NewzIntel.com

Category: Crime

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Travel smart this winter: protect your finances and pack with purpose

    Source: Premier of Victoria

    When the temperature drops, you can often find Australians on the move in search of sunshine, snow, or simply a change of scenery. With winter travel in full swing, being smart about how you plan, spend and pack is more important than ever. With the continued rise in scams across the globe, NAB is helping holidaymakers stay one step ahead of common travel scams, while cult luggage brand July has tips on packing with intention and ease.

    From accommodation bookings and event tickets to and taxis and transport, holidays generally mean more spending in more places, and criminals are ready to take advantage.
    NAB Executive, Group Investigations Chris Sheehan said travelling can create the perfect storm for scams.

    “Travel scams tap into emotions including fear of missing out, tiredness and excitement, which can be heightened in an unfamiliar environment or if we’re really focused on looking for a bargain or managing a budget,” Mr Sheehan, a former Australian Federal Police executive, said.

    “Just like you’d check the weather or plan your itinerary, it’s vital to be aware of common scams – whether you’re travelling locally or abroad – so you can recognise the red flags and protect yourself.”

    Three scams to watch out for if you’re heading off on an adventure include:

    • Accommodation or booking website impersonation scams: Criminals can pose as hotels or booking platforms to convince travellers into sharing payment details or transferring money. The biggest red flag is an email or message requesting you to verify payment details or risk losing the reservation. Always type the website address into your browser rather than clicking a link and contact the provider using details you’ve sourced independently.
    • Ticket scams for major events: Fake listings for concerts and sporting events exploit urgency and excitement. Look for tickets through official resellers, or if possible, speak directly to the seller before sending money.
    • Overcharging or wrong charge scams: These often occur in taxis, restaurants or shops, relying on distraction and unfamiliarity. Research typical costs ahead of time, especially when converting currency, and always review your bill before paying.

    But smart travel isn’t just about protecting your wallet, it’s also about packing with purpose. July co-founders Richard Li and Athan Didaskalou swear by two simple packing hacks to help travellers stay organised and avoid overpacking.

    NAB recommends travellers notify their bank if heading overseas, monitor transactions closely, and use secure payment methods. NAB’s scam prevention initiatives — including removing links from text messages and introducing real-time payment alerts to digital banking — helped stop and recover more than $48m in scam payments between October 2024 and March 2025.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: NZ and allies condemn ‘inhumane’, ‘horrifying’ killings in Gaza and ‘drip feeding’ of aid

    RNZ News

    New Zealand has joined 24 other countries in calling for an end to the war in Gaza, and criticising what they call the inhumane killing of Palestinians.

    The countries — including Britain, France, Canada and Australia plus the European Union — also condemed the Israeli government’s aid delivery model in Gaza as “dangerous”.

    “We condemn the drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians, including children, seeking to meet their most basic needs of water and food.”

    They said it was “horrifying” that more than 800 civilians had been killed while seeking aid, the majority at food distribution sites run by a US- and Israeli-backed foundation.

    “We call on the Israeli government to immediately lift restrictions on the flow of aid and to urgently enable the UN and humanitarian NGOs to do their life saving work safely and effectively,” it said.

    Foreign Minister Winston Peters . . . “The tipping point was some time ago . . . it’s gotten to the stage where we’ve just lost our patience.” Image: RN/Mark Papalii

    “Proposals to remove the Palestinian population into a ‘humanitarian city’ are completely unacceptable. Permanent forced displacement is a violation of international humanitarian law.”

    The statement said the countries were “prepared to take further action” to support an immediate ceasefire.

    Reuters reported Israel’s foreign ministry said the statement was “disconnected from reality” and it would send the wrong message to Hamas.

    “The statement fails to focus the pressure on Hamas and fails to recognise Hamas’s role and responsibility for the situation,” the Israeli statement said.

    Having NZ voice heard
    Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters told RNZ Morning Report, New Zealand had chosen to be part of the statement as a way to have its voice heard on the “dire” humanitarian situation in Gaza.

    “The tipping point was some time ago . . .  it’s gotten to the stage where we’ve just lost our patience . . . ”

    Peters said he wanted to see what the response to the condemnation was.

    “The conflict in the Middle East goes on and on . . .  It’s gone from a situation where it was excusable, due to the October 7 conflict, to inexcusable as innocent people are being swept into it,” he said.

    “I do think there has to be change. It must happen now.”

    The war in Gaza was triggered when Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.

    Israel’s subsequent air and ground war in Gaza has killed more than 59,000 Palestinians — including at least 17,400 children, according to the enclave’s Health Ministry, while displacing almost the entire population of more than 2 million and spreading a hunger crisis.

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: NZ and allies condemn ‘inhumane’, ‘horrifying’ killings in Gaza and ‘drip feeding’ of aid

    RNZ News

    New Zealand has joined 24 other countries in calling for an end to the war in Gaza, and criticising what they call the inhumane killing of Palestinians.

    The countries — including Britain, France, Canada and Australia plus the European Union — also condemed the Israeli government’s aid delivery model in Gaza as “dangerous”.

    “We condemn the drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians, including children, seeking to meet their most basic needs of water and food.”

    They said it was “horrifying” that more than 800 civilians had been killed while seeking aid, the majority at food distribution sites run by a US- and Israeli-backed foundation.

    “We call on the Israeli government to immediately lift restrictions on the flow of aid and to urgently enable the UN and humanitarian NGOs to do their life saving work safely and effectively,” it said.

    Foreign Minister Winston Peters . . . “The tipping point was some time ago . . . it’s gotten to the stage where we’ve just lost our patience.” Image: RN/Mark Papalii

    “Proposals to remove the Palestinian population into a ‘humanitarian city’ are completely unacceptable. Permanent forced displacement is a violation of international humanitarian law.”

    The statement said the countries were “prepared to take further action” to support an immediate ceasefire.

    Reuters reported Israel’s foreign ministry said the statement was “disconnected from reality” and it would send the wrong message to Hamas.

    “The statement fails to focus the pressure on Hamas and fails to recognise Hamas’s role and responsibility for the situation,” the Israeli statement said.

    Having NZ voice heard
    Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters told RNZ Morning Report, New Zealand had chosen to be part of the statement as a way to have its voice heard on the “dire” humanitarian situation in Gaza.

    “The tipping point was some time ago . . .  it’s gotten to the stage where we’ve just lost our patience . . . ”

    Peters said he wanted to see what the response to the condemnation was.

    “The conflict in the Middle East goes on and on . . .  It’s gone from a situation where it was excusable, due to the October 7 conflict, to inexcusable as innocent people are being swept into it,” he said.

    “I do think there has to be change. It must happen now.”

    The war in Gaza was triggered when Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.

    Israel’s subsequent air and ground war in Gaza has killed more than 59,000 Palestinians — including at least 17,400 children, according to the enclave’s Health Ministry, while displacing almost the entire population of more than 2 million and spreading a hunger crisis.

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Cyclone reinsurance pool lowering premiums in high risk areas but affordability concerns remain

    Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development

    The Australian Government’s cyclone reinsurance pool has lowered insurance premiums for customers facing medium to high risk of cyclone, the ACCC’s fourth insurance monitoring report has found.

    However, premiums remain very high for many households and small businesses and are generally rising in most parts of the country. 

    Despite the pool commencing in 2022, it has taken time for the impact of the pool to be reflected in premiums. This is the ACCC’s first insurance monitoring report with all eligible insurers participating in the pool. 

    “With most customers now experiencing ‘post-pool pricing’, we now have a more complete picture of the pool’s potential to achieve its intended outcomes,” ACCC Commissioner Peter Crone said.

    “Our analysis shows the pool is lowering premiums of policyholders who live in areas with higher cyclone risk, as it was designed to do. However for many consumers in northern Australia, high cyclone risk may not be the key reason, or the only reason, that their insurance premium is unaffordable.” 

    Reductions for some consumers facing higher risk of cyclone

    The ACCC’s analysis of average premiums before and after insurers made pricing changes due to the pool shows there have been premium reductions for consumers and small businesses facing the highest risk of cyclone.

    “Our analysis suggests premium reductions for those at higher cyclone risk were driven by reduced reinsurance costs brought about, in large part, by the reinsurance pool,” Mr Crone said.

    The report found the average home and contents insurance premium (as measured on a per $100,000 sum insured basis) in medium to high cyclone risk areas decreased by 11 per cent compared to premiums before the reinsurance pool took effect.

    In contrast, average premiums for low-risk properties and properties at no risk of experiencing a cyclone increased by four per cent and seven per cent respectively.

    Premium reductions for home and contents insurance were most prominent in coastal areas of north Western Australia and north Queensland, particularly in Mackay, Cairns, and Townsville (where the median premiums reduced by approximately 15 per cent). The median premium also decreased by nine per cent in Karratha. 

    The average small business premium (also measured on a per $100,000 sum insured basis) in medium to high cyclone risk areas decreased by 24 per cent after insurers entered the pool.

