationand the FBI, Marathon County Sheriff Scott Parks said. wo pu xb. A gram of meth sold "on the street" in Wisconsin commonly costs $100 to $120, Brown County Sheriff's Capt. He and his girlfriend, 25-year-old girlfriend Carley Poettker were arrested following the search. That's what drug task force officers say they found while investigating a major drug operation in Northeast Wisconsin. Operation Tranquilandia was led by the DEA in 1984. If you have any information, you are asked to call the taskforce tipline at 218-730-5750 or dial 911. The bust resulted in a confiscation of 10 tons of cocaine, which was worth around $1.2 billion at the time. What was going to be sold? Authorities say the suspects are part of a violent drug trafficking organization called the "Buffum Meinecke Boys," that operated in and around Milwaukee's Harambee neighborhood on the city's. On Oct. 3, Ullmer's girlfriend was arrested in Oconto Falls. All of the following items were seized: Methamphetamine Cocaine Fentanyl LSD Marijuana. "Once we identified that source with that amount of methamphetamine that was supposed to hit the streets, they worked together to take action and apprehend that individual so that it didn't get to the streets," says Sheriff Delain. Something that we've never seen up here in this type of quantity," says Brown County Sheriff Todd Delain. While searching the semi-trailer officers also found two methamphetamine pipes. "At the gram level, in Northeast Wisconsin, it would have been over $2 million at the end," says Kinnard. Contact Doug Schneider at (920) 431-8333, or DSchneid@gannett.com. It's like a plot straight out of the Netflix crime drama "Ozark." Parks said Xiong's operation had the ability to move up to a pound of meth at a time in central Wisconsin. Chai Thao, 34,Wausau:two counts of distributing meth with one count alleged to involve 50 grams or more. Students Gather For 8th Annual "I Love To Read" Event, Coffee Conversation: Singing With The Stars Happening Friday, Award And Author Event Supporting Duluth Public Library, Northland Happenings, Weekend of February 24, 2023. On March 29, authorities say they were called to a gas station on Freedom Road (Highway S) in Lawrence. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Action 2 News is working to obtain all of the complaints and affidavits. It's fortunate, police say, that someone made that telephone call. In that case, more than a dozen people have been charged in connection with the sale of meth that had been brought to Wisconsin from California. A meth bust earlier this month in the Wausau area, however, is not related to the Gran Chute case, authorities said. . A prosecutor said the seizure had a significant impact on the local drug trade. And then he made a connection there to a cartel source, direct back into Mexico," says Kinnard. The drug haul was destined for Brown County, and would likely have been sold locally, police said. The investigator says this bust is having an impact. The estimated street value of the drugs seized is between $132,000 and $142,000. The Wausau-area arrests were not connected to another major bust in northeastern Wisconsin involving nearly 60 pounds of meth found in suitcases at a hotel, according to Brown County. They said Tuesday that the investigation could lead to further arrests. They wouldn't release the man's name because the investigation is continuing, but Lt. Matt Ronk of the Brown County Drug Task Force said authorities believe the man intended to deal drugs in the county. Drugs, guns," says Lt. Kevin Kinnard, Brown County Drug Task Force. It's a large amount of methamphetamine. She has not been publicly identified. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Nearly 50 people are now being charged after a year-long investigation focused in Duluth, Rochester, and on the Iron Range brought down this drug operation. Someone notified sheriff's dispatchers that the driver of a car at the station appearedto have been asleep at thegas pumps for roughly an hour. The value of the seizure at that time was around $350 million which is the equivalent to $415 million in today's money. Rugers and Glocks. The driver was asked to step out of the car and was placed in handcuffs. While the arrest was good news for law enforcement in Hobart and elsewhere in Brown County, Bani doesn't pretend thatthis arrest will make the use of illicit drugs in the region go away. The department also says Menards has no connection to the case and reported the incident to law enforcement right away. The source told police that Liebergen would travel from out of state to the Appleton area with a large amount of meth. Deputies administered narcan to the involved subject, saving that person's life. Three Anoka residents were arrested and charged in connection with a suspected major drug distribution ring. Nine people have been arrested as part of that investigation. Authorities allege that the meth was to be sold to pay a drug debt. "This quantity was directed all over Northeast Wisconsin," says Sheriff Delain. The source told officers that Liebergen was going to be in the area on Sept. 11 with a large amount of meth. Duluth police say this is the largest drug bust in history for the region. Jan 26, 2022 0 Three people have been arrested what the La Crosse Police Department describes as the largest seizure of methamphetamine in the city's history. zp. Authorities would not say if the Grand Chute arrest is related to an Oconto Countybust, announced Tuesday, in which sheriff's deputies seized156grams of methamphetamine. This may be the biggest meth bust in American. "He was living in the St. Louis area, so that's his connection. "So honestly, they probably thought they were buying heroin or fentanyl and got Tramadol," says Kinnard. The office states in December of 2021, KDOG led a large-scale operation in cooperation with the DEA and FBI, which spanned through several states and jurisdictions. Sheriff Shawn Becker says his team has been working with the Central Wisconsin Drug Task Force and the Department of Justices Division of Criminal Investigation into the matter for several months, ending when a search warrant was executed on Thursday, December 9th. Duluth police Lt. Jeff Kazel, commander of the Lake Superior Drug and Violent Crime Task Force announces the results of what authorities said was the largest drug bust in the region's history. