Incomplete (tip-o-the iceberg) list of U.S. drugs related crimes and oddities for the month of April 2018.

“If we don’t get tough on the drug dealers, we are wasting our time. And that toughness includes the death penalty.”-President Donald Trump, Manchester, New Hampshire, 19MAR2018

The official National Drug Take Back Day was 28APR2018, proving that the government is behind the drug epidemic (why else would they call it ‘Take Back Day’ if they aren’t the source of the drugs?).  Since National Drug Take Back Day began in 2010 more than four million kilos (nine million pounds) of prescription drugs were given back to the government, I mean turned in on National Drug Take Back Day across the U.S.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP, aka Border Patrol) reports that for fiscal year 2017 they captured 269,790 pounds of cocaine; 384,230 pounds of marijuana; 5,721 pounds of methamphetamine; 1,089 weapons, $26.1 million USD in cash, and captured 37,009 illegal immigrants.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that drug overdoses (O-D) killed 63-thousand-632 people in 2016, compared to 40-thousand-2-hundred vehicle deaths and 38-thousand gun deaths.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner blamed Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, Google, Yahoo and Bing for enabling the opioid epidemic.

Official Department of Defense opioid video explainer:

Alabama: The six months old Alabama Drug Task Force received a piddly $64-thousand USD federal taxpayer funded grant.  After only six months of operations the Drug Task Force boasts of capturing illegal and prescription drugs along with 145 guns.  A Dothan Police sergeant was arrested for illegal possession of drugs as well as theft!  Gulf Shores Police arrested two men on marijuana charges, the two men turned out to be cops from Taliaferro County, Georgia!  The Heflin Police Department reports arresting five people and capturing 34-kilos (75-pounds) of drugs, adding that anti-drug ops are ongoing and more arrests are expected. Bay Minette Police Department arrested at least 20 people in taxpayer led anti-drug ops: “These arrests took place as the result of citizen complaints…    These enforcement efforts are ongoing and will continue. We want to thank the citizens for providing us information and tips to act on.”-Bay Minette press release

Alabama Public Radio: Benzodiazepines: America’s ‘Other Prescription Drug Problem’

Alaska: State Troopers arrested a Fairbanks resident allegedly in possession of meth, shrooms and ganja.  State Troopers, and the federal DEA, also found two kilos (five pounds) of heroin inside the engine compartment of a Chevy Tahoe that was being shipped in from Thermal, California. Drug dealers were also arrested, but the DEA noted that the dealers were conducting counter-surveillance ops, meaning they suspected the cops had been tipped-off.  Nine people indicted for trying to smuggle methamphetamine, heroin and Suboxone into the Lemon Creek prison, using code words like ‘soup’, ‘movies’ and ‘painting’.  A woman in Eagle River reported to police that she got robbed by her friendly neighborhood drug dealer.  She says when she got into the dealer’s car, to buy ganja, he robbed her instead.   Samoan Customs report they arrested a man who came from Alaska, along with $26-thousand worth of meth, supposedly to attend a funeral in the tiny island nation.

Anchorage Daily News: Alaska fentanyl overdose deaths more than quadrupled in 2017

Arizona: The possible first overdose in The Grand Canyon State involving an opioid drug more powerful than fentanyl; carfentanil.   A man was found dead in his car, “The Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s report confirmed the presence of carfentanil, yet the source of the carfentanil remains unknown…”  The Canadian Centre for Addiction says “The equivalent of one gran of salt of Carfentanil is enough to kill a human being.”  Carfentanil was originally used to tranquilize elephants.  A group of doctors revealed that Arizona’s new drug law actually punishes doctors for prescribing alternatives to opioids, and allude that the British empire maker of Suboxone bribed state lawmakers to create the pro-opioid law!  The U.S. Border Patrol says they captured a Mexican smuggling 121.5-kilos (268-pounds) of marijuana and meth across the border using two horses. A woman was arrested as she and her three children were trying to cross the border, because one of her children had two pounds of cocaine strapped to her body.

