Conventional thinking was that major smuggling originated in big cities like New York, Atlanta, or Chicago; however, David Forbes with the IRS and Claude McDonald with Customs received enough tips and rumors over the years to believe the culprits were closer to home. He was an assistant United States attorney at the time. As a true crime community, we promote civil discussions surrounding the alleged crimes of Alex Murdaugh and related entanglements. Email him at mark@fitsnews.com. These are low level dealers. Even though task force members cooperated with one another, their superiors sometimes tried to throw up turf-related roadblocks. The Delhi Police on Wednesday destroyed over 2,800 kgs of . The theory would hold more weight if there were rumors or gossip of drug use coming out of the woodwork, but I dont think any have come to light. He was joined at a news conference in Columbia by S.C. State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) chief Mark Keel and other authorities. Published: Oct. 24, 2022 at 3:06 AM PDT | Updated: Oct. 24, 2022 at 6:55 AM PDT YORK COUNTY, S.C. (WBTV) - The York County sheriff provided more information Monday on a huge drug bust. It is a drop in the bucket. 63 people face drug charges after South Carolina investigation Posted: Mar 31, 2021 / 03:00 PM EDT Updated: Mar 31, 2021 / 03:08 PM EDT SPARTANBURG, S.C. (WSPA) - Sixty-three people are facing. Also, these arrests are reportedly just the beginning of a much broader investigation . Methinks a killer(s) may be among those photos?! Drug traffickers used a Mexican eatery and taco trucks to transport drugs around South Carolina, state prosecutors said Wednesday. Taco trucks used as part of South Carolina drug trafficking operation Other choices included an abandoned oyster shelling company on Hilton Head and West Bank Plantation on Edisto Island, owned by Ella Seabrook, grandmother of Barry and Les friend, Skip Sanders. South Carolina prosecutors have announced its biggest drug bust in state history, with 100 defendants facing nearly 500 charges. Drug Bust: Latest News, Photos, Videos on Drug Bust - NDTV.COM Christian K-8 school last year declared that 'we stand with the LGBTQIA+ community and believe in their holiness.' On the other side are the avengers the scores of investigators and prosecutors that read like a whos who of South Carolina legal minds. The third island resident was identified as Kathy G. Gerald, 39. Make sure you see our stories daily directly to your inbox. Unbeknownst to his grandmother, Skip charged the smugglers a fee to offload their product there. They would of been BUSTED. We are forever indebted to his brave service and pray that he will Rest In Peace.. While law enforcement had tried to catch the smugglers in the past and, in a few instances, succeeded, they were hampered in the 1970s by unsophisticated or nonexistent equipment, insufficient support, and the miles and miles of South Carolina shoreline. South Carolina partnered with Georgia and federal authorities to make the drug bust. Press J to jump to the feed. March 3 (UPI) -- A 7-year-old Louisiana boy with a firm grasp of baseball rules is seeking a Guinness World Record as the world's youngest umpire. They learned they could make more money if they obtained their product from Colombia rather than Jamaica. Daniel said the cocaine could have been sold for about $100 million if processed into crack. Others, including Barry and Les, were harder to bring in. Bob Byers got a 25-year sentence plus eight years for his escape. A 30-month long ordeal ensued as the Australian court wrestled with whether the two could be extradited on a drug kingpin charge. Its the most amazing story going on in law enforcement in the United States today, said Henry at the time. Illegal drugs,. Got a tip or a story idea for Mark? Les and another defendant, Wally Butler, were found living in Australia and arrested on May 5, 1983. Id want to see the actual lab result before I believed it. A trusted neighbor is on top of a 20-foot ladder in . U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency officials have filed a criminal complaint against four South Carolina men accused of operating a "clandestine" drug lab in a residential neighborhood near Lake. District of South Carolina | 34-Count Federal Indictment Charges 12 Politics. Les and Barry considered marijuana a nearly legal product. Finally, having an accessible and secluded place to offload was vital. Theres no way theyd have the gumption to kill Maggie and Paul. According to arrest records, 33-year-old Geoffrey Sears was charged with manufacturing marijuana while 39-year-old Jonathan Sears was charged with possession with intent to distribute and a separate charge of possession with intent to distribute in close proximity to a school. Asheville Police arrest 4 on multiple drug charges - WHNS While Columbia police referenced an ongoing investigation in the statement they provided to the Post and Courier, the paper declined to provide its readers with any additional information as to what that inquiry might entail. . Operation Pentagon : r/MurdaughFamilyMurders - reddit The. SEE IT: Bidens message to Zelenskyy written in Ukraine Royal Palace guest book, Twitter 2023 USSA News, The Tea Party's Front Page. McGowan is accused. Its much more organized, as seen