True Detective: December 2009

Metro Gang Strike Force

Sunday 13 December 2009

members of the Metro Gang Strike Force attended a six-day conference in Hawaii, using nearly $17,000 in forfeited money that had been seized by the Strike Force in the course of its work.That turned out to be the first of many exclusive stories that Furst reported this year examining questionable practices within the Gang Strike Force. His reporting ultimately contributed to the decision to shut the organization down.Furst reported, along with Lora Pabst, how officers seized $4,500 in cash from Dagoberto Rodriquez Cardona in 2008 when Cardona went to claim a car from an impound lot, without ever documenting that the money had been seized. Cardona later filed suit, illustrating that the cash was money he and three others had earned through work, not drugs.We learned, through Furst's reporting, that seizing cash, cars, TVs and other property without proper documentation had become common practice on the force, first to help fund the work during tough days, and occasionally to enhance the lifestyles of some police officers.Furst also broke the story, ahead of everyone else, that Strike Force commander Chris Omodt had closed the unit in late May after discovering that officers had been shredding documents prior to an investigation into Strike Force activities.Today, Furst and Paul McEnroe take you behind the scenes to explain the meltdown of this organization, one of the biggest failures of crime enforcement in recent Twin Cities history. Their exhaustive reporting shows how something that began as a successful, upstanding crime-fighting organization eventually went rogue.

“M62 Gang” - 4 females in their mid 30s to early 50s

criminal gang who stole over £300,000 of designer clothes, including £9,000 from Wigan stores are now behind bars, thanks to officers from the Wigan Business Crime Partnership. The “M62 Gang” - 4 females in their mid 30s to early 50s - have been operating across the North West shoplifting from high end designer womenswear stores, taking up to £5000 worth of clothes on each visit. A specialist officer, working with Wigan Council on behalf of Wigan’s Business Crime Partnership, was instrumental in securing the gang members’ arrests after undertaking surveillance in the town centre. That officer shared information about the gang’s activities in Wigan with colleagues across the region, which was crucial to the police arresting the four women in York last month. Cllr Kevin Anderson, the cabinet champion for safer communities, says: “This is an excellent result for the close teamwork of the Crime Partnership. Their work must remain confidential, but we can all be grateful that this gang has been stopped in its tracks, stealing from local shops who are working hard in the grip of a recession.” The specialist officer had been gathering evidence that the women had been coming to Wigan since August. Carol Ramsey, Lorraine Matthews and Collette and Debbie Ryan had been in town for six days a week, systematically targeting some of the top retail names in the town centre.
The four women were sentenced at Manchester Crown Court last week, with Carol Ramsey and Lorraine Matthews each receiving 14 months. Collette Ryan was jailed for 10 months and Debbie Ryan for 6 months. The Crime Partnership was set up in 2001 in Wigan. It works to co-ordinate intelligence about criminal activities between Wigan’s day time and evening economies, Robin Retail Park and Ashton town centre, linking in with the council’s CCTV network. Images of known offenders are circulated amongst members as part of the group’s intelligence gathering operations. Violent crime in Wigan town centre reduced by 31 per cent last year and the team have won a number of industry awards.Cllr Anderson adds that the partnership wasn’t created because of any increase in crime. “Wigan remains to be one of the safest places to live, work and visit in Greater Manchester,” he says. “By maintaining and improving the standards of crime reduction, we can ensure even better and safer environment for businesses, residents and visitors.”

Martin Hamilton attempt was made to gouge a man's eye out with a spoon and Hamilton also tried to cut a man's finger off with a knife.

Martin Hamilton is preparing for early release after nine years of a life sentence.

And a source told the Sunday Mail: "There will be a few people dreading the day he walks out of prison a free man."

Hamilton was flanked by two guards as he called on his mother for tea and biscuits on a home visit from Shotts Prison.

He watched l ive coverage of the UK Snooker Championship at the old lady's Glasgow flat on Thursday before emerging at 3.15pm.

He was then driven back to Kerr House, a low-supervision wing at Shotts.

Ultra-violent Hamilton was jailed for life in 2000 for a catalogue of offences , including abduction, torture and drug-dealing.

He was ordered to serve at least nine years before he could apply for parole.

But the 49-year-old heroin baron and bank robber is now confident he'll be out soon after he was granted the right to enjoy two-hour home visits.Our source told us: "Hammy can't wait to get out of prison."He's been inside for a long time now and knows each day is a day closer to freedom."All he has to do is keep his nose clean and stay out of trouble."The home visits are the start of the process for Hammy and he chooses to go and visit his mum."She's getting on, and Hammy going to visit her is easier than her having to make the journey to Shotts."Hamilton was the most notorious gangland figure in Scotland during a reign of terror which lasted almost 20 years.Before justice finally caught up with him, he walked free from TWELVE High Court indictments for crimes, including possession of firearms, a shooting, serious assault and robbery.Cases against him fell apart after witnesses were too afraid to give evidence against him, and preferred to be jailed for contempt of court instead.
But Hamilton was finally sent down at the High Court in Inverness - as armed police guarded every exit in the court building.Terrified witnesses were put in pol ice protection schemes and a news blackout on the trial was imposed.
Hamilton, of Anderston, Glasgow, was convicted of ordering the kidnap and torture of victims from the Edinburgh drug scene.Detectives say he was trying to take control of the capital's drug trade. Local dealers d ived for cover when he based himself in the capital 's Broomhouse area.Hamilton was found guilty of 14 charges, including several torture offences. Victims were set on fire, scalded with boiling water or stabbed in the face.In one horrific incident, a young couple were ordered to be stabbed in a bath so they wouldn't bleed all over the carpet of the flat where they were being held hostage.An attempt was made to gouge a man's eye out with a spoon and Hamilton also tried to cut a man's finger offwith a knife.Hamilton was also convicted of being concerned in the supply of heroin and diazepam, threatening a man with violence and holding a knife to another man's throat and threatening to kill him.He was acquitted over the abduction of two men and offering them money for sex.Passing sentence, Lord Kingarth said: "You showed yourself capable of taking sadistic pleasure in the infliction of pain and the inspiration of real terror over long periods.
"You pose a substantial danger to the public."Hamilton's co-accused, David Henderson, was jailed for six years.A third accused, Martin Byrne, 28, who gave evidence against Hamilton, admitted stabbing the teenage girl and boy in the face and was jailed for just three years.Hamilton had already served a nine -year sentence for trying to rob the Dunferml ine Bui lding Society in Anniesland, Glasgow in 1992.And in 1990, he abducted notorious gangster Paul Ferris off the street.
He bundled Ferris into a car on the orders of crime lord Arthur Thompson Snr, but released him when Thompson had a change of heart.Our source said: "Police were popping champagne when Hammy was sent down. They'd waited years to see him put away.
"Now they'll be wondering if they'll have to do it all over again when he gets out."

