District of South Carolina | Thirty Horry County Gang Members and Drug Plantation, FL Broward Sheriffs Office (BSO) Sergeant Kevin Forsberg died unexpectedly on Jan. 27. https://www.augustachronicle.com/story/news/local/hampton-county-guardian/2021/07/23/county-wide-operation-pentagon-nets-least-18-arrests-h-c/8075562002/. McClellanvilles creeks were popular, too. Les bought a home on Hilton Head, as well as other property, and used it for offloading his merchandise. Her son, Adam, fell victim to the drug. Jonathan Sears who owns or co-owns a lengthy list of Columbia establishments including The Bird Dog, The Cotton Gin, The Gourmet Shop, Hendrix, Jakes Bar and Pavlovs was arrested along with his relative, Geoffrey Sears, on Blossom Street last Thursday by officers of the Columbia, S.C. police department (CPD). Has anyone heard anything? pic.twitter.com/d7G9ESlzUY, Florida Police Benevolent Association (@FL_PBA) January 30, 2023. Now Canadian cops have charged pastor with hate crime. Deputies say that the drug bust happened on Tuesday on Southers. I believe it was his girlfriend, Morgan Doughty, that said he used cocaine on multiple occasions during her sworn deposition. Recent bookings, Arrests, Mugshots in South Carolina Bookings, Arrests and Mugshots in South Carolina To search and filter the Mugshots for South Carolina simply click on the at the top of the page. So they are applauding the work, knowing much more work needs done. Get the news that matters most delivered directly to your inbox. An eight-month investigation at a South Carolina prison has resulted in the confiscation of more than 100 pounds of contraband and 20 arrests, the state's department of corrections announced . With each trip, Barry and Les learned more about the smuggling business. Reflecting back, Governor McMaster says, It was virtually impossible to catch them in the act. ", Woman wins $100,000 lottery prize 11 hours after $11,000 casino jackpot. It was a devastating blow to the task force. 9 arrested after drug bust in Greenwood County, deputies say - WHNS Asheville Police arrest 4 on multiple drug charges - WHNS Also, these arrests are reportedly just the beginning of a much broader investigation . Officials with the Lexington County Sheriff's Department said Javier Ayala has been charged . Got a tip or a story idea for Mark? 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. I highly suggest you watch Mandy Matneys Murdaugh Murders Podcast - especially those about Alexs possible connection to drugs smuggling along the east coast. In most areas, major highways were within an easy distance, aiding quick distribution to major cities like Atlanta; New York; Washington, D.C.; and Chicago. March 3 (UPI) -- A New Brunswick couple who initially thought a burglar had broken into their home discovered the invader was actually a panicked deer. Growing up a few miles from Les in Columbia, Barry Foy spent his youth delivering newspapers and eggs, working on construction crews, and pumping gas. The thought immediately went through my mind that I wonder if they were responsible for his death, said Roberts. Illegal drugs,. [2], Last edited on 2 September 2022, at 16:19, "25 years later, 8,000 pounds of pot could get man 5 years", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Operation_Jackpot_(drug_investigation)&oldid=1108113124, This page was last edited on 2 September 2022, at 16:19. TikTok video from True Crime Stories (@truecrimestories215): "The 1981 South Carolina Drug Smuggling Bust In The Edisto River #truecrime #truecrimecommunity #truestory #truecrimetiktok #makingamurderer #AlexMurdaugh #trending #fyp". 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. The. <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> WTF? Does anybody else think its just an amazing coincidence that LE rounded up all these local Hampton/ Colleton county drug knuckleheads about a month after the Murdaugh murders? Police in South Carolina seized more than 65 pounds of fentanyl Wednesday in a drug raid that officials describe as the largest-ever seizure of . I believe the drug smuggling is discussed in Podcast Episodes 31 and 32. Still, it was more than they could spend. And hes just missed beyond words, she said. It was unprecedented for the agencies to share information, much less work together and out of the same office. Id want to see the actual lab result before I believed it. The escapades are daring and dangerous, with heart pounding chases, life-threatening clashes with nature, and audacious smugglers halting a raging civil war on more than one