NewzIntel.com

Category: Law

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Major step for fraud prevention with landmark ban on SIM farms

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Major step for fraud prevention with landmark ban on SIM farms

    The UK will become the first country in Europe to ban the possession and supply of SIM farms – technical devices used to defraud the public.

    Getty Images

    Members of the public will be better protected from fraudsters and scammers through a landmark, Europe-first ban on the possession and supply of SIM farms, the Fraud Minister Lord Hanson has confirmed today.

    SIM farms are technical devices capable of holding multiple SIM cards enabling criminals to send scam texts to thousands of people at once or set up ‘verified’ online accounts in large volumes. They increase the chances of innocent consumers falling victim to major financial losses. 

    With recent data showing that fraud increased last year by 19%, and that it accounts for more than 40% of all reported crime in England and Wales, the government is acting to prevent and counter these evolving threats and deliver security for the public as a foundation of the Plan for Change. This follows the commitment to publish a new, expanded fraud strategy before the end of the year.

    The new offence will make the possession or supply of SIM farms without a legitimate reason illegal, shutting down a key route used by criminals to exploit the public, and will carry an unlimited fine in England and Wales and a £5,000 fine in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

    The ban will come into effect 6 months after the Crime and Policing Bill receives Royal Assent.

    It will mean that those offenders using these devices to defraud the public will not only continue to face the full force of the law for their heinous actions but will also be hit with hefty fines.

    Fraud Minister Lord Hanson said:

    Fraud devastates lives, and I am determined to take the decisive action necessary to protect the public from these shameful criminals.

    Two-thirds of British adults say they’ve received a suspicious message on their phone – equivalent to more than 35 million people – which is why cracking down on SIM farms is so vital to protecting the public.

    This marks a leap forward in our fight against fraud and will provide law enforcement and industry partners the clarity they need to protect the public from this shameful crime. This government will continue to take robust action to protect the public from fraud and deliver security and resilience through the Plan for Change.

    Anyone who is worried about being a victim of fraud and wants to find out more about how to better stay protected, including understanding the tactics fraudsters use, should visit Stop! Think Fraud – How to stay safe from scams.

    Rachel Andrews, Head of Corporate Security at Vodafone UK, said:

    Vodafone UK is committed to protecting all our customers from fraud, including activity enabled by SIM farms. So far this year we have blocked over 38.5 million suspected scam messages, and in 2024 that figure reached over 73.5 million for the year.

    As an industry, UK telecoms operators have blocked more than 1 billion suspected scam messages since 2023. However, we cannot fully tackle fraud in isolation, collaboration between industry and government is crucial. This is a really important step taken by the Home Office and we fully support the inclusion of SIM farms in the upcoming legislation.

    We look forward to working together on this issue.

    Nick Sharp, Deputy Director for Fraud at the National Crime Agency, said:

    Fraud is the crime we are all most likely to experience, and one that causes victims significant emotional and financial harm.

    We know that fraud at scale is being facilitated by SIM farms, which give criminals a means and an opportunity to contact victims at scale with relative ease.

    The ban announced today is very welcome. It will give us a vital tool to step up our fight against fraudsters, target the services they rely on, and better protect the public.

    Updates to this page

    Published 24 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference takes place at Hillsborough Castle

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference takes place at Hillsborough Castle

    The conference is due to take place today, Thursday 24 April

    The British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference (BIIGC) will take place at Hillsborough Castle today (Thursday 24th April), the first time the Conference has been held in Northern Ireland since 2006. 

    Established under the Good Friday Agreement, the BIIGC is a bilateral forum  which meets regularly, aiming “to bring together the British and Irish Governments to promote cooperation at all levels on all matters of mutual interest within the competence of both Governments”. 

    Today’s meeting will be chaired by Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn and Tánaiste, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Minister for Defence Simon Harris. The meeting will also be attended by the Parliamentary under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Fleur Anderson MP and the Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan TD. 

    It follows the UK-Ireland summit in March when the two governments pledged to work closely to deliver security, investment and growth

    This new era of co-operation with Ireland is a key part of the UK Government’s Plan for Change to put more money in working people’s pockets across the country through a future of greater national security and renewal.

    At today’s BIIGC meeting, the two Governments are expected to discuss ongoing efforts to find a way forward regarding the legacy of the past in Northern Ireland. They will also cover political stability, security, and other areas of bilateral cooperation.

    Secretary of State Hilary Benn said:

    This will be an important meeting in developing the strong and close relationship between the UK and the Irish Governments as we continue to work together on a range of issues.

    Tánaiste Simon Harris said:

    I am looking forward to this significant meeting of the British Irish Intergovernmental Conference and to continuing the intensive discussions with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on the challenging but essential work of dealing with the legacy of the past.

    Updates to this page

    Published 24 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Reinstating Common Sense School Discipline Policies

    Source: The White House

    class=”has-text-align-left”>By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and to ensure safety and order in American classrooms, it is hereby ordered:

    Section 1.  Purpose and Policy.  The Federal Government will no longer tolerate known risks to children’s safety and well-being in the classroom that result from the application of school discipline based on discriminatory and unlawful “equity” ideology.

     In January 2014, the Department of Education and the Department of Justice jointly issued a “Dear Colleague” letter regarding school discipline.  In that letter, the Department of Education and the Department of Justice explained that schools could be found to violate Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 — and therefore could lose Federal funding — if their disciplinary decisions ran afoul of a newly imposed disparate-impact framework under which race-neutral disciplinary policies, applied in an even-handed manner, may be improper if members of any racial groups are suspended, expelled, or referred to law enforcement at higher rates than others.  The letter effectively required schools to discriminate on the basis of race by imposing discipline based on racial characteristics, rather than on objective behavior alone. 

    The consequences harmed students and schools.  A 2018 report from the Federal Commission on School Safety (Commission) noted evidence that, because of the 2014 letter, “schools ignored or covered up — rather than disciplined — student misconduct in order to avoid any purported racial disparity in discipline numbers that might catch the eye of the federal government.”  As a result, students who should have been suspended or expelled for dangerous behavior remained in the classroom, making all students less safe. 

    As the Commission found:  “When school leaders focus on aggregate school discipline numbers rather than the specific circumstances and conduct that underlie each matter, schools become less safe,” and “[r]esearch clearly indicates that the failure of schools to appropriately discipline disruptive students has consequences for overall student achievement.”  The Commission’s seemingly obvious conclusion was that “disciplinary decisions are best left in the hands of classroom teachers and administrators” and should be based on student behavior, rather than racial statistics.

    Following the Commission’s report on December 18, 2018, the 2014 Dear Colleague letter was rescinded.  In 2023, however, the previous administration’s Department of Education and Department of Justice issued new guidance noting that statistical racial disparities in student discipline may indicate violations of law, and encouraging schools to collect, analyze, and adjust their disciplinary policies in light of racial disciplinary data.  The 2023 guidance thus effectively reinstated the practice of weaponizing Title VI to promote an approach to school discipline based on discriminatory equity ideology.  As a consequence of these policies, teachers and students are suffering increased levels of classroom disorder and school violence.

    Sec. 2.  Definitions.  As used herein:
    (a)  The definitions in the Executive Order of January 29, 2025 (Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling), shall apply to this order.
    (b)  “Behavior Modification Techniques” means any school discipline policies or practices that incorporate or are based on discriminatory equity ideology.

