NewzIntel.com

Category: Crime

  • MIL-OSI USA: H.R. 1602, Financial Privacy Act of 2025

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    H.R. 1602 would require the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) to report annually to the Congress on the number and types of suspicious-activity reports it receives. U.S. financial institutions are required to file such reports with FinCEN listing transactions or patterns of transactions that are unusual or that may involve criminal activity. The bill also would require FinCEN to annually review and update, as appropriate, its protocols for sharing information with other law enforcement, national security, and intelligence agencies. The bill’s requirements would expire seven years after enactment.

    Based on the costs of similar activities, CBO expects that FinCEN would need one person each year to comply with the bill’s requirements. On that basis, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 1602 would cost $1 million over the 2025-2030 period. Any related spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.

    The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Zunara Naeem. The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Director of Budget Analysis.

    Phillip L. Swagel

    Director, Congressional Budget Office

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the targeted attacks against Christians in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: defending religious freedom and security – B10-0214/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    B10‑0214/2025

    European Parliament resolution on the targeted attacks against Christians in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: defending religious freedom and security

    (2025/2612(RSP))

    The European Parliament,

    – having regard to its previous resolutions on the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC),

    – having regard to the UN Report of the Mapping Exercise documenting the most serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law committed within the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo between March 1993 and June 2003, of August 2010,

    – having regard to UN Security Council Resolution 2773 (2025) of 21 February 2025 on the situation concerning the Democratic Republic of the Congo,

    – having regard to the Partnership Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Members of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States, of the other part[1] (the Samoa Agreement),

    – having regard to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which was adopted on 27 June 1981 and entered into force on 21 October 1986,

    – having regard to the Constitution of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, adopted on 18 February 2006,

    – having regard to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,

    – having regard to the Charter of the United Nations,

    – having regard to Rule 136(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

    A. whereas there has been a deterioration in the security situation in the eastern DRC over the past year, with different armed groups, and at times government soldiers, committing widespread violence, unlawful killings and other grave abuses, putting civilians at great risk;

    B. whereas the UN Group of Experts, established pursuant to UN Security Council Resolution 1533 (2004), estimates that between 3 000 and 4 000 Rwandan army troops are on the ground in the DRC, and considers that the deployment of the Rwanda Defence Force violates the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the DRC, and that Rwanda’s de facto control and direction over M23 operations also renders Rwanda liable for the actions of M23;

    C. whereas the World Religion Database estimates that 95.1 % of the population in the DRC is Christian, 1.5 % is Muslim and 2.5 % has no religious affiliation; whereas the Constitution of the DRC provides for freedom of religion and prohibits discrimination based on religious belief;

    D. whereas a group referred to as the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), with links to the Islamic State, has reportedly carried out continued indiscriminate attacks against civilians in North Kivu and Ituri Provinces, on occasion targeting churches and religious leaders; whereas such violence targets all communities, but most victims have been Christian, belonging to the religious majority; whereas the deaths of at least 849 men, women and children were attributed to the ADF in North Kivu and Ituri Provinces in 2020, according to the UN Joint Human Rights Office in the DRC; whereas the ADF allegedly also carried out an attack on a church baptism in Kasindi, North Kivu Province in February 2023, killing 16 and injuring at least 62, as well as different attacks on villages in North Kivu in March 2023, killing more than 83 civilians, including children;

    E. whereas, since 2015, the ADF has released increasing amounts of propaganda that reflect the group’s ‘ideological alignment with the Islamic State’, including, among other objectives, ‘an increased focus on efforts to kill non-Muslim civilians’, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies; whereas both local Christian and Muslim leaders, with vocal support from the government, have again condemned the ADF’s attacks on civilians;

    F. whereas the UN and the DRC had agreed on the withdrawal of the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) in mid-2024, leading to a degradation of the security situation and affecting civilians, who were left exposed to human rights abuses by state security forces and armed actors;

    G. whereas the DRC has one of the highest rates of internal displacement in the world; whereas many women and children live in precarious conditions and are being exposed to the risk of harassment, assault or sexual exploitation; whereas displaced populations often receive no basic life-saving services and are at risk of malnutrition and disease; whereas cities that host internally displaced people in precarious circumstances are also targets of attack by different militias, causing great distress to the displaced communities and to the local population;

    H. whereas state authorities and rebel groups have obligations to civilians under international humanitarian law, including protecting and facilitating access to humanitarian assistance, and permitting freedom of movement;

    I. whereas the International Criminal Court (ICC) investigations in the DRC have focused on alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed mainly in the eastern DRC, in the Ituri region and the North and South Kivu Provinces, since 1 July 2002; whereas the DRC made a second referral in May 2023 concerning alleged crimes committed in North Kivu since 1 January 2022;

    1. Is concerned by the humanitarian and security situation in the DRC and the findings in the recent reports of the UN Group of Experts established pursuant to Security Council Resolution 1533 (2004), and fully supports the reports’ recommendations;

    2. Welcomes the Council’s decision on 17 March 2025[2] to impose restrictive measures on nine individuals and one entity responsible for acts that constitute serious human rights violations and abuses in the DRC and for sustaining the armed conflict, instability and insecurity in the DRC and exploiting the armed conflict through the illicit exploitation or trade of natural resources;

    3. Commends the announcement of the ICC Prosecutor that the ICC will continue to investigate alleged crimes committed by any person, irrespective of affiliation or nationality; is highly concerned about the fragile situation of the ICC, noting that this fragility is already undermining the ICC’s crucial work to bring justice to victims of the most serious crimes worldwide; reiterates the EU’s unwavering support for the ICC and calls on the European Council and the Commission to fulfil their obligations to ensure the functioning and effectiveness of the ICC;

    4. Calls on the Commission to continue supporting anti-corruption efforts and strengthening governance in the DRC; stresses the primary responsibility of the Government of the DRC to ensure security in its territory and protect its civilians, while respecting the rule of law, international human rights law and international humanitarian law;

    5. Welcomes the special session of the UN Human Rights Council of 7 February 2025 on the human rights situation in the east of the DRC; supports the establishment of an independent commission of inquiry into serious violations committed since January 2022;

    6. Reiterates its condemnation of hate speech, xenophobia, ethnic-based politics, and attacks on religious freedom; underlines that all those responsible for sustaining armed conflict, instability and insecurity in the DRC must be held accountable;

    7. Recalls that human rights violations are being used as a weapon of war and that the vast majority of attacks against civilians in the DRC are not motivated by religion but are most often committed on ethnic, political, terrorist or financial grounds;

    8. Calls upon the relevant parties to provide a safe environment for civil society organisations and human rights defenders to enable them to carry out their work freely;

    9. Calls on the Government of the DRC to implement the recommendations of the 2010 Mapping Report, particularly regarding security sector reforms, the strengthening of institutions and the rule of law, the fight against corruption, and regional cooperation efforts for the arrest and prosecution of perpetrators of serious crimes;

    10. Urges neighbouring states of the DRC to withdraw their troops, to cease all military activities on the soil of the DRC, unless expressly invited to conduct such activities by the Government of the DRC, and to stop their support to armed groups; emphasises that incursions by certain actors in the region, such as the Rwandan forces and M23, further destabilise the DRC by forcing the its army to engage on multiple fronts, making it more difficult to combat armed and terrorist groups;

    11. Calls for a quick resumption of negotiations within the Luanda Process to find a lasting, peaceful and political solution, and urges all sides to fully honour their engagements within the Luanda Process, specifically the ceasefire agreed on 30 July 2024, the neutralisation of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda and M23 rebel groups, and the withdrawal of Rwandan forces from the territory of the DRC; calls for the EU to have an active role in the diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the conflict, advocating for an immediate ceasefire and a renewed commitment to dialogue, with the protection of civilians at the core of negotiations, in particular women and children;

    12. Deplores the fact that fighting and the shelling of medical infrastructure in and around Goma has severely limited the delivery of humanitarian aid to those in need;

    13. Calls on all countries neighbouring the DRC, in particular Rwanda, to facilitate access of humanitarian equipment and personnel to all areas occupied by the rebels groups in the eastern DRC, including through the reopening of Goma airport and of borders;

    14. Calls on the Commission to suspend the EU-Rwanda Memorandum of Understanding on sustainable raw materials value chains, put a halt to any plans to support any mining projects in Rwanda, put in place a trade embargo on all minerals imported from Rwanda into the EU and an export ban on weapons from the EU to Rwanda, and suspend any further military and security assistance to Rwanda until the territorial integrity of the DRC is restored; calls on the Commission to proactively engage with Rwanda’s main partners to ensure coordinated action;

    15. Calls for the Government of the DRC and its international partners, including the EU, to establish new monitoring mechanisms for the implementation of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the DRC and the region, signed in Addis Ababa;

    16. Deplores the fact that Rwanda announced the termination of its diplomatic relations with Belgium, and expresses its solidarity with Belgium;

    17. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Government and Parliament of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the African Union, the secretariats of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Southern African Development Community and the East African Community, and other relevant international bodies.

     

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Phoenix man sentenced to prison for alien smuggling resulting in death following ICE Arizona investigation

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    SELLS, Ariz. – A Glendale man was sentenced March 11 to 38 months in prison for his role in transporting two illegal aliens in March 2024, one of whom suffered fatal injuries after jumping out of the vehicle while it was moving. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted the investigation, assisted by other law enforcement agencies.

    “Smuggling activity brings all aspects of danger especially for those involved in human smuggling,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Francisco B. Burrola. “Whether it is traversing over treacherous desert landscapes or placing your life in the hands of a smuggler, you are sure to face a harrowing journey. Completely avoidable, human smuggling often turns deadly, as in this case. HSI is committed to ending smuggling activity that ends with preventable fatalities.”

    Steven Beltran-Lugo, of Glendale, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transport illegal aliens for profit placing in jeopardy the life of any person and resulting in death on Oct. 1, 2024.

    On March 6, 2024, Beltran-Lugo and his co-defendant, Cesar Velazquez-Munoz, picked up two illegal aliens near the border to transport them further into the United States. Beltran-Lugo was riding as a passenger in the front seat of the vehicle and was on the phone with a Phoenix-based smuggling coordinator throughout the event. When law enforcement began to follow the vehicle, the victim aliens were told to get out of the vehicle. One of the victims jumped out of the vehicle while it was still moving at about 45 miles per hour. The driver accelerated as the second victim exited the moving vehicle and hit the pavement, causing a brain hemorrhage and internal bleeding. The victim eventually succumbed to these injuries and passed away at the hospital two days later.