occasion. You didnt have any I love yous or goodbye or nothing. March 2 (UPI) -- A Maryland woman scored a $100,000 prize from a scratch-off lottery ticket less than 12 hours after she scored an $11,000 jackpot at a casino. This month the DEA made the biggest. CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Nine people are facing federal charges after a major drug bust in the Hollywood area of southern Charleston County. Its much more organized, as seen in this case. This content is made available by use of the public RSS feed offered by the host site and is used for educational purposes only. A trusted neighbor is on top of a 20-foot ladder in . Wild as it seems, the story is true. His upbringing was typical of the South, with plenty of time spent hunting, fishing, and escorting the occasional debutante. One of the defendants, a paralegal, is accused of sending drugs and phones into prison through hollowed out court transcripts, ABC News 4 reports. 3 charged after over 20 pounds of methamphetamine seized in Spartanburg Co. An abandoned van full of sacks of Lebanese hashish was found following a raid on Edisto Island in November 1981. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Lt. Robert Stewart became Chief of SLED, and Cam Currie became a U.S. District Court judge. 53 charged, 24 arrested in drug operation in Spartanburg Co. - WSPA 7NEWS A wall in the back of the room filled with pictures of young people in the same situation. Civil wars and ocean chases pound the heart of the thrill-seeker. Florida woman runs ultra-marathon distances for 23 consecutive days. According to my law enforcement sources, this ongoing investigation has less to do with marijuana a drug which most people in the Palmetto State (including me) believe should be legalized and more to do with a rash of recent date rape druggings that allegedly occurred in the Five Points region of Columbia. The Lowcountry paper only got part of the story, though . A 30-month long ordeal ensued as the Australian court wrestled with whether the two could be extradited on a drug kingpin charge. We use cookies to better understand website visitors, for advertising, and to offer you a better experience. 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. Alleged drug traffickers in South Carolina used taco trucks to transport pounds of meth, cocaine and heroin, state prosecutors said Wednesday. It was just talked on Wednesday, see you later and there was no later, she said. At this point, it is not immediately clear how either Jonathan or Geoffrey Sears would be connected to such an investigation but hopefully our FOIA request will yield additional information as to the nature (and the status) of this inquiry. 'F****** AMATEUR HOUR': Furious Democrats lash out at Biden for announcement on radical DC crime law, Gun-toting road-rage motorist shot dead after armed man warns him to stop approaching him and his wife; cops say it looks like self-defense, Railroad union: Workers getting sick at site of Norfolk Southern's catastrophic hazmat spill in East Palestine, Teen bragged in rap song about killing another rapper, sheriff says, but cried 'like a baby that lost his pacifier' when charged with murder, Florida man allegedly told roommate, 'Im going to go over there and kill them all' before murdering his daughter and 3 others, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Wilder still, the two main characters hail from Columbia, South Carolina. Sergeant Forsberg served 21 years with the Broward Sheriffs Office and was a great asset to the BSOs Homicide Unit. Press J to jump to the feed. David and fellow task force member Chuck Pittard were interviewing a friend of Barry Foys in Manhattan when Barry called her, saying he and his family were on their way to New York. SLED agents began arresting suspects in the case on January 3, 2023 assisted by local law enforcement agencies. Wilkins said the amount of drugs flowing through upstate South Carolina is at the highest level he's ever seen. 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. Could a rash of recent date rapes in this college town be the focus of city polices ongoing investigation?. Taco trucks used as part of South Carolina drug trafficking operation When all the Operation Jackpot trials were over, more than 100 smugglers went to jail. 