    Sec. 3.  Ensuring Commonsense School Discipline Policies.      (a)  Within 30 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Education, in consultation with the Attorney General, shall issue new guidance to local educational agencies (LEAs) and State educational agencies (SEAs) regarding school discipline and their obligations not to engage in racial discrimination under Title VI in all contexts, including school discipline.
    (b)  The Secretary of Education shall take appropriate action with respect to LEAs and SEAs that fail to comply with Title VI protections against racial discrimination in the application of school discipline.
    (c)  Within 60 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Education and the Attorney General shall initiate coordination with Governors and State Attorneys General regarding the prevention of racial discrimination in the application of school discipline.
    (d)  Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Defense shall issue a revised school discipline code that appropriately protects and enhances the education of the children of America’s military-service families.
    (e)  Within 120 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Education shall, in coordination with the Attorney General, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and the Secretary of Homeland Security, submit a report to the President, through the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, regarding the status of discriminatory-equity-ideology-based school discipline and behavior modification techniques in American public education .  The report shall include:
              (i)    an inventory and analysis of the nature and consequences of all Title VI discipline-related investigations since 2009;
              (ii)   an assessment of the role of non-profit organizations that are Federal grant recipients in promoting discriminatory-equity-ideology-based discipline and behavior modification techniques, and recommendations to ensure that Federal taxpayer funds do not flow to programs or activities, including those of non-profit organizations, that promote discriminatory-equity-ideology-based discipline and behavior modification techniques;
             (iii)  an assessment of discipline-related policies and curricular options that do not promote discriminatory equity ideology; and
              (iv)   model school discipline policies that promote common sense, protect the safety and educational environment of students, do not promote unlawful discrimination, and are rooted in American values and traditional virtues.

         Sec. 4.  General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
              (i)   the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
              (ii)  the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
    (b)  This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
    (c)  This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

                                  DONALD J. TRUMP

    THE WHITE HOUSE,
        April 23, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Restoring Equality of Opportunity and Meritocracy

    Source: The White House

    class=”has-text-align-left”>By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:

    Section 1.  Purpose.  A bedrock principle of the United States is that all citizens are treated equally under the law.  This principle guarantees equality of opportunity, not equal outcomes.  It promises that people are treated as individuals, not components of a particular race or group.  It encourages meritocracy and a colorblind society, not race- or sex-based favoritism.  Adherence to this principle is essential to creating opportunity, encouraging achievement, and sustaining the American Dream.
    But a pernicious movement endangers this foundational principle, seeking to transform America’s promise of equal opportunity into a divisive pursuit of results preordained by irrelevant immutable characteristics, regardless of individual strengths, effort, or achievement.  A key tool of this movement is disparate-impact liability, which holds that a near insurmountable presumption of unlawful discrimination exists where there are any differences in outcomes in certain circumstances among different races, sexes, or similar groups, even if there is no facially discriminatory policy or practice or discriminatory intent involved, and even if everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed.  Disparate-impact liability all but requires individuals and businesses to consider race and engage in racial balancing to avoid potentially crippling legal liability.  It not only undermines our national values, but also runs contrary to equal protection under the law and, therefore, violates our Constitution.  
    On a practical level, disparate-impact liability has hindered businesses from making hiring and other employment decisions based on merit and skill, their needs, or the needs of their customers because of the specter that such a process might lead to disparate outcomes, and thus disparate-impact lawsuits.  This has made it difficult, and in some cases impossible, for employers to use bona fide job-oriented evaluations when recruiting, which prevents job seekers from being paired with jobs to which their skills are most suited — in other words, it deprives them of opportunities for success.  Because of disparate-impact liability, employers cannot act in the best interests of the job applicant, the employer, and the American public. 
    Disparate-impact liability imperils the effectiveness of civil rights laws by mandating, rather than proscribing, discrimination.  As the Supreme Court put it, “[t]he way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race.”
    Disparate-impact liability is wholly inconsistent with the Constitution and threatens the commitment to merit and equality of opportunity that forms the foundation of the American Dream.  Under my Administration, citizens will be treated equally before the law and as individuals, not consigned to a certain fate based on their immutable characteristics.

    Sec. 2.  Policy.  It is the policy of the United States to eliminate the use of disparate-impact liability in all contexts to the maximum degree possible to avoid violating the Constitution, Federal civil rights laws, and basic American ideals.

    Sec 3.  Revoking Certain Presidential Actions.  The following Presidential approvals of the regulations promulgated under 42 U.S.C. 2000d-1 are hereby revoked:
    (a)  the Presidential approval of July 25, 1966, of the Department of Justice Title VI regulations (31 Fed. Reg. 10269), as applied to 28 C.F.R. 42.104(b)(2) in full; and
    (b)  the Presidential approval of July 5, 1973, of the Department of Justice Title VI regulations (38 Fed. Reg. 17955, FR Doc. 73-13407), as applied to the words “or effect” in both places they appear in 28 C.F.R. 42.104(b)(3), and as applied to 28 C.F.R. 42.104(b)(6)(ii) and 28 C.F.R. 42.104(c)(2) in full.

    Sec. 4.  Enforcement Discretion to Ensure Lawful Governance.  Given the limited enforcement resources of executive departments and agencies (agencies), the unlawfulness of disparate-impact liability, and the policy of this order, all agencies shall deprioritize enforcement of all statutes and regulations to the extent they include disparate-impact liability, including but not limited to 42 U.S.C. 2000e-2, 28 C.F.R. 42.104(b)(2)–(3), 28 C.F.R. 42.104(b)(6)(ii), and 28 C.F.R. 42.104(c)(2). 

    Sec. 5.  Existing Regulations.  (a)  As delegated by Executive Order 12250 of November 2, 1980 (Leadership and Coordination of Nondiscrimination Laws), the Attorney General shall initiate appropriate action to repeal or amend the implementing regulations for Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 for all agencies to the extent they contemplate disparate-impact liability.
    (b)  Within 30 days of the date of this order, the Attorney General, in coordination with the heads of all other agencies, shall report to the President, through the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy:
    (i)   all existing regulations, guidance, rules, or orders that impose disparate-impact liability or similar requirements, and detail agency steps for their amendment or repeal, as appropriate under applicable law; and
    (ii)  other laws or decisions, including at the State level, that impose disparate-impact liability and any appropriate measures to address any constitutional or other legal infirmities.

    Sec. 6.  Review of Current Matters.  (a)  Within 45 days of the date of this order, the Attorney General and the Chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission shall assess all pending investigations, civil suits, or positions taken in ongoing matters under every Federal civil rights law within their respective jurisdictions, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, that rely on a theory of disparate-impact liability, and shall take appropriate action with respect to such matters consistent with the policy of this order.  
    (b)  Within 45 days of the date of this order, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, the Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Chair of the Federal Trade Commission, and the heads of other agencies responsible for enforcement of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (Public Law 93-495), Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (the Fair Housing Act (Public Law 90-284, as amended)), or laws prohibiting unfair, deceptive, or abusive acts or practices shall evaluate all pending proceedings that rely on theories of disparate-impact liability and take appropriate action with respect to such matters consistent with the policy of this order.
    (c)  Within 90 days of the date of this order, all agencies shall evaluate existing consent judgments and permanent injunctions that rely on theories of disparate-impact liability and take appropriate action with respect to such matters consistent with the policy of this order.  

     Sec. 7.  Future Agency Action.  (a)  In coordination with other agencies, the Attorney General shall determine whether any Federal authorities preempt State laws, regulations, policies, or practices that impose disparate-impact liability based on a federally protected characteristic such as race, sex, or age, or whether such laws, regulations, policies, or practices have constitutional infirmities that warrant Federal action, and shall take appropriate measures consistent with the policy of this order.
    (b)  The Attorney General and the Chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission shall jointly formulate and issue guidance or technical assistance to employers regarding appropriate methods to promote equal access to employment regardless of whether an applicant has a college education, where appropriate.

    Sec. 8.  Severability.  If any provision of this order, or the application of any provision to any individual or circumstance, is held to be invalid, the remainder of this order and the application of its other provisions to any other individuals or circumstances shall not be affected thereby.

    Sec. 9.  General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect: 
    (i)   the authority granted by law to an executive department, agency, or the head thereof; or 
    (ii)  the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals. 
    (b)  This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations. 
    (c)  This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person. 

