Large Drug Bust Nets Over $130 Thousand in Illegal Drugs in Wood County. The next morning, the Santa Barbara Sheriff's Office announced the 34 arrests and the seizure of 3,164 pounds of methamphetamine the biggest drug bust in the county's history, and one of the largest ever in the nation. Almost two tonnes of methamphetamine has been seized by Australian police - the biggest bust of the drug in the country's history. The estimated street value of the drugs seized is between $132,000 and $142,000. He along with the others involved are being charged with six felony counts including conspiring and The seizure of roughly 60 pounds of meth last monthput "a serious dent"in the supply of the drug in the region, Brown County District Attorney David Lasee said Tuesday night. "The task force is in place and has already demonstrated its effectiveness," he said, adding he foresees the group continuing to grow in the future. After commemorating Recovery Month in September, Duluth Mayor Emily Larson says the dismantling of such a large drug organization is important in the fight against addiction. A federal grand jury charged 12 people eight from Wausau, one from Hewittand three from St. Paul, Minnesota in connection withthe distribution ring. He has entered not guilty pleas to the charges. The organization also had ties throughout the United States and Mexico, according to the sheriff's office. "You're traveling and little do you know that right next to you, is a guy with a handgun and 50 pounds of meth.". If you have any information, you are asked to call the taskforce tipline at 218-730-5750 or dial 911. Along with all the drugs, police also found $17,039 in cash and one gun with boxes of ammo. 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Liebergen used to live there. Serrano has been charged with possession with intent to deliver cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia. At a news conference Thursday, Duluth police officials said they worked with other federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to seize roughly 1,207 grams of meth and 527 grams of heroin and. That's what drug task force officers say they found while investigating a major drug operation in Northeast Wisconsin. Twenty people are facing rafts of charges each and more than $61 million worth of cocaine, crystal meth and marijuana was seized in what Toronto police are calling the largest drug . Sixteen people charged with drug crimes after meth investigation in Wausau area, 'Suitcases full' of methamphetamineseized in Appleton area, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. A search of her vehicle turned up the following: --Loaded Smith & Wesson MP Shield 9mm handgun. 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. "This is going to be the largest seizure of methamphetamine in Northeast Wisconsin history. The investigation continues as authorities are still searching for about ten other individuals with active warrants for their arrests related to this drug trafficking ring. 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 . 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. The 10-day sting is. 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. Ger Moua, 31,Wausau:three counts of distributing meth with one count alleged to involve 5 grams or more and one count alleged to involve 50 grams or more,possessing a firearm fora drug trafficking crime,being a felon in possession of a firearm. Police also confiscated the 2019 Ford Explorer the man had been driving. The $10 million worth of meth was enough to provide a dose for every man, woman, and child in the United States and . He stated his intent was to sell the meth to pay off a drug debt to his supplier, according to the complaint. 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. Drug task force officers point to 26-year-old Derek Liebergen as the leader of the operation. Liebergen had a handgun in the waistband of his pants when he was arrested. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. aiding and abetting to sell more than a hundred grams of a controlled substance. ig. A 20-year-old woman was arrested in that incident, sheriff's officials said. The source told police that Liebergen would travel from out of state to the Appleton area with a large amount of meth. Officers "had to wake the guy up," Hobart-Lawrence Police Chief Randy Bani said. The value was. The price of an ounce can range from $700 to $1,350. One pound of meth sells on the street for up to $40,000, after it is divided into grams, the sheriffsaid. 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. Charges: Anoka residents busted with over 1,000 grams of meth. The driver was asked to step out of the car and was placed in handcuffs. Information uncovered during investigations in the Wausau area have helpedshut down other organizations outside Wisconsin, Parks said. It's a large amount of methamphetamine. Serrano has been charged with possession with intent to deliver cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia. Marathon County prosecutors filed charges against four more. Police said the man's "stash" includedsignificant amounts of cocaine, as well asmethamphetamine, fentanyl, LSD, marijuana, heroin,drug paraphernalia and about $50,000 in cash. "They were paying the Fentanyl price for it.". Chong Chueneng Moua, 51, St. Paul, Minnesota:conspiring to distribute meth, possessing 50 grams or more with intent to distribute. Kristie Ann Wallace was arrested as part of the raid and will have several unspecified charges against her forwarded to the Wood County District Attorney. Action 2 News is working to obtain all of the complaints and affidavits. Other major Wisconsin meth busts in recent years include: The seizure of 19 pounds in Manitowoc County this May. 60 pounds? A search warrant was executed for Liebergen's hotel room in Grand Chute. 