    The report found the effect of the pool on strata insurance was less pronounced but still material. Overall, it found a seven per cent reduction in the average strata insurance premium (on a per $100,000 sum insured basis) in medium to high cyclone risk regions.

    For strata insurance, the ACCC found significant savings for those paying the highest premiums in Townsville (down 28 per cent), Karratha (down 23 per cent), Mackay (down 19 per cent) and Cairns (down 17 per cent).

    Australians still facing high and rising premiums

    Despite the pool leading to falls for some customers in higher cyclone risk regions, the price of home and strata insurance across Australia is generally high and rising.

    The ACCC found that the average home and contents premium in north Queensland and the Northern Territory is now over $3,000 per year, while in north Western Australia the average premium is over $4,600.

    Strata premiums remain very high across northern Australia and especially in north Western Australia, where the average premium increased by 18 per cent to be more than $18,000 (per policy). 

    Although average premiums remain much higher in northern Australian regions, premiums again rose more sharply in the rest of Australia in 2023-24, up 18 per cent for home and contents insurance.

    “Insurers have indicated that a range of factors including building material and labour cost inflation and extreme weather events are contributing to the very high insurance premiums that consumers are facing,” Mr Crone said.

    “We have heard about a range of ways that households and small businesses are responding to high premiums, from increasing their excesses to reducing coverage. Many stakeholders were concerned that people were being left underinsured or were dropping insurance altogether.”

    Insurance availability relatively unchanged

    The initial design of the reinsurance pool was intended to encourage insurers to enter or expand into northern Australian insurance markets by providing a stable and lower cost means to manage their cyclone risk exposure.

    However, the ACCC found that there remains limited appetite from insurers to expand services or increase their exposure in certain cyclone prone regions.

    There have been some smaller changes involving insurers lifting cyclone-specific embargoes, and changing underwriting controls and exposure limits, however these changes have not been substantial.

    No new insurers have entered northern Australian markets following the pool’s commencement.

    Insurers could be doing more to incentivise private mitigation

    One of the objectives of the reinsurance pool was to incentivise private risk mitigation, to improve insurance affordability and property resilience over time. The ACCC found there are limited signs of this occurring. 

    While we found the majority of insurers do have a framework in place to recognise private mitigation, communication by insurers about mitigation is typically quite limited.   

    “Improving the resilience of properties and communities to natural hazards through better mitigation is a critical issue if risks are to be reduced and affordability improved, now and into the future,” Mr Crone said.

    Background

    Reinsurance is taken out by insurers, typically to protect insurers from significant natural peril events impacting their portfolios, such as cyclones.

    The Australian Government established the cyclone reinsurance pool in 2022 to help make insurance more affordable for households and some small businesses who are at higher risk of cyclones. The pool is operated by the Australian Reinsurance Pool Corporation (ARPC).

    The pool provides reinsurance to insurers in relation to cyclone and cyclone-related flooding risks covered by home, contents, strata and small business insurance (up to a sum insured of $5 million) throughout Australia.

    Large insurers were required to join the pool by the end of 2023 and small insurers were required to join by the end of 2024. A list of the insurers that have joined the pool is on the Australian Reinsurance Pool Corporation website.

    The ACCC has been directed to monitor prices, costs, and profits of relevant insurance products, before and after the introduction of the pool.

    The ACCC is required to provide a report at least once each calendar year during the period 1 January 2022 to 30 June 2026.

    The ACCC has brought forward the publication of this fourth monitoring report to allow it to inform the government’s legislated review of the Terrorism and Cyclone Insurance Act 2003, the act establishing the cyclone reinsurance pool, which is due to commence after 1 July 2025.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Mexican Nationals Sentenced for Roles in Black Market Peso Exchange Money Laundering Scheme

    Source: United States Attorneys General 6

    Two Mexican nationals were sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison to 55 months each in prison for their roles in a two-year, multimillion-dollar trade-based money laundering conspiracy to move drug trafficking proceeds through Texas to Mexico.

    According to court documents, Mauricio Anzures-Zarate, 53, of Mexico City, Mexico, and Beatriz Salcedo-Carreon, 63, of Guadalajara, Mexico, participated in a sophisticated, international money laundering conspiracy to transfer funds from the sale of illegal drugs in the United States to cartels in Mexico without physically transporting money across the U.S.-Mexico border. The conspirators concealed those funds through the movement of goods between the two countries.

    “The defendants used an elaborate, trade-based money laundering scheme to exploit our financial system and transfer the proceeds of illegal drug trafficking from the United States to Mexico,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These financial facilitators actively promoted cartel operations in cities across the United States, which enabled the flow of deadly narcotics into our communities. The Criminal Division will continue to pursue the total elimination of cartels and the money launderers who enable their pernicious activities.”

    “The lifeblood of any drug trafficking organization is the uninterrupted flow of cash,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei for the Southern District of Texas. “Here, defendants laundered drug proceeds through a sophisticated trade-based scheme. This criminal operation, and others like it, put money in the pockets of the cartels and endangered lives on both sides of the border. Taking this conspiracy out of commission is a great win, but it’s just the beginning.”

    “Despite the sophisticated tactics used to conceal profits made from smuggling poison into our country by the Mexican cartels, our expertise enabled us to dismantle their thriving operations,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge William Kimbell of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Houston Division. “DEA, along with its federal counterparts, has dealt a significant blow to the finances of the Mexican cartels through the incredible investigative work of our agents. If we trace your money activities back to the cartels, you will have your day in court and will face justice.”

    “Anzures-Zarate and Salcedo-Carreon thought they could escape justice, but found our reach extends past the money trail they left,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Lucy Tan of IRS Criminal Investigation’s (IRS-CI) Houston Field Office. “They conspired to use black market peso exchanges, which are one of the classic methods to launder drug dollars, and a method that leaves a traceable trail to the cartels. For businesses that get approached for a quick cash sale to transport goods into Central and South America, remember that we will find you because your greed leaves evidence.”

    According to court documents, the defendants directed money couriers to collect drug proceeds in numerous U.S. cities and then transfer the funds to Laredo, Texas, to be laundered through local businesses. As part of the scheme, store owners in downtown Laredo accepted the drug proceeds as payment for merchandise to be exported to businesses in Mexico. In furtherance of the conspiracy, Salcedo-Carreon, Anzures-Zarate, and others instructed the Mexican businesses to transfer pesos to accounts or people in Mexico who were affiliated with cartels. Through this trade-based money laundering scheme, Mexican cartels disguised illicit drug proceeds as legitimate international commercial transactions and received laundered drug proceeds in Mexico without physically transporting cash across the U.S.-Mexico border. Eight other defendants were previously convicted and sentenced for their roles in the money laundering conspiracy. Anzures-Zarate was ordered to pay a money judgement of $1,176,165 and Salcedo-Carreon was ordered to pay a money judgement of $887,269.

    The DEA and IRS-CI investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of Judicial Attaché in Bogotá, Colombia provided significant assistance in this matter. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and April 2024 extradition of Salcedo-Carreon.

    Trial Attorneys Keith H. Liddle and Stephanie Williamson of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lance Watt, Amanda Gould, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney José Angel Moreno for the Southern District of Texas prosecuted the case. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn Cosponsors Bill to Label Muslim Brotherhood a Foreign Terrorist Organization

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) cosponsored the Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Act, which would direct the U.S. Secretary of State to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist group:

    “Hamas – who is responsible for the mass murder of more than 1,200 civilians in the brutal attack against Israel on October 7 – openly identifies as a branch of the Muslim Brotherhood,” said Sen. Cornyn. “This bill rightfully directs the Secretary of State to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization and imposes strict sanctions against them and their proxies who chant ‘death to America,’ sending a clear message that their anti-western agenda and threats to the American people and our allies will not be tolerated.”

    Background:

    The Muslim Brotherhood is a transnational Islamist organization that supports a wide array of regional affiliates, including groups actively engaged in terrorism. Hamas, already designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) by the United States, openly identifies as a branch of the Muslim Brotherhood. Other branches, such as HASM and Liwa al-Thawra, have been linked to the Muslim Brotherhood by the U.S. Department of State and designated as Specially Designated Global Terrorists. Muslim Brotherhood branches have also been implicated in planning or supporting attacks in Jordan and are outlawed as terrorist groups by Austria, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Several European countries are evaluating similar measures.

    The bill modernizes previous efforts by shifting to a bottom-up approach, requiring the U.S. Secretary of State to record and evaluate individual Muslim Brotherhood branches annually, designate those that meet terrorism criteria, and impose sanctions accordingly. This is modeled after the successful approach taken to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in 2017.

    The Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Act would:

    • Designate the Muslim Brotherhood under the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1987;
    • Require the U.S. Secretary of State to report annually on Muslim Brotherhood branches and assess their designation eligibility under FTO or SDGT authorities;
    • Mandate sanctions against the global Muslim Brotherhood and any branch found to meet terrorism criteria; and
    • Impose visa restrictions and immigration ineligibility on identified members.

