Tag: Drug Wars

Dakota County in midst of fentanyl-related overdose boom: “We need to alert the public”

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A Twin Cities sheriff is calling a spike in overdose cases an epidemic. Sheriff Joe Leko says Dakota County, which has just under a half-million residents, has seen 25 suspected overdoses between May 29 through June 2. Two of those cases were fatal. “It’s at the point we need to alert the public and that there’s a danger to first responders,” Leko said. He says this isn’t the first time they’ve seen a spike like this. “There’s a lot of people experiencing this loss in overdoses that might not be your traditional drug addicts,” he said. 

Leko says things have changed, but remained the same in some form. In the past, meth labs were popular, but now it’s fentanyl that’s taking over. “We are in a hub, Minneapolis, St. Paul,” he said. “We found out in the seven-county metro, there’s an overdose every 30 minutes.” In Hennepin County, the state’s most populated at 1.3 million, the problem is much worse. The sheriff’s office says on average since March, they’ve had around 200 suspected overdose events each week. About three of those cases were deadly. “I think we just need to be open-minded and create awareness,” Leko said. “These drugs go beyond just using drugs.” Narcan, also known as naloxone, is a drug that helps someone who is overdosing.

Source: Dakota County in midst of fentanyl-related overdose boom: “We need to alert the public” – CBS Minnesota

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12

Reclaiming Attention From Distractions

Pip: Drink of Jesus has been asking a question your phone’s algorithm would really prefer you not think about: what if the thing eating your attention is the distraction? Mara: That’s the thread running…

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Hope in the dark

Pip: A mountain village, a wandering stranger, a mother weaving a basket by the river — Drink of Jesus has been building a world where ancient scripture lands like it’s happening right now, and…

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God as Your Ever-Present Help

You don’t have to carry this alone, He is your safe place and your help in every moment of need.  Bible Verse:God is our Refuge and Strength [mighty and impenetrable to temptation], a very…

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Northern California man arrested after major drug bust on Nebraska freeway, officials say

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Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) says troopers seized more than 500 pounds of suspected cocaine during a traffic stop on Interstate 80 Wednesday morning and arrested a Northern California man. The stop happened around 10:25 a.m. near Milford, Nebraska, at mile marker 382 on eastbound I-80. Troopers said a Nissan Rogue was pulled over after it was seen following a semi-truck too closely. During the stop, an NSP K9 alerted officers to the odor of a controlled substance coming from the vehicle, officials said.

A search of the SUV allegedly uncovered about 525 pounds of suspected cocaine along with 9.3 grams of suspected heroin. Booking photo of Gurarppan Gill Nebraska State Patrol The driver, identified as 23-year-old Gurarppan Gill of Yuba City, was arrested on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance and possession with intent to deliver, NSP said. Gill was booked into the Seward County Jail in Nebraska.

Source: Northern California man arrested after major drug bust on Nebraska freeway, officials say – CBS Sacramento

In that I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the LORD your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess.
Deuteronomy 30:16

The Distraction of Fear

Fear has a way of making tomorrow feel more real than today. But you were never meant to live inside a future that hasn’t happened yet, you were called to trust…

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Too Busy to Hear God

You can be so busy doing things for God that you never stop long enough to hear from God. Sometimes the biggest distraction in your life isn’t rebellion, it’s simply being…

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Who Has Your Attention?

Your attention is one of the most valuable things you own, and everyone wants a piece of it. The question isn’t whether something is getting your attention—the question is whether Jesus…

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U.S. says suspected drug trafficker rescued from plane crash off Florida linked to Bahamas politician

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island on sea

Opposition leaders in the Bahamas are demanding an investigation into a suspected drug trafficker who survived a recent plane crash near Florida and was allegedly found with roughly $30,000, according to a U.S. federal agent. The money was inside a bag labeled with the name of an unidentified high-ranking politician from the archipelago.

The suspect, who was deported to the Bahamas more than a decade ago after being convicted on drug and money laundering charges, is accused of trafficking cocaine through the Bahamas to the U.S.