Frankie Weber in prison on the Costa del Sol last night accused of three attempted murders.

Frankie Weber was in prison on the Costa del Sol last night accused of three attempted murders.Frankie Weber, 25, from London, is alleged to have fled to Gibraltar after stabbing three Spaniards in a street fight in Marbella.
He was returned to Spain where he now faces trial. Spanish police said the wounded were only saved by swift action by medics.25 year old Martial Arts expert is wanted in connection with the stabbing of three people in a street fight in Marbella
A British man has been extradited from Gibraltar to Spain to face charges of three attempted homicides.The 25 year old is accused of trying to carry out the homicides in Marbella, and the extradition comes as a result of a request made by Instruction Court Two in the town. The court has now ordered the suspect to be held in prison on remand.The case dates back to the early hours of January 24 this year when Spanish National Police were called to a fight in the Plaza de los Olivos in Marbella, which resulted in one very serious stabbing and two more suffering serious stab wounds. The most seriously hurt has had to undergo several surgeries. Police found many large knives at the suspect’s home and established that he had fled to Gibraltar. The agents from the UDEV Specialist Violent Crime Unit describe the suspect, who is an expert in martial arts, as ‘very dangerous’. They say a 30cm long machete was found in a nearby rubbish bin shortly after the aggression, which they believe he dumped during his escape.

Hells Angel associate, now aged 43, was sentenced to 14 yearsimprisonment

Hells Angel associate, now aged 43, was sentenced to 14 years imprisonment in 2001 for the sickening attack a year earlier plus representative charges for violating a 13-year-old boy in a similar manner in 1991.
Under legislation at the time of his sentencing, the heavily tattooed sex offender must be released after two-thirds of his sentence ? meaning he is to be freed by January 5, 2010 at the latest. But the Department of Corrections has taken the rare step of applying for an order under Section 107 of the Parole Act 2002, to keep him in jail. The section can only be enforced if the Parole Board has sufficient evidence an offender is likely to commit a "specific" offence between release and the end of their sentence.

A hearing will take place later this week ? two months since the Parole Board imposed eight conditions relating to his release. They included he undertake, and complete, a raft of counselling programmes and treatment. Campbell was also banned from making contact with his victims, having contact with anyone aged 16 years or younger unless with approved supervision and possessing or consuming alcohol. During his 2001 trial in the Auckland High Court, Campbell was described by Detective Sergeant Adam Lough, officer in charge of the case, as a "calculating, manipulative sexual deviant who preys on teenage boys from single-parent families". In 2000, Campbell held the 14-year-old boy captive in a wardrobe and performed a series of indecencies on him after telling him he had nominated him for the Hells Angels, and that the boy would have to disappear for several months in a bid to secure his gang patch. The boy was then plied with booze, before Campbell initially made him perform oral sex on him and then sodomised him. The abuse continued when he pierced the boy's scrotum, inserting two rings. A day later Campbell forced his victim to strip naked, and tattooed him with a brickwork design from his groin to his buttocks using a home-made tattoo gun. The boy was then restrained in the wardrobe of Campbell's house in the North Shore suburb of Beach Haven, using shackles and chains. He was repeatedly beaten, had hot wax poured over his body and was again sodomised. The next day he was tied to a bed with chains, rolled onto his stomach, and branded on his lower back, causing second-degree burns. The boy escaped after being able to phone his family when Campbell left the house. Campbell was also found guilty of sexually abusing a 13-year-old boy over a two-and-a-half month period in 1991. Shortly after he abused his first victim, Campbell moved to Australia and went on a fire-lighting spree which included the destruction of the central business centre of Beaudesert, west of the Gold Coast. In 1996 he was sentenced to nine years' jail for arson.

full-patch Hells Angels are Alan Peter Knapczyk, 35, and John Reginald Alcantara, 37, and the head of the Fort McMurray drug gang is Jeffrey Mark Caines, 36,

full-patch Hells Angels are Alan Peter Knapczyk, 35, and John Reginald Alcantara, 37, and the head of the Fort McMurray drug gang is Jeffrey Mark Caines, 36, who earlier pleaded guilty to trafficking cocaine, but is currently disputing certain parts of an agreed statement of facts.Alcantara – who was handed a 14-year prison sentence last Friday after being convicted of conspiring to traffic cocaine – today pleaded guilty to an identical charge.He admitted he had entered into an agreement to assist Caines traffic cocaine in Fort McMurray, but said he is not accepting that Knapczyk was part of it.Alcantara pleaded not guilty to charges of trafficking cocaine and committing an offence in association with a criminal organization while Knapczyk entered not guilty pleas to all three charges.Prosecutor Dennis Hrabcak told Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Sheila Greckol the Crown theory is that Alcantara and Knapczyk conspired with Caines to traffic cocaine in the Fort McMurray area at a kilo and multi-kilo level.Hrabcak said Caines was the head of a criminal organization that bought and sold cocaine using a network of suppliers, distributors and couriers that he had set up.He told the judge Caines made a 2005 agreement with members of the Hells Angels Nomad chapter and said Alcantara and Knapczyk eventually took over the agreement after a disagreement between the Edmonton Hells Angels and the Nomads over control of the agreement.Court heard the agreement involved the removal of any rivals of Caines’ drug gang, ensuring other suppliers in the area did not undercut his business and the protection of Caines and his distributors for a weekly fee of $20,000.

“Essentially it gave Caines free rein to supply cocaine in the specified area and protection for those he supplied,” said Hrabcak. “In return he paid a fee or tax to the individuals. The reputation of the Hells Angels was used to enforce the agreement.”

The prosecutor alleged Alcantara, who was then a prospect for the Hells Angels and sponsored by Knapczyk, was the front man in the agreement and collected the weekly fee while Knapczyk was the enforcer behind the scenes.Court heard the evidence in the case will come from intercepted communications from a police wiretap operation, cocaine seizures, surveillance from police investigators and both civilian and expert witnesses.The trio were part of a large group of drug dealers taken down in a 23-month joint investigation by various Canadian police agencies .

