Read more: Which Politicians Had Terrible Diseases Like John McCain? That’s more than the combined population of the states of Illinois, New York and Pennsylvania. In two waste oil tanks they found over 12 tons of cocaine worth the equivalent of $230 million today. This is enough dope to provide a dose of meth for every man, woman and child in the United States and Mexico," Shea said. ... Largest Domestic Meth Bust In DEA History Made In Riverside County. | CNN. 7 5 Tons of Hashish - Saudi Arabia, 2004 "And you know some people turn to drugs to deal with that.". Acting on a tip, authorities searched a house and discovered nearly 18,000 pounds of wrapped cocaine estimated to be worth $1 billion. | iStock.com/miroslav_1. Mexican authorities found 25,000 pounds worth of narcotics hidden inside a tractor-trailer that was abandoned just south of the Mexican border on Dec. 6. Besides the meth, the DEA found more than 880 pounds of cocaine. Then, authorities discovered how the suspect got all those drugs — via a 600-foot tunnel that crossed the border to Mexico. 5 on the list to read about the U.S. Coast Guard’s big bust in 2007. The seizure was part of the DEA's ongoing initiative. history. DEA images of the duffel bags the drugs were found in. During a routine traffic stop near Kearney, Neb., state troopers found 118 pounds of fentanyl, which is enough to kill 26 million people when you consider two milligrams is a potentially fatal dose. A month of surveillance and a coordinated law enforcement effort produced one of the biggest drug busts we’ve ever seen. "You know it's a tough time for everybody, he said. Another 2018 haul is one of the biggest drug busts in U.S. history. Nebraska might not be among the states with the most opioid abuse, but apparently, it’s a way station along the route to those places. One California raid in 2014 remains one of the biggest drug busts the U.S. has ever seen. | Jacek Sopotnicki/iStock/Getty Images. According to the police, the cocaine belonged to the notorious Usaga Clan who are well-known for their involvement in drugs. "It's a massive amount.". The DEA's focus is to interrupt the drug transportation chain in the cities that account for 75% distribution of all meth distributed in the country, Shea said. When the main players had their cases go to trial, the warehouse owner received a life sentence, according to the Los Angeles Times. A fake wall in a Florida home contained $24 million from marijuana smuggling and growing. Last month, Attorney General William Barr and Shea announced that in. They were discovered hidden in a truck delivering medical supplies from Mexico. Bill Bodner, DEA special agent in charge for the Los Angeles field division, said the suspects at the Perris stash house are likely big players with the cartels. The drugs in that bust were seized at the Otay Mesa port of entry to San Diego. Next: The biggest bust this city has ever seen. Between the fiscal years 2017-2019, DEA domestic seizures of meth increased 127% from 49,507 pounds to 112,146 pounds, according to the DEA. | Sandy Huffaker/Getty Images. "These two seizures are more than enough to provide a dose of meth, for every man, woman, and child in the United States and Mexico. Authorities seized 46 pounds of pot and $300,000 in cash in 2014 during a big bust in the smallest state in America. So far, they have not filed charges. They said the haul could have been worth more than $1 billion on the street. The U.S. Coast Guard has been involved in plenty of massive drug seizures in its history, but one from 2007 is one of the biggest drug busts in U.S. history. From Wall Street to the underworld, if there’s one thing we’ve learned it’s that crime pays and pays big. Remember when we discussed a secret drug tunnel in Arizona that authorities discovered in 2018? We know what you’re thinking — Canada isn’t the United States, so how come it shows up on our countdown? In southern Colombia, a country drug where trafficking is endemic, 13.8 tons of cocaine was found by the local authorities near a riverbank. PHILADELPHIA (AP) — U.S. authorities seized 33,000 pounds, or 15,000 kilograms, of cocaine from a ship at Philadelphia’s port in what they described as one of the largest drug busts in American history. The amount seized represents one of the biggest drug busts in Central Oregon in recent memory, Mannix said — 36 pounds of methamphetamine and six pounds of heroin. Next: Another 2018 raid is among the biggest drug busts ever. A brother-sister duo, a quiet suburb, and a false attic wall hiding $24 million in cash made trafficking marijuana. Largest marijuana bust in nearly 20 years for Panama City Police Panama City Police say they’ve made one of the largest marijuana busts in nearly 20 years. One of the biggest drug busts ever in Atlanta happened in 2012, and it remains one of the largest in U.S. history. All the smaller busts we’ve discussed so far happened in the 21st century, and we’re guessing it’s because the kingpins and cartels got tired of all the mammoth seizures late in the 20th century. In the biggest drug haul ever seen in Malaysia, police seized 12 tonnes of cocaine worth RM2.4bil in Penang during an operation dubbed Ops Eagle. | iStock Photo. A warehouse raid in Hayward in the east bay seized 1,200 pounds of heroin worth roughly $3 billion. Next: We remain in the 20th century the rest of the way. Police discovered more than 300 pounds of drugs worth $1 million during a traffic stop in southwestern Arizona. by Lucas Casaletto. Shea said that the capture of the drug kingpin. The DEA helped with one of Edmonton’s biggest drug busts. Next: Proof that you can’t hide anything from the authorities. 