He also is accused of meeting the unnamed politician in October 2024 at the Bahamian Parliament in Nassau to talk about a deal involving some 1,000 kilograms (2,200 pounds) of cocaine, according to a court document filed May 14 in the Southern District of New York, a day after the plane crash. It stated that the politician “could provide security for the planned cocaine shipment” and was introduced to an unnamed suspect as a “future associate.”

The allegations are the latest blow to the Bahamas, whose police commissioner resigned in December 2024 after a sergeant and two officers were indicted in what the U.S. Justice Department at the time called “a massive cocaine conspiracy enabled by corrupt Bahamian government officials.”

“Since at least May 2021, drug traffickers have smuggled tons of cocaine through The Bahamas for importation into the U.S. with the help and support of corrupt Bahamian government officials,” the Justice Department said in 2024 when announcing charges against the chief superintendent of the Royal Bahamas Police Force.

Michael Pintard, leader of the opposition Free National Movement party, claimed Monday that he does not believe the Bahamas’ prime minister, who secured reelection the day of the plane crash, will hold anyone accountable.

“We issued warnings about the close relationship between members of this administration and characters of interest to police locally and internationally,” he told reporters.

Latrae Rahming, spokesman for the office of the prime minister, shared a statement with The Associated Press on Tuesday noting that the government is taking the matter “extremely seriously.” It stated that local law enforcement will launch its own inquiry and that the government will reach out to U.S. officials to seek the sharing of information and obtain any available evidence, adding that it has received no official information identifying any public official related to the case.

Source: U.S. says suspected drug trafficker rescued from plane crash off Florida linked to Bahamas politician – CBS Texas

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
Matthew 7:7

Finding Strength in God

You don’t have to carry this alone, He is your safe place and your help in every moment of need.  Bible Verse:God is our Refuge and Strength [mighty…

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Takedown Targets Open-Air Drug Market at L.A.’s MacArthur Park, Long an Area Run by Gang Members and Homeless Drug Users

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LOS ANGELES – Eighteen defendants, including two people law enforcement believes are the main sources of fentanyl and methamphetamine in Los Angeles’s gang- and drug-infested MacArthur Park, have been arrested on a federal criminal complaint charging them with a federal drug trafficking offense, the Justice Department announced today. The complaint charges 25 defendants with possession with the intent to distribute, and distribution of, a controlled substance.  At one defendant’s Calabasas residence, law enforcement seized approximately 18 kilograms (40 pounds) of fentanyl.

The defendants arrested today are expected to make their initial appearances tomorrow afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. Seven defendants are considered fugitives. “Today, we begin reclaiming MacArthur Park from criminals and drug addicts to return this public space to the citizens of Los Angeles,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “Together with our federal and local law enforcement partners, we are executing multiple arrest and search warrants targeting those who are distributing drugs in and around the park.” “For far too long, MacArthur Park has been plagued by drug addiction, crime, and despair,” said Anthony Chrysanthis, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Los Angeles Field Division.

“Today’s operation is only one step, taken by a handful of agencies working hard to alleviate the anguish and sense of hopelessness burdening MacArthur Park, local businesses, and the surrounding neighborhood. While this is a drug enforcement operation, it is also an effort to restore safety and wellness, and to return MacArthur Park back to the community.” “Today’s operation shows the strength of our partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration,” said Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell. “We witnessed drug activity return to MacArthur Park, and our teams acted quickly to disrupt both the dealers and the suppliers behind them.

Fentanyl remains one of the most dangerous threats to our community, and we are committed to keeping it off our streets. We will remain relentless, alongside our federal partners, in protecting the people of Los Angeles from dangerous drug activity.”      MacArthur Park, located west of downtown Los Angeles, is an area of the city characterized by high rates of poverty and homelessness. Many of the homeless in that area are drug users, and the park itself is a known location for drug users to purchase narcotics, including fentanyl and methamphetamine. It is surrounded by a densely populated, tightly packed area of apartments, offices, shops and other businesses.