                                   DONALD J. TRUMP

    THE WHITE HOUSE,
        April 23, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Four arrested following dairy burglary

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Four youths allegedly responsible for a burglary at a Mount Wellington dairy have been apprehended.

    At about 2.50am, Police were called to the shop on Commissariat Road following a report of a vehicle being used to enter the premises.

    Auckland City East Area Prevention Manager, Inspector Rachel Dolheguy, says the same four people then allegedly broke into another store next door and took a number of items before leaving in a different vehicle.

    “A short time later a Police unit spotted a vehicle travelling at high speed on Ireland Road.

    “The vehicle then crashed into a fence in Panmure and three occupants have fled on foot.”

    Inspector Dolheguy says it was lucky no one was injured.

    “The driver was taken into custody and other Police Units were able to quickly locate the other three people, two hiding in a playground and a third nearby.

    “Our community deserves to conduct their business without the threat of being a victim of crime and we will continue to respond and hold these offenders to account.

    “However we cannot do this alone, if you witness any suspicious or unlawful activity, please contact Police with as much information as possible.”

    You can contact us on 111, or for non-emergencies through 105.police.govt.nz, clicking “Make a Report” or call 105.

    Information can also be provided anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 0800 555 111.

    All four, aged 14 and 15, have been referred to Youth Aid Services.

    ENDS.

    Holly McKay/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Name release – death at Wairere Falls

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Police can now release the name of the man who died at Wairere Falls on Saturday 19 April.

    He was Abdullah Noori, 51, of Glen Innes, Auckland.

    Police extend their sympathies to his loved ones.

    His death has been referred to the Coroner.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Real Estate – National market turning a corner as listings surge and buyer confidence builds

    Source: Raine & Horne

    Highlights

    • Raine & Horne recorded a significant rise in listings and buyer activity in March 2025 across the country, signalling a strong property market rebound aligned with national price growth trends.
    • Affordable prices, infrastructure investment, and coastal lifestyle appeal are driving renewed interest from both first-home buyers and investors, especially in Southland and Christchurch.
    • Falling interest rates and more realistic vendor expectations have created a sweet spot for buyers, with quality homes around $850,000 in Tauranga and Mount Maunganui drawing strong demand.

    Wellington, NZ (24 April 2025) The national property market is showing clear signs of recovery, with a significant uplift in listing activity and buyer engagement recorded by leading real estate network Raine & Horne.

    New data reveals that Raine & Horne listings rose by 49% in March 2025 compared to December 2024, while open for inspections jumped by 175% over the same period. The uptick aligns with national trends, with CoreLogic reporting a +0.5% increase in property values in March, building on a +0.4% lift in February.

    Angus Raine, Executive Chairman of Raine & Horne, said the renewed momentum reflects improving market sentiment, buoyed by earlier interest rate cuts and increased brand awareness.

    “We’re pleased to see the property upturn beginning to take shape. The effects of OCR reductions always take time to filter through fully, but we’re starting to see confidence return,” Mr Raine said.

    “While demand remains patchy across some regional and metropolitan areas, that’s to be expected in a recovering economy. The encouraging consensus is that residential property values are likely to rise by around 5% nationally this year, fuelled by more affordable finance and steady buyer demand.”

    The return of investors is a big plus for Southland real estate

    On the ground, Raine & Horne Southland Franchise Owner Sheree Williams confirmed that market activity is building strongly.

    “Things are really starting to gain momentum here. Southland always moves to the beat of its own drum, and in the past few weeks we’ve definitely seen a noticeable upswing,” Mrs Williams said.

    “There are more buyers actively looking, and importantly, we’re also seeing a strong return of investors to the market.”

    Recent interest rate cuts are having an impact. “First-home buyers have remained a constant presence, but now investors are coming back with renewed confidence,” Mrs Williams said.

    For instance, Mrs Williams noted that a solid three-bedroom home at 586 Tay Street, Hawthorndale[i], is generating strong interest from both investors and first-home buyers. “With the potential to earn approximately $500 per week in rent, it’s a smart option for savvy investors,” she said.

    “However, it’s not all about investors. In many cases, first-home buyers are coming out ahead,” Mrs Williams added. “They’re more informed than ever, they know how to prepare financially, what steps to take, and how to position themselves competitively. So when it comes to going up against investors, they’re holding their own more than ever before.”

    As for what’s attracting buyers to Southland, Mrs Williams said: “It’s definitely our affordability, hands down.

    “Southland remains one of the most affordable regions in the country, which is a huge drawcard. But it’s not just the price point, there’s a lot happening here.

    “We’ve got exciting new infrastructure projects underway that are drawing interest from outside the region. Combined with strong local employment across key industries such as healthcare, agriculture, and education, and an unbeatable lifestyle, it’s giving people real confidence to make the move and invest in Southland.”

    Christchurch attracts buyers chasing coastal lifestyle and “bang for buck”

    In Christchurch, Nick McIsaac-Luke, Franchise Owner at Raine & Horne Parklands, New Brighton, Shirley, Burwood, and Marshland, said the local property market has remained relatively steady. “We’ve seen a bit of a dip over the past couple of years, but right now, things are looking pretty solid,” he said.

    Commenting on what’s driving demand, Mr McIsaac-Luke added, “I’m seeing more people from the North Island realising how good it is down here. Even people from the lower South Island are making the move. Everyone’s cottoning on to the fact you can get wicked bang for buck in Christchurch — you can live by the beach for under a million.”

    To illustrate, Mr McIsaac-Luke and business partner Tina Lawson recently sold a stunning and spacious four-bedroom house at 1 Iti Place, Parklands. “This is a fantastic house that sold within four and a half weeks for $975,000.

    Mr McIsaac-Luke said Parklands is proving especially popular with lifestyle seekers. “It’s probably one of the top spots right now for people wanting that laid-back lifestyle. We’re right on the edge of the forest, and the beach is just five minutes away — seven at a push.

    “In Auckland or Wellington, this would literally be a $1.8 million house — maybe more,” Mr McIsaac-Luke said. “We’re seeing buyers from those cities thinking, ‘We’re sitting on a $2 million home — let’s sell up, move to Christchurch, get relocated by our employer or work remotely, buy a million-dollar mansion, and still have money left in the bank or buying a rental or two on the side.’”

    Confidence returns to Bay of Plenty as rates fall and vendors meet the market

    In the Bay of Plenty region, Paul Billinghurst, Principal of Raine & Horne Mount Maunganui, Tauranga, Katikati, Waihi Beach, and Waihi, said there’s been a clear uplift in market activity over the past six months.

    “People have been more open to transacting. Buyers have responded well since the Reserve Bank began cutting the official cash rate (OCR) and are less spooked by high interest rates,” Mr Billinghurst said.

    “The commentary suggesting prices have bottomed out has also encouraged buyers to act. They see it as a buyers’ market and are coming in confidently.”

    On the flip side, Mr Billinghurst stated that many vendors have moved on from waiting for post-COVID price peaks to return and are now more prepared to meet the market.

    Mr Billinghurst said, “Vendors are recognising the heady days of 2021 are long past, as are the prices being achieved back then.

    “If owners are selling and buying in the same market, they are more willing to accept a lower market price on their current property and pay a lower market price for their new one to be able to move forward.”

    In Tauranga and Mount Maunganui, Mr Billinghurst said that quality properties around $850,00 were in the sweet spot for many buyers.

    “We have a lot of first home buyers really active, up to $850,000, who are snapping up quality properties in Tauranga and Mount Maunganui.

    Outside of any geopolitical risks, such as potential US tariffs, Mr Billinghurst believes the Bay of Plenty market is poised for a strong finish to 2025.

    “We’re on track for a really solid and stable market over the final three quarters of the year,” he said. “It’s shaping up to be a return to more normal conditions.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: SH1 closed following serious crash, Raumanga

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Emergency services are responding to a serious crash on State Highway 1 in Raumanga this morning.