'Operation Jackpot' indicts 40 - UPI Archives Les Riley grew up just a few miles from downtown Columbia. Federal charges tied to largest-ever York County fentanyl bust | Rock The smugglers also borrowed plantations along the coast owned by rich Northerners who rarely visited. ', Suspected burglar inside New Brunswick home was a panicked deer. Both suspects were released from the Florence County Detention Center on April 2, 2022, on a $50,000 surety bond each. However, it looks like a lot to us. Taylor Lynnette Glover (Lancaster County Sheriff's Office) Information from the Los Banditos investigation was used to make another bust in Atlanta, where authorities seized approximately 200 kilos (441 pounds) of methamphetamine, 3.5 kilos (7.7 pounds) of cocaine, 3.2 kilos (7 pounds) of heroin, 5 ounces of cocaine mixed with fentanyl, 183 pounds of marijuana, 900 Xanax pills, and multiple firearms from stash houses in apartments, the attorney general's office said. News 19 reports that much of the operation was in the Upstate counties. S.C. circuit court judge DeAndrea Benjamin denied bond for 23 of the 32 defendants. He was joined at a news conference in Columbia by S.C. State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) chief Mark Keel and other authorities. according to the press release from the South Carolina attorney general. They were executed with premeditation. 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. The agents deserve all the credit, says Bart Daniel of the task force. If there is a drug connection to Alex, he would definitely be the big fish in the region. A drop in the bucket compared to whats out there, she said. COLUMBIA, S.C. State prosecutors have charged 100 people in what they said Monday was the largest number of defendants ever indicted in one drug operation in South Carolina courts. CLICK HERE. North Carolina. Now it's closing after donors sent school a big message. 8,333 people were booked in the last 30 days (Order: Booking Date ) First Prev Les and Barry considered marijuana a nearly legal product. 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. Obviously this news outlet will keep close tabs on this investigation as it moves forward . , Four more suspects in operation pentagon https://www.augustachronicle.com/story/news/local/hampton-county-guardian/2021/07/27/two-more-suspects-custody-operation-pentagon-arrest-tally-now-20/5385106001/. Throughout the extensive multi-agency investigation, it was revealed that the much of the drug trafficking was coordinated by current and former prison inmates through contraband cell phones. 35 Arrests in Sumter County Drug Sting - Strom Law Firm Unfortunately, Columbia police did not immediately respond to these inquiries and news of the arrests broke Sunday afternoon in The (Charleston, S.C.) Post and Courier. All Rights Reserved. Youth pastor arrested for inappropriately touching young girls at CLICK HERE. 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 . The owner of multiple businesses in the Five Points shopping and entertainment district in downtown Columbia, South Carolina and the former vice president of its influential neighborhood association was arrested along with a relative last week on multiple drug charges. 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. They grew their network to include names like Tom Rolex Rhoad, John Smokin Sneakers Jamison, Ashley Brunson, Bob Willie the Whale Bauer, Christy Campbell, and Frank Gunn, to name just a few, and occasionally partnered with a Virginia smuggling ring led by Barry Ice Cream Toombs that included Virginia brothers Lee and Michael Harvey. It was a winning decision not just for the Operation Jackpot prosecutors but also for the global war on drugs because it would discourage future American drug kingpins from fleeing to those countries to avoid prosecution. Also Hampton county had 388 overdoses and 15 deaths in one year that seems really high for a county of 19,000 people. All these kids have had other friends that have died, said Alsobrooks. They reportedly were part of a drug trafficking organization that operating in Pickens, Greenville, Laurens, Anderson, and Oconee Counties. Got something youd like to say in response to one of our articles? 'They were headed for New York City and Miami.'. York County, SC. 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. |, All of these experiences relate to the astounding volume of marijuana and hashish smuggled into South Carolina by the so-called Gentlemen Smugglers with a street value, in todays dollars, of $1.8 billion. 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. 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. Charlestons famous restaurant, 82 Queen, was seized as well. Charges range from drug trafficking and weapons to burglary and kidnapping. 