Drug Enforcement Administration

Honduran Nationals Accused of Running Fentanyl Trafficking Rings in Major U.S. Cities

December 31, 2023 Ohio Star Staff

Honduran nationals are running fentanyl trafficking rings in cities across the western part of the U.S., according to Willamette Week.

Law enforcement agencies have been investigating a cartel using “Honduran nationals to distribute bulk amounts of fentanyl…in the western United States,” according to Willamette Week, citing a criminal complaint filed Dec. 12 in U.S. District Court in Portland. The trafficking operations have been identified in Portland, Seattle, Oakland, Denver and Salt Lake City.

Newly Released January 6 Video Recordings Raise Questions as Supreme Court Prepares to Hear Riot Cases

November 20, 2023 Just the News

Capitol Police converse w citizens in the capitol on Jan 6

Newly released footage from the January 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot is raising new questions about the events that transpired and the subsequent criminal charges as the U.S. Supreme Court is set to decide whether to hear the first two January 6 appeals.

House Speaker Mike Johnson said Friday that he plans to release 44,000 hours of January 6 footage to the general public. The first batch containing about 90 hours of footage was released that day, and the remaining 44,000 hours are expected to be released over the next several months. Additionally, starting Monday, the House Administration Oversight Subcommittee will allow any U.S. citizen to review U.S. Capitol Police video footage from January 6 by scheduling an appointment to view the videos in person.

Ohio Attorney General Warns Drug Cases Involving Elephant Tranquilizer on the Rise

October 3, 2023 Kaitlin Housler

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost is urging Ohioans to take caution as Carfentanil, a lethal synthetic opioid, has reemerged in several drug cases across the state.

Ohio Manufacturers Urge No Vote on Recreational Marijuana Measure on November Ballot

August 31, 2023August 30, 2023 Hannah Poling

The Ohio Manufacturers’ Association urged Ohioans to vote “no” on a November ballot measure to legalize the possession, purchase, and sale of marijuana by Ohio residents aged 21 and older.

This follows the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association voting to oppose the ballot measure, now titled Issue 2 for the November general election, at a special meeting of its board of directors on Tuesday.

Ohio Ballot Board Approves Language of Recreational Marijuana Measure for November Election

August 29, 2023 Hannah Poling

The Ohio Ballot Board has approved the language for a November ballot measure to legalize the possession, purchase, and sale of marijuana by Ohio residents aged 21 and older.

The board approved the full ballot language as drafted by the Ohio Secretary of State’s office, now titled Issue 2 for the November general election unanimously without discussion.

Governor Mike DeWine Says Marijuana Legalization in Ohio Would Be a ‘Mistake’

August 24, 2023August 23, 2023 Hannah Poling

Governor Mike DeWine says that it would be a mistake if Ohioans passed a November ballot measure to legalize the possession, purchase, and sale of marijuana by Ohio residents aged 21 and older.

The proposed initiative for the November ballot submitted by The Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol aims to impose a 10 percent tax on the sale of all cannabis products, permit adults to grow up to six plants per person or 12 per household, and legalize the possession, purchase, and sale of marijuana by Ohio residents aged 21 and older.

Ohio Secretary of State Certifies Marijuana Legalization Initiative for November Ballot

August 22, 2023August 21, 2023 Hannah Poling

The Ohio Secretary of State’s office has certified that the additional signatures submitted by a coalition of marijuana legalization activists who want to legalize the possession, purchase, and sale of marijuana by Ohio residents aged 21 and older qualifies them for the November ballot.

The proposed initiative submitted by The Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol aims to impose a 10 percent tax on the sale of all cannabis products, permit adults to grow up to six plants per person or 12 per household, and legalize the possession, purchase, and sale of marijuana by Ohio residents aged 21 and older.

Ohio Coalition Forms in Opposition to November Adult-Use Marijuana Ballot Initiative

August 21, 2023 Hannah Poling

A broad coalition of Ohio leaders has joined together in order to defeat an attempt by marijuana legalization activists to put an initiative to legalize the purchase and sale of marijuana by Ohio residents aged 21 and older on the ballot in November.