    Cesar Velazquez-Munoz is scheduled to be sentenced March 31.

    The sentencing is the result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha. JTFA, a partnership with DHS, has been elevated and expanded with a mandate to target cartels and transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Colombia. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border, including the Southern District of California, District of Arizona, District of New Mexico, and Western and Southern Districts of Texas. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section; Office of Enforcement Operations; and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, DEA, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 355 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 300 U.S. convictions; more than 250 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets.

    The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Landmark summit agrees new measures against organised immigration crime

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Landmark summit agrees new measures against organised immigration crime

    The Prime Minister and Home Secretary gathered leaders from across the world in London today (31 March) to tackle organised immigration crime.

    The purpose of the Organised Immigration Crime Summit is to agree new action to tackle organised immigration crime (OIC) and boost border security.

    Discussions at day 1 of the summit included:

    • tackling the supply chains and enablers of OIC
    • the role of criminal finances in facilitating OIC
    • the UK’s systems based approach to border security

    as well as how countries can tackle organised crime groups’ operations online in relation to the advertising, promoting and facilitating of illegal immigration services.

    The UK and allies including France, Iraq, Vietnam and the USA, and partners including the National Crime Agency (NCA) and representatives from social media organisations, met to agree actions to secure our collective borders, protect vulnerable people from exploitation, and tackle the global threat of organised immigration crime.

    Unlike previous summits, this event engaged both European nations and key source and transit countries, as well as those that are integral to the supply of equipment, including small boats and engines, ensuring a broader, more comprehensive approach to tackling OIC.

    Concrete outcomes have been agreed across Europe, Asia, Middle East, Africa, and North America to strengthen international partnerships to disrupt OIC networks.  This also includes new joint work with France to tackle irregular migration in source and transit countries, through community outreach and bolstering false document detection capabilities to Iraqi officials.

    The agreement represents a key step forward in the government’s Plan for Change to deliver on working people’s priorities to restore order to the immigration system and comes after the publication of new figures showing more than 24,000 people with no right to be here have been returned since the election – the highest rate of returns in 8 years. 

    A communiqué was issued that sets out how we will deepen our collaboration internationally to tackle this vile crime.  

    Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said:

    Organised immigration crime undermines our security and puts lives at risk. The criminal networks have spread across the globe and no single country can tackle this problem alone.

    Today, at the Organised Immigration Crime Summit, the UK has led the way forward by securing international commitments to disrupt and pursue this vile criminal trade in people – part of our Plan for Change to strengthen our borders and keep communities safe.

    Border Security Commander Martin Hewitt said:

    I have said since I came into my post as Border Security Commander that organised immigration crime requires a coordinated international response to effectively dismantle criminal networks.

    In my role I have seen first-hand how the cruelty and greed of criminal gangs puts the lives of the most vulnerable at risk in dangerous small boat crossings all for financial gain.

    This summit marks a step change in the international community’s approach to tackling the problem, presenting a critical opportunity to strengthen global cooperation, disrupt criminal networks, and prevent further loss of life.

    Director General of the National Crime Agency (NCA) Graeme Biggar said:

    Criminal gangs are using sophisticated online tactics, the abuse of legitimate goods and services, and illicit financial networks to facilitate dangerous and illegal journeys which put thousands of lives at risk each year and undermine border security.

    Today’s summit sets out international agreements to tackle an international problem.

    International intelligence sharing and cooperation is absolutely crucial to track criminal activity across borders allowing us to put a stop to these dangerous criminals.

    In addition, today the Home Secretary confirmed over £30 million in funding within the Border Security Command to tackle Organised Immigration Criminal Networks. This significant funding package will be spent on key security projects across Europe, the Western Balkans, Asia and Africa, designed to strengthen border security and combat international criminal smuggling gangs.

    The Home Secretary also announced joint work with France to fund an additional grassroots engagement programme to educate local communities on the dangers of irregular migration and people smuggling gangs, raising awareness of the realities and difficulties with travelling to Northern France to cross the Channel to the UK.

    This will target both potential irregular migrants and, for the first time, teachers, religious leaders, and family members within vulnerable communities, and builds on the Home Office digital deterrence comms campaign that is already running in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

    The UK will also collaborate with France to deliver critical training to Iraqi officials and commercial transport staff,  helping them detect fraudulent documents and passports used to facilitate irregular migration and OIC activities.

    Updates to this page

    Published 31 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: York County Man Charged With Filing False Income Tax Return

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HARRISBURG- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Waylon Wilcox, age 45, of Dillsburg, Pennsylvania, was charged by criminal information on March 28, 2025, with filing false individual income tax returns.

    According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the criminal information charges Wilcox with two counts of making and subscribing false individual income tax returns.  The criminal information alleges that Wilcox engaged in a complex cryptocurrency scheme, wherein he sold his shares for over $7,402,935 in 2021 and $4,899,180 in 2022 and failed to report his gains from the sale of the cryptocurrency on his individual tax returns.

    The information alleges that Wilcox filed a false individual income tax return for tax year 2021, which underreported his income for tax year 2021 by approximately $8,511,238 and reduced Wilcox’s tax then due and owing by approximately $2,180,453.  It is further alleged that Wilcox filed a false individual income tax return for tax year 2022, which underreported Wilcox’s income for tax year 2022 by approximately $4,599,532 and reduced Wilcox’s tax then due and owing by approximately $1,098,623. 

    “IRS Criminal Investigation is committed to unraveling complex financial schemes involving virtual currencies and non-fungible token (NFT) transactions designed to conceal taxable income,” said Philadelphia Field Office Special Agent in Charge Yury Kruty. “In today’s economic environment, it’s more important than ever that the American people feel confident that everyone is playing by the rules and paying the taxes they owe.” 

    The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David C. Williams is prosecuting the case.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Harrisburg Man Indicted For Drug Trafficking And Firearms Possession

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that David Gladden, age 46, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury with four counts of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, two counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and two counts of possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. 

    According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that on August 21, 2021, Gladden possessed with the intent to distribute 28 grams of crack cocaine and additional quantities of cocaine.  The indictment also alleges that on September 11, 2023, Gladden possessed with the intent to distribute 28 grams of crack cocaine and additional quantities of cocaine and marijuana; possessed a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking; and possessed a firearm as a felon.  Additionally, the indictment alleges that on March 7, 2024, Gladden possessed with the intent to distribute 100 grams of PCP, 28 grams of crack cocaine and additional quantities of cocaine.  The indictment further alleges that on July 30, 2024, Gladden possessed with the intent to distribute 28 grams of crack cocaine and additional quantities of cocaine and marijuana; possessed a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking; and possessed a firearm as a felon.

    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 Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Harrisburg Police Department; the Pennsylvania State Police; and the Susquehanna Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Ford is prosecuting the case.

    Gladden faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.  A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

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

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Altamonte Springs Man Pleads Guilty To Stealing COVID Relief Funds

    Source: United States Department of Justice (National Center for Disaster Fraud)

    Orlando, FL – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces that Joshua Robinson (32, Texas) has pleaded guilty to wire fraud. Robinson faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

    According to the plea agreement, between July 2020 and August 2021, Robinson devised a scheme to defraud the Small Business Administration (SBA) by submitting false and fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications. Specifically, Robinson submitted an EIDL application and a PPP application for businesses that he knew he did not own. Robinson obtained $13,100 from the EIDL application and $19,133 from the PPP application. Robinson then fraudulently obtained forgiveness of his PPP loan. 

    This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs – Office of Inspector General together with the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie A. McNeff.

    On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit Justice.gov/Coronavirus and Justice.gov/Coronavirus/CombatingFraud.

    Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by contacting the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal and State Violent Crime Initiative in Oklahoma City Receives National Award

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

    OKLAHOMA CITY – On March 27, 2025, the National High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) Program recognized a local joint law enforcement initiative with an award for “Investigation Involving a Violent Organization” at the National HIDTA Awards in Tysons Corner, Virginia.

    Last September, federal and local law enforcement combined forces in a two-month targeted initiative called “Operation Sonic Boom,” which was aimed at reducing violent crime in Oklahoma City.  The operation resulted in 50 people being charged in federal and state court with various firearms and drug-related offenses.  In addition to the arrests, law enforcement recovered from the streets:

    • 193 firearms, including:
      • 81 Pistols
      • 4 Revolvers
      • 10 Rifles
      • 6 Shotguns
      • 9 Machineguns, and
      • 83 Machinegun conversion devices (MCDs), including 30 partially completed MCDs
    • Two 3-D printers (used to print MCDs)
    • More than 63 kilograms of drugs, with an approximate street value of almost $750,000, including:
      • 53 kilograms of methamphetamine
      • 1.5 kilograms of fentanyl
      • 5.2 kilograms of cocaine, and
      • 3.8 kilograms of marijuana

    Operation Sonic Boom was led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Oklahoma and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  Other critical partners included the U.S. Marshals Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office, the Oklahoma City Police Department, the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotic and Dangerous Drugs, and the Texoma HIDTA. 

    “National recognition of this important initiative is yet another example of our commitment to promote public safety in the Western District of Oklahoma, and the ongoing, collaborative efforts by federal and state prosecutors and law enforcement at every level,” said United States Attorney Robert J. Troester. “The success of Operation Sonic Boom is the result of the dedicated and coordinated efforts of federal, state, and local law enforcement to reducing violent crime in Oklahoma.”

    “I could not be prouder of the men and women who participated in Operation Sonic Boom for winning this prestigious National HIDTA Award. However, as they would each tell you, they did not do this for recognition or honors; they did it to help keep Oklahoma safer from violent criminals plaguing our streets,” said ATF Dallas Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey C. Boshek II. “As I said in September, ATF, the United States Attorney’s Office, and HIDTA have doubled down in Oklahoma City. This award is merely the beginning of the work that is yet to be done. Bandits and gangsters beware; we are still here!”