The park and the immediate surrounding area are part of heavily contested gang territory. MacArthur Park’s northern area is considered territory of the 18th Street Gang, while the area of the park south of Wilshire Boulevard is considered territory of the Crazy Riders Gang, and territory considered belonging to Mara Salvatrucha, a.k.a. “MS-13,” is immediately west of the park. The complaint’s affidavit alleges that Mallaly Moreno-Lopez, 31, and her boyfriend, Jackson Tarfur, 28, both of the Westmont area of South Los Angeles, “serve as the, if not one of the main sources of supply of fentanyl powder and methamphetamine distributed in the Alvarado Corridor and MacArthur Park, generally on behalf of the 18th Street Gang.” Moreno-Lopez and Tarfur hand-delivered narcotics to the Alvarado Corridor near MacArthur Park for stashing in storefronts and subsequent distribution to street-level drug dealers.

Moreno-Lopez and Tarfur use their Westmont residence as a stash location for illegal drugs prior to delivering them to MacArthur Park.  Law enforcement also identified Yolanda Iriarte-Avila, 40, of Calabasas, as a source of supply of methamphetamine for Moreno-Lopez, via Iriarte-Avila’s boyfriend, Jesus Morales-Landel, 33, of the Exposition Park area of South Los Angeles, who is a street-level drug dealer in the MacArthur Park area. Iriarte-Avila uses her residence as a stash location for subsequent drug distribution.

Source: Takedown Targets Open-Air Drug Market at L.A.’s MacArthur Park, Long an Area Run by Gang Members and Homeless Drug Users

But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.
1 Timothy 6:9

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Officer talks man off Bridge with Prayer

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A despondent man was saved by a Jacksonville, Florida, police officer and a team of other cops who talked the individual out of jumping as he was perched on the edge of a bridge nearly two hundred feet above the St. Johns River.

Source: Youtube

Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude. So they all ate and were filled, and twelve baskets of the leftover fragments were taken up by them.
Luke 9:16-17

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Mexican governor accused by U.S. of drug trafficking steps down during investigation

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The governor of a Mexican state who was accused by the United States of ties to drug trafficking said on Friday he was temporarily stepping down to facilitate investigations. Sinaloa Gov. Ruben Rocha Moya and nine others were charged by the U.S. Justice Department this week for working with the notorious Sinaloa cartel to distribute “massive quantities” of narcotics to the United States. Rocha Moya, a member of Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum’s left-leaning Morena party, has decried the allegations as “false and malicious.” At least three officials charged in the indictment were affiliated with Morena.

“I inform the people of Sinaloa that today I submitted to the State Congress my request for a temporary leave from the position of governor,” he said in a YouTube video late Friday. Sheinbaum said Thursday that Mexico will extradite officials to the U.S. only if given “irrefutable evidence” of cartel links. The president said this was the first time the U.S. had made narcotrafficking charges public against a sitting governor or other high-ranking official. Rocha Moya, who is close to former leftist president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, has been governor of the northwestern state of Sinaloa since 2021.

The governor was embroiled in a scandal in 2023 involving the Sinaloa cartel, in which his name was published in a letter written by a then-Sinaloa cartel capo whose leaders of a rival faction the cartel had kidnapped. The cartel capo was handed off to law enforcement in the U.S. The capo said in the letter that when he was kidnapped, he believed he was on his way to meet with Rocha Moya.

Source: Mexican governor accused by U.S. of drug trafficking steps down during investigation – CBS News

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

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Man accused of running meth lab at Michigan State University’s Wells Hall

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close up photo of chemicals in beakers

A man was arrested for allegedly running a meth lab inside Wells Hall at Michigan State University, police say. Court records show that 31-year-old Xin Tong was charged with malicious destruction of a building over $20,000 and operating/maintaining a lab involving methamphetamine. Tong was arraigned on Wednesday and received a $500,000 cash/surety bond. Officials say Wells Hall will be closed through Friday, May 1. The MSU Department of Police and Public Safety says it received a report of property damage inside the building last week and determined the damage was caused by “alleged criminal activity.”

Police say Tong allegedly had multiple substances — including sodium hydroxide pellets, hydrochloric acid, methanol, isopropyl alcohol, acetone, and butane. Tong was arrested and taken to the Ingham County Jail. It is unclear if Tong is a student or a staff member. The university says the building is undergoing further evaluation “to ensure a smooth return to normal operations.” Officials say there is no threat to the campus.

