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ICE, FBI, DEA take down fentanyl ring in Colorado tied to Honduran nationals
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Approved, kdvr.com, State

ICE, FBI, DEA take down fentanyl ring in Colorado tied to Honduran nationals

By Heather Willard | Fox31 DENVER (KDVR) — Five people were indicted by a Colorado grand jury on charges of possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado. The indictment for the case cites five incidents between June 24, 2024, and April 15, 2025, wherein officials alleged that the defendants had either 400 grams or 40 grams or more of fentanyl and were intending to sell it. The office identified the defendants and their charges in the case as: Exor Omar Villanueva Raudales, aka “Brian, 36 Two counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl Two counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl Alex Yubini Can...
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Colorado Springs mayor expects more raids, arrests after nightclub bust
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Approved, Colorado Springs Gazette, Local

Colorado Springs mayor expects more raids, arrests after nightclub bust

By Breeanna Jent  | The Gazette After law enforcement officers raided an "underground" nightclub early Sunday morning, Mayor Yemi Mobolade said he expects additional arrests in Colorado Springs' future. "I anticipate that there will be more arrests. I hope to see more raids happen in my city. This is not the first one," Mobolade told national media outlet NewsNation Now. More than 300 law enforcement officers from at least 10 agencies raided the property at 296 S. Academy Blvd., at the northwest corner of Academy Boulevard and Airport Road, on Sunday. They detained 114 people, including active-duty military members and individuals alleged to be in the U.S. illegally, officials said. On Monday, a social media post from the Drug Enforcement Administration showed a busload of 60 peop...
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DEA seizes drugs, detains over 100 undocumented immigrants in Colorado Springs raid
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Approved, denvergazette.com, Local

DEA seizes drugs, detains over 100 undocumented immigrants in Colorado Springs raid

The Denver Gazette Federal law enforcement officials said they detained more than 100 people who were in the country illegally in a raid at an “underground” Colorado Springs nightclub early Sunday morning. The Drug Enforcement Administration said it also seized cocaine and guns during the raid at the northwest corner of Academy Boulevard and Airport Road. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, in a post on X, said the club is frequented by members of the Venezuelan prison gang Tren de Aragua and international gang MS-13. “This morning @DEAHQ apprehended over 100 illegal aliens at an underground night club frequented by Tda and MS-13 terrorists. Cocaine, meth, and pink cocaine was seized. 2 people were also arrested on existing warrants,” Bondi’s post read. The Rocky Mountain divis...
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“One pill away from death”: inside Colorado Springs’ undercover fentanyl crackdown
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Fox21, Local

“One pill away from death”: inside Colorado Springs’ undercover fentanyl crackdown

By Austin Sack | Fox27 News (COLORADO SPRINGS) — A record number of fentanyl pills are being seized across Colorado, with local law enforcement agencies like the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) crediting the success partly to their department’s ability to deploy officers undercover. The Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Rocky Mountain Field Division announced it seized nearly 2.7 million fentanyl pills – or “fake” pills – in Colorado in 2024. This breaks the previous record set in 2023 with 2.61 million pills seized in the state. “It is an unfortunate record to set,” said DEA RMFD Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Pullen. “We continue to work day in, day out fighting the cartels putting this poison on Colorado streets. While we have seen seizure numbers trendin...
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Colorado is Venezuelan gang’s ‘command center’
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Approved, coloradopolitics.com, State

Colorado is Venezuelan gang’s ‘command center’

By The Denver Gazette staff | Denver Gazette Via Colorado Politics The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration confirmed on Monday that it regards Colorado as “ground zero" for "some of the most violent criminals in America" and the "command center" of a transnational gang that originated in the prisons of Venezuela. “We are learning that the command and control for TdA in the entire United States of America is right here in Colorado,” Derek Maltz, the acting director of the DEA, said in a Denver7 report.   Maltz was referring to Tren de Aragua, a gang that started in Tocorón Penitentiary Center in Aragua, a state in north-central Venezuela. TdA has expanded the footprint of its criminal enterprises into at least eight Latin American countries, including Brazil, Colomb...
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Colorado ‘ground zero for some of the most violent criminals in America’ says acting DEA administrator
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Approved, DENVER7, State, Top Stories