    “The High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program exists to build law enforcement partnerships and provide critical funding for important public safety efforts, and the successful outcome of Operation Sonic Boom is a clear example of the value of HIDTA,” said Keith Brown, Executive Director of the Texoma HIDTA.  “I am proud the Office of National Drug Control Policy is recognizing the incredible efforts of the ATF agents and other law enforcement personnel involved in Operation Sonic Boom.”

    Operation Sonic Boom was funded by the Texoma HIDTA, which is made up of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in North Texas and Oklahoma. HIDTA fosters and supports intra-agency cooperation strategies to target the region’s drug-related and violent crime threats to public safety by using funding provided by the Office of National Drug Control Policy, out of the Executive Office of the President of the United States. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Holyrood — Holyrood RCMP investigates mischief at CBC building, seeks public assistance

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Holyrood RCMP is investigating damage to a CBC building and satellite dish in St. Vincents suspected to be caused by a firearm.

    On March 26, 2025, an employee of CBC discovered the damage to the building, which police suspect may have been completed with the use of a firearm. About a month ago, they also discovered damage to a satellite dish that appears to have been completed with the same weapon. It is unknown when the crimes occurred.

    The investigation is continuing.

    Anyone having information about this crime or the identity of the suspects is asked to contact Holyrood RCMP at 709-229-3892 or, to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers: #SayItHere 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), visit www.nlcrimestoppers.com or use the P3Tips app.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: West Dover — Update: Police seek information regarding home invasion

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    The RCMP/HRP Integrated Criminal Investigation Division continues to seek the public’s assistance in relation to a home invasion in West Dover.

    On December 13, at approximately 7:35 p.m., RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment responded to a report of a home invasion on West Dover Rd.

    During the course of the investigation, a light-coloured vehicle of interest that was present at the time of the incident was identified.

    The investigation, led by the General Investigative Section of the RCMP/HRP Integrated Criminal Investigation Division, continues.

    Anyone with information about the vehicle or this incident is asked to contact police at 902-490-5020. To remain anonymous, call Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers, toll-free, at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submit a secure web tip at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or use the P3 Tips app.

    File #: 24-169864

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Kissimmee Man Indicted For Receipt Of Child Sexual Abuse Material

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Orlando, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the return of an indictment charging Christian Harmon (38, Kissimmee) with receipt of child sexual abuse material. If convicted, Harmon faces a minimum penalty of 5 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison. 

    According to court documents, on April 7, 2024, Harmon was chatting with another user on an internet-based application. During that chat, Harmon requested child sexual abuse material and received approximately 22 illicit videos depicting the sexual abuse of children as young as infants.

    An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.          

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kaley Austin-Aronson.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Nashua Man Indicted in Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    DULUTH, Minn. – Lance Wayne Anderson, a Minnesota man, has been charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.

    According to court documents, from March 2022 through September 17, 2023, Lance Wayne Anderson, 58, intentionally conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine in and around Minnesota.

    The indictment charges Anderson with one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. He made his initial appearance in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge Leo I. Brisbois on March 24, 2025.

    “Minnesota is awash in deadly methamphetamine,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.  “This poison makes its way to every corner of our state. We are grateful to the Wilkin County Sheriff’s Office for their partnership to ensure that Anderson—who trafficked deadly methamphetamine to Wilkin County—sees federal justice.”

    This case is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the Wilkin County Sheriff’s Office.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Campbell Warner is prosecuting the case.

    An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Kuruman high-density operation leads to R38 000 fines issued

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    A high-density operation in the greater Kuruman, Northern Cape, has resulted in fines amounting to R38 500 issued for various road traffic violations.

    The South African Police Service (SAPS), under the leadership of Northern Cape Deputy Provincial Commissioner for Policing, Major General Johny Besnaar, together with the Provincial Head for Proactive Policing, Brigadier Irene Kopeled, and Acting John Taolo Gaetsewe (JTG) District Commissioner, Brigadier Kenneth Baloyi, led a successful high-density operation in the greater Kuruman area and Bothithong policing precint. 

    The high-density operation, which was carried out on 28 and 29 March 2025, was supported by the Community Police Forum (CPF) and Community in Blue Patrollers.

    “The multi-disciplinary operations were executed by members from the affected stations, [including] SAPS K9 unit, flying squad, members from the Provincial Proactive policing, Provincial Corporate Communication and the Vehicle Safeguarding Section (VSS),” the SAPS said in a statement on Sunday. 

    The police actions targeted various offences, including aggravated and business robberies, burglary at residential premises, preventing stolen property in transit, combating of drugs and human trafficking, as well as stock theft 

    The disruptive actions commenced with stop and searches, foot patrols, blue light patrols, compliance inspections and drugs searches.

    Police also conducted roadblocks on the N14 road during which 392 vehicles were stopped and searched, where fines amounting to R38 500, were issued for various road traffic violations.

    During compliance inspections, tuckshops and taverns operating in Kuruman and Bothithong, were visited.

    One tavern was closed down and a fine was issued for non-compliance.

    A total of seven people were also arrested for contraventions, including drunk and driving, possession of drugs, riotous behaviour, shoplifting, and contravention of the Immigration laws.

    Police further discovered an unregistered day care centre operating without the required documentation in a Kuruman residential area, and the local Department of Social Development personnel were contacted for further handling.

    The Acting District Commissioner and Brigadier Baloyi commended all role-players and law enforcement agencies, who were involved the crime blitz, for the collaboration in combating and preventing crime during the operations.

    “These actions reaffirmed that police will continue to stamp down the authority of the state in the district, especially as we are approaching the Easter holidays and beyond,” the SAPS said.

    Members of the public are encouraged to report any criminal activities via the MySAPS  App or the 08600 10111 Crime Stop number. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Human rights ought to be upheld every day 

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    By Neo Semono

    Human Rights Month may have drawn to a close, but the significance of human rights extends further than a mere month. 

    Human Rights are not just ideals enshrined in our Constitution – they are the foundation of dignity, justice, and freedom that shape our everyday lives.

    South Africa’s Bill of Rights safeguards fundamental freedoms. This includes the right to life, freedom of expression, association, and peaceful protest. Yet, in the hustle and bustle of daily life – how often do we stop and take a minute to reflect on these? 

    In fact, reflecting on them ought not to be a mere ceremonial obligation that takes place during the month of March. It should be instead a commitment and conversation that occurs throughout the year.

    The month of March this year marked over six decades since the painful events of 21 March 1960 where 69 lives were lost in the Sharpeville Massacre in Gauteng. The massacre came to be as a result of citizens choosing to protest against the pass laws of the apartheid government.

    Today, South Africa’s constitution states that everyone has the right to assemble, to demonstrate, to picket and to present petitions, peacefully and unarmed.

    This year’s Human Rights Month was commemorated under the theme: “Deepening a Culture of Social Justice and Human Rights”.

    While some would  likely only remember the month for the convenient long weekend it provided through Human Rights Day on 21 March, the theme spoke to issues affecting the globe today.

    And while many sophisticated advancements have been made over the years and will be made in the future, human rights will always matter. They are that ever-important coat that forms part of the priceless family heirloom.

    Human rights affect every aspect of life in that they are very closely linked to each person’s inner being. For example, each person that has been abused, raped and been a victim of a crime, finds it very difficult to forget how that horrid moment made them feel and how it trampled on their human rights.

    The recent horrific attack and killing of six community-based patrollers in Soshanguve, Gauteng, a day after the commemoration of Human Rights Day, has badly affected the nation’s psyche.

    The brave six, together with six others, had raised their hands up to help keep the community of the Marry Me informal settlement located north of Pretoria, safe. They paid the ultimate sacrifice.

    These patrollers were ordinary people committed to making a difference in their part of the world. The fact that citizens across the country become part of community police forums (CPFs) speaks to the fact that South Africans have an inherent can-do attitude even if it places their lives at risk.

    We should salute the fallen patrollers as well as those who continue to serve on CPFs.

    The South African Police Service (SAPS) Act states that the police service shall liaise with the community through CPFs to establish and maintain a partnership between the community and the SAPS. 

    The Act also speaks to promoting cooperation between the SAPS and the community in fulfilling the needs of the communities regarding policing as well as promoting joint problem identification and problem-solving by the service and the community.

    Government has expressed concern over crime levels with Police Minister Senzo Mchunu voicing his concern over what appears to be the increasing number of murder cases during his visit to Soshanguve last week.

    Human rights also extend to issues including inequality and addressing unemployment as stated by Deputy President Paul Mashatile in his Human Rights Day address describing these as “fundamental human rights issues.” 

    He said that while South Africa has experienced notable economic growth through expanding economic participation, the harsh reality of a 31.9% unemployment rate reveals the ongoing struggle faced by many in the country against poverty and inequality. 

    “This is not merely an economic issue. It represents a fundamental matter of human rights and fairness, demanding a concerted and sustained effort from all of us,” he said.

    Last week, news also broke that 23 South Africans were rescued from Myanmar. This after they were lured by an employment agency to Thailand under the pretences of lucrative jobs that were advertised on various social media platforms. 

    They were held captive for over four months in a cybercrime compound in Myanmar where they were subjected to physical torture and forced labour, among others. The repatriation of the victims was part of a bilateral cooperation agreement to combat human trafficking and other forms of transnational organised crime signed by Thailand and South Africa in 2023. 

    In the same week, it was reported that over 30 Ethiopian nationals were able to escape from a house in Johannesburg’s Lombardy East. It is suspected that they were victims of a human trafficking syndicate.

    Trafficking in persons is a crime and violation of human rights, and the country has the Prevention and Combating of Trafficking in Persons Act which deals with trafficking in all its various forms while also providing for the protection of and assistance to victims of trafficking.

    As Human Rights Month closes off, we ought to continue to look out for the collective rights of each and every person every day of the year. 

    Human rights are not abstract concepts; they touch every aspect of life. They are about safety, dignity, and the ability to live free from fear and oppression. As we move beyond Human Rights Month, we must carry forward the spirit of vigilance, advocacy, and action. Safeguarding human rights is not the duty of government alone. It is the collective responsibility of all of us. 