Source: Man accused of running meth lab at Michigan State University’s Wells Hall – CBS Detroit

The rich man’s wealth is his strong city, And like a high wall in his own esteem.
Proverbs 18:11

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Meth worth $8.1 million found in shipment disguised as tiles at U.S. border

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Authorities at the United States-Mexico border seized a shipment of suspected methamphetamine, which had an estimated street value of $8.1 million, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Tuesday. The shipment was disguised as tiles, the agency said. Border patrol officers found the narcotics inside a commercial tractor trailer that crossed the Pharr International Bridge from from Reynosa, Mexico into Texas on April 21. Once it was inspected and screened by a team of drug detection dogs, officers discovered that pallets masquerading as tiles in the back of the cargo vehicle actually contained packages of white powder. 

Overall, they seized 200 packages weighing more than 900 pounds, along with the trailer itself, CBP said. Homeland Security Investigation agents have opened a criminal probe into the seizure, according to the agency CBP said the powder “tested positive for the properties of methamphetamine,” a synthetic stimulant that is considered highly addictive. Although there is an FDA-approved version of it that is very rarely prescribed for specific medical conditions, methamphetamine largely exists in the U.S. illegally, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Association.

Source: Meth worth $8.1 million found in shipment disguised as tiles at U.S. border – CBS Detroit

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38-39

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Mexican special forces arrest top commander of cartel and his alleged money launderer

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The Mexican authorities have arrested two top criminals, one of them a close ally of the slain founder of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), prompting gunmen to block roads near the border city of Reynosa. Audias Flores, known as “El Jardinero”, is a regional commander in control of swathes of CJNG territory along Mexico’s Pacific coast. He was considered a potential successor to Nemesio Oseguera, alias “El Mencho”, who ran the cartel and was killed in a security operation in February. Security forces surrounded a cabin in El Mirador, 12 miles (20km) north of the resort city of Puerto Vallarta, where Flores was being protected by a perimeter of about 30 pickup trucks and more than 60 gunmen, according to a press release from Mexico’s navy, which led the operation.

Who was El Mencho, the former police officer who co-founded an ultraviolent cartel in Mexico? Read more Flores’s escorts scattered as a diversion but he was located as he tried to hide in a drainage ditch, it added. “The operation was carried out with surgical precision without a single shot being fired,” the navy said in a statement. Videos shared by Mexico’s security minister, Omar García Harfuch, on social media showed aerial footage of the arrest as helicopters hovered overhead during the operation, which the navy said followed 19 months of surveillance and involved more than 500 troops, six helicopters and several planes.

Source: Mexican special forces arrest top commander of cartel and his alleged money launderer | Mexico | The Guardian

As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God.
Psalm 42:1

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22 Buddhist monks arrested at airport after record drug bust

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Buddhist monk meditating cross-legged in temple with Buddha statue behind

Twenty-two Sri Lankan monks returning from Thailand were arrested on Sunday at the main international airport with a record 242 pounds of powerful cannabis, officials said. A Sri Lanka Customs spokesman said the group, returning home after a four-day vacation in the Thai capital, had Kush — a potent, plant-based strain of cannabis — hidden in their luggage. “Each carried about five kilos of the narcotic concealed within false walls in their luggage,” the spokesman said, adding that the monks had been handed over to police. They were to be taken before a magistrate later on Sunday. The monks were mostly young students from temples across Sri Lanka and had been on a holiday sponsored by a businessman. Customs officials said it was the largest single detection of Kush at the South Asian country’s main international airport.

Source: 22 Buddhist monks arrested at airport after record drug bust – CBS News

For they did not gain possession of the land by their own sword, Nor did their own arm save them; But it was Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your countenance, Because You favored them.
Psalm 44:3

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FBI offers $50,000 reward for arrest of alleged gang member in National Guard soldier’s murder

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Reward poster for John Doe wanted for armed robbery, assault, and burglary

The FBI on Tuesday announced a reward of $50,000 for the arrest and conviction of a man wanted in the 2021 shooting death of a National Guard member. Joseph “Troubles” Matos has already been indicted by a grand jury in the shooting that killed Illinois National Guard soldier Chrys Carvajal on July 3, 2021. Matos and co-defendant Gary “Gotti” Roberson are accused of killing Carvajal “for the purpose of maintaining and increasing position in the Milwaukee Kings” street gang, according to a May 2024 indictment.