    Police were notified of the crash between a truck and a pedestrian at about 9.34am.

    At this early stage it appears one person has been critically injured.

    The road has been closed in both directions with emergency services respond.

    Diversions are in place at Tauroa Street and South End Avenue.

    The Serious Crash Unit has been advised.

    ENDS.

    Holly McKay/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Road closed, SH1, Tokoroa

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    State Highway 1 north of Tokoroa is blocked following a serious crash.

    It happened near the intersection with Tamatea Road about 9:50am, and involved two vehicles.

    Indications are that one person is seriously injured.

    The Serious Crash Unit has been advised.

    Diversions are in place at Rollett Road and Wiltsdown Road, and motorists are asked to follow these, or delay travel if possible.

    ENDS

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Update – SH1 crash, Tokoroa

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    State Highway 1 north of Tokoroa is expected to remain closed for much of the day following the earlier crash.

    One person involved in the two-vehicle crash is in critical condition.

    Motorists are asked to follow the diversions at Rollett Road and Wiltsdown Road.

    ENDS

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Evans, Larson, DeLauro, Frankel to Introduce ‘Claws Off Social Security’ Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Dwight Evans (2nd District of Pennsylvania)

    Democrats push to protect struggling seniors from Trump’s drastic ‘clawbacks’

    WASHINGTON (April 15, 2025) – U.S. Reps. Dwight Evans (D-PA), John Larson (D-CT), Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and Lois Frankel (D-FL) announced they will introduce the “Claws Off Social Security” Act, aimed at protecting struggling seniors from drastic “clawback” payments ordered by the Trump administration.

    “Under a new Trump administration policy, seniors who received an overpayment because of someone else’s mistake are seeing up to their entire checks withheld, forcing some to choose between basics like food, rent and medicine. Our bill would cap these ‘clawbacks’ at a reasonable 10 percent of monthly benefits, restoring a policy the Biden administration put in place last year,” said Evans, who serves on the House Ways and Means Committee, which oversees Social Security.

    “I’m proud to have three Social Security champions — Representatives John Larson, Rosa DeLauro and Lois Frankel – as co-lead sponsors on this bill. We are telling the Trump administration ‘Claws Off’ people’s earned benefits!”

    The two-page bill would:

    • cap the Social Security Administration’s overpayment withholding rate at 10 percent of a Social Security benefit on a monthly basis;
    • allow beneficiaries the option to repay overpayment in larger amounts if they choose; and
    • allow for an exception in cases of fraud.

    “Elon Musk and Donald Trump will not lose a minute of sleep over their new policy that will mean seniors may lose their entire Social Security check through no fault of their own,” said Larson, ranking member of the Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee. “Social Security is an earned benefit that our seniors rely on to put food on the table, afford their medications, and keep a roof over their heads. Make no mistake about it – these ‘claw backs’ are about ripping checks out of seniors’ hands to pay for tax cuts for billionaires. Our Claws Off Social Security Act is a common-sense bill to restore the Social Security Administration’s policy protecting beneficiaries from being excessively penalized for accidental overpayments. Congress must act to defend our seniors’ hard-earned benefits from this cruel policy.”

    “If the government makes a mistake & overpays your monthly Social Security, the government can freeze your benefits,” said DeLauro, ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee. “I led the charge to fix overpayment errors without complete clawbacks, but now, President Trump is moving policies that will rollback that progress while driving up costs for seniors. Americans rely on these benefits—they shouldn’t be punished for government errors.”

    “For so many seniors, their Social Security check isn’t extra – it’s everything,” said Frankel, who serves on the Appropriations subcommittee that oversees funding for the Social Security Administration. “It puts food on the table, keeps the lights on, and pays for the medicine they need. But under Donald Trump’s cruel new rule, seniors who’ve done nothing wrong could suddenly lose all of their income overnight – forcing them to go months or even years without a dime to live on. That’s just wrong. Our bill will restore fairness and common sense by capping repayments at 10 percent, just like it was under President Biden – because no senior should be punished into poverty for a government mistake.”

    Also co-sponsoring the bill are Reps. Nanette Barragán (D-CA), Sanford Bishop (D-GA), Brendan Boyle (D-PA), Danny Davis (D-IL), Maxine Dexter (D-OR), Lloyd Doggett and Sylvia Garcia (both D-TX), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Chellie Pingree (D-ME), Delia Ramirez (D-IL), Linda Sánchez (D-CA), Terri Sewell (D-AL), Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA), Tom Suozzi (D-NY), Rashida Tlaib and Shri Thanedar (both D-MI), and Paul Tonko (D-NY).

    Organizations endorsing the bill include the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging, Justice in Aging, National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, and Social Security Works. 

    The bill is expected to be referred to the Ways and Means Committee, on which Evans, Larson, Boyle, Davis, Doggett, Moore, Sánchez, Sewell and Suozzi serve.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: LEADER JEFFRIES STATEMENT ON TERROR ATTACK IN KASHMIR

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)

    Know Your Immigration Rights

    If you or a loved one encounter immigration enforcement officials, it is essential that you know your rights and have prepared your household for all possible outcomes.

    Ask for a warrant: The Fourth Amendment of the Constitution protects you from unreasonable search and seizure. You do not have to open your door until you see a valid warrant to enter your home or search your belongings.

    Your right to remain silent: The Fifth Amendment protects your right to remain silent and not incriminate yourself. You are not required to share any personal information such as your place of birth, immigration status or criminal history.

    Always consult an attorney: You have a right to speak with an attorney. You do not have to sign anything or hand officials any documents without speaking to an attorney. Try to identify and consult one in advance.

    The New York City Office of Civil Justice and the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) support a variety of free immigration legal services through local nonprofit legal organizations. To access these resources, dial 311 and say “Action NYC,” call the MOIA Immigration Legal Support Hotline at 800-354-0365 Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. or visit MOIA’s website.

    Learn more here: KNOW YOUR IMMIGRATION RIGHTS  – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Kelly Congratulates Senator Durbin on Retirement, Successful Career

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Robin Kelly IL

    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly (IL-02) released the following statement after U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced his retirement:

    “I’d like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Senator Dick Durbin on his career in public service. For nearly three decades, Senator Durbin has fought for everyday Americans, from introducing the DREAM Act to bringing historic infrastructure funding to the state of Illinois. He led the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, who shattered racial barriers as the first Black woman to sit on the high court.

    “Senator Durbin may be leaving Congress, but his legacy will reverberate throughout Illinois and the country. A public servant at heart, his leadership, character and commitment to the people of Illinois will remain steadfast even after his days in office. I wish my friend Senator Durbin, his wife Loretta and his family all the best.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: St Johns homicide: Significant developments as arrests made

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    The Police investigation into the tragic death of Kyle Whorrall over Easter Weekend has progressed significantly.

    Detective Inspector Glenn Baldwin says on Tuesday afternoon, Police obtained further information about a black SUV that was subject of a media appeal.

    “The Operation Aberfeldy team commenced investigations into this vehicle of interest and its movements.

    “I can confirm we have now located this vehicle on the North Shore, and it has been seized by Police with a detailed forensic examination underway.”

    In a significant development, the investigation team have also identified a person of interest in the case.

    Detective Inspector Baldwin says late yesterday afternoon, Police executed a search warrant at a Beach Haven address.

    “A 16-year-old male was arrested and charged with aggravated robbery and murder,” he says.

    “He will be appearing in the Auckland Youth Court today.”

    A 32-year-old North Shore woman has also been charged with being an accessory after the fact to murder.

    This woman will be appearing in the Auckland District Court today.

    Detective Inspector Baldwin says: “We are aware that there were other occupants in the vehicle at the time this crime was committed.

    “This investigation is by no means over.