Arkansas:  The Land of Opportunity has the second highest rate of prescription drug over-prescribing at an average of 114.6 opioid prescriptions per 1-hundred people!  A federal judge ordered the temporary shutdown of Cantrell Drug Company due to the U.S. FDA accusing the company of selling adulterated drugs throughout the U.S.   The chairman of the Anthropology Department at the University of Arkansas arrested by the DEA for buying prescription drugs illegally and illegal possession of guns!   Benton Police credit good neighbors for helping to shutdown a drug dealer, who was captured with methamphetamine, LSD, mushrooms, marijuana, prescription pills, unknown powders, and stolen guns: “Definitely a shocker. We never considered this to be a hot spot for any kind of drug dealing.”-Anthony Natale, concerned neighbor

California: Menlo Park based Kaiser Family Foundation says opioid addiction treatment, for employees of ‘large’ companies with insurance, cost $2.6-billion USD in 2016, compared to $273-million in 2004!  The federal DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) considers the city of Thermal to be a major illegal drug distribution center for the United States.  Six Californians arrested for trafficking 22.6-kilos (50-pounds) worth of meth, smack and coke between Washington state and Alaska. A now former U.S. Border Patrol agent sentenced to six years in federal prison after getting caught smuggling meth and coke from Mexico!  A member of the drug gang MS-13 revealed in a federal court, in New Jersey, that the MS-13 drug distribution operations are run out of the Calipatria State Prison in California!  One prisoner at the Mule Creek State Prison killed and 11 others required medical treatment after taking an undisclosed drug.  Riverside, Inyo and Mono counties, along with Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow, began experimenting with ketamine for pain relief: “It will be used for pain control in lieu of our current medication which is Fentanyl. Fentanyl is an opioid-based narcotic, and due to the ongoing opioid crisis nationwide, emergency medical services have been faced with finding alternatives.”-Greg Kunkel, Emergency Medical Services

South China Morning Post: 100 Chinese-run ‘pot-growing’ houses seized in one of the largest residential drug busts in U.S./California history 

Crew of the USS Zephyr rescue smugglers from a burning drug smuggling ‘stealth’ boat from Columbia, 07APR2018, the drug boat was sunk

Colorado:  According to Colorado Health Institute 912 Coloradans died from drug use in 2016, more than those who died from cars and guns combined!  Between 2001 and 2016 there was a 756% increase in heroin deaths!  The DEA reports that almost 907-kilos (2-thousand pounds) of prescription drugs were given back to the government, I mean turned in on National Drug Take Back Day in Colorado!

Connecticut: 19 people indicted for selling cocaine, fentanyl and heroin: “…this drug trafficking organization, which used multiple sources of supply, has been responsible for the distribution of significant quantities of heroin and cocaine in Connecticut.”-John Durham, U.S. Attorney

Delaware: The state Department of Health and Social Services confirmed at least 71 people died from drugs, so far this year.  There was a 12% increase in overdose deaths in 2017.

Florida: An immigrant from South Africa was arrested in a Honda minivan full of drugs, police were paroling the Vero Beach area due to increased burglaries. In Miami, police raided two strip-clubs, arresting dozens of strippers for dealing drugs, as part of ongoing Operation Neon Lights.  Monroe County Sheriff’s deputies pulled over a Chevy Tahoe to find unknown pills and heroin, and a nine years old boy. The vehicle had been involved in a hit-&-run accident, a female passenger had been arrested three previous times on felony drug charges. The Hillsborough County Sheriff reports a local high school student was killed while trying to buy marijuana and that the dealer confessed to shooting the student.  In Wakulla County a mom is awaiting trial for making her two years old smoke meth: “The toxicology results concluded that the 2-year-old tested positive for both methamphetamine and amphetamines and the findings were ‘chronic’ rather than ‘acute’.”-Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office

U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Legare (based in Florida), along with Canadian Navy ships, captures $390-million worth of cocaine and ganja during the months of March and April

Indiana: In Clark County a mom confessed to using her toddler children to make sex videos, which she sold to get money to buy drugs!   State Police pulled over a mom for driving too close to other cars, they found heroin, methadone and the mom’s one year old daughter in the car.   State Police also report 794.6-kilos (1-thousand-752 pounds) of prescription drugs were given back to the government, I mean turned in on National Drug Take Back Day in Indiana!