    The Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Act, led by Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), was cosponsored by Sens. Tom Cotton (R-AR), John Boozman (R-AR.), Rick Scott (R-FL), Ashley Moody (R-FL), and Dave McCormick (R-PA).

    The legislation is endorsed by FDD Action, Christians United for Israel Action Fund, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), and the Republican Jewish Coalition.

    Companion legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart (FL-26).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Operation targeting human trafficking and money laundering: 13 arrests in Romania and Netherlands

    Source: Eurojust

    Starting in 2020, the group, led by two family members, used ‘loverboy’ techniques to target vulnerable Romanian women, who were coerced into prostitution in the Netherlands under direct supervision of the criminal group.

    To maintain total control over the lives of their victims, the suspects lived with them. In some cases, members of the group used physical and psychological force against the women to prevent them from escaping the situation.

    © DIICOT Poliția Românăas

    The sexual exploitation generated significant illegal proceeds for the criminal group, which were laundered through relatives and close friends. These individuals either transported large sums of cash or moved the money through financial institutions.

    Eurojust coordinated the international investigation. After the Romanian authorities approached Eurojust for support in early 2024, several meetings were organised with the Dutch authorities. During these meetings, information about the criminal group was exchanged. To enable the authorities to work together effectively and exchange information and evidence in real time, Eurojust set up a joint investigation team in January 2025.

    Together with Eurojust, the authorities organised an action day early this month to detain the suspects and gather more evidence through house searches. In the Netherlands, six suspects were arrested and four houses were searched. During actions in Romania, four suspects were arrested based on European Arrest Warrants from the Netherlands and three suspects were put under judicial control. Additionally, 18 houses were searched and a car, weapons and cash were seized.

    Eight of the arrested suspects remain in pre-trial detention.

    The following authorities carried out the operation:

    • Romania: Prosecution Office attached to the High Court of Cassation and Justice- Directorate for Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism –Ploiesti Territorial Service; Police Inspectorate Prahova-Criminal Investigation Service; Brigade for Combating Organised Crime Ploiesti
    • Netherlands: Public Prosecutor’s Office Amsterdam

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Alleged perpetrator of sending thousands of threatening emails to schools in Czech Republic, Slovakia and Latvia apprehended

    Source: Eurojust

    Eurojust has assisted the authorities in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Latvia with the apprehension of the alleged perpetrator who was responsible for sending thousands of emails in September last year threatening schools with explosions. The mass threats, which were also sent to other educational institutions and leisure centres, caused major public concern and led to the suspension of classes at the beginning of the school year.

    Eurojust supported the national authorities involved by setting up a joint investigation team (JIT) dedicated to the case, as well as providing additional cross-border judicial support.

    The alleged perpetrator also used the social network Telegram to spread his threats. He was apprehended in the Ukrainian city of Dnipro last week but was released pending potential further steps to be taken by the authorities.

    © Dnipropetrovsk Regional Prosecutor’s Office

    Given the mass scale of the threats at the same time across three countries, the police authorities involved coordinated their investigations, assisted by the setting up of the JIT. The joint investigative efforts, using the cybercrime expertise of the police, led to the identification of an alleged perpetrator, operating from the Ukrainian city of Dnipro.

    With the participation of Czech and Slovak police officers, a joint action took place in Dnipro last week, during which the alleged perpetrator was apprehended and one individual was questioned. Furthermore, two locations were searched, which led to the seizure of computer equipment.

    Thanks to the good and close cooperation of all the authorities concerned, the operation was successfully carried out under extremely difficult circumstances, very close to the frontline of the war in Ukraine, with Ukrainian, Czech and Slovak officers exposed to heavy risks.

    Eurojust offered support not only through the establishment of the JIT but also by organising a coordination meeting to prepare for the joint action day in Ukraine. The operation was carried out at the request of and by the following authorities:

    • Czech Republic: High Public Prosecutor’s Office in Prague; National Counterterrorism, Extremism and Cybercrime Agency (NCTEKK)
    • Latvia: Rīga Pārdaugava Prosecution Office; 1st Unit of Cybercrime Enforcement Department of the Central Criminal Police Department of the State Police
    • Slovakia: General Prosecutor´s Office of the Slovak Republic; Police Department West, Anti-Crime Unit, Bureau for Combating Organized Crime of the Presidium of the Police Corps (Police ACU); Counter Terrorism Centre, Presidium of the Police Corps
    • Ukraine: Dnipropetrovsk regional Prosecutor’s Office; Main Department of National Police in Dnipropetrovsk region; Division for Combating Cybercrime in Dnipropetrovsk region of the Cyber Police Department of National Police of Ukraine

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Utah Man Convicted for Threatening a Palestinian Rights Organization

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    A Utah man pleaded guilty to transmitting in interstate commerce a communication containing a threat to injure the person of another. Specifically, the defendant, Kevin Brent Buchanan, threatened violence against the employees of a D.C.-based Palestinian rights organization. U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly scheduled a sentencing hearing for Nov. 18.

    According to publicly filed court documents, between Oct. 31, 2023, and Nov. 2, 2023, Buchanan used his cellular phone to call and leave five messages for members of the organization. In his Nov. 2 voice message, Buchanan stated in part: “Your families are going to be followed and watched.”; “You don’t even belong in America.”; “I hope every Muslim in the United States [expletive] croaks.”; “You are all going to [expletive] die, you pieces of [expletive] traitors.” Buchanan admitted that he intentionally targeted the organization because its staff and members are Palestinian, and because the organization advocates on behalf of Palestinians.

    Buchanan faces a maximum of five years in prison and a fine not to exceed $250,000.

    Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro for the District of Columbia, and Assistant Director in Charge Steven Jensen of the FBI Washington Field Office made the announcement.

    The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case.

    Trial Attorney Sanjay Patel of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy Visser and Joshua Gold for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Leader of National Catalytic Converter Theft Ring Pleads Guilty and Admits to Selling Stolen Goods for More Than $600M

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    A New Jersey man pleaded guilty today in federal court in the Northern District of Oklahoma to leading a multi-state operation that stole thousands of catalytic converters from private vehicles and sold them on a secondary market for millions of dollars, based on the value of the precious metals that the converters contain. 

    Navin Khanna, 41, of Holmdel, New Jersey, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to receive, possess, and dispose of stolen goods in interstate commerce and five counts of money laundering regarding his participation in the stolen goods scheme.

    “The defendant made $600 million and financed his ostentatious lifestyle by buying and selling stolen goods,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s guilty plea demonstrates our commitment to taking the profit out of crime. Sophisticated criminal schemes may afford you luxury cars and homes in the short term but will cost you a federal felony conviction in the long term.”

    “Khanna’s theft ring took advantage of hard-working citizens in the Northern District of Oklahoma by stealing catalytic converters, rendering the vehicle unusable,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson for the Northern District of Oklahoma. “I would like to thank the Tulsa Police Department and our law enforcement partners for their tireless efforts in bringing this senseless crime to justice.”

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Khanna admitted to being the owner and operator of New Jersey-based D.G. Auto Parts, a criminal enterprise that bought and sold auto parts across the country. From May 2020 through October 2022, Khanna conspired with others to purchase and transport large quantities of stolen catalytic converters from Oklahoma, Texas, and other states to New Jersey. Khanna admitted to receiving more than $600 million by reselling the stolen catalytic converters to a metal refinery that extracted the precious metals.

    In response to a drastic increase in catalytic converter thefts throughout Tulsa in 2020, the Tulsa Police Department initiated an investigation that soon uncovered a national criminal enterprise. During the investigation, search warrants were executed in Oklahoma, Texas, California, New Jersey and New York. Khanna was indicted by federal grand juries in the Northern District of Oklahoma and the Eastern District of California. Over twenty individuals throughout the country have been charged for their role in the conspiracy. Khanna’s 13 co-defendants in the Northern District of Oklahoma have pleaded guilty for their participation in the criminal scheme and are awaiting sentencing.

    As part of his plea agreement, Khanna agreed to forfeit almost $4 million in cash, 11 luxury vehicles — including a Lamborghini, two Mercedes AMGs, two Ferraris, a McLaren, a Porsche, a Ford F650 Truck, and a BMW M3 — real estate properties, high-end jewelry, gold bars, and over 200 pallets of catalytic converters, all seized by law enforcement during the execution of search warrants at Khanna’s properties. Khanna’s co-defendants have agreed to forfeit more than $3.2 million, including more than $250,000 from multiple bank accounts; two lots of land located in Oklahoma, cars, and stolen catalytic converters seized during the investigation.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma has agreed that Khanna’s sentencing will be transferred to the Eastern District of California, where he awaits further prosecution for related crimes.

    Khanna faces a maximum penalty of 168 to 210 months in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) led the investigation. IRS-Criminal Investigations, the Tulsa Police Department, the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office, the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the Wagoner County Sheriff’s Office, and the Wyandotte Nation Police Department contributed to the investigation.