Two members of the Hells Angels pleaded guilty Monday morning to cocaine trafficking and conspiring to produce methamphetamine

Two members of the Hells Angels pleaded guilty Monday morning to cocaine trafficking and conspiring to produce methamphetamine.The Crown has set aside two weeks in January for the sentencing hearings of John Virgil Punko and Randy Potts, who were arrested four years ago as part of a $10-million police investigation that targeted the East End Hells Angels."For this I'd sit on Christmas Day," said B.C. Supreme Court Justice Peter Leask.Punko will be sentenced Jan. 18 and Potts will be sentenced Jan. 25.
In July, a B.C. Supreme Court jury convicted the two full-patch gang members of weapons offences but found them not guilty of committing the crimes for a criminal gang.Last month, Leask ruled that the men would not be tried on charges of production and distribution of methamphetamines for the benefit of, at the direction of, or in association with a criminal organization.

Christopher Brisson was cited for contempt of court Wednesday after refusing to testify earlier in the week against two longtime Hells Angels accused of violently attacking him

Christopher Brisson was cited for contempt of court Wednesday after refusing to testify earlier in the week against two longtime Hells Angels accused of violently attacking him. The move prompted prosecutors to drop charges against the gang associates.Brisson is expected to be sentenced Thursday morning. Queen's Bench Justice Shawn Greenberg said she couldn't ignore the major impact unco-operative victims and witnesses can have on the justice system.However, the judge has inquired whether the Crown has a policy when prosecuting contempt cases against alleged victims of crime.Brisson was allegedly beaten with a hammer and threatened with a gun during a December 2006 incident. He gave a statement to police and previously testified at a preliminary hearing, which resulted in Sean Wolfe and Corey MacInnis being ordered to stand trial.Brisson is behind bars awaiting sentencing next week for a home invasion. He refused to come out of his jail cell Tuesday and had to be forcibly brought to court under judge's orders. Brisson then refused to be sworn in or answer any questions when placed in the witness box.

Hells Angels Motorcycle Club and the Vagos Motorcycle Club harassing bikers in Kingman

Saturday 12 December 2009

Arizona Gang and Immigration Intelligence Team Enforcement Mission (G.II.T.E.M. - pronounced Git-em) finally announced why it had been harassing bikers in Kingman, Arizona for the last six months. And, the Kingman Police Chief suggested there may be more harassment to come.The Gang Task Force claims it was only trying squash a ongoing “power struggle” between the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club and the Vagos Motorcycle Club. Last August a Kingman police spokesman named Bob Fisk told the Kingman Daily Miner “that bikers aren’t particularly a problem in Kingman, but he’s worried that if police aren’t on top of the situation, the problems with riders in Bullhead City could spread to Kingman.”The “problems with riders in Bullhead City” was a fight June 11 at Lazy Harry’s Sunshine Saloon in Bullhead City. According to police, five Hells Angels and two Desert Road Riders attacked two Vagos. Last week a Gang Task Force spokesman named Ernie Severson explained that the fight put about a hundred other customers in the bar “at risk.”“Two females climbed over a railing and contemplated jumping down 20 to 30 feet to get away, if that tells you what it was like,” Severson said.After a six-month-long investigation by the Gang Task Force, Coconino, Yavapai and Mohave County Sheriffs and Kingman, Flagstaff, Lake Havasu and Bullhead City Police the fight at Lazy Harry’s was legally redefined and seven men were arrested last Wednesday for felony riot. Search warrants executed at the time of the arrests indicate the seven men may also be charged with “participation in a criminal street gang.” Police called the raids “Operation Quiet Riot.”The men arrested last week were: George Edward “Joby” Walters of Douglas, Arizona; Rudolfo John “Rudy” Martinez and Gerald Roy Smith of Rimrock, Arizona; Dale Leroy Hormuth and James “Stoney” Snider of Kingman; Stephen Michael Helland of Golden Valley, Arizona; and Clifford Daniel “Dan Da Man” Balentine of Bullhead City. Balentine is alleged to be a member of the Devils Disciples. Snider has been identified as a member of the Desert Road Riders. According to police, the other men are Hells Angels.An eighth man, John Ross Pemberton of Prescott Valley, was arrested and released for possession of prescription drugs without a valid prescription. Pemberton’s home was also searched for evidence of “criminal street gang activity.” Pemberton is reportedly a member of the Arizona Nomads of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club.
All eight “raids” were effected in the blackest hour before dawn by police dressed like soldiers. Video released by the Arizona Department of Public Safety shows the cops arriving in multiple armored vehicles. All of the arresting officers wore body armor, Fritz helmets, fanny packs, canteens, and appeared to carry a basic load of approximately 900 rounds each.After the raids, Kingman Police Chief Robert DeVries warned that Operation Quiet Riot did not necessarily mark the end of harassment of bikers by police. DeVries said the police harassment was justified because “members of the public” were being harassed and intimidated by bikers.Last week, Bullhead City Police Chief Rodney Head said his intelligence indicates that there are about 20 Vagos and about six Hells Angels in Mohave County, Arizona.

new wave of illegal immigrants in Almería

Wednesday 9 December 2009

new wave of illegal immigrants in Almería, where 48 migrants were arrested in less than 24 hours. The first five were arrested after reaching shore near the marina in Aguadulce at around 9.30 on Tuesday morning, and a boat with another six passengers on board was intercepted by the Civil Guard 10 miles south of Cabo de Gata less than two hours later. Europa Press said one of the occupants was a woman.The third patera was detected by the SIVE electronic surveillance system off Los Baños beach, in Almerimar, on Tuesday afternoon. There were 36 men from Sub Saharan Africa on board the vessel.In western Andalucía, three juvenile migrants, with ages ranging from 11 to 14, were discovered hiding beneath a lorry at the port in Algeciras early on Wednesday. They are reported to be in good health despite their experience.

Gypsy Joker Lennard Mark Kirby is believed to have been shot up to three times in the chest and stomach after the shootout

Two bikies injured in shootout Refuse to let doctors remove bullets Decision might hinder investigation

TWO bikies injured in a shootout refused to allow doctors to removed the bullets from their bodies - a move police believe was a calculated attempt to hinder their investigation.Gypsy Joker Lennard Mark Kirby is believed to have been shot up to three times in the chest and stomach after the shootout on May 18. His bikie associate Alexandro John Scilio was shot once in the arm.Assistant Commissioner Wayne Gregson said investigators were aware that the bullets had not been removed by medical staff and remained inside the two men, PerthNow reports.Mr Gregson said police had applied for a search warrant to seize the bullets once they were removed during surgery, but the men refused to allow doctors to extract them.

End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar.

"We have no powers to conduct intrusive surgery to get exhibits," Mr Gregson told PerthNow this morning.

But Mr Gregson said the fact that police did not have the bullets to conduct ballistic examinations would not hamper the police investigation.