The initial coalition represents respected leaders across children’s health care, business, veterans, and law enforcement institutions including Ohio Children’s Hospital Association, Ohio Adolescent Health Association, Buckeye Sheriffs Association, Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police, Ohio Fraternal Order of Police, Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association, Ohio Veterans First, Veterans Court Watch, Smart Approaches to Marijuana, State Senator Mark Romanchuk (R-Ontario), Former Ohio Republican Party Chair Jane Timken, Phillips Tube Group CEO Angela Phillips, and Smart Approaches to Marijuana CEO Kevin A. Sabet Ph.D.

Ohio Adult-Use Marijuana Activists Submit Additional Signatures for November Ballot

August 5, 2023August 4, 2023 Hannah Poling

A group of marijuana legalization activists delivered thousands of 6,545 additional signatures on Wednesday to the Ohio Secretary of State‘s Office in an attempt to put an initiative to legalize the purchase and sale of marijuana by Ohio residents aged 21 and older on the ballot in November. This follows…

Ohio Adult-Use Marijuana Activists Fail to Collect Enough Signatures for November Ballot

July 27, 2023July 26, 2023 Hannah Poling

On Tuesday, the Ohio Secretary of State’s office ruled that the petitions submitted by a coalition to legalize the purchase and sale of marijuana by Ohio residents aged 21 and older did not collect enough valid signatures to be put on the November ballot.

The Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol has proposed an initiative to impose a 10 percent tax on the sale of all cannabis products, permit adults to grow up to six plants per person or 12 per household, and legalize the possession, purchase, and sale of marijuana by Ohio residents aged 21 and older.

Ohio Adult-Use Marijuana Activists Submit Signatures for November Ballot Initiative

July 8, 2023July 7, 2023 Hannah Poling

A group of marijuana legalization activists delivered thousands of signatures to the Ohio Secretary of State’s office on Wednesday in an attempt to put an initiative to legalize the purchase and sale of marijuana by Ohio residents aged 21 and older on the ballot in November.

The Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol submitted 222,198 signatures to the Secretary of State’s office before the deadline to go before voters in November.

Ohio Lawmakers Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Legalize Adult-Use Cannabis

June 5, 2023June 4, 2023 Hannah Poling

A bipartisan group of Ohio lawmakers introduced a bill that would legalize adult-use cannabis in Ohio.

House Bill (HB) 168 known as the “Ohio Adult Use Act” sponsored by State Representatives Jamie Callender (R-Concord) and Casey Weinstein (D-Hudson) would permit Ohio residents over the age of 21 to grow, buy, and possess cannabis, as well as allow the expungement of conviction records for prior crimes involving cultivation and possession.

Ohio Marijuana Legalization Advocates Begin Collecting Signatures to Place Issue on November Ballot

May 9, 2023May 8, 2023 Hannah Poling

An activist-led petition for marijuana legalization in Ohio could be on the November ballot now that state lawmakers have declined to evaluate the change.

The 34-page bill proposed by The Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol aimed to impose a 10 percent tax on the sale of all cannabis products and legalize the possession, purchase, and sale of marijuana by Ohio residents aged 21 and older.

Ohio Narcotic Intelligence Center Warns People of Varying Forms of Fentanyl Found in State

April 19, 2023April 18, 2023 Hannah Poling

The Ohio Narcotics Intelligence Center (ONIC) has released a public safety notice in order to warn Ohioans of the various forms of fentanyl being found across the state.

According to ONIC Executive Director Cynthia Peterma, ONIC has found fentanyl in six different physical forms in Ohio, including powder, tablets, chalk, rocks, black tar, and gum. The various forms reported in Ohio contained fentanyl primarily mixed with other substances.

Mexican Leaders Mount ‘Deception Campaign’ to Deny Fentanyl Involvement as GOP Seeks Cartel Crackdown

March 20, 2023March 20, 2023 Admin

Mexico is running a “deception campaign” to deflect blame for America’s fentanyl epidemic as Republican lawmakers ramp up calls to target cartels, former Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Operations Division chief Derek Maltz told the Daily Caller News Foundation.

Top Mexican officials, including the country’s president Andres Manuel López Obrador, have in recent days attempted to shift the blame for fentanyl production in their country. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reported seizing 11,000 pounds of fentanyl between October 2022 and February 2023 at the southern border.

