On Sunday, Coos County Sheriff's deputies and medical personnel responded to a report of an overdose, and the patient was taken to Bay Area Hospital where they later died. (Oregon State Police) The drug bust comes less than two weeks after Oregon Congressman. Detectives also seized 2,800 pounds of processed marijuana, two pistols and an AR-15 rifle. Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. Daily Weather Forecast Since the enforcement team was created, investigators have found illegal marijuana grows diverted or stole significant water from nearby homes and farms, or directly from pumps connected to underground water sources, Vander Kamp said. This information will be provided to the assigned prosecutors, and they will make the charging decisions.". Vander Kamp said several million dollars worth of marijuana was being growth in the extraordinary, very sophisticated operation. 2 min read Methamphetamine, heroin, pills, cash and guns seized by Salem police. Most of the drugs were in packaging bearing the suspect's moniker, MCSO said. Subscriber offer:Support local journalism that makes a difference in the community. EUGENE The U.S. Attorney's office in Oregon announced Monday that authorities had made the largest methamphetamine bust in the state's history, seizing drugs with a street value of more than. However, our investigators chose to handle this unusual situation more as a humanitarian effort, to ensure their safety and well-being. Central Oregon Daily is a subsidiary of Telephone and Data Systems, Inc., recognized as a Fortune 1000 2017 company. Manzo-Negrete was charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. As you can imagine, many feared retaliation or punishment from the grow owners after the raid and chose to leave the area. The joint operation was led by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and yielded 384 pounds of meth, stolen . Efforts to reach an attorney for him werent immediately successful. All Rights Reserved. BUELLTON, SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 2: Workers harvest cannabis plants at the Raw Garden cannabis farm in Buellton, California on October 2, 2018. Oregon State Police found over 500,000 pounds of illegal marijuana in a warehouse in White City. Oregon State Police officers seized $500 million in marijuana Thursday during a single drug bust in Jackson County, Oregon. The bust included more than 10,000 pills including Xanax and Valium as well as recreational drugs. We are still processing evidence from this week and expect more arrests will soon follow," Vander Kamp concluded. CNN At a time when legalized marijuana sales are rising nationally, state police in Oregon last week seized 500,000 pounds of illegal marijuana in a bust outside Medford, Oregon, that. Efforts to reach an attorney for him werent immediately successful. October 4, 2021. Subscribe today! Share. (Photo by Philip Cheung for The Washington Post via Getty Images). MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - Members of the Dane Co. Narcotics Task Force seized hundreds of grams of methamphetamine and thousand of dollars in cash during a drug bust Monday at an Oregon home.. The alleged leader Martin Manzo-Negrete, 47, of Eugene, and four of his associates were arrested during acoordinated operation Sept 15 led by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration with help from local agencies. 2023 Cable News Network. Deputies executed a search warrant at an apartment unit in the Wimbledon Court Apartments in Southeast Portland, as well as a storage unit, on Oct. 28, MCSO said in a press release on Monday. He was arrested that day and lodged at the Crook County Adult Jail. WHITE CITY, Ore. The largest marijuana bust in Oregon history right here in Jackson County. MEDFORD, Ore. - A suspect is behind bars after a heroin bust in Medford. This is a very involved investigation and will be ongoing for several weeks, officials said in a statement. During the course of the investigation, detectives were able to identify several components of the operation, some of which included the individuals involved as well as different locations of interest. The alleged associates include Eugene residents Gustavo Manzo-Mares, 45;Candice Barrett, 52;John Willis, 59;and Nathan Daniels, 46. Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. 1 min read Police last week seized roughly 500,000 pounds of. Our website uses cookies to improve your experience. The case agent has collected all of their information and individual roles at the scene. Vander Kamp said law enforcement had been watching the property for two years, but that now was the time to conduct the raid due to its impacts on the community. The four associates arrested also facedfederal drug charges, according to the DOJ. In her final months working in the Las Vegas area, she was recognized for her journalism achievements by the Nevada Broadcaster's Foundation. The suspected leader of a drug-trafficking group in Eugene was arrested last month, resulting in 384 pounds of methamphetamine being seized the largestmeth bust in Oregon history, according to a U.S. Department of Justice news release Monday. Learn more about Barney here. Efforts to reach an attorney for him werent immediately successful. In last weeks bust, police said that OSP, Drug Enforcement Administration and officers from local law enforcement agencies seized the large cache of marijuana and a gun over two days. EUGENE, Ore. (AP) The U.S. Attorneys office in