Singer Pete Doherty has been arrested in Germany

Tuesday 8 December 2009

Singer Pete Doherty has been arrested in Germany after allegedly throwing a bottle at a parked car window.Doherty, 30, was detained by police after the incident in the Kreuzberg area of Berlin early on Saturday morning. He was released without charge and it is not yet known if any further action will be taken against him. Last week, he was forced to apologise for performing a verse of the German national anthem with Nazi connotations. The singer was booed after singing "Deutschland, Deutschland ueber alles" at a music festival in Munich that was also broadcast live on Bavarian radio. A spokesperson for the singer said: "He deeply apologises if he has caused any offence". Doherty was questioned on Saturday morning after allegedly throwing a bottle near a bar called Trinkteufel. He is due back in the UK for a gig with his band Babyshambles in Sheffield on 10 December.

convicted cocaine trafficker Jano C. Evans has been on the run since fleeing from a work release program in Tampa more than 22 years ago.

convicted cocaine trafficker Jano C. Evans has been on the run since fleeing from a work release program in Tampa more than 22 years ago.

Robert Pattinson has been caught up in another heroin scandal

Robert Pattinson has been caught up in another heroin scandal weeks after dismissing reports he overdosed in New York - U.S. government officials have seized a "Twilight"-themed cache of the drug featuring the actor's face. According to Drug Enforcement Administration officials, heroin baggies featuring a cartoon of Pattinson and other "Twilight" characters were recently seized in West Hempstead, Long Island. Officials say the "Twilight"-themed heroin has been gaining popularity in the months leading up to the much-hyped premiere of the vampire franchise's second installment, "New Moon." The drug bust comes weeks after 23-year-old Pattinson slammed a string of sick rumours suggesting he had succumbed to a heroin overdose. Lashing out at the media for upsetting his family, he said: "I had a heroin overdose in New York (according to the rumours); that was an exciting one for my mother."

Bernard 'Cash' Ellerbe, 20-years-old of New Castle County, was arrested outside of the Galloway Court Apartments

Bernard 'Cash' Ellerbe, 20-years-old of New Castle County, was arrested outside of the Galloway Court Apartments after police responded to reports of a black male subject reportedly selling drugs near the entrance of the complex.
Ellerbe was located by police sitting in a silver Buick SUV along with two female accomplices. New Castle Officers removed Ellerbe from the vehicle and discovered 12 bags of heroin on the floorboard of the vehicle; Ellerbe was then arrested without incident.Police report, the two female occupants were then removed the vehicle and detained while police conducted a search of the vehicle for additional drug paraphernalia.According to officials, during the course of the investigation it was discovered that one of the females had concealed two bags of crack cocaine in her underpants.Ellerbe and his accomplice, Desire Springfield, were charged with trafficking cocaine, possession with the intent to deliver cocaine, heroin and several other felony drug offense

Robert Bryning, 51, of Winsford, was jailed in for five and a half years last December for possession of cocaine with intent to supply.

Robert Bryning, 51, of Winsford, was jailed in for five and a half years last December for possession of cocaine with intent to supply.
Despite having been unemployed for 19 years, a Proceeds of Crime investigation revealed he managed to buy two properties, took regular exotic holidays, owned a time share in Florida and was a member at an exclusive golf club. He was finally caught when police raided his two houses in Cedar Grove and School Road in June 2007 and found between £3,000 and £5,000 worth of the Class A drug stashed in a cash box in a garden shed. Bryning claimed officers planted the key to the box on his keyring during the raid, but electric scales with traces of cocaine and his DNA on were also recovered from Cedar Grove. After a five-day trial at Liverpool Crown Court he was found guilty by a majority verdict and sentenced to 66 months jail. Cheshire Constabulary’s Financial Investigation Unit began a complex Proceeds of Crime investigation into his finances and froze his assets to stop him from selling any possessions or removing money from his bank accounts. On Thursday, November 26, following a two day hearing at Liverpool Crown Court, Judge Fletcher concluded Bryning had benefited from crime and made a confiscation order for £127,438.95 to be paid within six months. If he fails, he will still owe the money and will have a further two years and two months added to his prison sentence. Insp David Snasdell of Winsford NPU, welcomed the news. He said: “We are committed to tackling drugs issues across Winsford and this case shows that it does not end with a prison sentence for convicted drug dealers. When they leave prison, they will not be able to return to the luxuries their life of crime previously afforded them.” Det Sgt Peter Kidd from Cheshire Constabulary’s Economic Crime Unit added: “The proceeds of Crime Act allows the court to order the forfeiture of property or money that we have grounds to believe has come from criminal activity or is going to be used in criminal activity. “This case sends out the very strong message to anyone involved in drugs supply that crime certainly does not pay. “Not only do criminals run the risk of losing their liberty, but our Financial Investigation Unit will use powers available to them under the provisions of the Proceeds of Crime Act to ensure that those convicted of drug trafficking offences will be stripped of the profits they have made from crime.”

Stephen Worthington, 30, of Alexander Close, Workington, and stephen Jackson, 31, of Westfield View, Flimby, will appear before West Allerdale

Stephen Worthington, 30, of Alexander Close, Workington, and stephen Jackson, 31, of Westfield View, Flimby, will appear before West Allerdale magistrates charged with possession of a class A drug with intent to supply.

Frank Chuckwuma Emeto, a 27-year-old Polish national from Cranstoun Street, Kingsthorpe, was jailed following a successful investigation by HM Revenue

Frank Chuckwuma Emeto, a 27-year-old Polish national from Cranstoun Street, Kingsthorpe, was jailed following a successful investigation by HM Revenue & Customs.
He had concealed the drugs internally by swallowing a total of 103 packages containing the Class A drugs. The drugs are valued at around £45,000. Their value would have doubled or even trebled once 'cut' by drug dealers and sold on local streets.Emeto was arrested by officers from the UK Border Agency when he arrived by coach at Eastern Docks, Dover, on September 20. He had travelled from Belgium.
A search of Emeto's luggage revealed cash of £2,050 in £50 notes and a bottle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil. The cash has been detained under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.Malcolm Bragg, assistant director of criminal investigation for HMRC, said: "It never fails to amaze us that people take such huge risks with their health and freedom to try and make what they think is easy money. "However, we have succeeded through hard work, improved intelligence gathering and the ability of our team of expert officers to disrupt this latest attempt to bring Class A drugs into the area.
"This shows yet again through closely working with our law enforcement partners we will catch and secure a prosecution against anyone attempting to smuggle drugs into the UK."Emeto was sentenced to five years in prison. He pleaded guilty to drug smuggling charges under the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979.Mr Bragg added: "This is a serious offence which has a significant and damaging affect on all our communities and we would encourage anyone with information relating to illegally imported goods to contact us."