Agents Seize Record Amount of Methamphetamine During Columbus Investigation

January 13, 2023January 13, 2023 Hannah Poling

In what the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is describing as one of their biggest arrests in years, authorities recovered eight pounds of methamphetamine from a Columbus apartment and detained two people.

DEA agents in collaboration with officers from the Ohio State Highway Patrol raided the Columbus apartment on Wednesday. Inside, more meth was discovered than the DEA had ever found in a single arrest in Central Ohio.

Marijuana Legalization Petition for Ohio Legislature Resubmitted by Secretary of State for Four-Month Review

January 13, 2023January 12, 2023 Hannah Poling

An activist-led petition for marijuana legalization in Ohio has been formally resubmitted to the legislature by the Ohio Secretary of State, giving legislators four months to evaluate the change. Advocates may then gather more signatures to get the issue on the November ballot if legislators do not take action.

In a letter to legislative leaders, Secretary of State Frank LaRose stated that he had fulfilled his duty to introduce the reform proposal to the legislature on the first day of the new session and to begin the four-month timeframe for lawmakers to consider it.

China Using Fentanyl as Weapon in ‘Unrestricted Warfare’ Against US, Former DEA Special Ops Chief Says

January 10, 2023January 9, 2023 Just the News

A former top Drug Enforcement Administration official is warning that China is using the Mexican drug cartels to traffic fentanyl as part of a larger “unrestricted warfare” strategy to kill off America’s next generation and supplant the U.S. as the world’s preeminent power.

Derek Maltz, the agency’s former chief of special operations, told Just the News the Biden administration has strong evidence of how China markets the precursor ingredients for fentanyl to the cartels and where in Mexico the production labs are based. But, he said, the administration is allowing cartels to operate freely across the U.S. southern border to move drugs and earn billions of dollars trafficking humans to create new cash flow for their fentanyl supply networks, a scourge claiming more than 100,000 American lives a year.

Home Labs in Northeast Ohio Found to be Making Fentanyl-Laced Fake Prescription Pills

December 8, 2022December 7, 2022 Hannah Poling

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in Northeast Ohio found that individuals are setting up labs with pill presses to produce fentanyl pills inside their homes.

According to the DEA, generally in a lot of cases, cartels produced the pills in Mexico and then distributed them in the United States but now say they are finding a concerning trend where individuals are producing these dangerous drugs from local home laboratories.

Marijuana Decriminalization Ballot Measures Approved in Five Ohio Cities

November 15, 2022November 14, 2022 Hannah Poling

Activists in the state have been working to enact local cannabis reform over recent election cycles. While decriminalization did not qualify for every municipal ballot that advocates targeted for 2022, six Ohio cities voted on policy changes.

Five of the six Ohio cities approved local marijuana decriminalization ballot initiatives during the midterm election.

ADAMHS Board to Install Narcan Vending Machines in Northeast Ohio

November 11, 2022November 10, 2022 Hannah Poling

In order to help prevent fentanyl overdoses and lower the death toll in Northeast Ohio the Alcohol Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS) board are to install narcan vending machines throughout Cuyahoga County in the upcoming week.

In the next week, the board is rolling out five narcan vending machines across Cleveland and is also working on putting more than 400 weather-resistant narcan cabinets in public parks in the near future.

Border Agents Stop Driver Attempting to Smuggle More than Enough Fentanyl to Kill the Entire Population of San Diego

June 28, 2022June 27, 2022 Admin

Border Patrol agents in California on Monday seized enough fentanyl to kill over 2 million people. The population of San Diego is an estimated 1.4 million.

Agents in the El Centro border sector searched the vehicle at a highway checkpoint, where they found six black packages wrapped in cellophane hidden inside the car’s dashboard and air vents, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said Wednesday. The male driver, 53, and the female passenger, 27, in the car were both from Mexico and didn’t have the proper documents to be in the U.S.

CBP Officers Seize Enough Fentanyl to Kill over 12 Million People

June 27, 2022June 26, 2022 Admin

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the California-Mexico border recently made a single seizure of fentanyl with the potential to kill over 12 million people.