Oregon announced Monday that authorities had made the largest methamphetamine bust in the states history, seizing drugs with a street value of more than $1 million. ALFALFA, Ore. (KTVZ) 'Millions of dollars worth of marijuana,' Central Oregon drug detectives, assisted by the Deschutes County Sheriffs Office SWAT Team, raided and dismantled a 30-acre illegal marijuana grow in Alfalfa operated by a Mexican drug cartel, seizing more than 9,200 plants in whats likely the largest such bust in county history, deputies said Friday. The news arrives just a few days afterJackson County Sheriff Nathan Sickler, while testifyingbefore a committee of the Oregon Legislature, announcedthat the rapidgrowth of illegal marijuana farmsin southern Oregon has caused the crime rate to go through the roof. Over 100 people were also detained during the investigation. (RELATED: $1.7 Million Worth Of Washed Up Cocaine, 62 Pounds Of Marijuana Found In Florida Keys). "And it kind of turned our criminal investigation into now more of a humanitarian mission. Vander Kamp said detectives expect more arrests, after more follow-up investigations. DEA and Eugene police began investigating the group in October 2020 for its role in trafficking meth from California to Oregon for resale inLane County, the release states. Manzo-Negrete was charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Our editorial content is not influenced by any commissions we receive. Also, illegal marijuana farms such as this often use pesticides and insecticides that threaten residential water supplies and endanger users. Katie went to the Hank Greenspun School of Journalism & Media Studies at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The Oregon State Police Southwest Region (OSP) Drug Enforcement Section team served a search warrant Thursday at five industrial-sized warehouses in White City, Oregon, police said. Four other people were also arrested on federal drug charges. Attorneys office in Oregon. Due to these operations being unregulated, they pose dangers to the public and environment, Vander Kamp said in Friday's news release. >> Read more trending news A fifth associate, Frank Buehler, 52, remains at large, according to the release. Federal agents say they seized 384 pounds of methamphetamine the largest seizure in Oregon history during a September drug trafficking investigation in Lane County. And very few people are getting into treatment . CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. Overloaded electrical wiring has caused fires in other grow facilities, Vander Kamp said. The nearly $46 billion in sales would make the cannabis industry larger than the craft beer industry, said Chris Walsh, chief executive officer and president of MJBizDaily. The joint operation was led by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and yielded 384 pounds of meth, stolen guns and more than $76,000 in cash. She also hosted and produced the university's political news show, where she interviewed Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak and Congresswoman Dina Titus (NV-1). It is certainly an issue we deal with on a daily basis here.. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. They were found living in primitive wooden structures and dome tents, with limited clean-water sources and dumping wastewater directly into the soil. Learn more about: Privacy Policy, NBC5 News reporter Katie Streit comes from her hometown, Las Vegas. Feel free to contact her at, 2022-23 NFL Sunday Night Football schedule, Oregon State Police investigating the largest bust in Oregon history, Weed HS girls basketball wins first section title, Brookings PD officer resigns after council votes to reinstate city manager, In the race to store renewable energy, a Northwest lab is inching closer. "We have received several inquires asking why the migrants were not being arrested. Talent taproom brims with cider, beer, food, fun, PREP ROUNDUP: Challengers push win streak to 8, SOU names Berk Brown as new head football coach, Survey: Oregonians support forest projects, Why we should pass the Afghan Adjustment Act, Live Rogue Valley music, MLK Day celebrations& more: Jan. 13, Jackson Creek Pizza has been serving up the pie for 20 years, Adam Rich, former 'Eight Is Enough' child star, dies at 54, US approves Alzheimer's drug that modestly slows disease, Plan for success with planting calendar for vegetable gardens, Updated: Court documents revealed the organization, led by suspect Luis Antonio Beltran Arrendondo, 32, of Las Vegas, had been under investigation by Drug Enforcement Agents since fall 2021.. After receiving information that a large amount of drugs would be . Entertainment PORTLAND, Ore. Multnomah County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) deputies uncovered thousands of illegal pills and drugs, as well as several firearms, during an investigation into a 41-year-old Portland man last week. WHITE CITY, Ore. - The largest marijuana bust in Oregon history right here in Jackson County. Oct. 2, 2019 2:24 p.m. U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon Billy Williams announced a 60-count indictment Wednesday against 41 defendants, who he said conspired to distribute methamphetamine . Detectives investigated further and discovered over 85 - 30 foot by 100-foot . PORTLAND, Ore. Authorities in Oregon said "an epic amount" of illegal, processed marijuana was confiscated on Thursday, with more than 500,000 pounds seized. RELATED: Feds announce biggest meth