1 on the countdown. "The concern there is that they are very violent and they're very aggressive and they are largely responsible for much of the meth in this country," said Shea. | Wavebreakmedia/Getty Images. Investigators said it is the largest drug bust in world history, in both physical size and street cost of the haul. The biggest raids happened in the 20th century, but check out No. "A low level operative would not be trusted to hold $18 million of drugs in a house. Authorities in Atlanta seized $6 million in heroin in 2012. It was reported that three people were arrested during the operation. Posted: Jan 19, 2021 12:52 PM. Which Politicians Had Terrible Diseases Like John McCain? Drug smuggling knows no age, and this August 2018 bust is proof. Forget talking about just drug dealers, Pablo Escobar is one of the richest criminals who ever lived. The huge stash of cocaine was hidden by right-wing military groups, including the United Self-Defence Forces of Colombia, an outlawed faction. Police arrested 22 people and confiscated more than $700,000 in cash along with the drugs. - Chief Federal District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl sentenced Arnold Devonne Butler, 54, today in … In March, this city was the hub of the biggest scheme for laundering drug money to be uncovered, a $1.2 billion operation. It just wouldn't happen. | John Moore/Getty Images. Cop arrested after largest drug bust in Virgin Islands history - The BVI Beacon Cop arrested after largest drug bust in Virgin Islands history Some 2.3 tonnes of cocaine was found in Balsam Ghut on Sunday, making it the largest drug bust in the history of the Virgin Islands. 2021 Showbiz Cheat Sheet, All Rights Reserved. Acting DEA Administrator Timothy Shea announced the bust at a press conference Wednesday. Wyoming’s largest drug bust leads to two decades in prison CASPER, Wyo. A Coast Guard boarding team serving onboard a Navy cruiser was sent to investigate a suspected smuggling ship in 1995 and set the then world record for largest maritime drug seizure ever. The drugs were found packed inside 25 duffel bags and ready for distribution, according to authorities. according to a US Customs and Border Protection statement. Authorities in California nabbed $18 million in meth in 2014. In that case, the driver, a 47-year-old Mexican citizen, was arrested and turned over to a joint federal agency investigative team. | Colombian National Police/Wikimedia Commons. In this article we take a look at the 18 biggest drug busts in US history. One happened in Harlingen in southeast Texas in 1989. Next: A bust that saved the equivalent of 26 million lives. CNN Sans ™ & © 2016 Cable News Network. While drugs definitely exist in the country, the largest bust there totalled a measly $9 million – a figure that pales in comparison to the rest of the numbers on this list. Click to skip ahead and jump to the 10 biggest drug busts in U.S. history. 16. He and his Medellin cartel cohorts made an estimated $420 million each week supplying 80% of the cocaine in the United States in the 1980s. A drug tunnel near San Diego produced one of the biggest busts ever. The U.S. Coast Guard made one of the biggest drug busts in U.S. history. Mexican police find $62M in drugs in abandoned truck near border. Gallery: Authorities Detail Largest Drug Bust in Owensboro History Multiple law enforcement agencies gathered at the Owensboro Convention Center on Tuesday to detail what they say is the most significant narcotics seizure in the city's history. Next: Where have we heard this one before? The sensitive nose of a drug-sniffing dog has led to what federal officials say is the largest seizure in U.S. history of fentanyl, the synthetic opioid blamed for the majority of overdose deaths. A Georgia traffic stop resulted in a $2 million drug bust. Massive federal drug bust, likely the largest in the Bay Area, nets 1,000 pounds of meth, 44 suspects Michael Cabanatuan Feb. 11, 2021 Updated: Feb. 11, 2021 6:45 p.m. The raids were part of an investigation into a drug trafficking operation believed to be linked to the Sinaloa Cartel. A Nebraska drug bust prevented millions of lethal fentanyl doses from hitting the street. Massive federal drug bust, likely the largest in the Bay Area, nets 1,000 pounds of meth, 44 suspects Michael Cabanatuan Feb. 11, 2021 Updated: Feb. 11, 2021 6:45 p.m. Twenty-one people are facing federal charges