According to the indictment, the Milwaukee Kings gang operates on the North Side of Chicago and carries out murders and other acts of violence to preserve and protect its power and territory, to further illegal drug trafficking, and to keep others in fear of the gang. Carvajal, 19, who had just returned home after Army National Guard training, was leaving a party on July 3, 2021, and walking to his car when he was shot and killed at the corner of Lockwood Avenue and Palmer Street in Chicago’s Belmont Cragin neighborhood.

Source: FBI offers $50,000 reward for arrest of alleged gang member in National Guard soldier’s murder – CBS Chicago

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.
Deuteronomy 6:4-5

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FBI’s “Operation Gangsta’s Paradise” leads to more than 40 Southern California arrests of Mexican Mafia gang members

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back view of a group of friends walking

Dozens of alleged Mexican Mafia members and associates were arrested during a federal investigation, including several warrants served at locations across Southern California early Thursday.  FBI raids took place in both Los Angeles and Orange counties in what federal officials called “Operation Gangsta’s Paradise.” Arrest warrants were served in Anaheim, Santa Ana and Lakewood, during which 25 alleged gang members were arrested.

They are all believed to be part of “La Eme,” which is a U.S.-based prison gang that has control over other street gangs in Southern California,” said a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice.  The arrests were made in connection with three federal indictments that charge 40 defendants with a litany of counts like kidnapping, extortion, drug trafficking, illegal gambling and murder. Federal investigators said that the murder happened at a “gang-controlled Anaheim motel.”

Source: FBI’s “Operation Gangsta’s Paradise” leads to more than 40 Southern California arrests of Mexican Mafia gang members – CBS Los Angeles

And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
1 Corinthians 13:2

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Salmon exposed to cocaine swim almost twice as far as those without, study shows

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An animated orange fish with a worried expression caught in an underwater whirlpool.

Salmon exposed to cocaine in the water swim longer distances than those that go without, according to a study released this week. Cocaine use is on the rise worldwide, with the U.N. reporting an estimated 25 million people used the stimulant in 2023 and the drug being increasingly found in waterways. Joint research released Monday by scientists at Australia’s Griffith University and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences studied how the drug affected the movements of wild fish in their natural habitats.

Researchers took 105 wild Atlantic salmon in Sweden’s Lake Vattern and exposed them to both cocaine and benzoylecgonine — a metabolite created by the drug in the liver — and then tracked their movements. They found the river-dwellers exposed to the drugs traveled 1.9 times farther per week than their clean-living control cousins. Those exposed to the by-product also swam 7.6 miles farther, the study found. “Any unnatural change in animal behavior is a concern,” report co-author Marcus Michelangeli from Griffith University’s Australian Rivers Institute told national broadcaster ABC.

“We’re finding higher and higher concentrations of not just illicit drugs but all types of pharmaceuticals in our waterways.”

Source: Salmon exposed to cocaine swim almost twice as far as those without, study shows – CBS News

A man has joy by the answer of his mouth, And a word spoken in due season, how good it is!
Proverbs 15:23

Colombia to euthanize dozens of “cocaine hippos” linked to drug lord Pablo Escobar in bid to control population

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close up photo of hippopotamus

Colombian officials on Monday authorized a plan to cull dozens of hippos roaming freely through a region in the center of the country, where they threaten villagers and displace native species years after notorious drug lord Pablo Escobar brought in the first ones. Environment Minister Irene Vélez said previous methods to control the population of the so-called “cocaine hippos” have been expensive and unsuccessful, including neutering some of the animals or moving them to zoos. Vélez said up to 80 hippos would be affected by the measure. She did not say when hunting would begin.

