Her next court appearance has not yet been scheduled. Serrano has been charged with possession with intent to deliver cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia. and last updated 4:15 PM, Jan 21, 2022 KENOSHA, Wis. A Kenosha County overdose investigation uncovered nearly $4 million worth of narcotics from a drug trafficking organization. John Gates, 49, Hewitt:conspiring to distribute meth, two counts of attempting to possess the drug with intent to distribute. If convicted, Xiong could face between 10 years and life in federal prison. In 1995, the US Coast Guard carried out a huge drug bust off the coast of Peru, which at the time was the biggest drug bust on the high seas, though it would soon be topped. The bust resulted in a confiscation of 10 tons of cocaine, which was worth around $1.2 billion at the time. MESA, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) -- In the biggest drug bust recorded in Mesa Police Department history, officers uncovered over 700,000 fentanyl pills and more than 15 pounds of methamphetamine, heroin and . The value of the seizure at that time was around $350 million which is the equivalent to $415 million in today's money. Liebergen obtained pounds of meth on several occasions dating back to spring. Sixteen people charged with drug crimes after meth investigation in Wausau area, 'Suitcases full' of methamphetamineseized in Appleton area, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Along with all the drugs, police also found $17,039 in cash and one gun with boxes of ammo. He admitted to traveling from Missouri to Wisconsin with meth. A conviction on the trafficking charge could lead to a sentence of life in prison and a fine of up to $10 million. Action 2 News is working to obtain all of the complaints and affidavits. So that just shows you the fact that it spiders out," says Kinnard. Biggest drug bust in Mesa PD history: 700K+ fentanyl pills, 15 lbs of hard drugs found. Officers arrested 36-year-old Jesus Rojas Romero, 20-year-old Alex Ruiz, and 22-year-old Christian Valles Castro after the bust. He drove from Missouri to Northeast Wisconsin to sell the meth to lower-level dealers. tv. A pound can fetch up to $7,000. An investigation started which apparently lead to the largest drug bust in Hobart/Lawrence history. Derek A. Liebergen, 26 - Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances; Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Crime, Malachai J. Root, 29 - Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances; Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Crime, Wayne L. Stilen, 39 - Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Crime, Sally A. Miller, 35 - Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances, Jeremy M. Ludwig, 32 - Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances, Kayla R. Kennedy, 39 - Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances, Jasmine L. Gillette, 24 - Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances, Christopher S. Ullmer, 22 - Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances, Peter F. Thao, 23 - Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances. 60 pounds? Chou Xiong, 36,Wausau:conspiring to distribute meth, seven counts of distributing 5 grams or more,one count of distributing 50 grams or more. $120,000 of personal assets that were determined to be used in the distribution of illicit narcotics. After examining the bags police found 68-pounds of cocaine totaling an estimated $3 million in street value. RACINE - Authorities arrested eight suspected major drug traffickers and seized more than $60,000 worth of drugs in what law enforcement called one of the biggest drug busts in Racine County history. Inside the stash house, officers found 714,300 fentanyl pills, 3.5 pounds of fentanyl powder, six pounds of meth, 3.6 pounds of heroin and two pounds of cocaine. A gram of meth sold "on the street" in Wisconsin commonly costs $100 to $120, Brown County Sheriff's Capt. And then he made a connection there to a cartel source, direct back into Mexico," says Kinnard. In the bust, which occurred on Tuesday, authorities were able to seize, more than a pound of heroin and fentanyl, about two and a half pounds of methamphetamine, and two guns. The task force, formed in 2018, is made up of officers from the Marathon County and Lincoln County sheriff's offices, Wausau and Everest Metro police departments,Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigationand the FBI, Marathon County Sheriff Scott Parks said. Duluth police say this is the largest drug bust in history for the region. ig. Officers seized the following during the hotel bust: --58 pound of meth --1 kilogram of tramadol (prescription. Suitcases full of drugs. Such a vehiclecan retail for between $28,000 and $35,000 in this region, depending on mileage and condition. DavidPoteat said. A further search of the vehicle turned up the following: --13.9 grams of marijuana (found in safe). Drug task force officers point to 26-year-old Derek Liebergen as the leader of the operation. He's also charged with possessing a gun in a drug trafficking crime. Sandy Vang, 49,Wausau:three counts of distributing meth with two counts alleged to involve 5 grams or more. It's a prescription pain reliever that comes in pill form. Nearly 50 people are now being charged after a year-long investigation focused in Duluth, Rochester, and on the Iron. He has entered not guilty pleas to the charges. Sheriff Becker adds that Wood County has seen 12 overdose deaths this year, and with the number of drugs