    Trial Attorney César S. Rivera-Giraud of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section (VCRS) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Reagan Reininger and David Nasar for the Northern District of Oklahoma are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Veronica M.A. Alegría for the Eastern District of California assisted in the prosecution of the case and is prosecuting Khanna and others there.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Johnston Man Indicted for Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PROVIDENCE – A Johnston man previously convicted and sentenced in 2006 for felony assaults involving the molestation of two minors has been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly downloading child sexual abuse material (CSAM), announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.

    Jonathan P. Graziano, 41, is charged by indictment with possession of child pornography.

    Court documents reflect that Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force reviewed a report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding a user distributing CSAM via a messaging application. Further investigation determined that an IP address at a Johnston address that Graziano shared with others was being used to distribute the material. A court-authorized search of the residence and of electronic devices resulted in the discovery of hundreds of images and videos of CSAM on Jonathan Graziano’s personal electronic device.

    Graziano is currently detained in federal custody on a criminal complaint filed in this matter on June 18, 2025. He is scheduled to be arraigned on the indictment on July 25, 2025. An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney G. Michael Seaman.

    The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Assistant Director of Central Pennsylvania Youth Ministries Charged with Child-Pornography Offenses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that former Assistant Director of Central Pennsylvania Youth Ministries, Daniel Reed, age 51, of Thompsontown, Juniata County, Pennsylvania, was charged by criminal complaint with attempted production of child pornography, production of child pornography, and possession of child pornography.

    According to Acting United States Attorney John Gurganus, the criminal complaint alleges that Central Pennsylvania Youth Ministries received a report from an adult female who said that she was “groomed” into a sexual relationship with Reed when she was between 14 and 17 years old. It is further alleged that thereafter a “peep hole” and two-way mirror was discovered in the second-floor hallway closet of the Youth Ministries and looked into the second-floor bathroom which had a shower.

    Following the execution of a search warrant at Reed’s residence, law enforcement seized an electronic device which contained internet searches relating to the use of hidden cameras for illicit purposes.  It also included a text message to a group that included two 16-year-old minor females, appearing to encourage them to use the shower at the Youth Ministries’’ facility.  Also, on a hard drive seized from the residence, law enforcement discovered at least seven nude images of minor females from the second-floor bathroom at the Youth Ministries’ facility, and images of others in other bathrooms and bedrooms. All the images appeared to have been taken from a hidden camera.

    The FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office is seeking to identify potential victims. If you, your family member, or anyone that you know may have information relating to these matters under investigation and/or would like to report a crime, please contact FBI Philadelphia’s State College Resident Agency at (814) 234-0341.

    The case was investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police and Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Assistant United States Attorney K. Wesley Mishoe is prosecuting the case.

    The maximum penalty upon conviction for the charged offenses is 70 years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, a fine, and the imposition of a special assessment. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by a court after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

    Criminal complaints only contain allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Foster Man Admits to Downloading and Storing Child Sexual Abuse Material

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PROVIDENCE – A Foster man previously convicted and incarcerated for sharing sexually explicit photographs online with a person he believed to be a 13-year-old girl with whom he also attempted to meet near her middle school to engage in sex today pleaded guilty to a charge of receipt of child pornography, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.

    John Q. Adams, 36, admitted that on January 13, 2021, he downloaded and stored an explicit video file depicting child sexual abuse material involving two adult males and a prepubescent female. Further investigation determined that Adams had downloaded and stored approximately 112 images and 49 videos of child sexual abuse material.

    Adams is scheduled to be sentenced on October 21, 2025. The sentence imposed will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Denise M. Barton.

    The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc

    To report suspected online child sexual exploitation and/or abuse, call the Know2Protect Tipline at 1-833-591-KNOW (5669) or visit the NCMEC CyberTipline® at https://report.cybertip.org/

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Missouri Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Producing Child Pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CAPE GIRARDEAU – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Monday sentenced a Carter County, Missouri man to 30 years for producing child pornography.

    Jurors in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau in December convicted Clinton Rongey, now 53, of one count of sexual exploitation of a minor. Evidence and testimony at trial showed that between February and November of 2023, Rongey produced more than 100 images containing child sexual abuse material featuring the victim, who was three and four years old at the time. Rongey engaged in a “pattern of activity,” doing so on multiple occasions, while he’d been entrusted with the care of the victim, according to a government sentencing memorandum.

    The case was investigated by the Carter County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julie Hunter and Nathan Chapman prosecuted the case.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
     

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Mobile Man Sentenced To 92 Months In Prison For Felon In Possession Of A Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MOBILE, AL – Edwards Cordell Burks, Jr., was sentenced to 92 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. The sentence was imposed by United States District Judge Jeffrey Beaverstock.

    According to court documents, in November 2024, members of the Mobile Police Department (MPD) responded to a local hospital where two individuals were receiving treatment for gunshot wounds. During the course of MPD’s investigation, and after speaking with victims and witnesses, MPD developed Burks as a suspect in those shootings. MPD officers also located and secured the crime scene off Spring Hill Avenue. Surveillance from a nearby business captured the shooting. The shooter in the surveillance footage appears to be Burks. Three bullet casings were collected from the scene and a “be on the lookout” (BOLO) notice for Burks went out to law enforcement. Two days after the shooting, an MPD officer on regular patrol observed Burks walking on the sidewalk within a mile of the crime scene. The officer detained Burks and located a loaded firearm in his waistband.  The firearm and casings from the scene were compared via the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), a match was generated indicating that the firearm from Burks was the same firearm used in the shooting two days before. Burks is a convicted felon and is prohibited from possession a firearm.

    At sentencing, Judge Beaverstock imposed a 92-month sentence of incarceration and a 3-year term of supervised release upon Burks’ discharge from prison. Burks has also been charged with state assault offenses based on the shootings which remain pending.

    The Mobile Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Beth Stepan prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

    This case exemplifies the mission of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Independence Man Charged for Illegally Possessing a Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Mo., man has been charged with illegally possessing a stolen firearm.

    Daryl O.D. Beck, 37, was charged by a federal grand jury on July 15, 2025, with being a felon in possession of a firearm and for possession of a stolen firearm Beck has prior felony convictions including for possession and intent to manufacture a controlled substance, as well as for aggravated assault. The secret indictment was unsealed today following Beck’s initial appearance.

    Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition.

    The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad K. Kavanaugh. It was investigated by the Independence, Missouri Police Department.

    Operation Take Back America

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Leader of National Catalytic Converter Theft Ring Pleads Guilty

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    TULSA, Okla. – The leader of a national catalytic converter theft ring pleaded guilty today in federal court and admitted to selling the stolen converters for more than $600 million, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.   

    Navin Khanna, 31, Holmdel, New Jersey, pleaded guilty to one count of Conspiracy and five counts of Engaging in Monetary Transactions in Property Derived from Specified Unlawful Activity.

    “Khanna’s theft ring took advantage of hard-working citizens in the Northern District of Oklahoma by stealing catalytic converters, rendering the vehicle unusable,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “I would like to thank the Tulsa Police Department, and our law enforcement partners for their tireless efforts in bringing this senseless crime to justice.”

    “Across the United States thousands of people have had the catalytic converters cut off their parked cars because they contain valuable precious metals,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.  “Unable to extract the metals themselves, thieves sell the stolen parts to middlemen like the defendant and his co-conspirators, who use special equipment to crack the catalytic converters open. In the aggregate the value of the stolen goods is worth enormous amounts ─ here more than $600 million.”

    Khanna admitted to being the owner and operator of D.G. Auto Parts, a criminal enterprise that bought and sold auto parts across the country. From May 2020 through October 2022, Khanna conspired with others to purchase and transport large quantities of stolen catalytic converters from Oklahoma, Texas, and other states to New Jersey. Khanna admitted to receiving more than $600 million in reselling the stolen catalytic converters to a metal refinery that extracted the precious metals.

    Khanna further agreed to forfeit more than $3 million in cash, over $800,000 from various checking accounts, several luxury vehicles, his interest in several real estate properties, high-end jewelry, gold bars, and over 200 pallets of catalytic converters seized during the execution of a warrant.

    In response to a drastic increase in catalytic converter thefts throughout Tulsa in 2020, the Tulsa Police Department initiated an investigation that soon uncovered a national criminal enterprise. During the investigation, search warrants were executed in Oklahoma, Texas, California, New Jersey, and New York. Federal grand juries in the Northern District of Oklahoma and the Eastern District of California indicted Khanna. Over twenty individuals throughout the country have been charged for their role in the conspiracy.