in this case. Defendant Kelli Edwards allegedly fled in October 2022. If you engage in this illicit type of activity, drug trafficking, youre going to eventually get busted and were going to put you away, Wilson said. To cut costs, Amazon delays completion of second headquarters, closes retail stores, 'Saving Private Ryan,' 'True Romance' actor Tom Sizemore dead at 61, Dozens killed, injured as Jakarta fuel depot fire engulfs neighborhood, Migrant woman dies after U.S. Coast Guard stops vessel carrying 54, 3 children killed, 2 hospitalized in North Texas domestic incident. Bob Byers died in 2004. A South Carolina sheriff's office has concluded a one-year investigation into a major drug operation that saw them seizing enough fentanyl to kill around 15 million people. They reportedly were part of a drug trafficking organization that operating in Pickens, Greenville, Laurens, Anderson, and Oconee Counties. South Carolina Grand Jury Indicts 43 In 'Las Senoritas' Drug Ring His upbringing was typical of the South, with plenty of time spent hunting, fishing, and escorting the occasional debutante. As with anyone accused of committing any crime, the Sears are considered innocent until proven guilty by our criminal justice system or until such time as they may wish to enter some form of allocution in connection with a plea agreement with prosecutors related to any of the charges which have been filed against them. Related: Search warrant leads to seizure of more than 30 kilograms of fentanyl in York County. In the 1970s, kingpins and Columbia natives Les Riley and Barry Foy smuggled an astounding amount of marijuana and hashish into South Carolina, equating $1.8 billion in today's dollars. Deputies seize more than 90 pounds of marijuana during drug bust at He has other friends that have died as well. After serving as U.S. attorney, attorney general, and lieutenant governor, Henry McMaster ascended to South Carolinas governorship in 2017 and was elected to his first full term in November 2018. Got a technical question or a glitch to report? Some even volunteered to come along, enticed by the idea of cruising the Caribbean and returning on mattresses of marijuana bales. Charleston Cutter James offloads $1.4B in illegal drugs, the largest in https://www.augustachronicle.com/story/news/local/hampton-county-guardian/2021/07/23/county-wide-operation-pentagon-nets-least-18-arrests-h-c/8075562002/. But where are the principals in this drama now? Lt. Robert Stewart became Chief of SLED, and Cam Currie became a U.S. District Court judge. With a heavy heart, we announce the untimely loss of a longtime employee, Sergeant Kevin Forsberg, who passed away on Friday, January 27, 2023, Sheriff Tony wrote. To source the best marijuana, Barry partnered with another smuggler named Bob the Boss Byers, who took Barry into the mountains of Colombia to meet farmers directly. Last week, deputies seized more than 30,000 grams of the drug fentanyl from a home on Golden Pond Drive in Clover. Overdue book returned to Massachusetts library after 56 years. The case was investigated by the South Carolina State Grand Jury, which was assisted in this case by a partnership of the Attorney Generals State Grand Jury Division, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, the South Carolina Department of Corrections Office of the Inspector General, the Greenville County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit, the Thirteenth Circuit Solicitors office, Anderson County Sheriffs Office, Pickens County Sheriffs Office, Spartanburg County Sheriffs Office, Easley Police Department, Abbeville County Sheriffs Office, and the Oconee County Sheriffs Office. That is apparently the maximum for the possession with intent to distribute fentanyl drug charges. WALTERBORO, S.C. (WCSC/Gray News) - The jury in the Alex Murdaugh murder trial has convicted the disbarred Lowcountry attorney of murdering his wife and son. The Lowcountry paper only got part of the story, though . Hes an incredible person to me of course. Im thinking serious cartel and/ or gang bosses who are higher up. Another tip came through phone numbers salvaged from a suspected drug boat scuttled in the Edisto River. Alleged drug traffickers in South Carolina used taco trucks to transport pounds of meth, cocaine and heroin, state prosecutors said Wednesday. Feds charge 9 with drug charges after 2-year investigation - Live 5 News On Wednesday, a Durham man was arrested after a chase hitting 120 mph and the "Gray Death" drug was found, deputies say. The payday for smugglers was double that of marijuana. Got a tip for a story? Copyright 2022 WBTV. 'In layman's terms, this is enough cocaine for every man, woman, and child in South Carolina to get high at least one time,' he said. Because of lax drug coastal patrols, hometown familiarity and a plethora of inlets, South Carolina was the gentlemen smugglers' most frequent destination for offloading drugs. Between February 1, 2021, and December 14, 2022, law enforcement seized over 25 kilograms of methamphetamine (with a street value of approximately $800,000) and 30 guns as part of this investigation. <p>Pounds of various drugs were transported by taco trucks owned by a restaurant as part of a large drug-dealing operation in South Carolina, state authorities said Wednesday.