    Every day presents an opportunity to uphold the rights of others, ensuring that justice and freedom remain a lived reality for all. –SAnews.gov.za  

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The results of the founding conference of the International Movement for Financial Security have been summed up

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: State University Higher School of Economics – State University Higher School of Economics –

    On March 27, a conference was held in a hybrid format at the Higher School of Economics to finalize the work on establishing the International Movement for Financial Security. During the meeting, the regulations and roadmap were adopted and the presidium was elected.

    The conference was hosted by Vice-Rector of the National Research University Higher School of Economics Vyacheslav Bashev and Vladimir Ovchinnikov, Director of the International Network Institute in the Sphere of AML/CFT. They moderated the meeting from Moscow, and Nikita Anisimov, Rector of the Higher School of Economics, delivered a welcoming speech from the capital of the People’s Republic of China.

    Yuri Chikhanchin, Director of Rosfinmonitoring and Deputy Chairman of the Presidium of the movement, opened the conference from Kazakhstan, noting the importance of joint work to protect young people from modern threats, including involvement in illegal activities as dropouts, and also emphasizing the need to create a “forge of personnel” for national anti-money laundering systems.

    Participants were connected from three countries: the Russian Federation, the Republic of Kazakhstan and the People’s Republic of China, which confirms the international status of the movement, as noted by Vyacheslav Bashev. Today, the organization already covers 36 participating countries.

    Natalia Parshkova, the curator of the International Movement for Financial Security from the Government of the Russian Federation, presented candidates for the presidium for election. Deputy Director General of the International Training and Methodological Center for Financial Monitoring (ITMCFM) Irina Shilina presented a draft regulation, which the conference participants reviewed and unanimously adopted as the main regulatory document.

    Ivan Uvarov, Director General of the MUMCFM, presented a draft roadmap, according to which it is planned to implement subsequent steps to develop the movement. Ambassadors from among students and postgraduates also spoke: Ekaterina Bazarova from Russia, Ngetobai Masangar Rongar from the Republic of Chad, and from Kazakhstan – Sagyn Ismetilla and Temirlan Tuleyev. The students actively support the organization, make their proposals and ideas for its further expansion and development.

    Acting Director of the Center for Digital Educational Platforms of PJSC Promsvyazbank Maxim Lobanov presented information on the operation of the main technological resource — the digital platform “Sodruzhestvo”. The report presented the scale of the platform, its capabilities and content, as well as plans for its development.

    In conclusion, Yuri Chikhanchin said a few words: “Let the Financial Security Movement not stop at the numbers achieved and grow with new countries and participants. Now we have the “Commonwealth” – a platform that allows us to be close to each other even from different corners of the world. The proposals that were voiced today only indicate that all participants are interested in actively promoting new ideas and development projects.”

    Summing up, Vladimir Ovchinnikov offered everyone who wanted to register on the platform and join the organization.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Middlesex County Man Charged for Making False Statement About Terrorist Organization Association on U.S. Citizenship Application

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI Crime News (b)

    NEWARK, N.J. – A federal grand jury in the District of New Jersey returned a two-count indictment against a New Jersey man for falsely stating on an application for naturalization that he had never been associated with a terrorist organization, U.S. Attorney John Giordano announced. 

    Gafur Abdudzhamilovich Aliev, 44, of Edison, New Jersey, is charged with one count of making a false statement on an application for naturalization and one count of perjury. Aliev is scheduled to appear this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cathy L. Waldor via videoconference. 

    According to the indictment, between in or around January 2018 and in or around January 2020, Aliev was a moderator and/or member of numerous channels on a social media application with encryption features that targeted members, associates, supporters, and potential recruits of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (“ISIS”).  On or about August 7, 2020, Aliev told Individual-1, in substance, that he previously sent money to ISIS for the purchase of weapons, and on or about August 16, 2020, Aliev additionally told Individual-1, in substance, that sending even a small amount of money ($100 to $400) to ISIS was “ok.”  On or about September 28, 2020, Aliev further told Individual-1, in substance, that those who commit jihad in the name of Allah should commit jihad financially and physically and that without financial support, jihad could not be performed, as money was needed to purchase equipment to conduct jihad.

    On or about December 26, 2020, Aliev, under penalty of perjury, falsely stated in his application for naturalization that he had never been a member of, or in any way associated with, a terrorist organization.

    The false statement on a naturalization application count carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.  The perjury count carries a maximum potential penalty of 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

    U.S. Attorney Giordano credited special agents of the FBI and task force officers of the Joint Terrorism Task Force, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly, deportation officers of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations, under the direction of Field Office Director John Tsoukaris, the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone, and the Edison Police Department, under the direction of Chief Thomas Bryan, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanks U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for its assistance with the case. 

    The government is represented by Joyce M. Malliet, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s National Security Unit, with assistance from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Counterterrorism Section of the National Security Division.

    The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.

                                                                          ###

    Defense counsel: Naz Ahmad, Esq.

                               Linda Foster, AFPD, Esq.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Long Beach Man Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Prison for Smash-and-Grab Robbery of Jewelry Worth $2.6 Million

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LOS ANGELES – A Long Beach man was sentenced today to 84 months in federal prison for his role in a smash-and-grab robbery of a Beverly Hills jewelry store in 2022 in which more than $2.6 million in merchandise was stolen – and the proceeds of which he later displayed on his Instagram account.

    Ladell Tharpe, 39, was sentenced by United States District Judge George H. Wu, who also ordered him to pay $2,674,600 in restitution.  

    Tharpe pleaded guilty in September 2024 to one count of interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act).

    “Brazen criminal action that directly targets our small businesses in Los Angeles County will not be tolerated,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph McNally. “The consequences for such action are severe and penalized accordingly, and I want to thank our law enforcement partners for their exceptional and dutiful work during this investigation.”

    “The Beverly Hills Police Department is committed to protecting our community and ensuring justice,” said Beverly Hills Police Chief Mark G. Stainbrook. “We value our partnership with the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office and appreciate the investigators who relentlessly pursued and prosecuted those responsible for this crime. As a reminder, crime will not be tolerated in Beverly Hills.” 

    In March 2022, Tharpe and his accomplices, Deshon Bell, 22, Jimmy Lee Vernon III, 33, both from Long Beach, as well as an unnamed minor drove three vehicles to a jewelry store in Beverly Hills and used sledgehammers and crow bars to break the glass surrounding the merchandise while employees and customers were present.

    One of the vehicles driven to the jewelry store had been reported stolen four days prior to the robbery and was left in front of the victim store.

    The thieves removed from the store’s display cases at least 19 bracelets, seven pairs of earrings, four necklaces, a pair of obelisks, eight rings, and 20 watches, all of which was valued at approximately $2,674,600. The robbers then returned to the car in which Bell was waiting and then fled the scene.

    Two days after the heist, Tharpe posted images of large amounts of cash on his Instagram with the text “Robbery Gang.”

    Tharpe has been in federal custody since March 2023.

    Bell and Vernon each pleaded guilty to one count of Hobbs Act robbery. Judge Wu sentenced Bell to one year and one day in federal prison in February 2024, as well as ordering him to pay $2,674,000 in restitution.

    Vernon, whose cellphone fell out of his sweatpants pocket during the conduct of the robbery and was recovered by investigators, was sentenced last month to 80 months in prison and was also ordered to repay $2,674,000 in restitution.

    The FBI and the Beverly Hills Police Department investigated this matter.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin J. Butler of the Violent and Organized Crime Section and Kevin B. Reidy of the Major Frauds Section prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Victim of fatal Morden collision named as detectives continue to appeal for information

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Detectives are appealing for witnesses following a fatal collision in Morden earlier this month.

    Specialist officers from the Met have been supporting the man’s family at this difficult time and are now seeking the public’s help as part of enquiries.

    Police were called at 18:51hrs on Monday, 3 March to reports of a road traffic collision between a car and a pedestrian in Green Lane, Morden.

    Despite the efforts of the London Ambulance Service and officers, the pedestrian, a 49-year-old man, sadly died at the scene.

    He has been formally identified as Sinnathamby Karunakaran.

    Detective Constable Caroline Landy of the Roads & Transport Unit, who is leading the investigation, said: “Our thoughts remain with Sinnathamby’s family at this tragic time.

    “We are keen to speak to anyone who was in the area of Green Lane between 18:35hrs and 18:50hrs – were you commuting home from work or within the area at this time and saw something that might be helpful to us?

    “If you were driving or live in the area, please check any dashcam or doorbell camera footage to see if you may have captured what happened.

    “We believe that there may be witnesses who have yet to come forward. No matter how small, anyone with any information is urged to contact us immediately.”

    Officers are appealing for witnesses or anyone with footage of this incident to contact police on 101 or ‘X’ @MetCC quoting CAD 6080/3MAR25.

    The car stopped at the scene. The investigation continues and no arrests have been made at this time.

    Alternatively you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or visit crimestoppers-uk.org.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General James Stops Discriminatory Practices Targeting Jewish New Yorkers at Rockland County Car Wash

    Source: US State of New York

    EW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced that her office has stopped Super 4 Seasons, a Rockland County car wash company, from running a discriminatory scam that targeted Jewish customers preparing for Passover. In the days leading up to Passover, many Jewish families clean their homes, cars, and other spaces to remove “chametz,” or leavened products. An Office of the Attorney General (OAG) investigation found that in the weeks leading up to the holiday, Super 4 Seasons advertised a “Passover Special” cleaning promotion, targeting Jewish customers, that cost more than three times the standard price for the same service. Attorney General James is requiring Super 4 Seasons to immediately stop promoting or offering any discriminatory car wash special and, if the company fails to do so, pay a $75,000 penalty.

    “Targeting Jewish New Yorkers with deceptive pricing around Passover is a clear act of religious discrimination and will not be tolerated,” said Attorney General James. “Every New Yorker, regardless of their faith, deserves to be treated fairly and equally. My office will not hesitate to hold businesses accountable when they exploit families’ religious observance.”

    The OAG opened an investigation into Super 4 Seasons in April 2024 after receiving several complaints that the car wash company was knowingly charging Jewish customers $169 for a service that was otherwise available for just $47. As part of the investigation, OAG conducted undercover testing, interviewed complainants, and reviewed thousands of the company’s sales entries. The OAG found that Super 4 Seasons had promoted similar Passover-specific services dating back to at least 2018 and that in the weeks leading up to Passover, Jewish customers had been routinely denied access to standard pricing and were falsely told that only the high-priced “Passover Packages” were available.