    “Our enquiries are ongoing to locate these persons of interest, and I encourage them to do the right thing and come into their nearest Police station or phone us.”

    Police acknowledge the support from the St Johns community, and further afield.

    “There has been a stream of information that has come into us, and we are working through this. 

    “We value and appreciate the community support,” Detective Inspector Baldwin says.

    As part of the investigation, Police are still working to fully understand the events of Saturday night, and why Kyle tragically lost his life.

    Police are still seeking information on the white Toyota ute, which had been cut off by the vehicle of interest.

    “I want to reiterate to those occupants that they are witnesses, and their information is important to our investigation,” Detective Inspector Baldwin says.

    “Please come forward at the earliest opportunity.”

    If you have information, please contact Police online or call 105 using the reference number 250419/9858.

    Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

    ENDS.

    Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican National Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison After Attempting to Traffic Over 38 Kilos of Methamphetamine in Utah

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Fermin Castro-Tovar, 26, a Mexican national, living in the United States illegally, was sentenced to 96 months’ imprisonment and three years’ supervised release, after he attempted to traffic over 38,000 grams of methamphetamine in the District of Utah and distributed approximately one pound of meth to undercover agents.

    The sentence, imposed by Senior U.S District Court Judge Ted Stewart comes after Castro-Tovar pleaded guilty on January 14, 2025, to possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute.

    According to court documents and statements made at Castro-Tovar’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, in May 2024, Castro-Tovar sold methamphetamine during a controlled purchase to agents with the Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force. On May 30, 2024, law enforcement seized 24,020 grams of methamphetamine at a storage unit associated to him. At Castro Tovar’s residence, agents seized approximately 3,401 grams of methamphetamine. At an apartment associated to Tovar, agents seized three additional bags of methamphetamine weighing approximately 4,388 grams, 4,139 grams and 2,890 grams. In total, Castro-Tovar possessed and intended to distribute 38,838 grams of methamphetamine. See prior release: Foreign National Accused of Attempting to Traffic Over 38 Kilos of Methamphetamine in Utah.

    “Stopping deadly drugs from being distributed throughout our communities is a priority,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti of the District of Utah. “We will continue to work with our state, local and federal partners to dismantle organizations that bring drugs into our country and threaten community safety.”

    “The amount of methamphetamine in this case potentially amounts to hundreds of thousands of doses,” said Special Agent in Charge Mehtab Syed of the Salt Lake City FBI. “Illicit drugs have devastated too many lives in Utah. Public safety is at the forefront of everything we do, and the FBI’s Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force will use every resource available to cut the supply at the highest levels.”

    The case was investigated by the Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force, consisting of the FBI and the Davis Metro Narcotic Strike Force.

    Assistant United States Attorney Seth Nielson of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.

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

    This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Hattiesburg Man Sentenced to Nearly Three Years in Prison for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Hattiesburg, MS – A Hattiesburg man was sentenced to 35 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

    According to court documents, Scotty James Conley, 40, of was found by the Forrest County Sheriff’s Office to be in possession of a firearm after responding to a complaint of a residential disturbance. Conley has a prior felony conviction from 2008 for sexual battery of a minor under 14 years of age. As a convicted felon he is prohibited by federal law from possessing a firearm or ammunition.

    Conley was indicted by a federal grand jury on January 10, 2023. He pled guilty on January 27, 2025.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.

    The FBI and Forrest County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Allen prosecuted the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Chula Vista Towing Company Agrees to Settle Allegations That It Illegally Auctioned a Servicemember’s Car During Deployment

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN DIEGO – Tony’s Auto Center, a towing company in Chula Vista, California, has agreed to a settlement to resolve allegations that it violated the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) when it auctioned a car owned by an active-duty servicemember while he was deployed at sea.

    According to the United States’ complaint, U.S. Navy Lieutenant Jonathan Liongson was deployed in November 2022 aboard the USS Bunker Hill. Before leaving for deployment, Lieutenant Liongson had placed personal items in his 2011 Mazda 6 and parked the car at a friend’s house.

    While Lieutenant Liongson was at sea, the Chula Vista Police Department impounded the car because of an expired registration, and Tony’s Auto Center towed the car to its facility. About two months later, Tony’s Auto Center, through its agent, sold Lieutenant Liongson’s car at auction without first obtaining a court order authorizing the sale, as is required by the SCRA. In March 2023, the Lieutenant returned home from deployment to find that his car had been towed. He then contacted Tony’s Auto Center and learned that they had sold his car.

    The SCRA is a federal law that provides legal and financial protections to military members and their families while they are in military service. One of the SCRA’s protections requires anyone holding a lien on the property of a servicemember to obtain a court order prior to auctioning off, selling or otherwise disposing of that property.

    “The SCRA protects the rights of the men and women who serve in our Armed Forces, which allows them to devote their full attention to defending our country,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “While Lieutenant Liongson was at sea, he understood that his ship’s mission and the duration of their deployment could change at any moment. He accepted that reality in the fulfillment of his solemn oath. In turn, the SCRA provides grace and understanding about certain personal affairs. Lieutenant Liongson’s car should not have been auctioned off in his absence. We hope this settlement encourages all towing companies to review and improve their policies and ensure that the rights of all servicemembers are honored and respected.”

    “Members of our armed forces should not have to worry about their cars being auctioned off while they are deployed on missions defending our freedoms, liberties and rights,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Civil Rights Division. “This settlement should send a strong message to other towing companies that they should not take advantage of our servicemembers while they are keeping Americans safe.”

    Under the settlement agreement, Lieutenant Liongson will receive $7,500 in damages. The United States will also receive a $2,000 civil penalty, and Tony’s Auto Center must implement new policies to prevent future violations of the SCRA.

    The Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California jointly handled this case. Since 2011, the Justice Department has obtained more than $481 million in monetary relief for more than 147,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. For more information about the department’s SCRA enforcement efforts, please visit https://www.justice.gov/servicemembers.

    Servicemembers and their dependents who believe that their rights under the SCRA have been violated should contact the nearest Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program Office. Office locations can be found at https://legalassistance.law.af.mil/.

    This case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly A. Reis.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn Urges USDA, HHS, EPA to Safeguard MAHA Work From Environmental Activists

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn

    AUSTIN – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) sent a letter to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin calling for the use of sound science and risk-based analysis as the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission finalizes its work, particularly on crop protection tools and food-grade ingredients:

    The lawmakers wrote: “We write to express our strong appreciation for your leadership and interest in working with each of you to ensure America has the healthiest people in the world. In recent decades, chronic illness rates have risen. This warrants our careful scrutiny to support better health outcomes. It is essential that policies supported by sound science and risk-based analyses are used to accomplish this goal.”

    “We have concerns that environmentalists are advancing harmful health, economic, or food security policies under the guise of human health. Despite insinuations to the contrary, regular testing by FDA and USDA finds that more than 99% of all pesticide residues meet extremely conservative limits established by EPA according to the best available science.”

    Other signatories include Senators Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Steve Daines (R-MT), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Jim Justice (R-WV), Jim Risch (R-ID), Todd Young (R-IN), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), and Mike Rounds (R-SD).

    Read the full letter here or below:

    Dear Secretary Kennedy, Secretary Rollins, and Administrator Zeldin:

    We write to express our strong appreciation for your leadership and interest in working with each of you to ensure America has the healthiest people in the world. In recent decades, chronic illness rates have risen. This warrants our careful scrutiny and to support better health outcomes. It is essential that policies supported by sound science and risk-based analyses are used to accomplish this goal.

    We also urge you to safeguard the work of the Make America Healthy Again Commission (Commission) from activist groups promoting misguided and sometimes even malicious policies masquerading as health solutions. The influence of these groups in the Commission would result in shoddy science; a less abundant, less affordable food supply; greater reliance on foreign adversaries for our food; diminished U.S. agricultural production and manufacturing; and, ultimately, poorer health outcomes.