</p> J. The trucks run by Mexican restaurant Los Primos. This is absolutely the pill of death, said Patty Roberts, a mother who lost her son to a fentanyl death. RALEIGH, N.C. Federal authorities have arrested 21 people at the University of North Carolina, Duke University and Appalachian State University in connection with a "large drug network" bust . document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); South Carolina Grand Jury Indicts 43 In Las Senoritas Drug Ring, Senate Panel Advances Certificate Of Need Repeal, Murdaugh Murders Media Coverage: Access Issues Debated, Child Sexual Assault Allegations Rock Midlands South Carolina Murder Case, Greg Leon Murder Case: Perjury Charge Filed, SLED Agent Incapacitated On Witness Stand After Reported Drug Exposure, LIVE FEED Murdaugh Murders Trial: Alex Murdaugh Sentencing Hearing, Murdaugh Murders Trial: Alex Murdaugh Guilty On All Counts, O.J. Bob Byers was caught in Antigua by DEA agent Dewey Greager and David Forbes, who posed as buyers of his $900,000 sailboat, La Cautiva. SC grand jury indicts 34 accused in 2-state drug ring - Live 5 News The 1981 South Carolina Drug Smuggling Bust In The Edisto River #truec The Hilton Head Island residents were identified as David A. Childs Jr., 38, and Lynn G. Paul, 40. All Rights Reserved. They felt guns were unnecessary and, in fact, invited violence. Assistant United States Attorneys Cam Currie, Bob Jendron, Cam Littlejohn, and Bart Daniel assisted in the effort both by helping with asset identification and seizure and with prying criminals out of the countries where they were hiding. Barry Toombs and at least five other fugitives holed up in Costa Rica were eventually extradited in February 1983. Click this link for the original source of this article. Pastor shoved out door, knocked flat on his back after protesting library's drag queen event for children. North Carolina. As native South Carolinians, they did not take long to settle on the lush Carolina coast, with its virtually endless waterways and, in the 1970s, undeveloped seclusion. Forty-three co-conspirators are charged with Trafficking Methamphetamine, 400 Grams or More (Conspiracy), which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years and a maximum sentence of 30 years. U.S Attorney E. Bart Daniel said the half-ton of uncut cocaine valued at $10 million was the largest confiscation of drugs in South Carolina history. After a drug bust in South Carolina, 34 people are facing charges, according to the press release from the South Carolina attorney general. Coast Guard Cmdr. Les and Barry enjoy a ride on a fishing boat with Barry displaying a bag of pot. By working with our partners at SLED and local agencies, were able to investigate and prosecute complex trafficking conspiracies like this one and defend the rule of law.. South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh was sentenced to life in prison without parole Friday, a day after he was convicted of murder in the shooting deaths of his wife and son. Recent bookings, Arrests, Mugshots in South Carolina - Recently Booked News of these arrests was first sent to our tip line early Friday morning and FITSNews sent a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the city seeking information related to the arrests over the weekend. Barry was apprehended at the LaGuardia airport wearing a full-length mink coat. Rest easy, hero. A drop in the bucket compared to whats out there, she said. Piece by piece, the task force identified a web of drug smugglers, half of whom were South Carolina natives. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina and before that he was a bass player and a dive bar bouncer. Our hearts go out to Sergeant Kevin Forsbergs family, friends and colleagues at Broward Sheriffs Office where he served in the BSOs Homicide Unit. In January 1981, Ronald Reagan became president and promoted a stiff policy on drugs. 170 charges filed against defendants linked to Mexican cartel . All rights reserved. Thats so many kids that could have died. One of the hottest rumors in Hampton county, South Carolina at the moment is that a massive drug bust orchestrated last month by sheriff Thomas "T.C." Smalls is somehow tied to a brutal double homicide that took place in early June at a hunting compound owned by one of the Palmetto State's most prominent families. The Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office announced that three people were recently charged after over 20 pounds of methamphetamine was found during a narcotics investigation. Given their standards and their college educations, the two men were nicknamed the Gentlemen Smugglers.. He spent his free time his senior year burning up the road between Columbia and Key West, where he worked as a doorman and eventually met his partner in crime, Barry Foy, in 1973. Especially, when it is quite literally close to home. First Published: 1:00 PM PDT, May 19, 2022 Officials seized paraphernalia in South Carolina and Georgia, leading to 34 individuals facing charges. . Firefighters hoist horse stranded in backyard swimming pool. The cocaine was found in secret compartments aboard a twin-masted, 47-foot sailing yacht named the 'Arc.'. 