Iowa: A local pharmacist accuses CVS Pharmacy of gross over-billing of taxpayers for prescription drugs supplied to prisoners.  In one example he said that CVS charged Wapellow County $5-thousand for drugs that should’ve cost $1-thousand.   Iowa set a record for give your drugs back to the government day, I mean National Drug Take Back Day; more than six U.S. tons (5594-kilos or 12,333-pounds) of prescriptions collected, breaking the record set last year!

Kansas:  The U.S. FDA ordered Epic Products to recall its ‘over the counter’ male sexual enhancing drug because it contains actual prescription strength erectile dysfunction drugs sildenafil and tadalafil.

Kentucky: The supposedly highly educated gov’na blamed teacher strikes for causing children to be raped and become drug users: “Children were harmed, some physically, some sexually, some were introduced to drugs for the first time, because they were vulnerable and left alone.”  He supposedly apologized for the implication.

Louisiana: The state Legislative Auditor discovered that more than 25-thousand prescriptions went missing from the state Board of Pharmacy’s Prescription Monitoring Program!  The audit was prompted by a sudden increase in overdose deaths.  Concordia Parish Sheriff’s Office, along with state and federal police, arrested 12 people in possession of meth, marijuana, pills and AK-47 assault rifles.

Maine: National Guard armories were used during the National Drug Take Back Day.

Maryland: A Prince George’s County special ed teacher was among 27 people busted for drugs in Maryland and Washington DC, federal cops say the drug ring had been selling heroin, cocaine and crack-cocaine since 2016.  In Frederick County a smaller drug gang was busted, six people arrested.

Massachusetts: The state Supreme Judicial Court dismissed nearly 8-thousand drug cases after it was shown that an employee of the contracted drug testing lab falsified results and was even using the drugs captured during drug raids! Also, the court vacated more than 22-thousand drug convictions because a different contracted drug lab basically did the same thing!!!

Michigan: A study by the state Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs and Appriss Health reports a 30% increase in O-Ds (overdose deaths) from 2013 to 2015, with Detroit and Grand Rapids suffering the most deaths. 

Minnesota: 29 members of what police call a ‘multi-generational drug gang’ were arrested in Hubbard County, for selling meth, prescription drugs, hash oil and Mary-Jane.

Mississippi: Three Adams County Sheriff’s deputies went to eat lunch at their fave restaurant only to end up busting two men and a woman making a Xanax drug deal right outside the restaurant window!   A man was arrested using a former, but still marked, Newton County Sheriff’s cop car to traffic marijuana.  When cops raided the man’s home they say they found 31 types of marijuana. The man apparently bought the cop car at a government auction, however, it is the responsibility of the government agency to remove all police markings from the vehicle which, for some unknown reason, was not done.  Jackson Police report they’re arresting people who are driving to states where marijuana is legal, buying a crap-load and smuggling it into Mississippi.

Missouri: McLean County Sheriff’s Office reports arresting a woman who had ecstasy in her bra, heroin in her car and a locked and cocked pistol in her vagina!  As many as 8-hundred people in Saint Louis area died from opioids last year.  In just the past six months Saint Louis County reports 14-thousand cases of people trying to get multiple issues of prescription opioids, a clear case of doctor involved prescription drug addiction: “Even if you set aside the fact there are quite a few people who have genuine pain management needs, clearly there is over-prescribing going on.”-Faisal Khan, Saint Louis County

Montana:  A social worker at Meadow Hill junior high arrested for having meth, heroin and psilocybin mushrooms in her residence, but wait, there’s more. Officials with Missoula County Public Schools are so paranoid they used taxpayer money to hire a company to clean the now former social worker’s office at the junior high, due to fears over her “…personal drug activity.”  In Missoula County, a woman who worked with infants at the YMCA Learning Center arrested after building a ‘meth smoking den’ in the laundry room! The overwhelming smell of meth gave it away, despite her attempt to use a vent fan.  17 people arrested in Billings for meth related crimes as part of a new version of the national Project Safe Neighborhoods.  It should be noted the Project Safe Neighborhoods was originally a federal anti-gun operation launched in 2001.