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Biggest drug bust in Mesa PD history: 700K+ fentanyl pills, 15 lbs of hard drugs found. Authorities said they could not discuss specifics of the investigation. al. Posted 8 Jun 2021 8 Jun 2021 Tue 8 Jun 2021 at 6:25am , updated . A conviction on the trafficking charge could lead to a sentence of life in prison and a fine of up to $10 million. "When you're talking this large, this ties back to cartels," the sheriff continues. Among the. That turned up the following: --Alprazolam pills (panic/anxiety medication), --Drug ledgers with names, dollar amounts and dates. Large Drug Bust Nets Over $130 Thousand in Illegal Drugs in Wood County. Officers were able to wake the driver up, and as the driver removed his hands from his pockets, drug paraphernalia was seen. A source tipped off the drug task force that Liebergen was bringing drugs into Northeast Wisconsin and selling them out of hotel rooms. "It's just kind of very brazen for sure," says Kinnard. Home / Legal News / Overdose investigation leads to large drug bust in Wisconsin Overdose investigation leads to large drug bust in Wisconsin KENOSHA, Wis. (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. One of the biggest drug busts Florida has ever seen was straight out of a movie. He said police have seen theflow of drugs into the region increase in the past five years; the same improved highway system that make it so families can reach vacation destinations more quickly also makes it easier for drug sellers to reach customers in the region. Officers arrested 36-year-old Jesus Rojas Romero, 20-year-old Alex Ruiz, and 22-year-old Christian Valles Castro after the bust. Par Y. The 14 tons of cocaine were owned by the AUC and guarded by the Marxists. One of the warrants was executed at a Grand Chute hotel where defendant Derek A. Liebergen was alleged to be selling drugs. The Grand Chute arrest was part of an investigation that included local police from departments in Outagamie, Brown and Winnebago counties, as well as the state Division of Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency. The seizure by the Brown County Sheriffs Office of10.68 pounds of methamphetamine in 2017 after afive-month investigation. The caller reported a vehicle was parked at a gas pump for more than an hour. A federal grand jury charged 12 people eight from Wausau, one from Hewittand three from St. Paul, Minnesota in connection withthe distribution ring. The case is being prosecuted in the Eastern District of Wisconsin. On Sept. 9, the Brown County Drug Task Force arrested defendant Malachi Root in Green Bay. Ya Yang, 31, Wausau:conspiring to distribute meth. Sandy Vang, 49,Wausau:three counts of distributing meth with two counts alleged to involve 5 grams or more. MESA, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) -- In the biggest drug bust recorded in Mesa Police Department history, officers uncovered over 700,000 fentanyl pills and more than 15 pounds of methamphetamine, heroin and cocaine earlier this month. Her, 61, Wausau:delivery of 3-10 grams of meth,delivery of 10-50 grams of meth as a habitual criminality repeater. Joshua . KENOSHA/RACINE COUNTIES (WITI) -- More than 44 people face serious drug charges after a raid that covered Racine and Kenosha counties. 1 person hospitalized after shooting at Peoria gas station, Anastasia to open Thursday night in Chandler, Heres the lineup for Arizona Broadway Theatres 2023-2024 season, TRENDING: Shes a tough kid: Avondale father says University of Idaho student killed fought her attacker. They had to revamp their strategy, which led to the successful end of this drug operation. Serrano has been charged with possession with intent to deliver cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia. Kai Chang, 28,Wausau:conspiracy to possess meth as a habitual criminality repeater. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. He drove from Missouri to Northeast Wisconsin to sell the meth to lower-level dealers. It took a substantial effort by each and every one of them, and the sacrifices that go with it to be able to have a day where we made a substantial dent into the supply of poison that are reaching our streets, said Tusken. Officers seized the following during the hotel bust: --1 kilogram of tramadol (prescription narcotic for pain). According to. Derek A. Liebergen, 26 - Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances; Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Crime, Malachai J. Root, 29 - Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances; Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Crime, Wayne L. Stilen, 39 - Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Crime, Sally A. Miller, 35 - Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances, Jeremy M. Ludwig, 32 - Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances, Kayla R. Kennedy, 