11 Tons of Cocaine Seized; Undercover NYC Sting Nabs FOX Producer; HuffPo Blogger; Chipotle CMO

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Published on Thursday, 30 June 2016 18:24

A three nation joint task force comprised of American, Italian and Colombian law enforcement have seized 11 tons of cocaine and arrested 33 people in a mafia-linked drug ring in the jungles of Colombia, South America.

A three nation joint task force swept through the jungles of Columbia confiscating the drugs that were ring smuggled cocaine out of Colombia in containers of tropical fruit and shipped it to Europe and the United States via Panama, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic.

With a street value in upwards of $300 million dollars the bust is the largest in recent decades surpassing the eight tons intercepted by Colombian police one month ago, along the Colombia-Panama border that carried a street value of $240 million.

Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos took to twitter to celebrate the bust calling in the "biggest seizure of drugs in history."

Even with the size of the last two recent seizures With shipments delivered to the United States, Australia, Spain, and The United Kingdom, the four top cocaine consumers in the world,

Rounding out the top fifteen nations whose population remains dependent on Cocaine are Uruguay Malta, Brazil, Ireland, Bermuda, Canada, Chile, Panama, Netherlands, Israel, Costa Rica.

Currently, 90% of the World's Nations register for cocaine usage from minor to heavy dependency with only China, Iceland and Central African Nations abstaining.

Yearlong NYC Sting Nabs FOX Producer; HuffPo Blogger; Chipotle CMO

A yearlong New York City undercover operation, coinciding with the three nation taskforce bust, brought down a host of young, affluent, Manhattanites, including a FOX Business News Producer, the Chief Marketing Officer  of Chipotle and a HuffPo Education Blogger all charged with a multiple crimes stemming from the sting.

The white collar well-heeled cocaine ring was allegedly the mastermind of Kenny Hernandez, a Hispanic, who was also arrested and indicated. He allegedly made eleven sales to undercover detectives.

The operation stemmed from the suicide of John Hughes, an Investment Banker, who jumped from the floor of his luxury apartment building in May 2015.

The modernized pre-order, pickup and delivery system included the use of livery cars, with transactions happening throughout the city. Delivers were made inside local Gristedes supermarkets, Duane Reed and CVS Drugstores. Additionally, the affluent, upscale, addicts were ordering from their air conditioned offices for after hours deliveries some of which occurred over dinners in many of Manhattan's more famous restaurants.

Those arrested included Katie Weinhofer, who turns thirty this week, an employee of the FOX Business News show, "Mornings With Maria." She has been indicted for two purchases. 

Mark Crumpacker, 53, the Chief Marketing Officer of the fast food restaurant Chipotle has also been indicted. He has been indicated. Eluding arrest the executive has apparently escaped although local media have reported he will turn himself into authorities.

Also arrested Christopher Dodson, 29, a Client Associate with the financial house Merrill Lynch, a frequent customer of the cocaine dealers made up to 17 purchases, and his brother Andrew, 24, an associate with Cushman & Wakefield, a real estate firm, who made two purchases over the course of the year.

Alexander Mallory, 31, Huffington Post Education Blogger and Educational Director for Competitive Edge Tutoring, indicated for seven purchases.

Christian Jewett, 31, an Underwriting Consultant, indicated.

Kyle Holmes, 27, a Senior Associate with the Marwood Group, indicted for six purchases.

Roman Yoffe, 36, a tax accountant, indicated for at least seven purchases.

Sources: Various