Nebraska: The daughter of the mayor of North Port, and another woman, arrested while driving a Chevy Tahoe full of 46.7-kilos (103-pounds) of marijuana!

Nevada: According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) The Silver State has the highest rate of psycho-stimulants O-D deaths; a 32% increase from 2015 to 2016: “I’ve been doing this job six and a half years, and for the last three of four years, we’ve seen the numbers rising. It unfortunately doesn’t look like it’s slowing down anytime soon.”-Jamie Ross, PACT (Patient Access Community Treatment) Coalition

“The number one drug seized by all of our task forces is meth.“-Keith Carter, Nevada High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area

New Hampshire:  The state experienced its largest ever fentanyl drug bust involving 20 different federal, state and local agencies resulting in 45 indictments and more than 30-kilograms (66 pounds) of fentanyl captured.  The drug gang involved originated in Massachusetts.

New Jersey:  The FBI arrested a Paterson cop for dealing heroin, crack cocaine, powder cocaine and marijuana since 2017, even using a city police car in a parking lot right next to the police HQ to do so!  One report says that from 2015 to 2016 at least 16-thousand people in New Jersey had to be revived with Narcan.  A convicted immigrant drug dealer was able to order his girlfriend’s murdered while he was in a New Jersey prison!

New Mexico: 14 people in Las Cruces arrested, 16 indicted, for trafficking cocaine, heroin and meth across four states.  In Las Vegas, a man who wanted some meth got mad when the female dealer told him she needed more money, he chopped her with a machete, she survived, he’s in jail.  And possibly as a result of such crazy drug crimes, the West Las Vegas School Board considering making it mandatory for school employees and student athletes to be tested for drugs, including prescription drugs: “In light of the recent events of what’s happened at schools, I think that anybody, or any teacher, any administrator who may be using a prescription medication or may be using narcotics, poses a safety threat to the school.”-Ambrosio Castellano, board member

New York: A NYC drug bust revealed nine kilos (20-pounds) of drugs in an apartment oven and couch, and $600-thousand USD in cash inside a Lamborghini.  The state Comptroller’s Office says 63% of counties couldn’t adequately Take Back drugs because they don’t have enough drug drop boxes, and five counties don’t have any drug Take Back boxes.  A doctor facing charges of killing six people with overdoses of opioids has somehow gotten another job at another clinic!  80% of New Yorkers blame doctors for the opioid epidemic, 70% blame the government.

North Carolina:  A local TV station revealed that illegal drug dealing has become such big business that state lawmakers created a special tax, called the Unauthorized Substance Tax, and drug dealers are actually paying it!  Perhaps in response, the federal government declared operation Take Back North Carolina: “The stakes are so high, the risk is so great that I almost don’t care what the cause is, we just got to stop the problem.”-Robert Higdon Junior, U.S. Attorney

North Dakota: A Burleigh County Sheriff’s Deputy now in jail after getting caught stealing cell phones and meth right outta the police evidence locker.   It turns out the cop doesn’t have a good work record, being rated unacceptable and getting reprimands.  A female University of North Dakota student arrested for attempting to sell drugs on campus.

Ohio: Official video report National Guard Counterdrug Task Force Airman who lost her brother to opioids:

Oklahoma: The state Bureau of Narcotics held a public meeting at Southern Tech about Current Oklahoma Drug Threats, one news report said only 13 people attended.  The DEA arrested a retired Edmond cop for money laundering and selling illegal steroids out of his home and through local businesses, for at least three years. At least two other people were also arrested. Police say the operation involved drop-shipping, PO Boxes for fake companies, PayPal accounts, bank accounts under fake names, and auto-shops.

Oregon:   In another case involving a Chevy Tahoe from California, two men finally pled guilty to using the upscale Sport Utility Vehicle to traffic cocaine and marijuana from California to Alaska. They got caught in Medford, in April of last year, as they were driving the drug-stuffed SUV up to Alaska.  Their sentencing scheduled for June.  News reports say a ‘secret’ federal drug raid in Portland almost backfired. The DEA is confiscating discovered drug stashes without the dealers knowing, and intentionally making it look like another drug gang stole the merchandise (under what is called a ‘delayed notice warrant’), however, it almost went bad when an innocent storage warehouse manager almost got killed by upset drug dealers. 