taken off the street as a result of the raid it is likely that many lives were saved from an overdose. Report a typo or error // Submit a news tip. Mesa Police Department had its biggest drug bust ever when they found over 700,000 fentanyl pills and 15 pounds of hard drugs at an apartment. When officers arrived, they found the vehicle running and the person inside the car appeared to be asleep. The Wausau-area arrests were not connected to another major bust in northeastern Wisconsin involving nearly 60 pounds of meth found in suitcases at a hotel, according to Brown County. "When you're talking this large, this ties back to cartels," the sheriff continues. The drug haul was destined for Brown County, and would likely have been sold locally, police said. Her, 61, Wausau:delivery of 3-10 grams of meth,delivery of 10-50 grams of meth as a habitual criminality repeater. The 10-day sting is. According to. Liebergen is charged in federal court with Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances; Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Crime. Appleton-area bust involving 'suitcases full' of methamphetamineis one of state's largest, Untraceable 'ghost guns' pose new worry for Green Bay-area police, threaten to serve as new currency in meth buys, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. He was found with suitcases and bags full of drugs and a loaded Ruger 9mm handgun, according to federal prosecutors. While searching the semi-trailer officers also found two methamphetamine pipes. Operation Tranquilandia was led by the DEA in 1984. Kai Chang, 28,Wausau:conspiracy to possess meth as a habitual criminality repeater. That turned up the following: --Alprazolam pills (panic/anxiety medication), --Drug ledgers with names, dollar amounts and dates. All rights reserved. The complaint states the source had made multiple purchases from Liebergen in the past. LAWRENCE, Wis. (WFRV) In what authorities are calling the largest drug bust in Hobart/Lawrence history, officers seized multiple items from a vehicle that was parked at Kwik Trips gas pumps for over an hour. One pound of meth sells on the street for up to $40,000, after it is divided into grams, the sheriffsaid. According to the Hobart/Lawrence Police Department, on March 29 officers responded to a report about a suspicious person/vehicle at the gas pumps at Kwik Trip. "At the gram level, in Northeast Wisconsin, it would have been over $2 million at the end," says Kinnard. Someone notified sheriff's dispatchers that the driver of a car at the station appearedto have been asleep at thegas pumps for roughly an hour. By Mike Leischner Dec 12, 2021 | 8:04 AM. Kinnard believes the cartel sold it to Liebergen and made him believe it was something more powerful. The department had seized 4.76 pounds in all of 2016. Other major Wisconsin meth busts in recent years include: The seizure of 19 pounds in Manitowoc County this May. Colombian police seized a haul of cocaine found on the Mira River that was one of the biggest seizures of this drug ever in the world. Wausau woman Lisa Xiong, 31, who went by the nickname "Nova," wasthe leader of the meth ring, according to court documents. The Missouri connection? "This was the supply source for this part of Wisconsin.". Liebergen had a handgun in the waistband of his pants when he was arrested. It is making sure we are stopping the flow of whats coming in and trying to decrease the access people have to these chemicals that can alter their lives and the lives of the people in their families, said Larson. The caller said that the vehicle, which was occupied by one person, was parked at the gas pumps for over an hour. The case is being prosecuted in the Eastern District of Wisconsin. 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Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. A federal criminal complaint obtained by Action 2 News shows Derek A. Liebergen is accused of possession with intent to distribute in excess of 500 grams of "a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.". al. 10. If you use a windshield cover, you can at least forget about scrapping the ice off your windshield to save some time and hassle. A search warrant was executed for Liebergen's hotel room in Grand Chute. To the east, Langlade County had a large drug bust almost two weeks ago.. Down Highway 29 west, the Marshfield Police Department also had two larger-scale drug busts last weekend. The investigation was conducted by theCentral Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force. Man charged in largest Eau Claire cocaine bust, Colfax man accused of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to deliver, Missing endangered person alert issued for man missing from Sheldon, Connells Supper Club in Chippewa Falls and Fall Creek listed for sale, Wisconsin Republicans push tighter budget, downplay surplus, Royal Credit Union awarded $640,000 from grant program. Drug task force officers who worked the largest meth bust in Northeast Wisconsin say the drugs came from the Mexico Drug Cartel and were trafficked from Missouri to Wisconsin. Nearly 50 people are now being charged after a year-long investigation focused in Duluth, Rochester, and on the Iron Range brought down this drug operation. Lisa Marie Celeskey, 33, faces one felony count of first-degree aggravated controlled substance crime and one felony count of third-degree controlled substance crimes. Soua Khang, 23, Wausau:conspiring to distribute meth,three counts of distributing meth. 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