bust in Oregon's history. EUGENE, Ore. (AP) The U.S. Attorneys office in Oregon announced Monday that authorities had made the largest methamphetamine bust in the states history, seizing drugs with a street value of more than $1 million. Four other people were also arrested on federal drug charges. Police said over 100 people who lived in sub-par conditions with no running water were detained, identified, interviewed, and then released OSP worked alongside multiple agencies in this operation, including Jackson, Josephine, and Klamath County Sheriffs Drug Teams. This is a very involved investigation and will be ongoing for several weeks, OSP said in a news release. Katie is excited to tell the stories of local Southern Oregonians and Northern Californians. Daily News Updates You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here. Thursdays raid by detectives with the Deschutes County Illegal Marijuana Enforcement Team concluded a long-term investigation involving the large-scale outdoor marijuana grow near Dodds and Alfalfa Market roads, Sergeant Kent Vander Kamp said. KTVZ-TV FCC Public File | FCC Applications |, Breaking News So our goal is to kind of identify the 'head of the snake' and work our way to find out where that person is.". About 500,000 pounds of illegal, processed marijuana with a street value of at least $500 million was seized in a combined investigation in White City, Oregon, November 18, 2021 (OSP) The arrest of a West Salem man Tuesday led to the seizure of 28 pounds of. EUGENE, Ore. (AP) The U.S. Attorney's office in Oregon announced Monday that authorities had made the largest methamphetamine bust in the state's history, seizing drugs with a street value of more than $1 million. Vander Kamp also provided this statement about the workers on Saturday: "We assisted the migrant workers to collect their property and load vehicles during the late afternoon after the search warrant. Severe Weather Some laborers fled onto neighboring property, he said, but offered no resistance when contacted by detectives. PORTLAND, Ore. Authorities in Oregon said "an epic amount" of illegal, processed marijuana was confiscated on Thursday, with more than 500,000 pounds seized. Police executed a search warrant Thursday at a location that included five warehouses full of marijuana, according to an Oregon State Police Facebook post. EUGENE The U.S. Attorneys office in Oregon announced Monday that authorities had made the largest methamphetamine bust in the states history, seizing drugs with a street value of more than $1 million. Learn more about Carly here. Thecase was investigated by the DEA with assistance from Springfield and Eugene police, andthe Linn Interagency Narcotics Enforcement team. Complex Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Manzo-Negrete was charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Police estimate the street value of the haul to be around $500 million. By Tori B. Powell July 9, 2021 / 10:14 AM / CBS News Authorities in Southern California have seized more than 16 tons of marijuana worth an estimated $1.19 billion, Los Angeles County Sheriff's. Contact him atlkrauss@registerguard.com, and follow him on Twitter@LouisKraussNews. Four Oregon men were arrested after investigators said they were found with methamphetamine inside their vehicles. During the search of his 2013 white Ford pickup, detectives located 1/2 pound of meth, as well as evidence of the sales and manufacturing in the vehicle. In September 2011, Portland Police netted the largest drug bust in the bureau's history. Manzo-Negrete has been detained pending future court proceedings. Packaged marijuana found during a raid on warehouses in White City, Oregon, on Nov. 18, 2021. The search warrant led to seizure of 9,227 marijuana plants in various stages of growth in 49 greenhouses, he said. Federal and local police say they arrested the leader of a drug trafficking cell, 47-year-old Martin Manzo-Negrete, on Sept. 15 in Eugene. U.S. Attorneys Office photo. Members of both the Crook County Sheriffs Office and the Prineville Police Department assisted CODE detectives throughout this investigation, which also included narcotics K-9 Jett from the Crook County Sheriffs Office. (Update: More details on migrant workers' status), Detectives say most laborers were Mexican nationals illegally trafficked into US, forced to work. Photo courtesy Salem Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Feds announce biggest meth bust in Oregon's history By AP . Updated: Sep 26, 2021 / 05:04 PM PDT Salem police said on Sept. 26, 2021 that officers found thousands of fraudulent oxycodone pills and methamphetamine during a drug bust. Kale Williams | The Oregonian/OregonLive Sheriff's deputies seized a massive amount of drugs, more than a dozen guns and tens of thousands in cash after they raided a large-scale production. CNNs Alicia Wallace contributed to this report. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). September 2, 2021 Illegal Marijuana Enforcement Team detectives, which is comprised of multiple agencies including personnel from Jackson County Sheriff's Office, Medford Police Department, and a number of other agencies, served multiple search warrants on two black-market marijuana grow sites in as many days. Contests & Promotions, City of Bend postpones planned March 16 clearing of Hunnell Road camps; county says not needed for road project, ABCs and EVs: Bend-La Pine Schools rolls out Oregons first electric school bus east of the Cascades. Oct 04, 2021 10:40 AM, SOU president gets feedback on realignment plan, Oregon will begin processing 2022 state income tax returns Jan. 23, Man sentenced in connection with beating death, Since You Asked: Panera Bread on track for early 2023 opening. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. This investigation and subsequent seizure of dried, processed Marijuana is one of the largest in Oregon State Police history and highlights the enormity of the critical issue in Southern Oregon, an Oregon State Police spokesperson told the Daily Caller in a statement. COMPLEX participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means COMPLEX gets paid commissions on purchases made through our links to retailer sites. A large police operation aimed at drug trafficking in Central Oregon recently took down several people suspected of supplying the region with heroin and methamphetamine. Central Oregon Daily 2023. The joint operation was led by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and yielded 384 pounds of meth, stolen guns and more than $76,000 in cash. Share This Story COMMENT . Police said on Tuesday, June 8, investigators with the Medford Area Drug and Gang Enforcement team gathered in the 2800 block of Spring Hills Drive to serve a search warrant at the home of 33-year-old Marquis Devon Akins. In addition to the massive amount of marijuana discovered atthe scene, Oregon State Police said its Drug Enforcement Section team foundmore than100 individuals, several of which were migrant workers living on-site in subpar living conditions without running water. Manzo-Negrete has been detained pending future court proceedings. The seizure comes at a time when legalized marijuana is flourishing. "I don't think we were expecting to walk into a facility of that large of an operation, and there were a lot of people there," he told NewsChannel 21. Federal and local police say they arrested the leader of a drug trafficking cell, 47-year-old Martin Manzo . Federal and local police say they arrested the leader of a drug trafficking cell, 47-year-old Martin Manzo-Negrete, on Sept. 15 in Eugene. They found more than 6,000 Xanax tablets, nearly 2,000 Valium tablets, 1,000 doses of LSD, three pounds of psilocybin mushrooms, two pounds of marijuana, more than 100 grams of heroin, 80 grams of methamphetamine, 150 suspected fentanyl pills and "various other illicit drugs," as well as four illegal firearms. >> Read more trending news Weve had stabbings, robberies, thefts, burglaries, homicides, sex crimes, motor vehicle accidents, DUIs, all related to the influx of the marijuana-cannabis industry in our in our valley, Sickler said. This grow site used groundwater and maintained a complex watering system that supplied several on-site 15,000 to 20,000-gallon cisterns, he said. Cannabis is one industry that's actually coming out of Covid even stronger. Approximately 500,000 pounds of marijuana were found over the two-day investigation. Louis Krauss covers breaking news for The Register-Guard. Credit: Multnomah County Sheriff's Office, Rain returns today, along with mountain snow, Marshals arrest man for his alleged role in July 2022 homicide at MAX platform, March outlook shows cold weather likely to continue for next couple of weeks, Feds announce biggest meth bust in Oregon's history, Clear links between illegal marijuana grows in Southern Oregon and Mexican cartels. Information was developed that there was potentially an illegal marijuana grow at a 150-acre property on Harpold Road. Over 100 people were also detained during the investigation. Oregon legalized recreational marijuana in 2015. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. Carly Keenan is a multimedia journalist and producer for NewsChannel 21. OSP will be releasing more information when available.. The meth was transported in large quantities by car from Southern California to Oregon where it was stored and distributed, the DOJ said. Did you encounter any technical issues? appreciated. KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. Oct. 9, 2021 10:26 a.m. KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. (AP) Deputies stumbled into a significant illegal marijuana operation in southern Oregon this week, finding an amount of. Lt. Ken Mannix with CODE said one arrest was made back on Feb. 5 when 63-year-old Troutdale resident Brad Wakefield was contacted on a traffic stop near the intersection of NW Madras Hwy @ NW Ryegrass Rd. Drug overdose deaths hit an all-time high in 2021 with 1069, a 41% increase from 2020. "Our investigators found that while some of the migrants were working against their will or under duress, the marijuana cultivation, processing and trimming business can also be lucrative for 'contract' migrant workers. Officers executed federal search warrants at multiple locations in Lane County, and along with meth seized 14 firearms, some of which were stolen, according to the DOJ;and more than $76,000 in cash. Photo by NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP via Getty Images. OSP said investigators found that several of the individuals at the warehouses who were initially detained, identified, interviewed and released were migrant workers living on site. While in Las Vegas, Katie won a Student Emmy for her coverage of the Las Vegas Shooting Anniversary. The joint operation was led by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and yielded 384 pounds of meth, stolen guns and more than $76,000 in cash.