Pennsylvania: State Police report that for the first quarter of 2018 they captured almost $6-million USD worth of drugs, and for all of last year they captured $41-million worth of illegal drugs!  According to a study released in November 2017, drug deaths in Pennsylvania are expected to increase by 70% over the next seven years!

Puerto Rico:  Perhaps because of its crashed economy and damage caused by back-to-back hurricanes, the island territory is now a distribution point for drugs from South America heading towards the United States.  Last year a record 29887-kilos (65,890-pounds) of narcotics were captured! 

Personnel off-load $13-million worth of heroin from Coast Guard Cutter Richard Dixon in San Juan, 18APR2018

Rhode Island: In comparison to other states, only 11-kilos (25-pounds) of drugs were turned in on National Take Back Day.   After years of increases in prisoner opioid addictions Rhode Island began screening prisoners for opioids and treating them for addiction, which proves drugs are easy to get in prison. A local TV station discovered that drugs from China and Mexico are being shipped in via the U.S. Postal Service. 

South Carolina: Two ‘guests’ of the Department of Corrections get to spend yet more time behind bars after they were caught running a multi-state drug dealing op right outta their prison cell!  On top of that, 14 now former prison guards, nurse, groundskeeper and service workers now indicted for drug smuggling and their connection to prison riots that left seven prisoners dead!  In yet another case involving prison guards, prisoners at Broad River Correctional Institute claim guards (who were also members of drug gangs) were forcing them to buy drugs and have sex!  Some taxpayers are blaming increased prison guard crimes on the state’s so called prison reforms!  The now former Walhalla Police Chief facing charges of extorting drugs from his own personnel!  

South Dakota: Police report increased trafficking of ganja from Minnesota, the most recent involved 38.5-kilos (85-pounds) found in a Toyota Tundra from Minneapolis/Saint Paul.

Texas:  57 ‘white’ gang bangers arrested for kidnapping and selling meth.  A 46 years old man was convicted of beating young children, including his own, into packaging meth for him to sell.

Utah: Two men facing charges of making fake prescription drugs (fentanyl) and selling them online, making $2.8-million USD in less than a year.  Orem Police arrested a man from California with $1.5-million worth of meth.

Vermont: The tiny state of Vermont (with 30-thousand estimated addicts) got 32-million tax dollars to fight opioids: “Vermont was one of the first states to receive and benefit from this program because I could argue that we were prepared for it. Our little state could use it and make the program work.”-Patrick Leahy, U.S. Senator

Virginia: State Department of Health reports a ten years high in drug O-D deaths, 1-thousand-534 in 2017!  Fentanyl caused more than half the deaths.

Washington: The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) intercepted a package shipped from Seattle to Yalobusha County, Mississippi.  It contained 5.8-kilos (13-pounds) of pills, THC oil and ‘weed’.  But wait, the man arrested for the postal crime claims there’s still 2-kilos (5-pounds) of weed in the mail!

Washington DC:  The CDC reports that DC is number one in the country for drug O-D deaths, a 106.9% increase from 2015 to 2016!  The U.S. Surgeon General begging all citizens to carry the anti-overdose med naloxone!  The FDA banned the sale of bulk powdered caffeine.

West Virginia: Perhaps because of guilt, drug maker Pfizer (through its Pfizer Foundation) gave the state half-a-million dollars to help treat drug addicted moms and their babies!  The CDC says West Virginia has the highest rate of babies born addicted to drugs!  West Virginia also broke its record for drug O-D deaths, 909 in 2017!

Wisconsin:  Drug addiction causing a doubling of children being pushed into the state’s foster care system, since 2010.  27669-kilos (61-thousand pounds) of pills were collected on Take Back Day.

Wyoming: A repeat offender was caught, as he was entering prison, with a bag of opioid pills shoved up his butt.

KGAB: Why Wyoming Drug Traffickers Are So Stupid

DRUGS, THE AMERICAN WAY, March 2018: ZOMBIES ARE FOR REAL! “THE FENTANYL…IS ENOUGH TO KILL EVERYONE…SEVERAL TIMES OVER.”