“If we don’t do this we will not be able to control the population,” Vélez said. “We have to take this action to preserve our ecosystems.” Colombia is the only country outside of Africa with a wild hippo population. The hippos are the descendants of four brought to the country in the 1980s by Escobar as he built a private zoo in Hacienda Nápoles, a gigantic ranch in the Magdalena River valley with a private landing strip that served as his rural abode. A study published by Colombia’s National University estimated that around 170 hippos were roaming freely in the country in 2022.

Source: Colombia to euthanize dozens of “cocaine hippos” linked to drug lord Pablo Escobar in bid to control population – CBS Chicago

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.
Deuteronomy 6:4-5

Over $200,000 worth of illegal narcotics seized in Wayne County investigation

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a close up shot of a roll of money and various drugs

Law enforcement officers seized over $200,000 worth of illegal narcotics during an investigation in Metro Detroit.  The Michigan State Police said its Metro Narcotics Enforcement Team (MNET) worked with the Taylor Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Agency’s Detroit Division on an investigation of someone bringing pressed fentanyl pills to sell in Metro Detroit.  Michigan State Police’s Metro Narcotics Enforcement Team (MNET) worked with the Taylor Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Agency’s Detroit Division on an investigation of pressed fentanyl pills.

Over 3 kilograms of the illegal narcotics was seized. Michigan State Police The officers confiscated over 3 kilograms of the illegal narcotics, more than 28,500 pressed fentanyl pills that were created to look like prescription oxycodone 30 mg pills.  State police said there are multiple suspects in custody, pending review by the Wayne County prosecutor’s office.  This investigation was supported by the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance (JAG) grant program, which is awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs and U.S. Department of Justice; then administered by the Michigan State Police. 

Source: Over $200,000 worth of illegal narcotics seized in Wayne County investigation – CBS Detroit

So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.
James 1:19

Police dog named Hulk sniffs out 48 tons of marijuana in record bust in Brazil

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close up of cannabis plant in indoor grow

Brazilian police seized a record 48 tons of marijuana in a favela in Rio de Janeiro, uncovered by chance by a sniffer dog during a regular operation against criminal factions. During the operation in the Complexo da Mare, a large complex of favelas in the north of the city, a dog named Hulk indicated there was something suspicious under an abandoned water tank. An officer “discovered a bunker inside where this entire quantity of drugs had been hidden,” said Lt. Col. Luciano Pedro Barbosa, commander of the Canine Operations Battalion. In a post on Instagram, the battalion touted the bust and posted an image of Hulk after the operation. “Hulk deserves 48 tons of treats,” quipped one commenter.

Source: Police dog named Hulk sniffs out 48 tons of marijuana in record bust in Brazil – CBS News

Most assuredly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.
John 13:20

Family claims Fort Worth man shot ‘pedophile’ in groin to protect nieces

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man shooting at indoor gun range in sao paulo

FORT WORTH, Texas – A man is in the custody of Fort Worth police after being accused of shooting another man in the groin. His family claims he was protecting his underage nieces from a man allegedly soliciting them for sex. Fort Worth man arrested Markus Renfro, 33, is in jail Saturday. His family members are explaining why he shot another man in the groin, and why they don’t think he deserves to be in jail. Dontavius Williams, Renfro’s brother-in-law, says he knew something wasn’t right.

What they’re saying: “My little cousin told me that the dude said, ‘Oh, come back and smoke some meth with me,’ you know, ‘have some drugs,’” Williams said. The family said this wasn’t the first time. Fort Worth police say officers had already been called to the 3700 block of Century Place on Friday morning after receiving reports of a man who was possibly under the influence soliciting children for sex. “We had already heard that a certain dude had been messing with other little kids around here,” Williams said. That’s when they say Renfro stepped in. 

Source: Family claims Fort Worth man shot ‘pedophile’ in groin to protect nieces | KTVU FOX 2

For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.
Proverbs 2:6

France condemns China’s execution of a French citizen held on death row for 15 years

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French and Chinese flags above a bronze rooster and dragon in a formal conference room.