4-day drug sweep nets 19 arrests in Hampton County COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO)- Officials with the FBI Columbia field office and Columbia Violent Gang Task Force say nine individuals face drug trafficking charges. Kingpin Les Riley, who grew up in Columbia and attended USC, had a Southern upbringing that included hunting, fishing, and escorting the occasional debutante. Just like him being a CI . Wilder still, the two main characters hail from Columbia, South Carolina. Detric McGowan Arrested in Alleged South Carolina Drug Bust after Story Went Viral February 27, 2019, 4:19 PM This good Samaritan who went viral for buying $540 worth of Girl Scout cookies was. 5, 2022 at 7:26 PM EDT . MYRTLE BEACH, SOUTH CAROLINA Less than twenty months after 30 Horry County and Myrtle Beach-area drug traffickers were indicted based on a federal wiretap investigation into narcotics and violence, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of South Carolina announced today that all 30 have pleaded guilty and been sentenced in federal court. Operation Jackpot - Columbia Metropolitan Magazine According to authorities, six of the . Unbeknownst to his grandmother, Skip charged the smugglers a fee to offload their product there. LEXINGTON, S.C. (WIS) - A more than two-year investigation landed 17 people in federal custody as authorities busted a drug trafficking ring in the Midlands. Barry and Les decided to look for a quieter entry point for their product. Feds bust major meth trafficking ring in Lexington, 17 arrested - WIS Thousands of kilos of methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine were pumping into Greenville County.. British bus driver stops to give loose sheep a lift. According to a news. The full list of defendants and the charges they each face can be found here. Sergeant Forsberg gave and dedicated everything he had to his family, friends, coworkers, and the community.. Forsberg oversaw a unit of dedicated men and women, who all collectively work tirelessly to protect the community from some of societys most dangerous individuals, his obituary read. SCDNR never sought a warrant to compel the hospital to draw Pauls blood that night, but the hospital did anyway The doctor said that no drugs were found in Pauls system.. In discussing the issue with Brian Wellesley, Internal Revenue Service criminal investigation chief for North and South Carolina, Henry learned of a novel Net Worth approach successfully used in Southern California to identify probable criminals there by comparing the costs of their homes, cars, boats, and extravagant lifestyles with their likely income. Piece by piece, the task force identified a web of drug smugglers, half of whom were South Carolina natives. 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. South Carolina authorities seize enough fentanyl to kill 15 million I dont believe there was a drug connection to the Murdaughs but it wouldnt surprise me if LE saw this as an opportunity to round up a bunch of local criminals (of varying levels of serious criminality) and see if anything shook loose in exchange for some leniency. Pinch the little fish to get info on the big fish. A normal hashish load had a street value of $90 million. 2023 Blaze Media LLC. Others, including Barry and Les, were harder to bring in. I dont think so either but others have theorized about it so I thought Id post just to show there had been an investigation going on in Hampton county for a year. '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. Nine indicted on federal drug trafficking conspiracy in South Carolina According to North Charleston authorities, Vernon Tyrell Willis, 26, has been arrested and charged with 13 counts of second-degree assault and battery. The first of three trials began in Charleston before U.S. District Court Judge Falcon B. Hawkins, Jr., even while asset seizures, indictments, and arrest efforts continued with the other smugglers. Well hold the line from here. Im his mother what else would I say. Chelsie Marie Anderson, Jennifer Nicole Burns, and Amy Deanna Cobb a/k/a Emma allegedly fled to Mexico in late 2018-2020. Youre gonna eventually know someone this has happened to and I think Cody would be very proud of all of us for trying to help stop this problem, said Alsobrooks. This would totally explain why LE is keeping such a tight, tight lid on everything. https://youtube.com/@MurdaughMurders?si=EnSIkaIECMiOmarE, https://www.augustachronicle.com/story/news/local/hampton-county-guardian/2021/07/27/two-more-suspects-custody-operation-pentagon-arrest-tally-now-20/5385106001/.