    The OAG investigation also found that Super 4 Seasons persistently posted promotional signs advertising that only “Passover Packages & Up” were available, falsely claiming that standard services were not offered ahead of Passover. When an OAG investigator dressed in traditional Orthodox Jewish clothing inquired about standard pricing, he was told the car wash is “not doing anything except shampoos and Passover cleanings right now.” The car wash employee even told the investigator, “We are doing this just for you guys.”

    However, when another OAG investigator who was not wearing Orthodox Jewish clothing asked Super 4 Seasons for the standard services, he was offered and sold standard-priced services. When he inquired about the promotion, an employee responded that it was “for Jews,” adding that they needed to pay more “because their cars are so dirty.” The OAG recovered sales records for this same period, confirming that regular services had in fact been provided throughout the holiday.

    As a result of the OAG’s investigation, Super 4 Seasons will immediately stop these discriminatory practices, and is barred from promoting or advertising car wash services that allude to special pricing for religious holidays. Super 4 Seasons is also prohibited from charging Jewish customers more than other customers for the same car wash services and is not allowed to change its pricing or limit available services in the two months leading up to and during Passover. If Super 4 Seasons fails to adhere to these terms, it will be required to pay a penalty of up to $75,000.

    Attorney General James recently issued a consumer alert urging Jewish communities to be cautious of illegal and discriminatory practices ahead of Passover. Attorney General James reminds New Yorkers to be vigilant against scams on essential Passover goods and services, including car washes, essential food items, matzah and kosher-for-Passover products, cleaning services, travel, and accommodations. Under New York law, it is illegal to discriminate against someone based on religion. Anyone who is aware of businesses using discriminatory practices or believes that they were charged more for services because of their religion, race, or background is encouraged to file a complaint online or call 1-800-771-7755.

    This matter was handled by Hate Crimes and Bias Prevention Section Chief Rick Sawyer, Assistant Attorney General Rachel Finn, and Assistant Attorney General in Charge of the Westchester Regional Office Andy Aujla, with assistance from Research Analyst Heather-Destiny Konan, under the supervision of Civil Rights Bureau Chief Sandra Park and Deputy Bureau Chief Travis England. The investigation was led by Investigators Liam Cassidy and Andy Rodriguez under the supervision of Supervising Investigator Cynthia Kane. The Investigations Bureau is led by Chief Oliver Pu-Folkes, the Civil Rights Bureau is part of the Division for Social Justice led by Chief Deputy Attorney General Meghan Faux, and the Westchester Regional Office is a part of the Division of Regional Affairs led by Deputy Attorney General Jill Faber. All are overseen by First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Richmond Sexual Predator Sentenced to 40 Years in Federal Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    INDIANAPOLIS— Moises Bojorquez, 29, of Richmond, Indiana, has been sentenced to 40 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, after pleading guilty to sexual exploitation of a child, distribution of child sexual abuse material, and possession of matter containing child sexual abuse material.

    According to court documents, Bojorquez sexually abused a one-year-old relative, who was in his care and custody.  Bojorquez forced the victim to perform oral sex on him on multiple occasions.  In several instances, Bojorquez live chatted the sexual abuse.  In other instances, Bojorquez recorded the sexual abuse and sent it to a woman via Telegram, an encrypted, cloud-based instant messaging service.

    Bojorquez and the woman engaged in a months-long conversation via Telegram in which they described their shared sexual interest in children.  Bojorquez also shared other child sex abuse material with the same woman via Telegram and with others via email.  Investigators located more than 1,000 images and videos on Bojorquez’s two cell phones, some of which depicted infants or toddlers engaged in sexually explicit conduct and sadistic or masochistic conduct or other depictions of violence.

    “No child should suffer sexual abuse,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “This predator cruelly exploited an innocent child to satisfy his criminal sexual desires with other likeminded predators. Thanks to the efforts of law enforcement officers, this defendant will now spend 40 years in federal prison, where he cannot sexually abuse another child.”

    “This case is a sobering reminder of the depths of pravity some individuals will go to exploit the most innocent among us,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Chicago Special Agent in Charge Matthew Scarpino. “HSI and our law enforcement partners remain committed to identifying and bringing to justice those who prey on children. We will continue to use every available resource to protect the innocent and disrupt the networks that facilitate these horrific crimes.”

    “The Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force remains vigilant and committed to working with its local and federal partners to protect society’s most vulnerable to sexual exploitation: our children. Caretakers, parents, and others in positions of trust who fail in their duty to protect children but instead seek to sexually exploit them for their own selfish and devious reasons will be identified, investigated, and prosecuted,” said Christopher D. Cecil, Commander of Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

    Homeland Security Investigations and members of the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, including Indiana State Police, Richmond Police Department, and Plainfield Police Department, investigated this case, with assistance from the Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Sarah Evans Barker. 

    Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meredith Wood and Tiffany J. Preston, who prosecuted this case.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the 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.

    If you are a victim of child sexual exploitation, please contact your local police department. Resources for victims of child exploitation can be found on our website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdin/project-safe-childhood

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Louisville Man Sentenced to Over 16 Years in Federal Prison for Firearms Offenses

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

    Louisville, KY – A Louisville, Kentucky, man was sentenced this week to 16 years and 3 months in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm after having previously been convicted of a felony offense and for possession of an unregistered firearm.  

    U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge John Nokes of the ATF Louisville Field Division made the announcement.

    According to court documents, Hassan Mohamed 20, was sentenced to 16 years and 3 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for illegally possessing 3 firearms, one of which was a short barrel rifle that required registration. Mohamed was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses.

    On April 23, 2019, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Mohamed was convicted of two counts of complicity to robbery in the first degree, three counts of robbery in the first degree, complicity to assault in the first degree and tampering with physical evidence.

    On January 4, 2022, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Mohamed was convicted of robbery in the first degree, rape in the first degree, sodomy in the first degree, and criminal attempt rape in the first degree.

    There is no parole in the federal system.

    This case was investigated by the ATF with assistance from the Louisville Metro Police Department.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily Lantz and Josh Porter prosecuted the case.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Operation Take Back America is 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.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Joint Declaration by the Foreign Ministers of the Weimar +

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Joint Declaration by the Foreign Ministers of the Weimar +

    Joint Declaration by the Foreign Ministers of United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Poland, Spain as well as the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy in Madrid (31st March 2025)

    30/03/2025. Madrid, Spain. Foreign Secretary David Lammy poses for family photo ahead of Weimar+ meeting. Picture by Ben Dance / FCDO

    Three days after the anniversary of the Bucha massacre, we reiterate our unwavering support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, and for a comprehensive, just and lasting peace based on the principles of the United Nations Charter and international law, building on our Warsaw Declaration of 19 November, our Berlin Declaration of 12 December and our Paris Declaration of 12 February.

    Ukraine has shown its strong commitment to peace, also by agreeing to a full ceasefire without preconditions. However, Russia’s aggression against Ukraine has not ceased. Instead of imposing new conditions and launching continued attacks on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure that cause more and more victims, Russia must now show it is serious about ending its war.  We call on Russia to stop its delaying tactics and reciprocate by agreeing without delay, as Ukraine has done, to an immediate unconditional ceasefire on equal terms and implementing it fully. We need to see progress within a clear timeframe.

    Building on the recent meetings in Paris and London, we took forward the discussion on how best to support a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine, which is vital for Ukraine, for Europe and for the whole international community.

    We remain committed to further political, financial, economic, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support for Ukraine, together with our international partners. To this end, we will strengthen Ukraine through significant short and long-term military support, also in the framework of Capability Coalitions and the Ukraine Defence Contact Group, which will hold its next meeting on 11 April. Many European partners, including the members of this group, have made substantive additional pledges to support Ukraine militarily and are planning similar commitments in the future.

    We also stand ready to apply further pressure on Russia using all tools available, including by adopting new sanctions, to hinder its ability to wage its war of aggression and to ensure Ukraine is placed in the best position possible to secure a just and lasting peace. We reiterate that Russia’s assets should remain immobilized until Russia ceases its war of aggression against Ukraine and compensates it for the damage caused.

    We are also strongly committed to ensuring full accountability for war crimes and the other most serious crimes committed in connection with Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. The progress made on establishing a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine, within the framework of the Council of Europe, is an important step.

    A credible pathway to peace must include humanitarian relief efforts, notably the exchange of prisoners of war, the release of civilians and the return of all Ukrainian children and other civilians unlawfully deported and transferred to Russia and Belarus.

    We support efforts for a ceasefire that can lead to the establishment of a just and lasting peace. We welcome recent progress to define the essential elements for a viable and sustainable ceasefire, including a clear framework of monitoring and verification.

    Peace must be sustainable, backed by effective guarantees to prevent further acts of aggression. Real, robust and credible security guarantees for Ukraine are an indispensable element of a just and lasting peace, based on Ukraine’s sovereign right to determine its security relationships with its partners, and on the duty of the international community to prevent future Russian aggression. We stand ready to play a leading role in this regard.

    Peace must be just, and Russia’s war of aggression cannot end with a reward to the aggressor. There can be no agreement that compromises on Euro-Atlantic security and the independence, sovereignty territorial integrity of Ukraine. We will not accept any agreement that restricts Ukraine’s military and defence industry or the military presence of partner countries in Ukraine.

    We stand ready to do our share in order to achieve this peace. Europe now provides almost two thirds of all support to Ukraine, and 60% of military aid. We reiterate our ironclad commitment to NATO as the bedrock of Euro-Atlantic security and commit to take on greater responsibility for the future of the security and defense of the European continent, aiming at a significant result at the summit in The Hague.

    We reiterate the inherent right of Ukraine to choose its own destiny and to defend its democracy. Ukraine’s future is in Europe and in the European Union, and Ukraine’s future is crucial for the security of Europe. Europe must be fully involved in the negotiations and will make its own decisions.  

    We remain committed to supporting Ukraine’s repair, recovery and reconstruction, in coordination with international partners.

    We reaffirm our commitment to our democratic values, and to further engage with our global partners in order to promote together a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, based on the universal principles of the United Nations Charter.

    We reaffirm that Europe must assume more responsibility for its own security and become better equipped and deal with immediate and future challenges.