PARIS — France said China has executed a French citizen convicted of drug trafficking after keeping him on death row for more than 15 years. Chan Thao Phoumy, 62, was executed in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou, despite French authorities’ clemency appeals, the French Foreign Ministry said in a statement late Saturday. It didn’t say when the sentence was carried out. A Chinese court sentenced him to death in 2010. The ministry’s statement expressed “consternation” and added: “We particularly regret that Mr. Chan’s defense did not have access to the final court hearing, which constitutes a violation of his rights.”

“We extend our condolences to his family, whose grief we share,” it said. In a short statement Sunday that didn’t mention Chan by name, the Chinese Embassy in Paris said that China “treats defendants of all nationalities equally, handles all cases impartially and strictly in accordance with the law.” France abolished the death penalty by act of parliament in 1981, and has become a vigorous campaigner against its use and for its abolition everywhere. China’s use of executions — carried out by firing squads or lethal injections — is shrouded in secrecy but has long been extensive. Amnesty International says China is the world’s lead executioner, believed to sentence and put to death thousands of people annually.

Source: France condemns China’s execution of a French citizen held on death row for 15 years – ABC News

And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”
1 Peter 4:8

America’s prettiest city overrun with homeless ‘drug zombies’ under nightmare woke mayor

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person holding silver and green scissors

An idyllic city known for its historic buildings and Southern charm has been beset by homelessness and drug use under a Democratic mayor. Savannah, Georgia, has long been promoted as one of America’s prettiest cities, with more than 20 public squares framed by churches, town houses and other historic buildings covered in Spanish moss. But when Dennis Lennox, a travel reporter for the Christian Post, returned to the city last year, he said he found it overrun by homeless individuals who engaged in overt drug use.

‘Benches and bushes served as makeshift encampments,’ he wrote in a column on Sunday. ‘In several places, the smell of marijuana hung in the air.’ At Reynolds Square, where a bronze statue honors the founder of Methodism, Lennox said he saw obvious drug use. ‘People injected and smoked in broad daylight,’ he wrote. ‘The odor was unmistakable. There was no police presence.’ Similar scenes sprang up across the city, according to Lennox. ‘A leisurely stroll, particularly in the early morning, became an exercise in caution; watching where to step, skirting encampments and avoiding potential confrontation.’  

Source: America’s prettiest city overrun with homeless ‘drug zombies’ under nightmare woke mayor | Daily Mail Online

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Colombian navy says it shut down 30 drug labs, seized 4,000 pounds of cocaine

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close up shot of a person holding a white sachet

The Colombian navy said it also seized thousands of gallons of smuggled fuel, preventing “the strengthening of illicit economies.”

Source: Colombian navy says it shut down 30 drug labs, seized 4,000 pounds of cocaine – CBS News

But from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul.
Deuteronomy 4:29

Baby bottle filled with dangerous substance found during Riverdale drug seizure, police say

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a close up shot of a scooped formula milk powder

The Riverdale Police Department said they found some unusual substances in a baby bottle during a recent drug seizure. The department shared photos of what their officers seized, which included a gun and a baby bottle authorities say was filled with the drug mixture known as lean. The mixture, also known as purple drank, sizzurp, or dirty sprite, usually contains prescription-strength cough syrup that usually contains codeine or promethazine and a soft drink.

Source: Baby bottle filled with dangerous substance found during Riverdale drug seizure, police say – CBS Atlanta

Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37:4

Fentanyl found inside Barbies sold at Missouri discount store, police say

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Police found that five Barbie packages containing fentanyl were sold. They have all been recovered.

Source: Fentanyl found inside Barbies sold at Missouri discount store, police say – CBS News

But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.
Mark 13:11

Evangelical body pledges to help eliminate drugs in St. Kitts and Nevis

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Evangelical leaders on the Caribbean island of Nevis met to discuss drug concerns in the wider community and pledged to support efforts to combat illegal substances.