    Khanna’s co-defendants in the Northern District of Oklahoma have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing to the following:

    • Tyler James Curtis, 26, of Wagoner, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering. He agreed to forfeit over $3 million and multiple vehicles;
    • Adam Sharkey, 26, of West Islip, New York, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy and agreed to forfeit nearly $1.2 million;
    • Robert Gary Sharkey, 57, of Babylon, New York, pleaded guilty to Misprision of a Felony and agreed to forfeit his interest in more than $1.2 million in currency seized by law enforcement;
    • Benjamin Robert Mansour, 24, of Bixby, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering;
    • Reiss Nicole Biby, 24, of Wagoner, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to Misprision of a Felony and agreed to forfeit her interest in more than $1.1 million and seized catalytic converters;
    • Martynas Macerauskas, 28, of Leila Lake, Texas, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy and agreed to forfeit nearly $2.2 million;
    • Kristina McKay Macerauskas, 21, of Leila Lake, Texas, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy and agreed to forfeit nearly $1.1 million;
    • Parker Star Weavel, 25, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to Receiving Stolen Property in Indian Country;
    • Shane Allen Minnick, 26, of Haskell, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy and agreed to forfeit $500,000;
    • Ryan David LaRue 29, of Broken Bow, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy;
    • Brian Pate Thomas, 25, of Choteau, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy; and
    • Michael Anthony Rhoden, 26, of Keifer, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma has agreed that Khanna’s sentencing will be transferred to the Eastern District of California, where he awaits further prosecution for related crimes.

    Homeland Security Investigations, the IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Tulsa Police Department, the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office, the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the Wagoner County Sheriff’s Office, and the Wyandotte Nation Police Department led or contributed to the lengthy investigation.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney David Nasar and Reagan Reininger lead the Northern District of Oklahoma’s prosecution with assistance from the Violent Crime and Racketeering Section’s Trial Attorney Cesar Rivera-Giraud and Assistant U.S. Attorney Veronica M.A. Alegría of the Eastern District of California.

    The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican National Charged with Illegal Re-Entry

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican National has been charged in federal court for unlawful reentry after deportation.

    Juan Sebastian Celedon-Cardenas, 38, was charged in a one-count complaint with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien.  The complaint charges that Celedon-Cardenas had previously been removed from the United States four times – on March 29, 2010, March 15, 2016, August 19, 2016, and July 26, 2017.

    The charges contained in this complaint are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad K. Kavanaugh It was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement and Removal Operations.

    Operation Take Back America

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

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  • MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/SOUTH AFRICA – Gaza: Southern African bishops reaffirm their support for the South African government’s genocide complaint

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Johannesburg (Agenzia Fides) – The Southern African bishops re-affirmed their full support of South Africa’s legal case against Israel at the International Criminal Court (ICJ), which accuses Israel of genocide against the population of Gaza.In a statement published in the aftermath of the bombing of the Holy Family Church compound in Gaza, which left three dead and at least nine wounded (see Fides, 17/7/2025), the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC), which brings together the bishops of South Africa, Botswana, and Eswatini, recalled that Israel’s response to the massacre perpetrated by Hamas on October 7, 2023, “is now widely recognized throughout the world as genocide and ethnic cleansing.””We share that assessment and so have given our support to the South African government’s case at the ICJ in The Hague accusing Israel of perpetrating acts of genocide,” the SACBC bishops state in the statement signed by their president, Cardinal Stephen Brislin, Archbishop of Cape Town.The members of the SACBC explain that they hoped the action taken by the South African government would serve “as a peaceful means of pressuring the parties to the conflict to stop the spiral of violence.” “This has not been the case,” they note, highlighting the responsibility of those who continue to send weapons: “The many countries that continue to supply arms and support the rhetoric of war have become accomplices in what history will undoubtedly record as a ‘crime against humanity.’””Therefore, we raise our voices to protest against the ongoing genocide, and we join Pope Leo XIV in calling for a lasting ceasefire and the release of all hostages, including those in administrative detention,” the bishops urge.”Our prayers and solidarity must be accompanied by actions,” they conclude, calling for “non-violent action, boycotts in various sectors, active protest, and denunciation of the spread of war throughout the Middle East.” (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 21/7/2025)
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/SOUTH AFRICA – Gaza: Southern African bishops reaffirm their support for the South African government’s genocide complaint

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Johannesburg (Agenzia Fides) – The Southern African bishops re-affirmed their full support of South Africa’s legal case against Israel at the International Criminal Court (ICJ), which accuses Israel of genocide against the population of Gaza.In a statement published in the aftermath of the bombing of the Holy Family Church compound in Gaza, which left three dead and at least nine wounded (see Fides, 17/7/2025), the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC), which brings together the bishops of South Africa, Botswana, and Eswatini, recalled that Israel’s response to the massacre perpetrated by Hamas on October 7, 2023, “is now widely recognized throughout the world as genocide and ethnic cleansing.””We share that assessment and so have given our support to the South African government’s case at the ICJ in The Hague accusing Israel of perpetrating acts of genocide,” the SACBC bishops state in the statement signed by their president, Cardinal Stephen Brislin, Archbishop of Cape Town.The members of the SACBC explain that they hoped the action taken by the South African government would serve “as a peaceful means of pressuring the parties to the conflict to stop the spiral of violence.” “This has not been the case,” they note, highlighting the responsibility of those who continue to send weapons: “The many countries that continue to supply arms and support the rhetoric of war have become accomplices in what history will undoubtedly record as a ‘crime against humanity.’””Therefore, we raise our voices to protest against the ongoing genocide, and we join Pope Leo XIV in calling for a lasting ceasefire and the release of all hostages, including those in administrative detention,” the bishops urge.”Our prayers and solidarity must be accompanied by actions,” they conclude, calling for “non-violent action, boycotts in various sectors, active protest, and denunciation of the spread of war throughout the Middle East.” (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 21/7/2025)
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Utah Man Convicted for Threatening a Palestinian Rights Organization

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    A Utah man pleaded guilty to transmitting in interstate commerce a communication containing a threat to injure the person of another. Specifically, the defendant, Kevin Brent Buchanan, threatened violence against the employees of a D.C.-based Palestinian rights organization. U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly scheduled a sentencing hearing for Nov. 18.

    According to publicly filed court documents, between Oct. 31, 2023, and Nov. 2, 2023, Buchanan used his cellular phone to call and leave five messages for members of the organization. In his Nov. 2 voice message, Buchanan stated in part: “Your families are going to be followed and watched.”; “You don’t even belong in America.”; “I hope every Muslim in the United States [expletive] croaks.”; “You are all going to [expletive] die, you pieces of [expletive] traitors.” Buchanan admitted that he intentionally targeted the organization because its staff and members are Palestinian, and because the organization advocates on behalf of Palestinians.

    Buchanan faces a maximum of five years in prison and a fine not to exceed $250,000.

    Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro for the District of Columbia, and Assistant Director in Charge Steven Jensen of the FBI Washington Field Office made the announcement.

    The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case.

    Trial Attorney Sanjay Patel of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy Visser and Joshua Gold for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Leader of National Catalytic Converter Theft Ring Pleads Guilty and Admits to Selling Stolen Goods for More Than $600M

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    A New Jersey man pleaded guilty today in federal court in the Northern District of Oklahoma to leading a multi-state operation that stole thousands of catalytic converters from private vehicles and sold them on a secondary market for millions of dollars, based on the value of the precious metals that the converters contain. 

    Navin Khanna, 41, of Holmdel, New Jersey, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to receive, possess, and dispose of stolen goods in interstate commerce and five counts of money laundering regarding his participation in the stolen goods scheme.

    “The defendant made $600 million and financed his ostentatious lifestyle by buying and selling stolen goods,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s guilty plea demonstrates our commitment to taking the profit out of crime. Sophisticated criminal schemes may afford you luxury cars and homes in the short term but will cost you a federal felony conviction in the long term.”

    “Khanna’s theft ring took advantage of hard-working citizens in the Northern District of Oklahoma by stealing catalytic converters, rendering the vehicle unusable,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson for the Northern District of Oklahoma. “I would like to thank the Tulsa Police Department and our law enforcement partners for their tireless efforts in bringing this senseless crime to justice.”

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Khanna admitted to being the owner and operator of New Jersey-based D.G. Auto Parts, a criminal enterprise that bought and sold auto parts across the country. From May 2020 through October 2022, Khanna conspired with others to purchase and transport large quantities of stolen catalytic converters from Oklahoma, Texas, and other states to New Jersey. Khanna admitted to receiving more than $600 million by reselling the stolen catalytic converters to a metal refinery that extracted the precious metals.

    In response to a drastic increase in catalytic converter thefts throughout Tulsa in 2020, the Tulsa Police Department initiated an investigation that soon uncovered a national criminal enterprise. During the investigation, search warrants were executed in Oklahoma, Texas, California, New Jersey and New York. Khanna was indicted by federal grand juries in the Northern District of Oklahoma and the Eastern District of California. Over twenty individuals throughout the country have been charged for their role in the conspiracy. Khanna’s 13 co-defendants in the Northern District of Oklahoma have pleaded guilty for their participation in the criminal scheme and are awaiting sentencing.