    President Trump recently stated environmental activists were holding the economic prosperity of our country hostage. We now have concerns that they are seeking to influence the work of the Commission to advance their agenda. For decades activist groups have tried to ban safe, well-regulated agricultural inputs by any means necessary. Without these products, yields and quality are negatively impacted by otherwise avoidable insects, fungus, weeds, and other pest pressures. This drives up food prices for American consumers and forces reliance of food imports.

    The same groups have seized upon the Commission’s work as an opportunity to misrepresent the science on common food and feed categories or ingredients, such as plant-based oils. These inputs are subject to a robust, risk-based regulatory system which focuses on protecting human health. Unfounded accusations harm the U.S. farmers who grow our food, upend food and feed supply chains, and significantly increase grocery food prices – all without public health benefit.

    We have concerns that environmentalists are advancing harmful health, economic, or food security policies under the guise of human health. Despite insinuations to the contrary, regular testing by FDA and USDA finds that more than 99% of all pesticide residues meet extremely conservative limits established by EPA according to the best available science.

    We applaud the Commission’s desire to improve the health and well-being of Americans. We implore you to ensure policy decisions are grounded in sound science and risk-based analyses. With unity, we can protect American agricultural producers from environmental activists’ attacks on proven-safe inputs critical to their profitability and long-term viability while promoting positive health outcomes.

    Sincerely,

    /s/

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Kansas City Man Indicted for Illegal Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was indicted by a federal grand jury today for illegally possessing a firearm.

    Marcus J. Porras, 31, was charged in a single-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas, City, Mo.  Today’s indictment replaces a federal complaint that was filed against Porras on April 14, 2025.

    According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, on April 13, 2025, officers of the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department were dispatched to the area of Westport Road and Broadway Boulevard to meet private security officers who had detained Porras for fighting.

    A security officer reported he was flagged down by patrons of the entertainment district regarding a fight inside an establishment within the Westport Entertainment District.  The security officer reportedly observed multiple females and two males physically fighting.  The females dispersed, and the two males continued to fight with one another.  One of the males pointed at Porras indicating that Porras had a firearm.

    Porras was taken into custody.  The security officer retrieved a Glock 43, 9mm pistol near the area of the incident.  The Glock 43 was loaded with one live 9mm round in the chamber.  The security officer also recovered a magazine loaded with six live 9mm rounds.

    Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition.  Porras has prior felony convictions for robbery, armed criminal action, unlawful use of a weapon, and resisting an arrest, detention, or stop.

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

    This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Jennings It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo. Police Department.

    Project Safe Neighborhoods

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Three Members of the Highs Street Gang Convicted of RICO Conspiracy and Premeditated Murder

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MINNEAPOLIS – Following a three-week trial, a federal jury in Minneapolis convicted three Minnesota men today of RICO Conspiracy and Premediated Murder for their involvement in the violent Minneapolis criminal street gang known as the Highs and the August 7, 2021, gang-related murder of Darryl Wells.

    “Minneapolis criminal street gangs have inflicted devastating harm on our community for far too long.  Three years ago, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced our federal violent crime initiative to address the skyrocketing and completely unacceptable rates of violent crime in Minnesota,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. “Since then, we have brought large RICO cases against three criminal street gangs—charging them as the violent enterprises they are.  Make no mistake:  we will not stop.  Criminal street gangs in Minneapolis will continue to see federal justice.  The citizens of Minnesota—the many victims of these crimes—deserve no less.”

    “These defendants participated in a senseless murder and other acts of violence that terrorized their community,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s conviction holds accountable members of a violent gang and shows the Department’s commitment to hold accountable criminal enterprises that use murder and intimidation to exert power. We remain steadfast in our commitment to dismantle violent gangs and secure justice for the victims and their loved ones.”

    “This was cold-blooded, calculated violence meant to control through fear,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “They believed violence gave them power — but today’s conviction proves that justice is stronger. The FBI, together with our law enforcement partners, are committed to dismantling these criminal enterprises and holding violent offenders accountable.”

    “Today’s conviction sends a strong message that violent street gangs will not be tolerated in our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Travis Riddle, of the ATF St. Paul Field Division. “Through the power of the RICO statute, ATF agents, in partnership with federal, state, and local law enforcement, have been able to target the violent criminal activity of the Highs gang. This conviction is a direct result of the tireless work by our agents who are committed to dismantling these criminal organizations and ensuring that those who use violence to control neighborhoods are held accountable. ATF will continue to lead efforts to take down street gangs and protect the citizens of Minneapolis.”

    “Minneapolis has seen a significant drop in violent crime, especially gun violence, thanks to the outstanding work of MPD officers and our law enforcement partners. Most notably, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has been instrumental in helping us target the small number of individuals driving violence, without causing harm to the broader communities we serve.  Together, we’re not just reducing crime — we’re rebuilding trust,” said Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara.

    “Today’s verdict marks a decisive victory in the fight against violent criminal organizations,” said Ramsey E. Covington, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office. “Reducing violence in this community has required a change in tactics and IRS Criminal Investigation special agents are perfectly poised to support our law enforcement partners in this effort. Our agents will continue to apply their financial expertise and investigative skills to bring justice to those who endanger our communities and threaten our way of life.”

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Keon Pruitt, 22, Dantrell Johnson, 32, and Gregory Hamilton, 29, each of Minneapolis, were all members of various “cliques” or subsets, of the Highs—a criminal enterprise that controlled territory north of West Broadway Avenue in Minneapolis. Evidence at trial proved that members of the Highs committed murders, narcotics trafficking, weapons violations, burglaries, assaults, and robberies on behalf of the enterprise.  As members of the Highs, the defendants were expected to retaliate against the rival Lows gang, which operated south of West Broadway Avenue.

    Evidence produced at trial showed that, on August 7, 2021, a prominent Highs member was shot and killed by a Lows member at the Winner gas station, a Highs hangout.  The following day, August 8, 2021, Highs members organized a memorial for the deceased member at the gas staF. App’x tion, where they distributed firearms and encouraged one another to retaliate against Lows members for the murder.  Defendants Pruitt, Johnson, and Hamilton were all in attendance at the memorial.

    Later that day, Johnson and Hamilton drove to a Lows hangout—Wally’s Foods—and shot a Lows associate, who survived his injuries. Approximately two hours later, Johnson, Hamilton, and Pruitt drove to Skyline Market, another known Lows hangout, to shoot another Lows member. They mistakenly believed Darryl Wells was a Lows member and the store’s cameras captured them shooting Wells inside the store. Wells ran from the store and into the street. Pruitt, who was driving two juveniles in a stolen Porsche, let the juveniles out of the car. They then chased Wells into a nearby alley and fired additional shots at him. All told, Wells was shot at least eight times.

    The jury convicted Pruitt, Johnson, and Hamilton of Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Conspiracy and Using a Firearm to Cause Death. Each defendant faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. Their sentencing hearings will be scheduled in the near future.

    This is the first of several trials in this case, which charged a total of 28 defendants with RICO Conspiracy, narcotics trafficking, firearms offenses, and other charges related to their activities as members and associates of the Highs gang.  Sixteen defendants are pending trial.

    The ATF, FBI, Minneapolis Police Department, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and Minnesota Department of Corrections are investigating the cases, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service, DEA, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office. The Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office, Dakota County Sheriff’s Office, St. Paul Police Department, and numerous other law enforcement agencies contributed to this investigation through reports or evidence control. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Lopez-Calhoun, Albania Concepcion, and Rebecca Kline of the District of Minnesota, and Trial Attorney Brian Lynch of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime & Racketeering Section, tried this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carla Baumel and Trial Attorney Alyssa Levey-Weinstein also worked on the investigation and trial. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Maryland Man Admits to Leading Drug Trafficking Operation in Eastern Panhandle

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

    ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Lenin Erasmo Luna Mota, 52, of Hagerstown, Maryland, has admitted to leading a drug trafficking organization that sold large quantities of fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine in Berkeley County.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Luna Mota, also known as “Papi,” was one of the leaders of the drug trafficking conspiracy, using his business located in Hagerstown, Maryland, as a central hub for the drug sales.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.