    Updates to this page

    Published 31 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Fifth-Grade Teacher at San Gabriel Valley School Sentenced to Four Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Child Pornography

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)

    RIVERSIDE, California – A former elementary school teacher who worked at a school district in the San Gabriel Valley was sentenced today to 48 months in federal prison for possessing more than 400 videos containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

    Steven Pilar, 47, of Las Vegas, was sentenced by United States District Judge Sunshine S. Sykes, who also ordered him to pay $115,000 in restitution.

    Pilar pleaded guilty in December 2024 to one count of possession of child pornography. He has been in federal custody since August 2024.

    In February and April of 2020, Pilar used his computer and a peer-to-peer file-sharing program called BitTorrent to download videos and images containing CSAM via the internet. Specifically, Pilar – at his then-home in Victorville – knowingly received and downloaded approximately 444 videos containing CSAM, and knowingly possessed the videos for a time before deleting them. 

    At the time of download and possession, Pilar knew these videos and images contained visual depictions of actual children engaging in sexually explicit conduct. 

    Many of the videos and images that Pilar knowingly downloaded involved a pre-pubescent minor and a minor who had not attained 12 years of age, sadistic and masochistic conduct, and sexual abuse and exploitation of an infant and toddler.

    Pilar was employed as a fifth-grade teacher working in the Hacienda La Puente Unified School District at the time of the offense. He no longer works at the school.

    In April 2020, Pilar was arrested on state charges, which were later dropped so a federal case could be pursued.

    “His actions caused direct and significant harm to the victims in this case, and his offense is aggravated by fact that he was teaching young children at the time,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “In fact, when [Pilar] downloaded and viewed the CSAM, he took part of a perpetual re-victimization of the victims.”

    The FBI and the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department investigated this matter.

    Assistant United States Attorney Joshua J. Lee of the General Crimes Section prosecuted this case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Josh Stein Proclaims April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Governor Josh Stein Proclaims April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month

    Governor Josh Stein Proclaims April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month
    lsaito

    Raleigh, NC

    (RALEIGH) – Governor Josh Stein proclaimed April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month to support survivors and spread awareness. According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, approximately 81% of women and 43% of men experience sexual assault and/or harassment in their lifetime.

    North Carolinians are encouraged to join others around the country on April 1 by wearing teal and sharing supportive content across social media using #WearTealDay and #SAAM2025.

    “This month we recognize the survivors of sexual assault in our state,” said Governor Josh Stein. “Last year we cleared the backlog of older sexual assault kits in our state, but there is more work to be done. That is why I have called on the General Assembly to fund a sexual assault cold case unit – because it is never too late to hold a perpetrator accountable or get justice for a victim of this heinous crime.”

    “Nobody should be subjected to such horrific acts, so the fact that four out of five women and nearly half of men in this country experience sexual assault or harassment at some point in their lives should raise alarm bells for all of us,” said North Carolina Department of Administration’s Secretary Gabriel J. Esparza. “We must continue to educate communities on the importance of consent and to be aware of the signs of sexual abuse.”

    Sexual violence is any unwanted physical or verbal advance including sexual activity, abuse, harassment, and assault.  During the 2023-24 fiscal year, more than 8,500 people in North Carolina sought intervention services from a CFWYI-funded rape crisis center following an experience of sexual violence. This number includes 1,577 children under the age of 18 and more than 27,400 crisis calls and chats. Only 4% of victims reported being assaulted by a stranger.

    The NC Department of Administration’s Council for Women and Youth Involvement (CFWYI) helps to combat such issues, funding sexual assault programs in 96 counties in our state. These programs offer counseling, 24-hour crisis lines, transportation, and court and advocacy services.

    Governor Stein prioritized clearing the backlog of untested rape kits across the state while serving as Attorney General. This month, Governor Stein’s budget proposal called for creating a cold case unit of investigators to solve sexual assault cases.  

    If you or someone you know is experiencing sexual violence, please seek help. Resources are available to support sexual assault survivors including a directory of state-funded sexual assault agencies on the NC Council for Women and Youth Involvement website. 

    Mar 31, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Lower Ship Harbour — RCMP seeking information about hate motivated crime in Lower Ship Harbour

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment is investigating hate motived crime that occurred at a property in Lower Ship Harbour.

    On March 25, at approximately 11:10 a.m., RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment received a report of mischief at a residential property on West Ship Harbour Rd. RCMP officers learned that a Pride flag and an Every Child Matters flag located at the end of a driveway had been vandalized sometime the previous day.

    The mischief is considered to have been motivated by hate based on race, national or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression.

    Investigators are asking for the public’s assistance to identify a person of interest who has grey hair and was wearing a black jacket, black pants and grey shoes at the time of the incident.

    The RCMP takes incidents of hate with the utmost seriousness and condemns these criminal acts.

    The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information about this incident, or who can identify the person of interest, is asked to contact police at 902-490-5020. To remain anonymous, call Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers, toll-free, at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submit a secure web tip at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or use the P3 Tips app.

    File #: 25-40728

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Twenty-Three Lubbock-Area Defendants Charged in Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Trafficking Cases

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)

    Twenty-three alleged methamphetamine and fentanyl traffickers in Lubbock, Texas, have been federally charged with drug crimes, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.

    The defendants, charged in nine indictments, were apprehended on Wednesday, March 26th.  Initial appearances began today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Amanda ‘Amy’ R. Burch.

    This investigation began in March 2023.  Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement seized over 43 kilograms of methamphetamine, 285.4 grams of fentanyl (approx. 1,902 pills), 335.5 grams of cocaine, 2,296.7 grams of marijuana, and six firearms.  The 285.4 grams of seized fentanyl equals potentially 21,662 lethal doses of fentanyl.

    Those charged in the indictments include:

    •    Vida Tamor Overstreet, 49, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, unlawful use of communication facility, distribution of methamphetamine

    •    Patrick Wayne Frazier aka Pat Pat, 38, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine

    •    Juantay Dewayne Frazier aka Broadway, 39, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, unlawful use of communication facility, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine

    •    David Wayne Frazier aka Dinky, 39, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, unlawful use of communication facility, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine

    •    Santiago Daniel Baltazar aka Chago, 26, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, distribution of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl

    •    Walter Wood, 36, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl

    •    Santos Moncada aka Tos, 28, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine

    •    Jessie Franco, 41, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine

    •    Shondra Christine Walker, 40, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine

    •    Orian Emanuel Garcia, 35, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine

    •    Rudolfo Luna aka Roy Luna, 43, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine

    •    Adam Lee Arredondo, 37, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine

    •    Justin Lee Dominguez, 37, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine

    •    Anthony James Lockett, 44, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, distribution of fentanyl, distribution of     methamphetamine

    •    Rita Adelita Castillo, 44, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine

    •    Paul Wayne Frazier, 38, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine

    •    Charles Andre Sykes, 41, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine

    •    Heather Jane Whitehead, 40, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine

    •    Henry Tienda, Jr., 35, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine

    •    Gary Dewayne Bolton aka Bay Bay, 36, charged with distribution of fentanyl

    •    Arhmad Rashad Fountain aka Ra Ra, 47, charged with distribution of methamphetamine

    •    Rubith Diaz Rodriguez, age 24, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine

    •    Tyler Kristian Piseno, 37, charged with distribution of fentanyl.

    “Cooperation of local, state and federal law enforcement led to success in disrupting a drug trafficking organization,” said Dallas FBI Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “These arrests will have a considerable impact on the distribution of methamphetamine in the greater-Lubbock area, and law enforcement will continue work together to ensure the safety and security of our communities.”

    “This operation sends a clear message that we will not tolerate the flow of illegal drugs into our neighborhoods,” said Eduardo A. Chavez, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA.  “By working together at every level of law enforcement, we are leveraging all available resources to destroy these criminal networks and commit to safeguard our communities from drug trafficking and violent crime.”

    An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence.  All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

    If convicted, some of the defendants face up to life in federal prison.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Chad E. Meacham praised the joint efforts of all law enforcement agencies involved in the case, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office – Lubbock Resident Agency, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Field Office – Lubbock Resident Office, the Caprock HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area) Task Force, the U.S. Marshals Service, Homeland Security Investigations, the Lubbock Police Department, the Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office, the Texas Anti-Gang Center, the Levelland Police Department, and the Hockley County Sheriff’s Office.  The cases are being prosecuted by the West Texas Branch of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas.

    This prosecution stems from an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation.  OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transitional criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.  

    This investigation 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).
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: ONDCP Recognizes Law Enforcement’s Work to Stop Drug Traffickers

    Source: The White House

    class=”wp-block-heading has-text-align-center”>National High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Awards Ceremony Recognizes Excellence Across 14 Key Categories

    Washington, D.C.—Last night, the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) recognized individuals and initiatives of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) Program at the 2025 National HIDTA Awards Ceremony for their critical work to combat the national security threat posed by drug traffickers, including those who traffic deadly illicit fentanyl in the United States, killing tens of thousands of Americans each year.  

    The Trump Administration is taking the fight to the cartels and drug traffickers in order to save American lives. The HIDTA Program plays a key role in disrupting and dismantling drug trafficking organizations and provides assistance to federal, state, local, Tribal, and territorial law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug trafficking regions across all 50 states. Last year, the 33 HIDTAs seized 4.1 million pounds of fentanyl and other drugs and denied drug traffickers $17.7 billion in illicit profits. For every dollar invested in the HIDTA Program, the American people get $68.07 in benefits, making HIDTA an effective and efficient use of taxpayers’ money, and an important tool in the nation’s effort to stop drug traffickers and save American lives.  

