Drug Task Force seizes pills, crack cocaine at Athens man's home
One man was arrested.
The April 9 operation happened on Westchester Drive and ended with 67-year-old Will Crawford Dean, of Athens, in custody.
The Northeast Georgia Regional Drug Task Force also seized $4,200 in cash and Dean's car.
He was charged with trafficking cocaine, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and possession of schedule ii substance with intent to distribute.
Anyone with information about illegal drug distribution is asked to call the Drug Tip Line at 706-713-3297.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
TRENDING STORIES:
STORY 1
STORY 2
STORY 3
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Black America Web
a day ago
- Black America Web
Atlanta Rapper Ca$h Out Accused Of Witness Intimidation In RICO Trial
Ca$h Out, a rapper who found fame in 2011 with his hit single 'Cashin' Out,' is currently on trial in Atlanta as the state of Georgia brought racketeering charges against him. In a new report, Ca$h Out and his mother, known as 'Mama Ca$h,' are being accused of intimidating and attempting to silence a woman who is a witness in the matter. Local outlet WSB-TV shared in a report that Ca$h Out, 34, faced new accusations from the prosecution alleging that the former Epic Records signee employed his mother, real name Linda Smith, to intimidate the aforementioned witness. Smit is a co-defendant in the RICO case, as is the cooperating witness whom the pair tried to silence. The witness, whose identity is being kept hidden, was allegedly cornered by Smith and told not to cooperate with the investigation against her son. The woman was arrested with Ca$h Out in 2021 during a prostitution sting. From what the report states, Smith was arrested in Buckhead at a physical therapy clinic, which apparently is connected to the witness. Smith, in a 2021 interrogation video, claimed she was at the clinic looking for a friend who missed a probation appointment. 'I mean, y'all acting like I done kidnapped her,' Smith reportedly said during the interrogation session. She was asked why she attempted to reach the witness and answered, 'I said why would she miss her probation, she knows how important that is.' Prosecutors presented audio recordings of Gibson giving his mother instructions to contact the unnamed witness by phone. The prosecution then played a clip of Smith rebuffing her son's request. 'I already told you I'm going to the doctor, I already called the number, I'm doing everything you asked me to do. Stop pissing me off,' Smith was reportedly heard saying in the call. Ca$h Out is facing 41 counts of rape, sex trafficking and luring women into prostitution. — Photo: Instagram/@1CashOut SEE ALSO Atlanta Rapper Ca$h Out Accused Of Witness Intimidation In RICO Trial was originally published on
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
EU Cracks Down on $700M Customs Fraud Ring Tied to Chinese Imports
A coordinated raid by the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) across four major cities earlier this week saw the arrest of 10 suspects—including two customs officers—for fraudulently importing goods from China as part of a wider crime ring responsible for 700 million euros ($820 million) in total damages. The customs fraud scheme was allegedly conducted mainly through Greece's Port of Piraeus, and enabled the perpetrators to evade customs duties and the E.U.'s value-added tax (VAT). More from Sourcing Journal China Trade Deal Solidified As Talks With Canada Devolve Tariffs Upend Fashion Sourcing and Disrupt Cash Flow Amid Widening Trade Gap FedEx Faces $170M in Tariff Headwinds as US Cracks Down on De Minimis Textiles, footwear, e-scooters and e-bikes are among the goods flooding the E.U. market that have been seized as part of the raid, called 'Calypso' by the authorities. Identities of the suspects have not been released. The raids took place across Athens; Madrid; Paris; and Sofia, Bulgaria; and encompassed 101 searches at the offices of customs brokers, companies controlled by the organized criminal groups under investigation and the premises of the suspects. The bust extended to offices of tax advisors, lawyers, accounts and transportation companies. As part of the raids, law enforcement agents seized 5.8 million euros ($6.8 million) in different currencies, including Hong Kong dollars, euros in digital wallets and cryptocurrencies. Greek authorities have conducted more than 20 raids, including the home of the alleged ringleader, a Chinese national, according to a report from Athens-based publication eKathimerini. Freezing orders were also issued in the country to seize real estate, boats and bank accounts. And in Spain, 11 real estate assets were also seized, as well