Jeffrey Moklak, 31, of Bridgewater, indicted on a charge of possessing cocaine on Nov. 4 in Bound Brook

Jeffrey Moklak, 31, of Bridgewater, indicted on a charge of possessing cocaine on Nov. 4 in Bound Brook

Vanessa Ruschmann, 53, of Somerville, indicted on a charge of possessing cocaine on Nov. 4 in Bound Brook.

Vanessa Ruschmann, 53, of Somerville, indicted on a charge of possessing cocaine on Nov. 4 in Bound Brook.

Mario Moklak Jr., 23, of Bridgewater, indicted on a charge of possessing cocaine on Nov. 4 in Bound Brook.

Mario Moklak Jr., 23, of Bridgewater, indicted on a charge of possessing cocaine on Nov. 4 in Bound Brook.

Jeffrey Welichko, 22, of Montgomery, indicted on a charge of possessing cocaine on Oct. 7 in Bridgewater.

Jeffrey Welichko, 22, of Montgomery, indicted on a charge of possessing cocaine on Oct. 7 in Bridgewater.

Aikeem J. Williams, 24, of Bridgeton is charged with official misconduct, possession of marijuana

Aikeem J. Williams, 24, of Bridgeton is charged with official misconduct, possession of marijuana, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and possession of drug paraphernalia. Williams allegedly walked into South Woods with approximately 120 grams of marijuana and then attempted to leave the facility, according to Cumberland County Prosecutor Ron Casella. Williams was detained and a court-authorized search warrant was issued. A search revealed 16 individually wrapped baggies containing marijuana concealed in his Department of Corrections winter jacket, Casella said. A search of his vehicle turned up numerous waxine baggies, which are typically used to package heroin, according to the prosecutor's office.
Williams was committed to the Cumberland County Jail in lieu of $250,000 full cash bail. Williams began his career as a corrections officer in January 2006.

Vincent Washington, 45, of 180 Wittum Ave., and Jay Washington, 60, of 38 Acorn St., were arrested following execution of a search warrant

Vincent Washington, 45, of 180 Wittum Ave., and Jay Washington, 60, of 38 Acorn St., were arrested following execution of a search warrant by police at the Wittum Avenue residence, according to officer Charles Youmans, spokesman for Police Commissioner William J . Fitchet. The time of the raid was not immediately available. The two men told authorities they are not related. They were each charged with trafficking in cocaine over 200 grams and violation of a drug free school zone. The Frederick Harris Elementary School on Hartford Terrace is nearby. Youmans said Vincent Washington was also charged with violation of parole. He was released on Sept. 9 after serving 14 years in an Arkansas prison on cocaine trafficking charges. Police seized the five kilos of cocaine or 5,370 grams and $58,402 in cash in the apartment. They were held in lieu of $1 million each on bail over the weekend and were scheduled to be arraigned in Springfield District Court Monday.

John Virgil Punko and Randy Potts, who were arrested four years ago as part of a $10-million police investigation

John Virgil Punko and Randy Potts, who were arrested four years ago as part of a $10-million police investigation that targeted the East End Hells Angels.
“For this I'd sit on Christmas Day,” said B.C. Supreme Court Justice Peter Leask.
“This is the get-things-done courtroom.” Punko will be sentenced the week of Jan. 18 and Potts will be sentenced Jan. 25. Last month, Leask dealt a devastating blow to the Crown’s case at the pending drug trial when he ruled the Crown was prohibited from proceeding on criminal-organization charges against two Hells Angels members. Justice Peter Leask granted a defence application that the Crown cannot proceed at trial on charges that allege the East End chapter of the Hells Angels is a criminal organization. The defence argued that a jury at another trial that ended last summer acquitted Potts and Punko of the criminal-organization charges, so they should not be punished twice. Crown prosecutor Martha Devlin Devlin argued that the criminal-organization charges should not be dropped because the judge could not speculate on why the jury came to the verdict it did on the criminal organization charges.
The judge agreed with the defence. “My decision is the Crown is estopped from leading evidence that the East End charter Hells Angels is a criminal organization,” he ruled. The Crown plans to appeal the judge’s ruling but is awaiting the judge’s reasons. Potts and Punkoi had faced a total of nine charges at trial, including two that alleged they directed the production and distribution of methamphetamine in association with or for the benefit of a criminal organization, namely the East End charter of the Hells Angels. Punko pleaded guilty Monday to three charges on the indictment (Count 2, 3 and 4) and Potts pleaded guilty to four charges (Count 6, 7, 8 and 9), including two of cocaine trafficking in Surrey and New Westminster. The case marked the third failed prosecution on criminal-organization charges against the Hells Angels arising from the police investigation code-named E-Pandora, which ended in 2005 with the arrest of six Hells Angels and a dozen associates.
A 10-month trial ended last July with the jury convicting Potts and Punko on weapons charges. The judge found Potts held the arsenal of weapons for the East End Hells Angels, including grenades, a loaded semi-automatic pistol and three other guns.
Potts, 49, was sentenced to a seven years but effectively received a sentence of time served after being granted double credit for four years served in pre-trial custody. Punko, 43, was convicted of the unauthorized possession of a loaded semi-automatic pistol and sentenced to 15 months in jail, plus a consecutive sentence of four years for counselling a police agent to do damage to a Surrey home where Punko was trying to collect a large amount of money from a man. It was effectively a sentence of time served but Punko was recently denied bail by Leask. Potts is free on bail.

Thomas Dewayne Ross of Lincoln was held responsible for the distribution of more than 5 ounces of crack cocaine

Thomas Dewayne Ross of Lincoln was held responsible for the distribution of more than 5 ounces of crack cocaine and at least 1 3/4 ounces of powder cocaine.
He pleaded guilty in September.In a press release, U.S. Attorney Deborah Gilg said Ross's sentence was enhanced due to prior felony convictions for attempted possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and attempted burglary, both from Douglas County.

second trial of Amy Cooper, who is charged in connection with a drug conspiracy case.