    The FBI; the U.S. Marshals Service; Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the West Virginia Air National Guard; the Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative (agencies included are the West Virginia State Police, Berkeley County Sheriff’s Department, Jefferson County Sherriff’s Department, Ranson Police Department, Charles Town Police Department, and Martinsburg City Police Department); West Virginia State Police; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; the Hagerstown Police Department; the National Resources Police Department; FBI-New York Safe Streets Task Force; the New York Police Department; the New Jersey State Police; the Washington County (Maryland) Drug Task Force; the Maryland State Police; the  U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland;  and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania investigated.

    This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: High-Ranking Tren de Aragua Member in Custody on Terrorism and International Drug Distribution Charges

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    A five-count superseding indictment has been unsealed today charging a Venezuelan national and alleged high-ranking member of the designated foreign terrorist organization Tren de Aragua (TdA).  

    Jose Enrique Martinez Flores also known as “Chuqui,” 24, is charged in the Southern District of Texas (SDTX) with conspiring to provide and providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization as well as conspiracy and distribution of cocaine in Colombia intended for distribution in the United States.

    “TdA is not a street gang – it is a highly structured terrorist organization that put down roots in our country during the prior administration,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Today’s charges represent an inflection point in how this Department of Justice will prosecute and ultimately dismantle this evil organization, which has destroyed American families and poisoned our communities.”

    “For the past few years, foreign gangs like TdA have more or less been able to enter the country with impunity, coming here to distribute deadly drugs and terrorize American citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei for the SDTX. “That ends now. This Department of Justice is committed to uprooting this terrorist gang, dismantling its criminal operations, and either imprisoning its members or removing them from the country. SDTX is proud to lead this fight.”

    “TdA is a direct threat to our national security, to our communities, and to Americans,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Together with our law enforcement partners, the FBI continues in our pursuit to eliminate this violent terrorist organization from our streets, and today’s announcement makes it clear that these criminals, especially the leaders of these cartels, have no place in our country.”

    “This joint Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)-FBI operation — alongside partners in the United States and Colombia — is further evidence that we must continue to focus our efforts on members of TdA who continue to pump poison into our communities,” said DEA Acting Administrator Derek Maltz. “This is another example of DEA’s tenacity to hunt these networks down, wherever they operate, and crush their evil grip on American lives.”

    Colombian authorities arrested Flores in Colombia March 31 pursuant to a provisional arrest warrant the United States had requested. He remains in custody in Colombia pending further proceedings. 

    A federal grand jury in Houston returned the superseding indictment April 8. 

    According to the allegations, Flores is charged with one count of conspiring to provide material support to TdA in the form of personnel (including himself) and services and one count of providing material support to TdA. The indictment also alleges one count of international drug distribution conspiracy based on his involvement in the distribution of five kilograms of cocaine or more, and two substantive counts of international drug distribution.

    The Department of State designated TdA as a foreign terrorist organization and Specially Designated Global Terrorist Feb. 20. 

    According to information presented to the court, Flores is a high-ranking TdA leader in Bogota, Colombia, and is part of the inner circle of senior TdA leadership.

    Flores also allegedly caused the delivery of approximately five kilograms or more of cocaine for international distribution, proceeds that were used to further TdA’s criminal goals. 

    If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. 

    The FBI Houston Field Office and DEA conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Houston Police Department, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, Colombian National Police and the Colombian Attorney General’s Office (Fiscalía General de la Nación). The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of Judicial Attaché in Bogotá, Colombia, provided significant assistance. 

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey N. MacDonald and Anibal J. Alaniz of the SDTX are prosecuting the case along with Deputy Director David C. Smith from the Department of Justice’s Joint Task Force Vulcan (JTFV). 

    JTFV was created in 2019 to eradicate MS-13 and now expanded to target TdA and is comprised of U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country. Those include SDTX; Southern and Eastern Districts of New York; Northern District of Ohio; Districts of New Jersey, Utah, Massachusetts, Nevada and Alaska; Eastern District of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Eastern District of Virginia; Southern District of California; and the District of Columbia, as well as the Department of Justice’s National Security Division and the Criminal Division. Additionally, the FBI; DEA; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Forearms and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; and the Federal Bureau of Prisons have been essential law enforcement partners with JTFV.

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

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

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Illuminating NYS Landmarks for Work Zone Awareness Week

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today announced 13 State landmarks will be illuminated orange for “Go Orange Day” and to commemorate National Work Zone Awareness Week.

    “Safety for all New Yorkers is my top priority, especially those who have dedicated their careers to ensuring that our roadways are well maintained and safe for motorists,” said Governor Hochul. “This year, I encourage all New Yorkers to do their part by reducing speed, eliminating distractions and staying vigilant in work zones so that our hard-working and dedicated roadside workers are safe.”

    On Monday, Governor Hochul highlighted April 21-25, 2025 as National Work Zone Awareness Week. Throughout the week, the New York State Thruway Authority and State Department of Transportation will be hosting awareness events, lighting digital highway signs with safety messages and sharing important safety reminders on social media platforms. This continues the Governor’s commitment to traffic safety, from launching the public awareness campaign, “Slow Down, Move Over” and signing a bill to expand the “Move Over” law in 2023.

    Governor Hochul has proposed making the Automated Work Zone Speed Enforcement pilot program permanent and increasing penalties for repeat violators in her Fiscal Year 2026 Executive Budget, in addition to expanding the program to include Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Bridges and Tunnels and New York State Bridge Authority properties. Additionally, the Governor has proposed enhancing penalties for assaults against transportation workers, extending protections similar to those provided to many MTA and retail workers. These actions will improve safety for both highway workers and drivers.

    New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said, “The lighting of state landmarks as part of ‘Go Orange Day’ is a fitting tribute to the highway workers across New York who work every day in dangerous conditions to make our roads and bridges safe for all New Yorkers. I thank Governor Hochul for her ongoing commitment to protect our state highway workers by supporting the work zone speed camera program and encouraging all motorists to exercise extreme caution in work zones across New York State.”

    New York State Thruway Authority Executive Director Frank G. Hoare said, “We express our gratitude to Governor Hochul for emphasizing and raising awareness about work zone safety. The Governor’s leadership and commitment to expanding New York’s Move Over Law, proposing to make the Automated Work Zone Speed Enforcement program permanent, and increasing penalties for repeat offenders are crucial measures in safeguarding our hardworking individuals and ensuring they return home safely each day.”

    State Senator Lea Webb said, “As a champion of the ‘Move Over’ law which promotes driver and transportation safety, I’m proud that New York is standing up for our roadside workers. Seeing our state landmarks glow orange tonight is a powerful reminder of the men and women who risk their lives every day to keep our roads safe and accessible. It’s more than just a show of light – it’s a beacon of respect, appreciation and a call to action.”

    State Senator Jeremy Cooney said, “As chair of the NYS Senate Transportation Committee, ensuring the safety of New York’s roadside workers is a top priority. By slowing down and practicing extra caution in work zones, we can do our part to ensure our dedicated roadside workers return home safely each night. I’m proud to support Governor Hochul’s ‘Move Over Law’ to make our roads safer for both motorists and workers.”

    Assemblymember Bill Magnarelli said, “Work Zone safety continues to be a priority for me as Chair of the Transportation Committee. In 2021, I was proud to sponsor and get passed into law legislation creating a pilot program for the use of speed cameras in work zones. Our workers deserve a safe working environment and to safely go home to their families at the end of their shifts.”