as 27 vehicles and luxury items such as bags, watches and jewelry. Across the four major cities, law enforcement also confiscated 7,133 e-bikes and 3,696 e-scooters, as well as 480 containers for further checks and verification in the Port of Piraeus. Firearms and cold weapons were found and seized in the houses of three of the suspects. According to the EPPO, the alleged criminal enterprise is mainly controlled by Chinese nationals, with several separate organizations handling different links of the scheme, including distribution to the market's different member states, as well as sales to end customers. The criminal activity focused on exploiting Customs Procedure 42 (CP42), a mechanism designed to simplify cross-border trade by exempting importers from paying VAT in the country of import, if the imported goods are subsequently transported to another E.U. country. A network of professional enablers including customs brokers, service providers and accounting firms helped facilitate the initial clearance at the Piraeus customs entry point. To evade customs duties, the actors would use false documents to either undervalue or misclassify the goods, and produce false invoices and transport documents to conceal the real destination of the goods. This enabled the actors to evade CP42, as the goods were not forwarded to the declared destinations. Instead, they stored the imports in secret warehouses controlled by the separate criminal organizations and distributed them via illicit channels. From there, the organizations recruited a large network of sham companies used for the fake sales and deliveries to hide the fraudulent chain. This allowed the groups to sell the products at a competitive price—and for cash—since the VAT remained unpaid and customs duties and anti-dumping fees are largely evaded. When the final sale is made, the groups launder the money and send the profits back to China. The investigation was carried out across 14 countries: Bulgaria, China, Czechia, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain. Of the 700 million euros ($820 million) in total estimated damages, more than 250 million euros ($292.5 million) came from evaded customs duties—which contribute directly to the E.U. budget. Another nearly 450 million euros ($526.5 million) came from the unpaid VAT. The total damage caused by the fraudulent scheme under investigation is likely much higher, the EPPO says. The Port of Piraeus is majority owned and operated by China-based Cosco Shipping. EPPO did not indicate whether there were any ties to the Chinese national suspect arrested in Greece.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
A hard-right lawmaker is sworn in as Greece's migration minister
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — A hard-right lawmaker was sworn in Monday as Greece's migration minister, replacing a fellow right-wing political heavyweight who resigned following accusations of involvement in the distribution of European Union farm subsidies. Five high-ranking government officials, including the previous migration minister, Makis Voridis, three deputy ministers and a secretary general, resigned last Friday following allegations they were involved in a scheme to provide EU agriculture subsidies to undeserving recipients. The funds, which were handled by a government body known by its Greek acronym OPEKEPE, were allegedly given to numerous people who had made false declarations of owning or leasing non-existent pastures or livestock. Thanos Plevris, 48, succeeded Voridis and is expected to maintain Greece's hard line in migration policy. Both Plevris and Voridis joined the conservative New Democracy party in 2012, from the right-wing populist Popular Orthodox Rally, or LAOS, party. Voridis has denied any involvement in the alleged farm subsidy fraud and said he resigned in order to clear his name. The European Public Prosecutor's Office, which has investigated the case, passed on a hefty file to the Greek Parliament last week that includes allegations of possible involvement of government ministers. Lawmakers enjoy immunity from prosecution in Greece that can only be lifted by parliamentary vote. On Sunday, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said his New Democracy party had failed to stamp out graft. 'Significant reform efforts were made,' Mitsotakis said in a social media post. 'But let's be honest. We failed.' He said anyone found to have received EU funds they were not entitled to would be ordered to return the money. 'Our many farmers and livestock breeders who toil and produce quality products, and all law-abiding citizens, will not tolerate scammers who claimed to have non-existent pastures and livestock, or those who enabled them to do so,' Mitsotakis said.