39 - Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances, Jasmine L. Gillette, 24 - Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances, Christopher S. Ullmer, 22 - Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances, Peter F. Thao, 23 - Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances. All rights reserved. On Sept. 9, investigators met with a confidential source who had purchased "large quantities of methamphetamine" from Liebergen. LAWRENCE, Wis. (WFRV) In what authorities are calling the largest drug bust in Hobart/Lawrence history, officers seized multiple items from a vehicle that was parked at Kwik Trips gas pumps for over an hour. Additionally, about $50,000 U.S . The Lake Winnebago Area MEG Unit, Brown County Drug Task Force, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, and Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation worked together on the case. The Eau Claire County Sheriff's Department says a California man is in custody for the biggest cocaine bust investigators have ever seen in our area. John Gates, 49, Hewitt:conspiring to distribute meth, two counts of attempting to possess the drug with intent to distribute. After a lengthy investigation, officials say detectives uncovered a large drug trafficking organization in Pleasant Prairie. While they don't yet know the street value of the drugs, Police Chief Randy Bani said investigators believe between $20,000 to $30,000 of drugs were confiscated. The Kwik Trip was on Freedom Road (CTH S) in Lawrence. Eight others are charged in the conspiracy: Malachai J. Root, 29 - Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances; Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Crime, Wayne L. Stilen, 39 - Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Crime, Sally A. Miller, 35 - Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances, Jeremy M. Ludwig, 32 - Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances, Kayla R. Kennedy, 39 - Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances, Jasmine L. Gillette, 24 - Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances, Christopher S. Ullmer, 22 - Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances, Peter F. Thao, 23 - Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances. Nearly 50 people are now being charged after a year-long investigation focused in Duluth, Rochester, and on the Iron. Other major Wisconsin meth busts in recent years include: The seizure of 19 pounds in Manitowoc County this May. The driver of the trailer was identified as Samuel Serrano from California. The Missouri connection? LAWRENCE - It started as a guy sleeping at the wheel of an SUV at a southern Brown County Kwik Trip around midnight. "It's not about drugs. Some of the defendants also face federal gun charges. When buying cowboy boots, there are a few aspects to consider, such as how far up they go on your legs and their design. "This quantity was directed all over Northeast Wisconsin," says Sheriff Delain. HANSEN, Wis. (WFRV) - Multiple people were arrested in central Wisconsin after authorities executed five search warrants and reportedly found drugs, guns and currency. He along with the others involved are being charged with six felony counts including conspiring and It has been called Dr. Seuss Day because of this. In this case, it was a powder. Soua Khang, 23, Wausau:conspiring to distribute meth,three counts of distributing meth. At least one personis in jail in connection with the case, which began with the arrest March 29 of a man who nodded off in the driver's seat of an SUV parked at a gas pump island at the Kwik Trip on Freedom Road, just west of Interstate 41. Two weeks later, as police have sorted out their findings, Hobart-Lawrence police say the March arrest turns out to have been the largest drug bust the department has ever made. They searched the vehicle and found a Glock 9 mm handgun under the driver's seat, according to the affidavit. According to Duluth police, this ring sold an estimated $1 million worth of drugs between January and this month. If you use a windshield cover, you can at least forget about scrapping the ice off your windshield to save some time and hassle. Stopping the spread of illegal drugs and drug trafficking in this community is incredibly important. Meng Xiong, 26,Wausau:two counts of distributing meth with one count alleged to involve 5 grams or more. Serrano admitted to be a meth user. ve. tv. TOWN OF LAWRENCE, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) A person falling asleep in a vehicle at a gas station led to the largest drug bust in Hobart/Lawrence history, police say. Colombian police seized a haul of cocaine found on the Mira River that was one of the biggest seizures of this drug ever in the world. Mai Xiong, 32, Wausau:delivery of 10-50 grams of meth,party to the crimeas a habitual criminality repeater. By Mike Leischner Dec 12, 2021 | 8:04 AM. Duluth Police say they were ready to take down the organization back in March, but the pandemic put a pause on their plan. Almost two tonnes of methamphetamine has been seized by Australian police - the biggest bust of the drug in the country's history. The DEA does know where the load was destined to go but are not releasing that information at this time. Authorities in Germany and Belgium seized more than 23,000 kilograms (50,700 pounds) of cocaine, worth billions of dollars, in an international operation that resulted in one arrest, officials . of cocaine that tested positive for fentanyl (estimated street value of the seized cocaine is $4,000,000 $6,000,000). 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