    The following awards were presented March 27 to individuals and initiatives of the HIDTA Program for their efforts to reduce the supply and trafficking of dangerous drugs in communities across the country: 

    INVESTIGATIVE COLLABORATION

    Chicago HIDTA, Chicago HIDTA Counternarcotics and Cryptocurrency Task Force

    Created to identify, disrupt, and dismantle transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), the Chicago HIDTA Counternarcotics and Cryptocurrency Task Force (CNCTF) targeted one of the largest, fastest-growing dark net markets in the world – Nemesis Market. This marketplace facilitated drug trafficking, fraud, hacking, and other illicit activities responsible for more than $20 million in illicit transactions to more than 150,000 registered users around the world. Led by DEA and comprising an array of federal and local partners, CNCTF undertook Operation Keyboard Warrior, which received designation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). In March 2024, CNCTF, working with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the German Bundescriminalamt, disrupted Nemesis Market by executing simultaneous, multinational search and seizure warrants on critical technological infrastructure. The warrants resulted in nearly $1 million in frozen and seized cryptocurrency-related assets, twelve computer servers, various electronic devices, and terabytes of data containing financial records and personal information of more than 1,000 vendors trafficking in drugs and engaging in fraud, hacking, and forgeries on the marketplace. CNCTF leveraged this information to effect arrests and warrants in eight U.S. federal districts, and provided investigative leads to foreign law enforcement counterparts in multiple countries using international treaty-based disclosure agreements that were novel to cyber cases.

    PROSECUTION

    South Florida HIDTA, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Gerarde and Sean McLaughlin

    With the support of the South Florida HIDTA and assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) Kevin Gerarde and Sean McLaughlin secured a jury verdict against the Premier of the British Virgin Islands (BVI) for drug trafficking. Andrew Fahie, who was elected as the Premier in 2019, was accused of assisting the Sinaloa Cartel in transporting loads of cocaine weighing three metric tons from the coast of Colombia through the BVI en route to the United States for distribution. In exchange for his assistance, Fahie allegedly received a 12 percent cut of the proceeds when the cocaine was sold in the United States. After an extensive undercover operation conducted with the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency and the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force, DEA arrested Fahie. In prosecuting Fahie, AUSAs Gerarde and McLaughlin overcame a variety of evidentiary challenges, including United Kingdom and BVI foreign law determinations regarding the applicability of U.S. money laundering statutes. On February 8, 2024, the jury returned a verdict finding Fahie guilty on all counts, and he was subsequently sentenced to 135 months imprisonment.

    PUBLIC HEALTH/PUBLIC SAFETY COLLABORATION

    Texoma HIDTA, Caprock Drug Initiative

    The Texoma HIDTA’s Caprock Initiative launched a program at the behest of local officials to address alarming increases in fentanyl overdoses in and around Lubbock, Texas. Since its inception, the program has reached nearly 26 thousand individuals from all walks of life. Undertaken with substantial support from the United States Attorney’s Office, the Texas Anti-Gang Center, and the Lubbock County District Attorney’s Office, the program has become the most requested fentanyl awareness presentation in the South Plains region. It has been presented to numerous local schools, including to the Texas Tech football team. The program provides candid, factual information from people in recovery, overdose survivors, and families of overdose victims. It is credited with raising public awareness and contributing to a reduction in overdoses in the region.

    HIDTA SUPPORT

    Atlanta Carolinas HIDTA, Lydia Sheffield

    Lydia Sheffield has served the Atlanta Carolinas HIDTA for two decades, providing continuity with her outstanding support to three executive directors. In addition to her myriad duties as the Executive Assistant, Ms. Sheffield is the primary Performance Management Process (PMP) Coordinator for the HIDTA, and has established herself as an expert user of PMP. In that role, she has generously provided training to PMP users from multiple other regional HIDTAs at the behest of the National HIDTA Assistance Center and to National HIDTA Program staff. Ms. Sheffield has drawn upon her own background and experience as a skilled trainer to develop curriculum materials to support trainings to both peer PMP coordinators and initiative commanders across the United States.

    INVESTIGATION INVOLVING INNOVATIVE APPROACHES

    Gulf Coast HIDTA, Mobile Baldwin Major Investigations Team

    In 2023, the Mobile Baldwin Major Investigations Team (MBMIT) began investigating a deactivated DEA confidential source who was coordinating large shipments of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine from Texas and Georgia into the Mobile, Alabama area. Because the former source was familiar with law enforcement communication and investigative techniques and was still being used by local law enforcement agencies, the source was emboldened to conduct illicit drug-related transactions via an end-to-end encrypted phone app. MBMIT agents successfully executed a search warrant to clone the source’s phone and initiated real-time Title III intercepts of the encrypted app. This was the first time an end-to-end encryption application was successfully intercepted in the New Orleans Division and only the third time this type of intercept had been conducted worldwide within DEA. The success of this investigative technique enabled 120 electronic and voice Title III intercepts resulting in 24 state and federal arrests, the seizure of 19 kilograms of cocaine and 20 kilograms of methamphetamine, and the seizure of over $500,000 in cash, jewelry, and vehicles. Additionally, these intercepts lead to the identification and follow-on investigation of regional drug traffickers in the United States with links to multiple Mexican TCOs.

    INTELLIGENCE AND INFORMATION SHARING

    Nevada HIDTA, Investigative Research Assistant Phillip Scichilone

    In early 2024, the Nevada Highway Patrol received a tip regarding a suspicious trucking company suspected of transporting illicit drugs from northern Nevada across the county, and subsequently passed the tip to Investigative Research Assistant Phillip Scichilone. Mr. Scichilone provided Northern Nevada Interdiction Task Force members with key intelligence related to the travel patterns of the vehicle involved, suspicious financial activity of the trucking company, and identification of the suspected owner and driver of the vehicle. The task force used this information to interdict the vehicle involved, resulting in the seizure of approximately $1 million and the identification of the driver and passenger, who were suspected of being linked to a known terrorist organization. After conducting follow-up analysis linking the suspects to out-of-state DEA and FBI investigations, Mr. Scichilone connected representatives of both agencies to deconflict and share information and then worked with both agencies to pass on key intelligence information.

    INTERDICTION

    New England HIDTA, Greater Boston HIDTA Task Force

    The Greater Boston HIDTA Task Force, co-led by the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), initiated an investigation targeting a California-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) involved in large-scale illicit drug smuggling, distribution, and transportation from the Southwest Border to destinations throughout the United States and Canada. The initial phase of this ongoing investigation resulted in the disruption of a large-scale criminal enterprise with two arrests and the interdiction of 32 kilograms of methamphetamine and 490 kilograms of cocaine from a tractor trailer that traveled cross country to meet with undercover law enforcement agents in Massachusetts. The Massachusetts State Police have claimed this to be the largest seizure of narcotics from a tractor trailer in New England history, and the ongoing investigation has wide-ranging impact on DTO operations in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

    INVESTIGATION INVOLVING A VIOLENT ORGANIZATION

    Texoma HIDTA, ATF Oklahoma City Violent Crime Initiative

    The ATF Oklahoma City Violent Crime Initiative led interagency Operation Sonic Boom that used information from the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) to overlay maps of Oklahoma City with shooting incidents to identify critical, high gun violence areas to deploy additional resources. In a 60-day operation, ATF Confidential Sources and Undercover Agents conducted 117 undercover firearm purchases that led to the indictment of 64 defendants and the seizure of 110 firearms, 83 machinegun conversion devices (MCDs), 53 kilograms of methamphetamine, 5 kilograms of cocaine, and more than 1.5 kilograms of fentanyl tablets. Highlighting the critical links between the undercover operations in this case and the ongoing violent crime investigations in Oklahoma City, twelve of the firearms purchased by undercover agents had confirmed links in NIBIN to open shooting and homicide cases by violent criminal gangs in the greater Oklahoma City area. From a HIDTA perspective, the case was also a statistical success, with investigators identifying eight separate Drug Trafficking or Money Laundering Organizations and disrupting six of them during the course of the operation. 

    COMMUNITY IMPACT INVESTIGATION

    Northwest HIDTA, DEA Bellingham Regional HIDTA Task Force

    Over the past year, the DEA Bellingham Regional HIDTA Task Force (BRHTF) initiated an investigation that resulted in a substantial impact concerning public safety and health on the greater Lummi Nation Tribal Lands. Over a one-year period, BRHTF, along with partner agencies, seized over 850,000 fentanyl pills, seven kilograms of fentanyl powder, seven kilograms of cocaine, 29 illicit firearms, over $120,000 in U.S. currency, and disrupted a centralized DTO responsible for trafficking and distributing fentanyl and other drugs in the Lummi Nation within Whatcom County, WA. This investigation resulted in a notable decrease in both fentanyl availability and overdose deaths on Lummi Tribal Lands.

    OVERDOSE REDUCTION

    South Texas HIDTA, Laredo DEA HIDTA Task Force

    In 2023, the DEA Laredo District Office created a HIDTA Overdose Task Force initiative to address the dramatic rise in overdose deaths in Laredo, Texas, and its surrounding communities. The City of Laredo experienced 21 overdose deaths in 2021, rose to 41 overdose deaths in 2022, and was on pace to experience nearly 100 overdose deaths in 2023, when the task force was launched. Formed with multiple local and federal agencies and comprising six task force officers, the task force proved to be effective, with Laredo reporting 73 deaths in 2023, well short of the expected numbers. Throughout 2024, Laredo and its surrounding communities experienced 40 overdose deaths, and preliminary data indicate the city is on pace for a remarkable 45 percent decrease.

    INVESTIGATION

    Arizona HIDTA, Metro Intelligence Support and Technical Investigative Center (MISTIC)

    Throughout 2024, the Phoenix Police Department (PPD) Drug Enforcement Bureau’s (DEB) Conspiracy Squad and the DEA Phoenix Field Division’s Financial Investigations Group (FIG) conducted a long-term, complex investigation that targeted a TCO responsible for the trafficking and distribution of bulk quantities of illicit drugs, as well as for money laundering. Investigators conducted 2,000 hours of surveillance, utilized 225 court orders and search warrants, and initiated 35 wire intercepts targeting TCO members. Through the course of this investigation, detectives identified, disrupted, and dismantled the international drug trafficking activities of both foreign and United States-based sources of supply, load coordinators, couriers, stash house operators, and distribution coordinators, while also dismantling metropolitan Phoenix-based DTO operations.