The prosecution and defense needed four hours Monday to pick 14 jurors out of a pool of more than 40.U.S. District Judge Richard Smoak declared a mistrial in Cooper’s first trial in November when the jury declared themselves hopelessly deadlocked. This jury of 14, including two alternates, is made up of eight women and six men. They will have to decide if Cooper, 35, committed a crime during two telephone calls that lasted less than a minute.“This case is about picking up a telephone and making a simple telephone call,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Gayle Littleton said in her opening statement Monday afternoon.Cooper is charged with a single count of using a telephone May 27 to facilitate the crime of distribution, or possession with intent to distribute, a controlled substance. She faces up to four years in prison.
She is accused of calling a drug dealer to complete a drug transaction between him and her boyfriend, Dr. Michael Reed. Reed, 55, a former surgeon, pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess and distribute cocaine and was sentenced in November to almost five years in prison. He was arrested May 27, along with six other men charged in the conspiracy, after officers served a warrant at his Wild Heron residence.
Littleton said Cooper called Hector Melara, who has been charged in the case, and convinced him to wait 10 minutes before coming to her door with a kilo of cocaine. Prosecutors said Cooper needed Melara to wait until her morning guests left, ensuring the “coast would be clear” to make the transaction at the Wild Heron home.
Melara testified Cooper was a recreational drug user and bought small amounts of cocaine from him every few weeks.
Cooper’s attorney, Jim White, said that while his client was guilty of some things, including buying cocaine, taking the kilo from Melara and being Reed’s girlfriend, she is not guilty of the telephone crime. He told the jury that Cooper’s guests already had left for the morning and Reed had just told her that she was going to pay for and receive $30,000 worth of cocaine. Instead of trying to make the drug transaction go smoother, Cooper needed a few moments to herself to mentally prepare for the situation, White said.

“Those calls were absolutely meaningless,” White said. “They didn’t aid and assist a thing.”

Man Arrested for Cocaine Stuffed Chicken

Man Arrested for Cocaine Stuffed Chicken A man from Guatemala is under arrest after customs inspectors at Dulles International Airport discovered he was carrying a cooked chicken stuffed with more than $4000 worth of cocaine

Cortez R. Arnold, 22, of Markham pleaded guilty to a charge of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver

Cortez R. Arnold, 22, of Markham pleaded guilty to a charge of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver and was placed on probation for 2½ years. He and the others were accused of having drugs at 17 Grant Ave. in Charleston on March 10.The charge against Arnold was reduced so it no longer required prison time. His probation terms included substance abuse treatment and payment of $4,600 in fines, while jail time was was stayed, meaning he won’t have to serve it if he follows his sentence’s requirements.Circuit Judge Mitchell Shick accepted a plea agreement that Assistant State’s Attorney Tracy Robinson and defense attorney Jeannine Garrett recommended.

Marcus Gipson had pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges on Sept. 14.

Gipson was arrested on April 3, 2008, at Dan Foley Park and charged with possession of about one pound of crack cocaine. Prosecutors said Vallejo detectives and federal drug enforcement agents also seized more than $1,200 and a loaded handgun from Gipson's vehicle.Gipson has three prior felony drug trafficking convictions involving crack cocaine, authorities said.
Shubb also said the severe sentence was sufficient but not greater than necessary to meet federal sentencing goals for serious drug trafficking crimes.Vallejo police, the federal Drug Enforcement Administration and the Solano County Multijurisdictional Methamphetamine Enforcement Team teamed up on the investigation. The Solano County District Attorney's Office also provided assistance.

sentenced Jamal Shakir of the Rollin' 90s Crips for his role in arranging drug deals and killings

sentenced Jamal Shakir of the Rollin' 90s Crips for his role in arranging drug deals and killings, and executing power over a gang enterprise authorities say stretched from Los Angeles to Nashville.On Monday, the 34-year-old Shakir wore a yellow prison jump suit and was shackled at the wrists and ankles. Several U.S. Marshals guarded him in the courtroom.Assistant U.S. Attorney Sunny A.M. Koshy told the judge that officials found a handwritten note in Shakir's cell Monday morning with instructions on how to get out of handcuffs. Koshy said authorities have found letters Shakir wrote in the past few months calling for people to be killed and urging fire bombings.Several family members of the victims testified Monday about losing their loved ones. Thea Gibson said her daughter, Shannon, who was killed in 1996, will never know the joy of raising her two children — now 17 and 21.
"You left my grandchildren without a mother," Gibson said. "You are the punk that you are. I want the maximum for what my family has gone through and others because of his manipulative enterprise."Shakir then interrupted the witness to tell the judge he didn't want to be there."Excuse me your honor, but I shouldn't have to hear this again," Shakir said of the testimony, which was also given at his trial earlier this year. "I've heard it hundreds of times."When Nixon told Shakir he needed to listen, Shakir threatened to keep interrupting, but made only one more comment, saying, "You don't know me."Loretta Johnson spoke somberly of losing her youngest daughter, Regina, also in 1996. According to trial testimony, Regina was shot to death in her bed and her decomposed body was discovered about 10 days later. Her 3-year-old daughter was shot in both elbows and survived by drinking toilet water, prosecutors said.Johnson said that little girl, now 16, still has occasional nightmares but has managed to get on with her life."She's the miracle in our family," Johnson said.James Pilcher, the father of a Crip gang member whose killing was ordered in 1997, said he's become an ordained minister since the death of his son, Woody. Pilcher said he's asked God to forgive Shakir's sins, but he often reflects on the life his son could have had.
"Woody got the death penalty, and I got the possibility of life without parole," Pilcher said. "I have to go through this every day of my life."
Before the sentencing, Nixon gave Shakir an opportunity to speak, and he painted himself as the victim of "political aspirations" by Koshy, the lead prosecutor.
"If everybody say they're looking for justice, I say they're looking in the wrong place," Shakir said.Koshy responded that Shakir was once again being manipulative and that "nothing the defendant says can take ... away from what he did."

"This defendant is evil," Koshy said.

