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SolidGold
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They released an estimated street value to the media of over $18.5MM. That would mean that suddenly, the price of Mexican imported brick has shot up to over $7k/lb!
http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/05/185-million-in-marijuana-seized.html
http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/05/185-million-in-marijuana-seized.html
Posted: Friday, 29 May 2009 3:24PM
Pot bust nets $18.5M in marijuana, four arrests
CHICAGO (STNG) - Two men and two women were arrested during a drug sting that netted more than 2,500 pounds of cannabis worth nearly $19 million Wednesday on the Southwest Side, police announced Friday.
Juan Carlos Esparza, 28, of Cicero; Hector Alverez Rojas, 39, of the 3900 block of West 55th Street in Chicago; and Henrietta Augusta Shore, 57, of Glencoe, were charged with one count each of felony cannabis trafficking. Olivia Belmonn, 47, of the 5800 block of West 64th Place in Chicago was charged with misdemeanor possession of cannabis, according to a release from police News Affairs.
The three charged with felonies were scheduled to appear in court Thursday but bond information was not immediately available.
After receiving reports about the transportation of narcotics, narcotics section squad E-3 conducted a probe into the matter throughout the month of May, according to the release.
On May 27, surveillance officers saw Shores driving near the 5800 block of West 64th Place when she stopped to speak with Esparza. Shores then walked away from the vehicle while Esparza pulled it into a garage for a short time. Esparza later emerged and left the vehicle parked on the street until Shores returned and entered it, the release said.
Officers approached and saw 20 bundles of cannabis in “plain view” and detained Shores. At the garage, surveillance officers saw Rojas reverse a separate vehicle into the structure, repeating the previous scenario. When the garage door opened, both Esparza and Rojas were taken into custody and all three were charged, the release said.
Squad E-3 continued the investigation, obtaining a consent to search and search warrant which led to the arrest and charging of Belmonn and the recovery of cash from Esparza’s home in Cicero. Police impounded six vehicles, recovered $10,000 in drug-related monies in addition to the $18.5 million worth of cannabis, the release said.
Copyright 2009 STNG Wire, The Chicago Sun-Times. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