    TASK FORCE OF THE YEAR

    Appalachia HIDTA, Appalachia HIDTA Diversion Task Force

    In response to an influx of counterfeit pharmaceuticals flooding southeastern Kentucky that were contributing to a rise in drug poisoning deaths, investigators with the Appalachia HIDTA Diversion Drug Task Force initiated an investigation into a dark net market distributor operating under the name GreenBeansUSA. This investigation was conducted jointly with the Appalachia HIDTA DEA London Task Force in coordination with the FBI, Internal Revenue Service, and U.S. Postal Inspection Service under the OCDETF Operation “Loyal Business.” Investigators identified GreenBeansUSA as a global supplier responsible for the sale and distribution of over 16 million counterfeit pharmaceutical pills, and the receipt of over $11 million in drug proceeds in the form of illicit cryptocurrency. In the course of the operation, investigators issued more than 200 grand jury subpoenas, 47 pen registers, 8 ping orders, Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) requests, IP analysis, blockchain and cluster analysis, 2703(d) orders, undercover purchases, undercover money laundering operations, pole cameras, and electronic search warrants to multiple telecommunications and technological entities. Their efforts resulted in federal indictments of six key members of the organization, the seizure of 11 kilograms of controlled pharmaceuticals (nitazene, benzodiazepine, and ketamine), six pill press machines, and approximately $1.2 million in assets.

    HIDTA AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE

    Ohio HIDTA, Sergeant Breck Williamson, Ohio State Highway Patrol

    Sergeant Breck Williamson has distinguished himself as both a prolific and successful interdictor of illicit drugs transiting the nation’s highways, and as an expert instructor and mentor to other officers conducting highway interdictions. Since October 2023, Sergeant Williamson has personally seized over 405 pounds of methamphetamines, 11 pounds of fentanyl, 141 pounds of cocaine, 3,203 pounds of marijuana, and $135,000 in U.S. currency. He also serves as an instructor for both the El Paso Intelligence Center (EPIC) and the Drug Interdiction Awareness Program (DIAP), sharing his expertise with hundreds of students throughout the past year. In addition to his day-to-day supervisory and highway interdiction duties, Sergeant Williamson is a DEA task force officer and is regularly called upon by DEA offices nationwide to advise on interdiction tactics and techniques.

    HIDTA OF THE YEAR

    SOUTH FLORIDA HIDTA

    The South Florida HIDTA has demonstrated an exemplary capacity for multidimensional vision and leadership. Through its Executive Director and Executive Board, it has targeted emerging threats, such as synthetic drugs, while remaining steadfastly committed to the interdiction of metric tons of cocaine destined for the United States from South America. It has inspired national efforts, like the launch of Crime Gun Intelligence Centers in HIDTA regions across the United States, without losing focus of the core HIDTA mission to disrupt and dismantle DTOs and while maintaining deep and sustaining partnerships at the local level. It has launched enterprising collaborations with law enforcement partners, such as partnering with the Federal Aviation Administration to access radar interdiction operability and records of straw registration of aircraft, while embracing public health initiatives focused on overdose reduction and drug use prevention.

    Among its many accomplishments, in 2023 South Florida HIDTA initiatives dismantled or disrupted 54 DTOs, of which 19 were international in scope and nearly 20 percent were OCDETF-designated or linked to consolidated or regional priority organization targets. Task forces seized illicit drugs with a total estimated value of $748 million, including 23 metric tons of cocaine, 248 kilograms of methamphetamine, and 224 kilograms of fentanyl. South Florida HIDTA initiatives also seized more than $105 million in cash and other assets, delivering a return on investment of $56.22 for every dollar financed by the National HIDTA Program. Finally, in pursuit of one of its most vital functions – ensuring officer safety – the South Florida HIDTA provided deconfliction services to all its partners, preventing more than 400 “blue on blue” incidents.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Health authority review launches to ensure support for front-line services

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Details about the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) appointees are as follows:

    Tim Manning has completed his term as board chair, as have board members Donisa Bernardo, Dianne Doyle, Sandra A. Martin Harris (Wii Esdes), Piotr Majkowski and Richard Short. Additional departing directors are, Dr. Morgan Price, Gary Caroline, Bill Chan, Julia Dillabough, Joanna Gislason and Gloria Morgan.

    The interim board of directors are:

    Maureen Maloney, OBC, KC, chair –

    Maureen Maloney is a professor at Simon Fraser University’s school of public policy and former dean of law and Lam chair in law and public policy at the University of Victoria. Maloney served as British Columbia’s deputy minister to the Attorney General from 1993 to 2000, and deputy attorney general from 1997 to 2000. She has been a member of the numerous boards, including the Canadian Human Rights Foundation, the International Commission of Jurists (Canadian Section), the International Centre for Criminal Law Reform and Criminal Justice Policy, and also served as a member of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal. She chaired the Province’s Expert Panel on Money Laundering in Real Estate from 2018 to 2019.

    Heather McKay –

    Heather McKay is a professor at the University of British Columbia (UBC) where she is the Active Aging Research Team’s lead scientist. She has collaborated with the B.C. Ministry of Health for more than 15 years and leads a partnership between researchers, governments, health authorities and NGOs to enact Health Aging B.C. From 2006-16, McKay was the inaugural director of the Centre for Hip Health and Mobility, a multidisciplinary CFI centre funded by the Canadian Foundation for Innovation. More recently, she co-led UBC’s Health Aging Research Excellence cluster. McKay leads an Implementation Science Team at UBC. Her work focuses on healthy aging research. She also holds a position on the editorial board of the scientific journal Implementation Research and Practice. She has received a CIHR Knowledge Translation Award, a YWCA Woman of Distinction Award and has been inducted into the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (2018) in recognition of her academic scholarship and community engagement. 

    Tiffany Ma, CPA –

    Tiffany Ma is the associate deputy minister of the B.C. Ministry of Health. Since joining the BC Public Service in 2006, Ma has served in progressively senior capacities across several ministries, including as chief financial officer for the Ministry of Education. Prior to joining the Ministry of Health, Ma was the assistant deputy minister and deputy secretary to Treasury Board at the Ministry of Finance. Ma also served as a trustee on the Public Service Pension Board.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murkowski, Bennet Urge Trump Administration to Reinstate Critical Protections for Unaccompanied Migrant Children

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alaska Lisa Murkowski

    03.27.25

    Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) wrote to the U.S. Department of Justice’s Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) to express bipartisan concern following EOIR’s decision to rescind the 2023 Memorandum on Children’s Cases in Immigration Court and reinstate 2017 guidelines. This decision weakens critical protections for unaccompanied migrant children, increases inefficiencies in the immigration court system, and risks higher levels of child trafficking and exploitation.

    “The 2023 memorandum established specialized juvenile dockets with dedicated judges, child-appropriate court practices, and stronger safeguards against trafficking. It also improved address verification to reduce procedural errors that often lead to removal orders for children who never received proper notice of their hearings,” wrote Murkowski and Bennet .

    In their letter, the senators express concern that reverting to the 2017 guidelines undermines important safeguards, increases case backlogs, and weakens protections. It also reintroduces a tone of suspicion toward unaccompanied minors rather than recognizing their vulnerabilities and need for fair proceedings.

    “EOIR must ensure that immigration proceedings for unaccompanied children remain fair, efficient, and protective against trafficking. This includes maintaining specialized juvenile dockets, strengthening interagency coordination, and preserving procedures that prevent unnecessary delays and due process failures,” continued the senators. 

    In 2023, Murkowski and Bennet introduced the Immigration Court Efficiency and Children’s Court Act, a bipartisan bill to establish a dedicated Children’s Court within EOIR. The legislation would combat the immigration court backlog and strengthen due process rights for unaccompanied migrant children. 

    The text of the letter is available HERE and below.

    Dear Acting Director Owen:

    We write with deep concern over the Executive Office for Immigration Review’s decision to rescind the Director’s 2023 Memorandum on Children’s Cases in Immigration Court (DM 24-01) and reinstate the 2017 Guidelines. This decision weakens critical protections for unaccompanied children, increases inefficiencies in the immigration court system, and risks greater trafficking and exploitation.

    The 2023 memorandum established specialized juvenile dockets with dedicated judges, child-appropriate court practices, and stronger safeguards against trafficking. It also improved address verification to reduce procedural errors that often lead to removal orders for children who never received proper notice of their hearings. At the same time, the Department of Homeland Security committed to training government attorneys to identify trafficking indicators and assess legal relief options for children.

    Reverting to the 2017 guidelines undermines these safeguards, increases case backlogs, and weakens protections under the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA) of 2008. It also reintroduces a tone of suspicion toward unaccompanied minors rather than recognizing their vulnerabilities and need for fair proceedings. EOIR must ensure that immigration proceedings for unaccompanied children remain fair, efficient, and protective against trafficking. This includes maintaining specialized juvenile dockets, strengthening interagency coordination, and preserving procedures that prevent unnecessary delays and due process failures.

    Congress has long recognized the need for reforms that balance efficiency with fairness. That’s why we introduced the Immigration Court Efficiency and Children’s Court Act, a bipartisan bill to establish a dedicated Children’s Court within EOIR. This legislation would ensure trained judges oversee these cases with the expertise and resources they require. We urge EOIR to consider these principles moving forward.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fitchburg Man Sentenced to Seven Years for Role in Drug Trafficking Organization

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

    MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that David Junius, 47, of Fitchburg, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 7 years in federal prison for possessing 500 or more grams of cocaine intended for distribution. Junius pleaded guilty to this charge on December 19, 2024.

    In late 2022, agents with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation began investigating a large cocaine and methamphetamine trafficking organization operating in Portage, Madison, and La Crosse. Intercepted phone communications in April 2023 led to the surveillance of a delivery of 4 kilograms of cocaine from Junius to other individuals. Further investigation led agents to a storage unit in Madison rented and regularly accessed by Junius in which police found almost 1½ kilograms of cocaine and $20,000 in U.S. currency.   

    In sentencing Junius, Judge Peterson expressed concern that despite Junius’s extensive criminal history, which included nine prior convictions for drug-related offenses, Junius again became involved in drug trafficking. Judge Peterson found that Junius played a significant role in the drug organization by storing drugs and cash, as well as by making deliveries. Judge Peterson further found that such large-scale trafficking encouraged criminal enterprises and violence in the community.

    Junius’s co-defendant, Angel Flores, also pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 3, 2025.

    The charge against Junius was the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, Dane County Narcotics Task Force, and Madison Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Anderson and William M. Levins prosecuted this case.

    The investigation was conducted and funded by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a multi-agency task force that coordinates long-term narcotics trafficking investigations.

    MIL Security OSI –