Koshy said the Federal Bureau of Prisons will decide where Shakir will be housed.
In October, a federal grand jury indicted two people on charges they plotted to steal a helicopter to help Shakir escape.Prosecutors claim the two conspired between June and September to find a helicopter, direct street gang members to restrain the aircraft's owner and then take it

Bloods street gang accused of a gang-hit slaying

One of three alleged members of the Bloods street gang accused of a gang-hit slaying was brought to Lackawanna County Court on Monday under heavy security to enter a guilty plea to first-degree murder.The deal fell apart after Jeffery Future asked for more time to review hundreds of pages of documents investigators had compiled against him.Though Mr. Future had agreed to plead guilty, he told Judge Carmen Minora, through his attorney, he first wants to review the 600 to 700 pages of documents police have assembled in their investigation into the death of Allen Fernandez, another Bloods member, whose body was found July 30, shot 12 times with several different weapons on Snake Road in Ransom Twp.First Assistant District Attorney Gene Talerico said after the aborted court hearing that Mr. Future "indicated he wanted additional time to contemplate his decision to enter a plea to first-degree murder, to honor the agreement he made with the commonwealth."
Beside asking for more time, Mr. Future's attorney, James Elliott, said he wants investigators to stop reading Mr. Future's mail. Mr. Talerico said the court has already ruled on the issue."We filed a motion with the court and the motion was granted," Mr. Talerico said.Judge Carmen Minora said he would allow Mr. Future and Mr. Elliott "six or seven weeks" to review the documents.Outside the courtroom, Mr. Elliott said he only received the documents last week through a process called "discovery." He also said Judge Minora said he would rule on the request about the mail after Mr. Elliott files a motion.Mr. Future, 25, was arrested along with Christian Kenyon, 17, and Tonie Future, 18, who were students at West Scranton High School. According to court documents, the Future brothers said they were ordered to kill Mr. Fernandez because he was disloyal within subsets of the Bloods street gang. Police say all three suspects allegedly shot Mr. Fernandez. The gang member who allegedly ordered the execution-style murder has not been identified.Before sending Mr. Future back to prison, Judge Minora gave him a warning about any possible future delays in courtroom proceedings.
"I won't let you run the show here," Judge Minora said. "I will be reasonable, to a point."If Mr. Future still has not decided whether he wants to enter a guilty plea, Judge Minora said, "Then I will set a trial date."By pleading guilty to first-degree murder and not going to trial, Mr. Future would escape a possible death sentence, which a jury could impose if it found him guilty of first-degree murder, Mr. Talerico said.

Anh-Tuan Dao Pham, 19,has been sentenced to prison for 39 years to the rest of his life for shooting and killing a 17-year-old youth

Sacramento gang member has been sentenced to prison for 39 years to the rest of his life for shooting and killing a 17-year-old youth who was walking along the street near the Wildhawk Golf Club almost three years ago.Anh-Tuan Dao Pham, 19, received the term Thursday from Sacramento Superior Court Judge Timothy W. Frawley for the Feb. 22, 2007, shooting murder of Dominique Hickman, 17.Pham's term also includes time on an additional attempted murder conviction for shooting and wounding two people in the unincorporated south area less than an hour after he killed Hickman.

35-year-old Filipino is in jail for attempting to smuggle illegal drugs to Peru

Thursday 3 December 2009

35-year-old Filipino is in jail for attempting to smuggle illegal drugs to Peru, the foreign affairs department reported on Friday.The DFA said it received a report from the Philippine Embassy in Santiago, Chile regarding the apprehension of a male Filipino on September 30, 2009."The Filipino national is presently incarcerated at Quencoro Men's Penitentiary at Cusco where he will begin a prison sentence of six years and eight months, including payment of fines, after accepting a plea bargain agreement with the Peruvian authorities," the DFA said in a press statement.
Peruvian authorities nabbed the Filipino national at the Alejandro Velasco Astete Airport while trying to smuggle 6.145 kilos of cocaine alkaloid, which were found inside his hand carry baggage.
"The Filipino was headed for Lima, Peru and to other intermediary points, with Hanoi, Vietnam as the alleged final destination," the DFA said in a statement.
Earlier, two Filipinas were arrested in separate incidents last May and June in Ecuador and Africa for drug trafficking cases."These are seemingly more daring and brazen attempts by drug syndicates in the region to use Filipinos to transport banned substances across international borders," said Philippine Ambassador to Chile, Maria Consuelo Puyat-Reyes.She also stated that the incidents involving Filipino drug mules in Peru and Ecuador are becoming "especially alarming."
Likewise, she warned Filipinos traveling to South America "to be wary of drug syndicates enticing travelers to transport illegal drugs, no matter how lucrative the 'handling' fee may appear.

Alan Edwards and his wife Tina, of Kings Norton, were key players in a sophisticated "carousel" trafficking ring

Alan Edwards and his wife Tina, of Kings Norton, were key players in a sophisticated "carousel" trafficking ring that used the same goods to hide drugs.
A shipment of industrial rollers was employed to hide cocaine, cannabis and the potentially deadly cutting agent phenacetin.But their conspiracy unravelled when a Brussels warehouse employee became suspicious of the goods. He secretly marked the shipment and called in the Belgian authorities when it came through again one week later.A search disclosed the rollers contained 20kg of cocaine, 365kg of herbal cannabis and 10kg of phenacetin. Belgian police contacted the Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca) who launched a surveillance operation to find out where the drugs were headed.Officers looked on as Alan Edwards drove the drugs from Birmingham to Dublin, where Irish police picked up the trail. The international investigation found the rollers were sent back and forth between Holland, where they were filled with drugs, and Dublin, where they were unloaded.A second company, Birmingham-based JBS Transport, was also found to be linked to the drug smuggling operation.Investigators found a consignment of sea scooters and mini-motorbikes that repeatedly travelled between Holland and Dublin concealed cocaine.Edwards and his wife, both aged 50, were found guilty of drugs offences at Birmingham Crown Court today, a Soca spokesman said.Also found guilty were driver John Gilbert, 49, of Birmingham Road, Oldbury, JBS Transport manager Barry Phipps, 46, of Walmley, Sutton Coldfield, and driver David Cullen, 53, of Quinton, Birmingham. The gang will be sentenced at a later date.

Arrested during the search was 36-year-old Javier Martinez and his girlfriend, 35-year-old Valentina Lopez.

Arrested during the search was 36-year-old Javier Martinez and his girlfriend, 35-year-old Valentina Lopez.Both were being held on suspicion of possession of cocaine for sale and possession of methamphetamine for sale.Besides cocaine, Angeja says task force members also found $15,000 worth of crystal methamphetamine, $3,400 worth of rock cocaine and about $100 worth of Ecstacy pills.

Notorious French serial killer Charles Sobhraj, serving time in a Kathmandu prison for the murder of two western holidaymakers, could be out of jail

Notorious French serial killer Charles Sobhraj, serving time in a Kathmandu prison for the murder of two western holidaymakers, could be out of jail in February, his lawyer said.Sobhraj was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of two backpackers — Canadian Laurent Ormond Carriere, 26, and Connie Bronzich, 29, of California, United States — in the Himalayan state in 1975.“Prosecutors don’t have a single (piece of) evidence against Charles to show that he entered Nepal to kill. For the past 30 years, they are trying to establish evidence. Now his only charge is about false passport.“We have a very strong case and, sure, he will be freed by February next year,” Shakuntala Thapa, one of Sobhraj’s lawyers, told Bernama in a telephone interview from Kathmandu.