2022 Blaze Media LLC. The man, now-identified as Detric McGowan, was arrested Tuesday morning in a U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) drug bust, reports CBS South Carolina affiliate WSPA-TV. Could a rash of recent date rapes in this college town be the focus of city polices ongoing investigation?. Back then, the U.S. Attorneys Office had little security and nothing to keep someone from walking off the street and into a prosecutors office. The two men were nicknamed "the Gentlemen Smugglers" given their standards and college education. While both men delegated sailing and offloading to others early on, they enjoyed the thrill of smuggling and the lifestyle it afforded them, and they were always in search of a bigger adventure. In college at the University of South Carolina, Les was known to take his dates to the roof of Cornell Arms to smoke marijuana and enjoy the sunset. Their synergy was really something.. South Carolina Drug Bust Found Drugs Allegedly Being Sold From OCDETF plays a key role in the Attorney General's strategy to reduce the availability of illicit narcotics nationwide by identifying, disrupting, and dismantling drug traffickers, money . According to investigators, the large drug operation trafficked in more than 1,000 kilograms of methamphetamine, or more than 2,200 pounds. The product was better and fetched a higher price. The longest sentence went to Lee Harvey, who received 40 years for drug smuggling, possession of machine guns and silencers, intimidation of a grand jury witness, and racketeering, among other charges. Dubbed "Operation Pentagon," the investigation targeted the distribution of heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine and crack cocaine that has "plagued" the county, Smalls said. We have an open microphone policy here at FITSNews! On Monday (March 8) South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson said that, so far, 100 people are facing 297 counts and 487 charges total, News 19 reports. King World Productions Inc. 2023 Inside Edition Inc. and CBS interactive Inc., Paramount companies. The task force, in concert with the U.S. Attorneys Office, worked to bring the Gentlemen Smugglers and their associates to justice. According to Governor McMaster, The task force decided to use that publicity to let them know we were coming. Some smugglers quickly surrendered or were easily arrested and took plea deals in exchange for testifying against their co-defendants. These losers may have been the only people left in the county who would hang out with Paul. One of President Reagans earliest actions, on recommendation of Sen. Strom Thurmond, was to appoint Henry McMaster as South Carolinas United States attorney. Within a short time, the men identified Barry as someone who recently used cash for a large land purchase. Bob Duncan said, 'It will be studied in law enforcement academies for many semesters on how this went so smoothly. In college at the University of South Carolina, Les was known to take his dates to the roof of. His upbringing was typical of the South, with plenty of time spent hunting, fishing, and escorting the occasional debutante. Judge Hawkins died in 2005, Dewey Greager in 2017, and Cam Littlejohn in 2018. Police in Costa Rica Seize 4.3 Tons of Cocaine, 2nd-Largest Drug Bust in Country's History, Month-Long Operation Ends in Huge California Drug Bust as $1.19 Billion in Marijuana Is Seized, Argentine Cops Bust Drug Ring Allegedly Using Fake World Cup Trophies to Smuggle Drugs, 26 Tons Of Cocaine Seized Offshore In Historic U.S. Drug Smuggling Bust. They owned homes on St. Barthlemy and drank copious amounts of expensive wine. Charlestons famous restaurant, 82 Queen, was seized as well. Representatives from various federal agencies, such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Agency, United States Customs, and the IRS, were invited to a meeting in Columbia to form a task force along with SLED. Medical Marijuana bill passes NC Senate; some cannabis supporters against bill, Re-using the cheater beans from breakfast for dinner with Chef Elizabeth, Product Test: Elissia and Caroline try out bundt cake pan with removable bottom, The Best of Charlotte Bridal Show at Camp North End on March 19th, Licensed counselor Felice Hightower talks impact of Social Media Algorithms, PLAN AHEAD: Latest Weather Forecast Video. This content is courtesy of, and owned and copyrighted by, https://bluelivesmatter.blue and its author. What is the talk on the street? We decided to figure out who they were and catch them at home. With this new approach. Under South Carolina law, trafficking in cocaine is a felony punishable by a prison term of between 25 and 30 years, no part of which may be suspended nor probation granted and a fine of up to $200,000. [1] Known as the 'gentlemen smugglers' because of their college educations and aversion to violence, Foy, Riley and their associates regularly sailed drug-laden boats from Jamaica, Colombia and Lebanon through the marshes of the Eastern Seaboard. Henry immediately sought to attack drug smuggling at the highest levels of the trade. The York County. Operation Jackpot was also one of the first federal task forces to combine investigators from a variety of federal agencies, including the Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Customs, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Customs Patrol.
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