in a drug bust involving fraternities on multiple college campuses in North Carolina. That's worth repeating. So these are high-level individuals.". The seizure also helped police shut down business specializing in selling marijuana horticulture supplies. A big cocaine bust in Texas nabbed $1 billion worth of the drug. U.S. Border Patrol agents in San Diego seized nearly $1 million in drugs. More than a ton of the drug seized during raids near Riverside. Massive methamphetamine bust, largest ever by DEA in U.S., made in Inland Empire Share this: ... October 14, 2020 after a drug seizure of cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine, with a … MONTEBELLO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) - Federal agents say they've made the first, and second, largest methamphetamine busts in history. Acting DEA Administrator Timothy Shea announced the bust at a press conference Wednesday. Well, the Drug Enforcement Agency aided the Edmonton police force as it made its largest cash seizure to that point. Drug smuggling isn’t a very wholesome father and son activity, but here we are. 65 guns and $18-million worth of drugs seized in what police call biggest one-day bust in history. A DEA surveillance operation tracked two men, which led authorities to a Bronx apartment with $8 million worth of heroin and other drug paraphernalia inside. $8 million in drugs seized in largest heroin bust in Georgia's history, officials say By Amanda Jackson and Raja Razek, CNN Updated 10:34 PM ET, Wed August 12, 2020 An enormous amount, enough fentanyl to kill—they estimate—57 million people. Next: The U.S. helps with an international drug bust. The tunnel police found in California was 600 yards long, had lights and a working elevator, and contained 32 tons of marijuana worth roughly $65 million. 1. That led authorities to a house in Lawrenceville, Georgia, where they seized $2 million worth of heroin as well as methamphetamines, a stockpile of cash, and an AK-47. Posted: Jan 19, 2021 12:52 PM. | Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images. One of the biggest drug busts Florida has ever seen was straight out of a movie. Authorities seized nearly 500 pounds of methamphetamines worth roughly $18 million. "These seizures are significant not just because of the sheer volume, but because it's a sign of a deeply concerning trend meth is pouring into the United States through our southern border and is destroying too many communities and more importantly, too many lives," said Shea. In 1989, authorities seized more than 21 tons of cocaine worth roughly $6.9 billion on the street sitting in a nondescript warehouse. The drugs were seized on October 2. Border agents in San Diego arrested an 81-year old woman after they found 34 heroin packages weighing 92 pounds. (CNN)Drug Enforcement Administration agents seized more than 2,200 pounds of methamphetamine earlier this month, the largest haul in the agency's history domestically, according to officials. In what was described at the time as the largest drug bust ever at sea, Coast Guard officials boarded a suspicious vessel -- a Panamanian ship named Gatun -- and found 21 tons of cocaine in 2007. Perhaps they figured their ruse would divert police, leading authorities to believe that there was no way a drug dealer would operate so carelessly. 4. - Chief Federal District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl sentenced Arnold Devonne Butler, 54, today in Casper. Kingpins can make billions when their drugs hit the street, but the authorities do their best to prevent that from happening. Next: Not the kind of father and son activity most people do. During the press conference, Shea pointed to the pandemic for the rise in drug use and overdoses. Authorities near Los Angeles seized nearly $7 billion worth of cocaine in 1989. Click to skip ahead and jump to the 10 biggest drug busts in U.S. history. Los Angeles, one of nine cities targeted by Operation Crystal Shield, is a hub for drug traffickers because of the proximity to numerous freeways and airports. | Martin Bernetti/Getty Images. Federal agents caught two men with 86 pounds of heroin, which was worth roughly $6 million at the time. They estimated the drugs to be worth at least $870,000 on the street. One California raid in 2014 remains one of the biggest drug busts the U.S. has ever seen. During the press conference, Shea mentioned last week's second-largest border seizure of meth in which federal agents confiscated more than 3,000 pounds of meth, heroin, fentanyl powder, and pills laced with fentanyl. A $1.2 billion bust was just a fraction of what Pablo Escobar made in a year. The drugs were seized at an alleged stash house east of Los Angeles in Perris, California, on October 2. So, while a 1984 raid in Colombia (with the help of the DEA) seizing 13.8 metric tons of cocaine worth $1.2 billion represents one of the biggest drug busts in U.S. history, that was just a good month for Escobar’s clan. | Drew Angerer/Getty Images. Posted Dec 16, 2020 3:36 pm EST ... Toronto