    As part of his plea agreement, Khanna agreed to forfeit almost $4 million in cash, 11 luxury vehicles — including a Lamborghini, two Mercedes AMGs, two Ferraris, a McLaren, a Porsche, a Ford F650 Truck, and a BMW M3 — real estate properties, high-end jewelry, gold bars, and over 200 pallets of catalytic converters, all seized by law enforcement during the execution of search warrants at Khanna’s properties. Khanna’s co-defendants have agreed to forfeit more than $3.2 million, including more than $250,000 from multiple bank accounts; two lots of land located in Oklahoma, cars, and stolen catalytic converters seized during the investigation.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma has agreed that Khanna’s sentencing will be transferred to the Eastern District of California, where he awaits further prosecution for related crimes.

    Khanna faces a maximum penalty of 168 to 210 months in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) led the investigation. IRS-Criminal Investigations, the Tulsa Police Department, the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office, the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the Wagoner County Sheriff’s Office, and the Wyandotte Nation Police Department contributed to the investigation.

    Trial Attorney César S. Rivera-Giraud of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section (VCRS) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Reagan Reininger and David Nasar for the Northern District of Oklahoma are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Veronica M.A. Alegría for the Eastern District of California assisted in the prosecution of the case and is prosecuting Khanna and others there.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: THREE SANTA ROSA COUNTY MEN SENTENCED TO FEDERAL PRISON FOR THEIR ROLES IN DRUG TRAFFICKING OPERATION

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – David Kennedy, 41; Michael McQueen, 51; and Roosevelt Jones, 52, of Milton, Florida, were sentenced to federal prison for trafficking in controlled substances in Santa Rosa County, Florida. The sentences were announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

    “Working with our state and local partners, federal law enforcement was able to dismantle a significant drug trafficking ring that plagued Santa Rosa County for years,” stated United States Attorney Heekin.  “We are pleased with this successful operation, in particular, because all three men are repeat drug trafficking offenders. President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi promised to Take Back America by cracking down on the drug traffickers plaguing our communities, and my office will not stop aggressively pursuing those who seek to victimize our citizens by flooding our streets with poisonous drugs.”   

    Court documents reflect that covert undercover purchases of illegal drugs, as well as surveillance and judicially authorized wiretap intercepts of telephone communications, enabled law enforcement to execute multiple search warrants in Milton that led to the seizure of cocaine, pure methamphetamine, fentanyl, and marijuana.  In addition, law enforcement seized firearms and illicitly derived United States currency.

    David Kennedy was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release.

    Michael McQueen was sentenced to 11½ years in federal prison to be followed by 6 years of supervised release.

    Roosevelt Jones was sentenced to 6½ years in federal prison to be followed by 6 years of supervised release.  

    “Partnerships are key to disrupting drug trafficking activity, and we have great partners,” said Drug Enforcement Administration Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “Our communities will be safer with these drug peddlers off the streets.”

    “The successful collaboration between the federal, state, local agencies, and our Narcotics Detectives has been instrumental in removing dangerous drugs from our streets,” said Sheriff Bob Johnson, Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office. “More importantly, this joint effort led to the arrest of key drug dealers, ensuring they are held accountable for their actions and making our communities safer.”

    The case involved a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office; the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office; the Florida Department of Law Enforcement; the Pensacola Police Department; the Gulf Breeze Police Department; and the Florida Highway Patrol. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David L. Goldberg.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). 

    The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Brooklyn Man Charged with Arson of 10 NYPD Vehicles

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, a complaint was unsealed charging Jakhi McCray with arson for setting 10 New York City Police Department vehicles and a trailer on fire in a locked parking lot.  McCray was arrested today and will make his initial appearance this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Vera M. Scanlon.

    Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, New York Division (ATF); Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD); and Robert S. Tucker, Commissioner, New York Fire Department (FDNY) announced the arrest.

    “This destructive act of arson was deliberate, dangerous, and deeply disruptive,” said United States Attorney Nocella.  “Setting police vehicles ablaze is not a form of protest—it is a federal crime.  Our Office will not tolerate violence or destruction that undermines law enforcement efforts to ensure public safety and will prosecute this individual to the fullest extent of the law.”

    Mr. Nocella also expressed his thanks to the ATF-NYPD Arson & Explosives Task Force, the FDNY Marshalls, and the United States Marshalls Services NY/NJ Regional Fugitive Task Force for their valuable contribution to the case.

    “Intentionally setting fire to police vehicles is a dangerous criminal act and a direct threat to public safety. The ATF Arson and Explosives Task Force — which includes ATF, the NYPD, and FDNY — is fully committed to identifying and bringing to justice anyone responsible for these dangerous and unlawful acts. This arrest demonstrates our shared resolve and unified approach to protecting our communities.  We are grateful to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, U.S. Marshals Service NY/NJ Regional Fugitive Task Force, the NYPD and the FDNY for their continued partnership in pursuing justice,” stated ATF Special Agent in Charge Miller.

    “The arson attack against New York City Police Department vehicles in Bushwick, Brooklyn was as cowardly as it was criminal,” stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch. “The defendant in this case may have wanted to send a message – but all he did was mobilize the full force of the NYPD, the ATF, and the FDNY to identify, locate, and arrest him.  Now, through the work of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, he will face much-deserved justice.  Thank you to all the NYPD detectives, as well as our law enforcement partners, who closed this case.”

    “Burning a police vehicle is an intolerable crime that could have killed a police officer,” stated FDNY Commissioner Tucker.  “We are grateful to our FDNY Fire Marshals for their role in investigating this crime, and our partners in law enforcement for their assistance in identifying the suspect.  Arson is a serious crime that must be punished.”

    According to the complaint, at 12:52 a.m. on June 12, 2025, McCray was recorded on surveillance video scaling a fence into a secure private lot for reserve NYPD vehicles assigned to precincts in northern Brooklyn.  The lot contained numerous NYPD vehicles and was located on DeKalb Avenue between Wilson Avenue and Central Avenue in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn.  McCray remained in the lot for approximately 32 minutes, during which he lit 10 NYPD vehicles and one trailer on fire.

    At approximately 1:24 a.m., an NYPD officer arrived to inspect the lot.  As he approached, the officer saw the fire and observed McCray attempting to escape by scaling a fence, then fleeing through an existing hole in the fence.  Subsequently, NYPD personnel recovered at the scene a cigar lighter torch and a pair of sunglasses.  They also discovered 22 retail fire starters and 10 BBQ dragon egg fire starters that were placed under three undamaged vehicles.  It was later determined that the sunglasses had McCray’s fingerprints on them.  The vehicles were ignited two days before protests were scheduled to be held over the June 14-15, 2025 weekend.  The NYPD has estimated that the total replacement cost of for the damaged vehicles is over $800,000.

    The charge in the complaint is an allegation, and McCray is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  If convicted, McCray faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years’ imprisonment and a maximum of 20 years in prison.

    The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Section.  Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca M. Urquiola is in charge of the prosecution.

    The Defendant:

    JAKHI MCCRAY
    Age: 21
    Brooklyn, New York

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-MJ-238

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  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Actions to tackle the misuse of geographical indications and the production and distribution of counterfeit products – E-002869/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-002869/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Dimitris Tsiodras (PPE)

    Products with geographical indications such as olive oil, meat, cheese, dairy products and beverages such as beer and wine are particularly vulnerable to counterfeiting. For example, alcoholic beverages have one of the highest counterfeiting rates compared to other products, with annual losses of EUR 2 289 million in sales and almost 5 700 jobs in the EU. In Greece alone, EUR 49 million in sales and over 200 jobs are lost in this sector every year. According to Europol,[1] criminals forge labels and packaging and adapt production processes, while counterfeit products containing dangerous substances have also been seized. These phenomena cause irreparable harm to producers and pose a significant risk to consumer health.

    In light of the above:

    • 1.How does the Commission intend to tackle imports of such products while ensuring a level playing field for European producers?
    • 2.What measures does the Commission intend to put in place to tackle the misuse of geographical indications and to strengthen cross-border cooperation and enforcement of anti-counterfeiting legislation?

    Submitted: 14.7.2025

    • [1] Report by the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) on the Serious and Organised Crime Threat Assessment in the European Union for 2025 (SOCTA).
    Last updated: 21 July 2025

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Springfield Man Sentenced to 17 Years in Prison for Distribution of Methamphetamine

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Springfield, Illinois, man Jessie Bates, 38, was sentenced on July 17, 2025, to 17 years in prison, to be followed by a five-year term of supervised release for distribution of methamphetamine.

    At the sentencing hearing, the government presented evidence that Bates sold over 50 grams of methamphetamine to an individual and undercover agent. When law enforcement attempted to arrest Bates, he fled at a high rate of speed proceeding the wrong way down a busy on-way road. He then fled to the state of Georgia where he was ultimately arrested. The government also presented evidence that Bates committed the offense while out on bond for a Sangamon County case involving aggravated discharge of a firearm.