Nicknamed the “bikini killer”, the flamboyant globe-trotting Frenchman, who often preyed on young western tourists touring Southeast Asian capitals, allegedly committed at least 12 murders between 1972 and 1976.

But investigators across the world believe numerous other murders have gone unreported.
After a string of arrests and escapes from high-security prisons from Bangkok to Kabul for alleged crimes — from possessing fake passports, drug dealings, gemstones smuggling to murders — Sobhraj was finally arrested in New Delhi in July 1976 for drugging French tourists and robbing jewellery from a hotel.In 1986, he escaped from India’s Tihar prison by drugging the prison guards but was rearrested by Indian police months later, and he stayed behind bars until 1997.
After his release, Sobhraj returned to France and suddenly emerged in Kathmandu in 2004, where he was arrested while holidaying.The 65-year-old Sobhraj was born Gurmukh Sobhraj to an Indian father and a Vietnamese mother and became a French citizen after his mother remarried, to a French national.Last year, while in prison, he married 20-year-old Nihita Biswas, his interpreter and the daughter of his lawyer Shakuntala, in a simple Nepali ceremony.Sobhraj has also earned another nickname, “the serpent”, for his tact in deceiving authorities and staging daring prison breakouts.

Frank Lee Grigsby, 36, waived a pre-sentencing report after pleading no contest to drug possession

Frank Lee Grigsby, 36, waived a pre-sentencing report after pleading no contest to drug possession and immediately received the term with credit for 81 days. Other charges were dismissed. Authorities arrested Grigsby Sept. 23 after transportation security screeners said they found the drugs and lights in his baggage. Grigsby had just upgraded his seat to first class and boarded the Continental Airlines flight when authorities took him into custody, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
Grigsby allegedly told authorities he was transporting the seven individually wrapped bricks of marijuana back to Baton Rouge, La. personally because he was getting ripped off when having it mailed. He planned to both use it personally and sell it to friends in the rap industry.

Romell Wilburn, 33, is charged with one count of bringing contraband into a penal institution

Romell Wilburn, 33, is charged with one count of bringing contraband into a penal institution, a felony, according to Cook County State’s Attorney’s office spokesman Andy Conklin.Officials said whoever Romell Wilburn was providing the drugs to may have run out, which is possibly why he was bringing in more.
Cook County Sheriff's Office Wilburn, a five-year veteran of the jail, was arrested Monday after a search revealed he was carrying three packages of tobacco laced with marijuana, Conklin said.“He made arrangements between inmates and people on the outside to smuggle in tobacco laced with marijuana,” Conklin said, citing court records. Cook County Sheriff's Dept. spokesman Steve Patterson said Wilburn was assigned to Division 10, a maximum security portion of the jail that houses inmates with psychiatric issues. The department searched the division following Wilburn's arrest, but did not find any drugs. Patterson said whoever Wilburn was providing the drugs to may have run out, which is possibly why he was bringing in more Monday.
The department began investigating Wilburn when the internal investigations division received a tip he was bringing the drugs from his car to the jail while on duty, Patterson said. The department set up a surveillance camera and recorded Wilburn going out to his car after his shift began, getting marijuana-laced tobacco and bringing it back in. He was arrested when he re-entered the building, Patterson said. Sheriff's department investigators are working to determine who was paying him for the drugs.

48-year-old gang member from Wanganui has been charged with possession of cannabis

Tuesday 1 December 2009

48-year-old gang member from Wanganui has been charged with possession of cannabis and a 41-year-old gang member from Wanganui has been charged with threatening to kill.Both men are due to appear at the Wanganui District Court on December 1.Police spokesperson Kim Perks said the raid began just before 7am when members of the Armed Offenders Squad entered the three-storey building and compound on Kaikokopu Rd."When police first arrived at the location there were three men inside the premises and entry was gained without incident."Around 35 police officers from Wanganui and Palmerston North were involved in the raid.Ms Perks said a small amount of cannabis was found at the address."Once the premises were cleared and secured, teams of police officers joined the operation to search the building and grounds, a process that took a number of hours."Ms Perks said the examination of the scene was wrapped up in the early afternoon.She said during the raid police used "distraction devices" which may have sounded in neighbouring houses like gunfire. Ms Perks said the raid followed an aggravated burglary at an address in Wanganui on October 3."During this incident a woman was assaulted and property including licensed firearms were stolen."All parties involved in that incident are believed to be known to one another."Ms Perks said a 32-year-old man from Wanganui has been charged in connection with the burglary and is currently remanded on 13 charges including threats to kill, wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, aggravated burglary and commission of a crime with a firearm.A 33-year-old woman from Wanganui was also charged with accessory after the fact in the relation to the aggravated burglary. She is currently on bail.Both are due to appear in the Wanganui District Court on December 7.Ms Perks said a vehicle connected with the aggravated burglary was also recovered during yesterday's operation, although it was not found at the Kaikokopu Rd address.

Mike Tyson allegedly hit a photographer at Los Angeles International Airport

Mike Tyson allegedly hit a photographer at Los Angeles International Airport and was detained on suspicion of battery Wednesday, police said.The paparazzo told police that the former heavyweight boxing champion struck him once, airport police spokesman Sgt. Jim Holcomb said. The photographer fell to the ground and was treated for a cut to his forehead at a hospital.Tyson's spokeswoman Tammy Brook said the boxer was traveling with his wife and 10-month-old child Wednesday afternoon when he was attacked by an overly aggressive paparazzo. He acted in self-defense to protect his child, she said.Tyson and the unnamed photographer both want to press charges for misdemeanor battery, police said."There's a lot of different versions to this story and that's all going to come out later," Holcomb said. "Some witness statements support Tyson's version, others support the photographer's."Paparazzi often camp out at Los Angeles' largest airport to get shots of celebrities in transit.Tyson was cooperative as he waited in a holding cell at the airport police station, Holcomb said. He will be booked and released later. The photographer will also be booked once he is released from the hospital, police said.Tyson became the youngest heavyweight champion ever in 1986 when he won his title as a 20-year-old. But his life since then has been marred by accusations of domestic violence, rape and cocaine use.Tyson was convicted of rape in Indiana in 1992, serving three years in prison. He was disqualified from a 1997 heavyweight title fight when he bit off part of Evander Holyfield's right ear, and in 1999 he pleaded no contest to misdemeanor assault charges in Maryland.In 2003, Tyson filed for Chapter 11 protection in U.S. Bankruptcy Court. He served 24 hours in an Arizona jail in 2007 after pleading guilty to cocaine possession and driving under the influence.

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