drug and gun bust | Toronto police. You can call this one the mole-man drug bust, in a sense. He added that treatment options for addicts and people struggling have been limited due to restrictions in place because of the coronavirus. The stash was a mixture of marijuana, hash and heroin and originated in Vancouver before being transported to Edmonton. Patience helped New York authorities make an $8 million drug bust, | Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images. | John Moore/Getty Images. The biggest drug busts in U.S. history seized billions of dollars worth of narcotics. Having this much marijuana will get you into trouble. | William West/AFP/Getty Images. "Someone who's responsible for this quantity of drugs is someone who is very, very trusted by the cartels," Bodner said. Seized heroin near San Francisco was one of the biggest drug busts ever. The plan backfired against them, allowing the 105 tons of pot to be easily identifiable and marking the occasion as the biggest drug bust in Mexican history. | Frederic J. Brown/AFP/Getty Images. Alabama authorities nabbed a father-son drug-smuggling duo. “Well, the U.S. border patrol has made the biggest fentanyl bust in history. Officials have detained suspects and will continue to make arrests as the investigation continues. "That's a significant amount of meth," Timothy Shea, the DEA's acting administrator, said at a press conference on Wednesday. In the world of drug enforcement, it pays to be patient. This isn’t a comprehensive list of the biggest drug busts, but it gives you an idea of how much money is at stake. Smugglers use tunnels under the border to move drugs from Mexico to the U.S. | John Moore/Getty Images. Italian police claim world's largest drug bust after US$1.1 billion of amphetamines seized. Gallery: Authorities Detail Largest Drug Bust in Owensboro History Multiple law enforcement agencies gathered at the Owensboro Convention Center on Tuesday to detail what they say is the most significant narcotics seizure in the city's history. Here are five of the biggest U.S.-Mexico border drug busts this year. If you factor in the two pounds of methamphetamines, cash, and guns, the DEA bust was probably closer to $7 million. 18,000 pounds/$200 million Police arrested 100 suspects and seized enough drugs to wipe out a large county. Authorities find 3,100 pounds of meth and other drugs hidden in truckload of medical supplies. Rhode Island has some of the loosest marijuana laws in the country, but you avoid trouble only when you have a little bit. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wyoming’s largest drug bust leads to two decades in prison CASPER, Wyo. In cooperation with Panama’s government, a Coast Guard ship stopped and searched a container ship, and discovered more than 42,000 pounds of cocaine worth $350 million. Federal agents announced what they called the largest methamphetamine bust in U.S. history Wednesday, displaying a 10-foot high pile of the confiscated drug representing a … A drug bust last year was hailed as the largest fentanyl bust in U.S. history—254 pounds seized at an Arizona border crossing. The Georgia State Patrol pulled over a car that contained drugs. One of the biggest drug busts Alabama’s ever seen featured a father and his 15-year old son towing 115 pounds of crystal meth worth $3 million through Baldwin County. Authorities seized nearly 500 pounds of methamphetamines worth roughly $18 million. Next: Let’s head down the coast for No. Sylmar is something of a sleepy town northwest of Los Angeles, but it’s the site of what might be the biggest drug bust ever. During the same time frame, the number of DEA arrests related to meth rose nearly 20%. Over 100 arrested in massive Florida drug bust after months-long investigation. Largest marijuana bust in nearly 20 years for Panama City Police Panama City Police say they’ve made one of the largest marijuana busts in nearly 20 years. The cocaine was stashed inside 359 bags and is the largest drugs seizure in Colombia of all-time. A drug bust last year was hailed as the largest fentanyl bust in U.S. history—254 pounds seized at an Arizona border crossing. The raids were part of an investigation into a drug trafficking operation believed to be linked to the Sinaloa Cartel. Drug trafficking is probably the most lucrative illegal money maker, which the richest drug dealers of all time can attest to. In a press conference on Thursday, the US Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina said the defendants funneled thousands of pounds of marijuana, hundreds of kilograms of cocaine, and other drugs. The drugs were seized on October 2. | Sandy Huffaker/Getty Images. The result is one of the biggest narcotics busts in NorCal F.B.I. ... Largest Domestic Meth Bust In DEA History Made In … That’s a big bust in a big city, but it’s far from being one of the biggest drug busts in U.S. history. Well, a 2011 raid in San Diego originated the idea. In 2005, it was called the biggest drug bust in history. It’s a lot,” Carlson stated.