    Also at the hearing, U.S. District Judge Colleen R. Lawless found that the Bates was a career offender and eligible for an obstruction of justice enhancement for recklessly creating a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury to another person in the course of fleeing from law enforcement.

    Bates pleaded guilty in March 2025. He remains in the custody of the United States Marshals Service, where he has been since his arrest in January 2024.

    The statutory penalties for distribution of methamphetamine are at least 10 years and up to a life term of imprisonment, , at least five years and up to a life term of supervised release, and up to a $10,000,000 fine.

    “The only thing to be gained from a career as a drug dealer is a prison sentence,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Seberger. “I appreciate the work of the ATF agents who came to central Illinois and went into the field to ensure this was a successful operation. Their work has made our community safer.”

    “This case was a direct result of our Violent Crime Initiative and our strong partnership with the Springfield Police Department,” said ATF Chicago Special Agent in Charge Christopher Amon. “Through our targeted and collaborative enforcement efforts,  and with the unwavering support of retired Chief of Police Ken Scarlette, a violent drug trafficker is now off the streets and behind bars.”

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case with assistance from the Springfield Police Department, Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Marshals Service. The Illinois State Police provided assistance at sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Seberger represented the government in the prosecution.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Weekly Immigration Caseload Dips Below 200 in Western District of Texas

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    SAN ANTONIO – United States Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas announced today, that federal prosecutors in the district filed 178 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from July 11 through July 17.

    Among the new cases, Edgar Josue Montelongo-Loera was charged in a criminal complaint in Del Rio for trafficking in firearms. On June 12, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents, assisting in a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigation, allegedly observed Montelongo-Loera transfer a plastic bag containing seven 9mm pistols to a non-immigrant alien co-conspirator at a parking lot in Eagle Pass. The criminal complaint states that HSI agents followed the co-conspirator to the Eagle Pass Port of Entry, where Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers allegedly located eight firearms concealed inside the vehicle during an inspection. Further investigation by ATF revealed that Montelongo-Loera allegedly purchased one of the pistols at a retail location in San Antonio.

    Also in the Del Rio sector, Mexican national Jose Elias Gavina-Vasquez was arrested on July 14 and charged with illegal re-entry. Gavina-Vasquez has seven prior deportations, and he was most recently deported to Mexico on Feb. 23, 2023. He has a prior felony conviction from June 2022 and a separate conviction for driving while intoxicated from March 2022.

    Mexican national and convicted felon Juan Antonio Torres-Moreno was also arrested and charged with illegal re-entry in Del Rio. Torres-Moreno has three prior removals and a voluntary departure, the last being a deportation in 2019. The 2019 deportation resulted from his second illegal-re-entry conviction. He was sentenced to nine months confinement in that case.

    Sergio Villeda-Hernandez, also a Mexican national, was arrested in Eagle Pass on July 13 and charged with illegal re-entry after he was recently removed from the U.S. on March 18. Villeda-Hernandez is a convicted felon, having been sentenced to just over a year in prison in 2007 for a felony battery, possession of cocaine, and selling cocaine in DeSoto County, Florida.

    In El Paso, Mexican national Mario Humberto Sanchez-Hernandez was found less than a mile and a half west of the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry without immigration documents allowing him to be or remain in the U.S. Sanchez-Hernandez was just removed from the U.S. to Mexico for the third time on June 21 through San Diego and was convicted in October 2024 for driving under the influence in Newark, New Jersey.

    Two brothers were arrested in El Paso, each charged with one count of alien smuggling. U.S. Border Patrol agents conducted an undercover operation that led them to meet Marcos Dominguez, who allegedly believed the agents were transporting two illegal aliens and were in need of a stash house. A criminal complaint affidavit alleges that Marcos exited his vehicle to assist with transferring one of the illegal aliens from the agents’ vehicle to his own. Marcos was then detained for further investigation and agreed to guide the agents to his residence. At the residence, the agents encountered Marcos’s brother, Andres Dominguez, who allegedly admitted that illegal aliens were present inside. Agents located four subjects determined to be illegal aliens. The illegal aliens were arrested and transported to the Ysleta Border Patrol Station. The investigation revealed that Marcos allegedly housed more than 40 illegal aliens at his residence, was paid $200 per day for his smuggling actions, and would split the earnings with his brother Andres, whom he said helped him house and transport the illegal aliens.

    In Austin, the Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Fugitive Operations Team (FOT) encountered Honduran national Jimmy Reinel Espinal-Mejia on July 16. Espinal-Mejia was convicted for illegal re-entry in May 2024 after being previously removed in January 2024. For that conviction, he was sentenced to 63 days confinement and removed in July 2024. Six years earlier, in 2018, Espinal-Mejia was convicted for aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury and sentenced to 12 years in prison.

    In Waco, a Mexican national was charged with illegal re-entry on July 17 when Temple Police responded to a vehicle collision in Temple and identified Eloy Hernandez-Ponce as one of the vehicle occupants. ICE identified Hernandez-Ponce as a previously removed alien who was last deported in March 2010 following a felony conviction for intoxication manslaughter with a vehicle in Houston.

    These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico.

    These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    ###

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Support Grows for Grassley’s Combating Organized Retail Crime Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley

    WASHINGTON – Following a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on organized retail crime, Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) welcomed growing support for his bipartisan Combating Organized Retail Crime Act (CORCA) from retail industry leaders, law enforcement organizations and hundreds of affected businesses.

    Grassley and Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev) introduced the bill to establish a multi-agency response to organized retail crime, enhancing coordination between retail industry representatives and law enforcement. The legislation would also strengthen reporting efforts, create new tools to assist in the investigation and prosecution of retail and supply chain crime, and support efforts to recapture stolen goods and their proceeds.

    The Combating Organized Retail Crime Act currently has 26 bipartisan Senate cosponsors and is endorsed by 38 state attorneys general. Additionally, the legislation has garnered significant support from advocacy groups, including the world’s largest retail trade association, major law enforcement organizations and a coalition of over 260 impacted businesses. Reps. David Joyce (R-Ohio) and Susie Lee (D-Nev.) are leading companion legislation in the House of Representatives.

    Watch experts and industry leaders discuss the Judiciary Committee’s hearing and the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act below, followed by statements of support from local, state and federal organizations and businesses.

    [embedded content]

    VIDEO

    The National Retail Federation and a coalition of over 260 impacted businesses:

    “We respectfully urge Congress to advance and pass the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2025 without delay. This bipartisan, commonsense legislation is essential to modernizing our national response to organized retail crime, which threatens not only public safety but also the health and security of America’s supply chains and consumer access to goods. By strengthening coordination, enforcement and prevention, CORCA will help protect American businesses, workers and families. The time to act is now.”

    The National Association of Attorneys General:

    “As Attorneys General of Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois and South Carolina, we are joined by the 34 Attorneys General of the undersigned states to encourage action during the 119th Congress to support our efforts to combat the nationwide organized retail crime epidemic… CORCA would provide the necessary resources at the state and federal level to bring the organizations and individuals behind this nationwide problem to justice.”

    The National Police Association:

    “The [National Police Association] extends its gratitude to Sen. Grassley and Rep. Joyce for introducing the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act, a federal bill that would allow the private sector and law enforcement partners at all levels to work in tandem to fight these crime syndicates. The government’s priority is to provide for the safety and welfare of its citizens, and this bill goes a long way in accomplishing this.”

    The American Trucking Association:

    “The trucking industry takes great pride in delivering America’s freight safely and on time; however, the billions of tons of goods transported by trucks from coast to coast have increasingly become a prime target for organized crime rings, including transnational organizations, putting truck drivers at risk and raising costs for consumer. ATA commends this bipartisan group of leaders for addressing this alarming trend and safeguarding our supply chain. By empowering federal agencies to improve cooperation across jurisdictions and ramp up enforcement actions, this bill would strike an effective blow against organized crime.”

    Brenda Neville, President and CEO of the Iowa Motor Truck Association:

    “We commend the Senate Judiciary Committee for shining a spotlight on the growing problem of cargo theft. Chairman Grassley’s legislation is vitally important for Iowa’s trucking industry and the more than 100,000 Iowans who work to keep freight moving safely and efficiently. Cargo theft not only threatens the security of Iowa’s freight—it puts these hardworking men and women at serious risk. We are thankful to Chairman Grassley and the entire committee for their efforts to protect the people and the industry that are vital to Iowa’s economy.”

    Matt Hart, Executive Director of the Illinois Trucking Association:

    “Cargo theft is an epidemic affecting the entire supply chain, and Illinois is at the epicenter of the problem. Our state is among the top three nationally in cargo theft occurrences, and it is critical that Congress pass common-sense legislation that deters these criminal actors and gives law enforcement the tools it needs to combat these sophisticated crimes. On behalf of the nearly 340,000 Illinoisans who work throughout the trucking industry, we call on Senator Durbin to support the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act.”