Colorado ‘ground zero for some of the most violent criminals in America’ says acting DEA administrator

ByTony Kovaleski | Denver7 CENTENNIAL, Colo. — The acting administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration said Colorado is “ground zero for some of the most violent criminals in America” and leadership for the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. “We are learning that the command and control for TdA in the entire United States of America is right here in Colorado,” said Derek Maltz, who stepped into his role just after President Donald Trump’s inauguration in January, adding that this new information was based on intelligence from front-line agents in the Rocky Mountain Division of the DEA. Maltz was in Denver on Thursday to visit with roughly 150 agents and employees of the DEA’s Rocky Mountain Division. He spoke exclusively with Denver7 Investigates during his visit regardi...
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‘Top 10’ are now in ICE custody for drug trafficking, other violent crimes
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Approved, CBS Colorado, State

‘Top 10’ are now in ICE custody for drug trafficking, other violent crimes

By Tori Mason | CBS Colorado The Drug Enforcement Administration is working with other federal agencies on immigration enforcement in Colorado. In the last 2.5 weeks, the DEA Rocky Mountain Field Division has made over 90 arrests. Some of the suspects were involved in trafficking fentanyl and methamphetamine, while others had committed violent offenses both in the U.S. and in their home countries. The DEA provided a list of "Top Ten" arrested suspects who are now in ICE custody. They're from several countries including Honduras, Cuba, El Salvador and Venezuela. Special Agent Jonathan Pullen with the DEA's Rocky Mountain Field Division provided an update on Operation Return to Sender. He says the collaborative effort with federal agencies has allowed the DEA and other agencies to m...
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Colorado’s top 10 drug criminals arrested, facing deportation under DEA operation
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Approved, Fox News, National

Colorado’s top 10 drug criminals arrested, facing deportation under DEA operation

By Christina Shaw  | Fox News The DEA Rocky Mountain Field Division said 10 of Colorado’s worst drug criminals were arrested under "Operation Return to Sender" and handed over to immigration enforcement. Their efforts have led to the arrest of more than 90 people over the past 16 days. DEA RMFD said on social media that at least three of those arrested were part of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TdA). The 10 suspects whose photos were provided are some of the most serious criminals arrested, but a DEA spokesperson said there are worse offenders in the remaining 80-some suspects. READ THE FULL STORY ON FOX NEWS
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Federal deportation efforts continue in Colorado, as Democrats push back with outrage
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The Center Square, Approved, State

Federal deportation efforts continue in Colorado, as Democrats push back with outrage

By Elyse Apel | The Center Square Federal agents have continued their deportation efforts in Colorado, conducting a series of raids Wednesday morning in various apartment complexes in Denver and Aurora. Multiple agencies assisted with the raids, including the Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI Denver and the Department of Homeland Security. “The FBI and other DOJ partners are assisting DHS with immigration enforcement efforts in Denver and Aurora this morning,” said a statement from FBI Denver. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE CENTER SQUARE
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DEA arrests suspects in early morning drug raid in Colorado; weapons and ammunition seized
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Approved, CBS Colorado, Local

DEA arrests suspects in early morning drug raid in Colorado; weapons and ammunition seized

By Jennifer McRae | CBS Colorado Drug Enforcement Administration agents along with Denver police officers, arrested several suspects in an early morning drug raid Wednesday. DEA said they were investigating a drug trafficking operation in Lochbuie.  "There is a renewed sense of purpose in our mission which is removing violent criminals who are trafficking dangerous drugs like fentanyl into our communities," said Assistant Special Agent in Charge, DEA Rocky Mountain Division David Olesky. Olesky said this is part of a larger operation that is removing members of the criminal Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua and two other cartels, Jalisco and Sinaloa. READ THE FULL STORY AT CBS COLORADO
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