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In Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, the MET Team targeted
two trafficking organizations. One group was responsible
bringing wholesale quantities of methamphetamine from
Mexico for delivery to distributors throughout the
Shenandoah Valley for distribution, while the other brought
in crack cocaine from New York City. Both organizations
were dismantled, and the work of the MET Team is likely to
impede future drug trafficking in the area.
Mobile Enforcement Team
II Program (1999)
In 1999, DEA initiated the Mobile Enforcement Team (MET)
II program as a follow-up program to communities where
DEA’s MET teams had deployed. MET teams were groups
of specially trained DEA agents sent to communities at the
request of law enforcement to help remove violent drug
trafficking organizations. The MET II program’s goal was
to ensure that successful law enforcement operations were
reinforced by a vigorous community effort to prevent the
reemergence of drug-related violent crime.
DEA, with financial assistance from the Bureau of Justice
Assistance and technical support from the National Crime
Prevention Council, provided cutting-edge regional training
to communities where MET teams had been deployed.
Each community sent a team of up to five members that
included local and state elected officials; judicial and law
enforcement officers; city, school, and program administrators;
community activists; representatives of the business
and faith communities; and other key decision makers.
In 1999, the program was piloted in three regional
sessions to leaders of 40 MET communities. In 2000, DEA
held four regional sessions to 42 community teams and
another four sessions to 37 MET communities in 2001.
The program’s goals were met by community leaders committing
to developing and employing broad-based strategies
for improving citizen safety and equipping these leaders
to plan and implement prevention programs. majority
of communities trained through the MET II program conducted
far more prevention activities than prior to the training.
By 2001, the MET II program evolved into the Integrated
Drug Enforcement Assistance (IDEA) program.
Operation Ramp Rats I and
II (1999)
In August and September 1999, DEA’s Miami Division concluded
two successful airport-based investigations of ramp
workers (“ramp rats”) who used their positions relating to
baggage handling, cleaning, fueling and servicing airplanes
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to smuggle drugs. The investigations disrupted large-scale
smuggling of heroin and cocaine into the United States along
with the distribution of drugs, weapons, and explosives throughout
the country. In addition, Miami Dade County instituted immediate
security measures at Miami International Airport, making
it more difficult to smuggle contraband through the area.
Operation Juno (1999)
Operation Juno was a significant and innovative investigation
targeting money laundering operations. It began after the seizure
of approximately 386 kilograms of liquid cocaine, which had
been found concealed and shipped in frozen fish from Cartagena,
Colombia in July 1995. It had been shipped under the name of
Colapia S.A., a Colombian company whose U.S. distribution
center was based in Atlanta. During the investigation of Colapia,
it was revealed that the Atlanta owner was a partner with a
prominent Cali, Colombia, narcotics trafficker. In 1996, DEA and
the Internal Revenue Service began a pro-active undercover
money laundering “sting” investigation named Operation Juno.
Based in suburban Atlanta, with a company called “Airmark”,
DEA and the IRS gained permission from the Attorney General
to oprn a legitimate stockbrokerage firm that served to validate
the undercover money laundering operation.
The owner of Colapia S.A. referred the Operation Juno stockbrokerage
firm to other drug trafficking organizations in need of
financial and money laundering services. Operation Juno targeted
those drug trafficking organizations by offering financial
services to launder their drug proceeds. Those proceeds, which
were in U.S. dollars, were sold on the Colombian black market
peso exchange market via a third-party money exchanger in Colombia.
Once the Colombian pesos were deposited into the
designated bank accounts, the money laundering contract with
the narcotics traffickers was fulfilled. A total of 55 arrests were
made in the U. S. during the investigation. Civil seizure warrants
were also brought against 59 domestic bank accounts worldwide
and approximately $26 million in drug proceeds were targeted
for seizure. Additionally five Colombian nationals were
indicted.
Attempted Cop Murder-Drug
Ring Investigation (1999)
In 1999, DEA, Fairfax County, Virginia Police, and the Maryland
State Police completed a 3-year investigation of a drug trafficking,
money laundering, and “cop killing” criminal group. Since
at least 1994, Sergio Barrios and Gregory McCorkle were involved
in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine in the Washington,
D.C. area. In December 1995, McCorkle was driving his frequent
route from New York to DC, when Maryland State Police Trooper
David Hughes arrested him for possession of one kilogram of
cocaine.
Shortly after his arrest, McCorkle plotted to kill Trooper Hughes
in an attempt to have the case dismissed. On August 27, 1996, an