    Eric Sauer, CEO of the California Trucking Association:

    “Cargo theft is an issue impacting the entire supply nation across the country, but nowhere is it more acute than in California. Without this much-needed legislation, sophisticated criminal organizations will continue to operate with impunity at a great cost to consumers, highway safety, and the hardworking men and women throughout our industry. Senator Padilla’s support of the Combatting Organized Retail Crime Act means law enforcement has the tools it needs to prosecute these criminal actors.”

    The Association of American Railroads:

    “Organized criminal operations continue to evolve and escalate their targeted attacks against our nation’s supply chain and retailers. This alarming trend affects every industry – including the nation’s largest railroads, which experienced a 40 percent spike in cargo theft last year. Disrupting these organized crime networks requires a unified, federally-led response. Chairman Grassley and Rep. Joyce’s bipartisan legislation provides the strategic framework necessary to disrupt these criminal networks and safeguard our supply chain.”

    The Retail Industry Leaders Association:

    “Organized criminal enterprises are endangering communities across the country through brazen and violent criminal acts that put retail employees and customers in harm’s way. Whether stealing mass quantities of products from retail stores or hijacking consumer goods throughout the supply chain, these gangs are wreaking havoc. And these criminal rings use the profits from retail theft to support larger illicit activities such as human trafficking, gun smuggling, narcotics, and terrorism. In order to expose and prosecute these sophisticated criminal rings, we need federal, state and local law enforcement to be coordinated, which is exactly what CORCA will do.”

    The International Council of Shopping Centers:

    “Across the United States, communities small and large are facing an unprecedented number of [organized retail crime] incidents. The Combating Organized Retail Crime Act would provide the necessary resources to bring the people and organizations behind this nationwide problem to justice by establishing formal coordination between law enforcement and the private sector. We applaud Senators Grassley and Cortez Masto, and Representatives Joyce, Lee and Titus, for reintroducing the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act. We believe the bill represents a huge step in the right direction towards addressing this growing issue.”

    The Intermodal Association of North America:

    “The Combating Organized Retail Crime Act offers commonsense solutions to identify and deter organized crime throughout the supply chain by enhancing legal frameworks, improving enforcement capabilities, and fostering collaboration across relevant federal, state and local agencies. The legislation will strengthen the U.S. economy by enhancing supply chain efficiency, penalizing dangerous crime groups and protecting American workers and consumers.”

    The National Insurance Crime Bureau:

    “On behalf of the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), I write to express our strong support of S. 1404, the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2025. As a leader in the fight against insurance fraud and crime, NICB urges the Committee to take up and advance this bipartisan measure, which will deter retail and cargo theft that harms American consumers and job creators; finances organized, transnational criminal networks; and increases costs for all.”

    The Home Depot:

    “The Home Depot strongly supports CORCA, and we are pleased to see that the Senate bill has over 20 bipartisan cosponsors. The bill would create the Organized Retail Crime Coordination Center, bringing together federal, state and local law enforcement and private sector experts to share information and collaborate on strategies to keep our stores, customers, and associates safe and secure. The bill would allow us to expand upon the progress made at the local and state levels and address cases that reach certain thresholds or cross state lines.”

    Ulta Beauty, Inc.:

    “We support CORCA’s goal to establish a coordinated federal approach to fighting these crimes. By enabling real-time data sharing and cross-jurisdictional collaboration between federal, state and local authorities, CORCA would empower law enforcement to pursue and prosecute [organized retail crime] offenders more effectively, deterring future activity and protecting retail workers and consumers. We believe this bill represents a meaningful and necessary step toward a safer, more secure retail environment, and we respectfully urge Congress to advance its passage.”

    Donna Lemm, Chief Strategy Officer, IMC Logistics:

    “It is imperative that action is taken at the federal, state, and local levels to confront and neutralize this growing threat. The trucking industry and our supply chain partners need more cooperation and interagency information-sharing, as well as a more robust investigative and prosecutorial posture, to tackle these challenges head-on. For those reasons, we are proud to support and endorse the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act, a bill that will provide the tools and resources necessary to facilitate that unified response.”

    Scott McBride, Chief Global Asset Protection Officer, American Eagle Outfitters, Inc.:

    “As a professional dedicated to protecting customers and associates, I implore all members of the Congress to work together to ensure that the Combatting Organized Retail Crime Act urgently becomes the law of the land. This critical legislation will help us stop these senseless crimes in our communities.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grassley, Bipartisan Colleagues Take Aim at Social Media Drug Trafficking

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley

    WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) joined Sens. Roger Marshall (R-Kansas) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) in reintroducing the Cooper Davis and Devin Norring Act.

    The bipartisan legislation would require social media companies and communication service providers to take an active role in reporting the illegal sale and distribution of drugs on their platforms. This additional data would assist state and local law enforcement in combating online drug trafficking, as well as prosecuting those who prey on America’s youth.

    “Fentanyl overdoses claim the lives of tens-of-thousands of Americans each year, many of whom suffered accidental poisonings after taking deadly pills marketed on social media platforms,” Grassley said. “After successfully passing the HALT Fentanyl Act into law, Senate Republicans are continuing to advance legislation to combat America’s fentanyl crisis and save lives. Congress must hold Big Tech accountable for its ongoing role in the illicit drug trade.”

    “For four years, Joe Biden’s reckless open borders allowed fentanyl to flood our communities, creating a crisis in every state. We still lose a Kansan a day to fentanyl poisoning,” Marshall said. “Cooper Davis was a bright young man from Johnson County who tragically died from a pill laced with fentanyl purchased on the social media platform: Snapchat. The Cooper Davis and Devin Norring Act requires social media platforms to report any drug activity on their platform to law enforcement. We will not rest in our fight until no Kansan loses their life to fentanyl poisoning.”

    The Cooper Davis and Devin Norring Act is cosponsored by Sens. Todd Young (R-Ind.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dick Durbin (D-Ill.).

    The legislation is endorsed by the families of Cooper Davis and Devin Norring, as well as the National High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Directors Association, Partnership for Safe Medicine, the U.S. Deputy Sherriff’s Association, The Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacies, Mothers Against Prescription Drug Abuse, the Community Anti-Drug Coalition Association, the Alexander Neville Foundation, the National Fraternal Order of Police and the Kansas Sheriffs Association.

    “Our family continues to be extremely grateful for Senator Marshall and his colleagues’ dedication to this legislation. We are both honored and saddened to have another name, Devin Norring, added to this bill,” said Libby Davis, Mother of Cooper Davis. “However, the harsh reality is that there are thousands of other teenagers’ names that could be added to this bill because they, too, lost their lives in this same tragic way. Each with a story demonstrating that this can happen to ANY FAMILY. We, as parents and grandparents, do so many things to keep our kids safe, from baby gates, car seats, and seatbelts, to bike helmets, sunscreen, and vaccinations. This is no different. We need our legislators to come together and get this bipartisan bill across the finish line so that countless children can be saved, theirs being no exception.”

    “Our family & the Devin J. Norring Foundation wholeheartedly support the Cooper Davis & Devin Norring Act – legislation that serves as a critical step toward protecting families from the deadly threat of fentanyl sold through social media,” said the family of Devin J. Norring and the Devin J. Norring Foundation. “This bill honors the lives of Cooper and Devin by holding tech companies accountable and giving law enforcement the tools they need to respond to this crisis. No parent should have to search for answers in a system that shields predators. It’s time for truth, transparency, and action.”

    Download bill text HERE.

    Background:

    The Cooper Davis and Devin Norring Act is named after two young men who tragically lost their lives to fentanyl poisoning after purchasing counterfeit pills from social media.

    Cooper Davis, from Johnson County, Kansas, lost his life after taking half a fake pill that contained a lethal dose of fentanyl. The pill was allegedly purchased from a Missouri drug dealer on the social media platform Snapchat. Following his passing, Cooper’s family launched the non-profit ‘Keepin’ Clean for Coop’ to save lives, raise awareness and educate students and families on the dangers of counterfeit pills.

    Devin Norring was a 19-year-old from Hastings, Minnesota, who lost his life to fentanyl poisoning in 2020. In his honor, his family started the Devin J. Norring Foundation to raise awareness about the dangers of fake pills and other illicit substances.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Armed Career Criminal Sentenced To 15 Years In Prison

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas Barber has sentenced Reshay Rashard Nelson (45, Tampa) to 15 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Nelson pleaded guilty in April 2025.

    According to court documents, officers from the Tampa Police Department stopped a vehicle driven by Nelson on April 10, 2023. A search of Nelson and his vehicle resulted in the discovery of an ounce of cocaine, a scale, and a loaded firearm. Nelson received an enhanced sentence under the Armed Career Criminal Act based on his prior felony convictions for possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute, obstructing an officer with violence, possession of methamphetamine with intent to sell, and trafficking in cocaine.

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the St. Petersburg Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David P. Sullivan.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

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