CBP officers stationed at the Calexico West Port of Entry searched a vehicle on June 6 coming in from Mexico, finding 43 packages of blue pills containing fentanyl hidden in the car’s gas tank, according to a Tuesday press release.

Border Authorities Seize Enough Fentanyl to Kill Millions

June 14, 2022June 13, 2022 Admin

Border authorities in Texas seized 22 pounds of fentanyl worth $339,300 that a smuggler was attempting to drive into the U.S. on Wednesday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) says that 2 milligrams of fentanyl can be enough to kill a person, 22 pounds is 9,979,032 milligrams. Applying the DEA’s own metrics, this means the latest seizure is enough to kill 4,989,516 people.

CBP’s Air and Marine Operations Interdicted 62 Tons of Drugs in First Three Months of Year

May 16, 2022May 15, 2022 The Center Square

Customs and Border Protection’s Air and Marine Operations interdicted 62 tons (124,000 pounds) of illicit drugs in the first three months of this year, CBP reports, working with international, federal, state and local partners.

“Collaboration keeps us all safer,” CBP Commissioner Chris Magnus said of their efforts. “CBP AMO works with U.S. and international partners to stem the flow of illicit narcotics. Through the end of March, AMO has contributed to the seizure of over 124,000 lbs of narcotics by partner agencies.”

Cartels Selling Fentanyl to Migrants, Locals in Northern Mexico

April 11, 2022April 10, 2022 Ohio Star Staff

As cartels continue to devastate American communities with fentanyl, they’re now finding more customers for the drug in northern Mexico, Noticias Telemundo reported.

Migrants and locals just south of the border, in areas like Tijuana, Mexico, are seeing more users on the streets turning to the drug, the report detailed.

Arizona Seizes Record Amount of Fentanyl, Now Cited as Leading Cause of Death of Young Americans

December 23, 2021 The Center Square

Authorities in Arizona seized $9 million worth of fentanyl pills in the state’s largest bust of the illicit drug – enough, they said, to kill half the population of Arizona.

The bust comes after a nonprofit group cites fentanyl as the leading cause of death among Americans between the age of 18 and 45. Arizona and Texas attorneys general and governors vowed to fight what they called the “lawlessness of the Biden administration,” which they argue is enabling fentanyl to be brought into the U.S. through its open border policies.

Mexican National Funneled Drug Money to Mexico Through Ohio Banks

December 17, 2021December 16, 2021 Peter D'Abrosca

A Mexican national this week was convicted of funneling drug profits through Ohio banks to a cartel in Mexico.

“Susana Ramirez Orozco pleaded guilty Monday to conspiracy to commit money laundering in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles,” according to Cleveland.com. “She served as a financial conduit between large-scale drug peddlers and the banks.”

U.S. Authorities Seize 1.8 Million Illicit Pills Laced with Fentanyl, Point to Social Media for Rising Drug Traffic

October 5, 2021October 4, 2021 Ohio Star Staff

U.S. authorities criticized social media for an uptick in drug trafficking following a massive seizure of over a million fentanyl-laced pills and hundreds of drug dealer arrests.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced Monday that it, alongside various law enforcement partners, seized over 1.8 million fake pills laced with fentanyl and arrested over 800 alleged drug dealers over the course of a two-month drug bust beginning in August. Authorities have criticized social media companies that have failed to stop the sale of these illicit drugs on their platforms.

Local Drug Enforcement Administration Chief Says Drug Cartels Are Doing ‘Anything and Everything’ to Smuggle Drugs Across the Southern Border

July 21, 2021July 20, 2021 Ohio Star Staff

Houston Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Daniel Comeaux says that the cartels operating south of the U.S.-Mexico border will continue to do everything in their power to get drugs into American communities, he told the Daily Caller News Foundation in an exclusive interview.

“Look, everyone needs to understand drug cartels are vicious, they’re violent and it’s all about the dollar bill. It doesn’t matter if it’s 2021 or 2020 or 2016, drug cartels are going to get their drugs across our border,” Comeaux said.

“They’re going to do everything and anything they can do to get their drugs across our border and that’s what they’re doing no matter what,” he added.