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. A brother-sister duo, a quiet suburb, and a false attic wall hiding $24 million in cash made trafficking. LAWRENCE - It started as a guy sleeping at the wheel of an SUV at a southern Brown County Kwik Trip around midnight. The complaint states the source had made multiple purchases from Liebergen in the past. On Sept. 9, investigators met with a confidential source who had purchased "large quantities of methamphetamine" from Liebergen. According to the Hobart/Lawrence Police Department, on March 29 officers responded to a report about a suspicious person/vehicle at the gas pumps at Kwik Trip. Authorities in Southern California have seized more than 16 tons of marijuana worth an estimated $1.19 billion, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department officials said Wednesday. Appleton-area bust involving 'suitcases full' of methamphetamineis one of state's largest, Untraceable 'ghost guns' pose new worry for Green Bay-area police, threaten to serve as new currency in meth buys, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Followher on Twitter @brophy_natalie or Facebook at facebook.com/bynataliebrophy. A source tipped off the drug task force that Liebergen was bringing drugs into Northeast Wisconsin and selling them out of hotel rooms. He's also charged with possessing a gun in a drug trafficking crime. DULUTH, Minn. The Duluth Police Department and a string of other law enforcement agencies including the Lake Superior Drug and Violent Crime Taskforce have shut down a significant drug trafficking ring that extended throughout Greater Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa. All of the following items were seized: Methamphetamine Cocaine Fentanyl LSD Marijuana. 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. The value of the seizure at that time was around $350 million which is the equivalent to $415 million in today's money. Federal charges have been filed against a man accused of selling large quantities of meth out of a hotel room in Grand Chute. Liebergen had a handgun in the waistband of his pants when he was arrested. This big drug bust is similar to the others because it's linked to -- you guessed it -- cocaine. Parks said Xiong's operation had the ability to move up to a pound of meth at a time in central Wisconsin. The case is being prosecuted in the Eastern District of Wisconsin. The Kenosha County Sheriff's Department said the county saw more than 40 fatal overdoses in 2021, primarily from fentanyl-laced narcotics. According to Duluth police, this ring sold an estimated $1 million worth of drugs between January and this month. The complaint says on April 10th police were called to the Menards Distribution Center in Eau Claire where employees found suspicious items in a semi-trailer. Authorities had not made the arrest public. 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. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. m. 158 people will eventually be charged with drug trafficking, according to Wood County Sheriff Tom Reichert. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Par Y. More information on those is expected to be released at a later date. 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. The arrest is detailed in documents filed in federal court. 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. He drove from Missouri to Northeast Wisconsin to sell the meth to lower-level dealers. Deputies also confiscated24grams of MDMA commonly known as the club drug "ecstasy" 64grams of hashish oil, 27grams of marijuana, 3.5grams of cocaine, illegally obtained prescription medication, drug paraphernalia and two guns. Sheriff Ron Cramer says this will go down as one of the largest seizures for cocaine in the area, This is the single largest seizure for us, actually, he explained. 3 arrested in largest meth bust in La Crosse police history Nearly 11 pounds of meth with street value of $124,000 seized "It's just kind of very brazen for sure," says Kinnard. The seizure by the Brown County Sheriff's Office of 10.68 pounds of. Kinnard believes the cartel sold it to Liebergen and made him believe it was something more powerful. They searched the vehicle and found a Glock 9 mm handgun under the driver's seat, according to the affidavit. Live PD: Top 7 Biggest Money Busts | A&E A&E 9.28M subscribers Subscribe 93K Share 15M views 2 years ago #LivePD Stay up to date on all of A&E's premieres at http://aetv.com/schedule Check out. Drug investigators executed multiple search warrants in September 2019. Authorities said they could not discuss specifics of the investigation. After examining the bags police found 68-pounds of cocaine totaling an estimated $3 million in street value. On Sept. 9, investigators met with a confidential source who had purchased "large quantities of methamphetamine" from Liebergen. DavidPoteat said. The department had seized 4.76 pounds in all of 2016. "This quantity was directed all over Northeast Wisconsin," says Sheriff Delain. Serrano admitted to be a meth user. 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. Pounds of meth found in a hotel room. 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. Duluth police say this is the largest drug bust in history for the region. 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. tv. The Kwik Trip was on Freedom Road (CTH S) in Lawrence. Drug task force officers who worked the largest meth bust in Northeast Wisconsin say the drugs came from the Mexico Drug Cartel and were trafficked from Missouri to Wisconsin. 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. WAUSAU- A Wausau-area methamphetamine distributionring was responsible for bringing "pounds" of the drug into central Wisconsin before authorities busted 16 people who were involved, U.S. Attorney Scott Blader said. The caller said that the vehicle, which was occupied by one person, was parked at the gas pumps for over an hour. Joshua . A pound can fetch up to $7,000. DaoThao, 39,St. Paul, Minnesota:possessing 50 grams or more of meth with intent to distribute. Liebergen is charged in federal court with Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances; Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Crime. A conviction on that charge carries a minimumof five years in prison. . The department also says Menards has no connection to the case and reported the incident to law enforcement right away. The Kenosha Drug Operations Group (KDOG) then initiated an investigation to identify the source of narcotics. The National Read Across America Day takes place every year on March 2, Geisels birthday. 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. "When he woke up, his hands came out of his pocket, and drug paraphernalia was visible.". Wisconsin Rapids and Port Edwards Police Department, and Wisconsin Rapids . A federal criminal complaint obtained by Action 2 News shows Derek A. Liebergen is accused of possession with intent to distribute in excess of 500 grams of "a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.". Police caught up with Liebergen at a Grand Chute hotel. They searched the vehicle and found a Glock 9 mm handgun under the driver's seat, according to the affidavit. However, where exactly the load came from is still under investigation. They had to revamp their strategy, which led to the successful end of this drug operation. 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