Source: Evangelical body pledges to help eliminate drugs in St. Kitts and Nevis – Christian Daily International

A man’s heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.
Proverbs 16:9

Virginia Supreme Court tosses out congressional map that favored Democrats

The Virginia Supreme Court on Friday tossed out a congressional redistricting referendum passed by Virginia voters last month, striking a blow to Democrats hoping to gain a more favorable map and increase their number of seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.  The decision overturns voters’ approval of a new congressional map that would have given…

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Denver Public Schools considering banning cellphones during school hours

Denver Public Schools is now considering a bell-to-bell policy, which would mean students wouldn’t be able to use their cellphones, not even during passing periods and lunch. It would also include other personal devices such as laptops, smartwatches, and wireless earbuds to prevent students from working around the phone ban. All Colorado school districts must…

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Red flag warning issued in central, northwestern Minnesota Friday afternoon

A red flag warning will go into effect Friday afternoon in northwestern and central Minnesota due to extreme fire risk conditions, the state’s Department of Natural Resources says. The warning is issued for 24 counties and will last from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.  The impacted counties include: Becker, Benton, Cass, Chippewa, Clay, Crow Wing,…

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Two teens injured in Bloomington shooting

Two teenagers were injured in a shooting in Bloomington, Minnesota, Monday night, police said. It happened around 10:10 p.m. on the 7900 block of Bloomington Avenue South, according to the city’s police department. Responding officers found a 16-year-old girl and a 17-year-old boy with gunshot wounds. Both were taken to a hospital. The girl was…

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Stolen truck runs red light, crashes into playground outside Southwest Philadelphia school, police say

A driver in a stolen utility truck sped through a red light and crashed into a playground outside S. Weir Mitchell Elementary in Southwest Philadelphia on Tuesday afternoon, police said.  Police on Wednesday announced 18-year-old Robert Littlepage Jr., of Douglasville, Georgia, was arrested and will be charged with attempted carjacking, aggravated assault and related offenses.…

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Minneapolis City Council unanimously passes gun control ordinance

The Minneapolis City Council unanimously passed a gun control ordinance on Thursday, which includes a ban on assault-style weapons, large-capacity magazines, ghost guns and would restrict firearms in some public places.  The measure’s future is unclear, however, because state preemption laws prevent cities from creating their own gun ordinances. A spokesperson for Mayor Jacob Frey…

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US and Ecuador forces launch operation to fight drug trafficking

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Ecuadorean and US forces have launched operations against what it said were designated terrorist organizations in the South American country, the US military’s Southern Command said on Tuesday.

Source: US and Ecuador forces launch operation to fight drug trafficking

My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendor all day long.
Psalm 71:8

Cyberattack shutters Canvas learning platform for schools across the U.S.

A system that thousands of schools and universities use was offline Thursday due to a cyberattack, creating chaos as students tried to study for finals and underscoring education’s dependence on technology. The hacking group named ShinyHunters claimed responsibility for the breach at Instructure, the company behind the learning management system Canvas, said Luke Connolly, a…

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Good & Gather snack, other nut mixes recalled due to salmonella risk

An Illinois food manufacturer is recalling several snack products due to concerns that they may be contaminated with salmonella, according to a recall notice with the Food and Drug Administration. The recall affects nut mixes and a corn mix manufactured by John B. Sanfilippo and Son and sold under the brand names Southern Style Nuts, Fisher,…

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Food manufacturer Cento is committing “tomato fraud,” lawsuit alleges

Two California residents are suing Cento Fine Foods, alleging the company engaged in “tomato fraud” by claiming that the tomatoes in one of its canned products are the authentic “San Marzano Certified” version from Italy. The plaintiffs claim that Cento’s “Certified San Marzano” labeling is “false, misleading and unfair,” alleging that the product lacks an…

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Takedown Targets Open-Air Drug Market at L.A.’s MacArthur Park, Long an Area Run by Gang Members and Homeless Drug Users

LOS ANGELES – Eighteen defendants, including two people law enforcement believes are the main sources of fentanyl and methamphetamine in Los Angeles’s gang- and drug-infested MacArthur Park, have been arrested on a federal criminal complaint charging them with a federal drug trafficking offense, the Justice Department announced today. The complaint charges 25 defendants with possession…

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Dry conditions, high winds, feeding wildfire risk in parts of Michigan

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources says elevated fire danger has been observed across parts of the state.  The conditions are fueled by downed trees and branches left by the March 2025 ice storm. The severe weather at the time damaged around 3 million acres of land. “Even with the heavy rains this spring, recent drier…

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