    Landmarks to be lit include:

    • 1WTC
    • Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge
    • Kosciuszko Bridge
    • The H. Carl McCall SUNY Building
    • Alfred E. Smith State Office Building
    • Empire State Plaza
    • State Fairgrounds – Main Gate & Expo Center
    • Niagara Falls
    • The “Franklin D. Roosevelt” Mid-Hudson Bridge
    • Albany International Airport Gateway
    • MTA LIRR – East End Gateway at Penn Station
    • Fairport Lift Bridge over the Erie Canal
    • Moynihan Train Hall

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Armed Drug Dealer Receives 10 Years in Federal Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW BERN, N.C. – Eric Harris, 38, of Wilmington, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for distribution of a quantity of methamphetamine and fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.  Harris pled guilty to the charges on January 16, 2025. 

    According to court documents and other information presented in court, law enforcement received information that Harris had traveled to Charlotte, North Carolina to purchase methamphetamine that he planned to sell in Wilmington.  Between August 20 and September 9, 2024, the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office made controlled purchases from Harris of more than 3 ounces of methamphetamine and 10 grams of fentanyl at the Campus Edge Apartments in Wilmington.  On September 9, 2024, the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office arrested Harris following the last controlled purchase and then searched Harris’ Campus Edge apartment.  Law enforcement found an additional two ounces of methamphetamine, nineteen grams of fentanyl, and a loaded firearm in the apartment.

    This is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, gangs, and transnational 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.

    Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Severo  prosecuted the case.

    Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:24-cr-00092.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: High-Ranking Tren de Aragua Member in Custody on Terrorism and International Drug Distribution Charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    A five-count superseding indictment has been unsealed today charging a Venezuelan national and alleged high-ranking member of the designated foreign terrorist organization Tren de Aragua (TdA).  

    Jose Enrique Martinez Flores also known as “Chuqui,” 24, is charged in the Southern District of Texas (SDTX) with conspiring to provide and providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization as well as conspiracy and distribution of cocaine in Colombia intended for distribution in the United States.

    “TdA is not a street gang – it is a highly structured terrorist organization that put down roots in our country during the prior administration,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Today’s charges represent an inflection point in how this Department of Justice will prosecute and ultimately dismantle this evil organization, which has destroyed American families and poisoned our communities.”

    “For the past few years, foreign gangs like TdA have more or less been able to enter the country with impunity, coming here to distribute deadly drugs and terrorize American citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei for the SDTX. “That ends now. This Department of Justice is committed to uprooting this terrorist gang, dismantling its criminal operations, and either imprisoning its members or removing them from the country. SDTX is proud to lead this fight.”

    “TdA is a direct threat to our national security, to our communities, and to Americans,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Together with our law enforcement partners, the FBI continues in our pursuit to eliminate this violent terrorist organization from our streets, and today’s announcement makes it clear that these criminals, especially the leaders of these cartels, have no place in our country.”

    “This joint Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)-FBI operation — alongside partners in the United States and Colombia — is further evidence that we must continue to focus our efforts on members of TdA who continue to pump poison into our communities,” said DEA Acting Administrator Derek Maltz. “This is another example of DEA’s tenacity to hunt these networks down, wherever they operate, and crush their evil grip on American lives.”

    Colombian authorities arrested Flores in Colombia March 31 pursuant to a provisional arrest warrant the United States had requested. He remains in custody in Colombia pending further proceedings. 

    A federal grand jury in Houston returned the superseding indictment April 8. 

    According to the allegations, Flores is charged with one count of conspiring to provide material support to TdA in the form of personnel (including himself) and services and one count of providing material support to TdA. The indictment also alleges one count of international drug distribution conspiracy based on his involvement in the distribution of five kilograms of cocaine or more, and two substantive counts of international drug distribution.

    The Department of State designated TdA as a foreign terrorist organization and Specially Designated Global Terrorist Feb. 20. 

    According to information presented to the court, Flores is a high-ranking TdA leader in Bogota, Colombia, and is part of the inner circle of senior TdA leadership.

    Flores also allegedly caused the delivery of approximately five kilograms or more of cocaine for international distribution, proceeds that were used to further TdA’s criminal goals. 

    If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. 

    The FBI Houston Field Office and DEA conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Houston Police Department, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, Colombian National Police and the Colombian Attorney General’s Office (Fiscalía General de la Nación). The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of Judicial Attaché in Bogotá, Colombia, provided significant assistance. 

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey N. MacDonald and Anibal J. Alaniz of the SDTX are prosecuting the case along with Deputy Director David C. Smith from the Department of Justice’s Joint Task Force Vulcan (JTFV). 

    JTFV was created in 2019 to eradicate MS-13 and now expanded to target TdA and is comprised of U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country. Those include SDTX; Southern and Eastern Districts of New York; Northern District of Ohio; Districts of New Jersey, Utah, Massachusetts, Nevada and Alaska; Eastern District of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Eastern District of Virginia; Southern District of California; and the District of Columbia, as well as the Department of Justice’s National Security Division and the Criminal Division. Additionally, the FBI; DEA; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Forearms and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; and the Federal Bureau of Prisons have been essential law enforcement partners with JTFV.

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

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

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force Turns 45 – Dallas Division Reflects on Past Success, Continues Vigilance

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    DALLAS – This week, Special Agent in Charge (SAC) R. Joseph Rothrock is joining FBI offices around the country in marking the 45th anniversary of the FBI’s first Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF). Formed in New York in 1980, the first JTTF became a model for law enforcement cooperation across the nation.

    JTTFs can be found at each of the FBI’s 55 field offices and many resident agencies—around 280 locations in all. The Dallas Field Office organized the North Texas JTTF in 1995 and it is comprised of dozens of investigative personnel from more than 20 agencies across the Division’s territory.

    JTTFs gather trained investigators, intelligence analysts, linguists, and tactical experts from federal, state, local, territorial, tribal law enforcement and intelligence agencies. Task force members share intelligence and investigative leads and respond to threats and incidents.

    “We know from each potential crisis or thwarted attack that we cannot do this job alone,” said SAC Rothrock. “Each member of the North Texas JTTF brings unique skills and specialized resources from their agency to enhance our collective investigative capabilities. We are proud to work side-by-side with our partners in the fight against terrorism, and will continue to vigorously defend the Dallas Division’s territory.”

    The FBI’s JTTF model dates to 1979, when the New York Police Department and the FBI’s New York Field Office created a joint task force to tackle violent bank robberies. They imitated the model in 1980, when terrorist bombings, bomb threats, and other violence plagued the city, and announced the formation of the first JTTF in April 1980.

    “The JTTF has proven to be a world class model of what can be accomplished when law enforcement resources from federal, state, and local agencies converge to combat terrorism and disrupt the plans of evil actors throughout the United States,” said Eastern District of Texas Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr. “The JTTF has been called upon to investigate some of the most horrific acts of violence imaginable and we should all be thankful for the work the JTTF does daily to keep communities across the United States safe.”

    After the 9/11 attacks, FBI leadership directed all FBI field offices to establish a JTTF. In addition, the FBI established its National Joint Terrorism Task Force to support the local task forces in June of 2002. The NJTTF, at FBI Headquarters, enhances communication, coordination, and cooperation from partner agencies.

    “This Office depends on the critical work of the JTTF in keeping Americans safe,” said Acting U. S. Attorney Chad E. Meacham. “We applaud the JTTF’s decades of significant efforts in partnership with the USAO-NDTX.”

    Nationally, JTTFs have disrupted dozens of plots in the past four decades. Notable investigations in Dallas’ territory include:

    •    Hosam Maher Husein Smadi: Sentenced to 24 years in prison for his attempted bombing of a downtown Dallas skyscraper in September 2009. According to documents filed, Smadi knowingly took possession of a truck that contained a weapon of mass destruction, and while the bomb was inert when Smadi took possession of it, it was a readily-convertible weapon of mass destruction.

    •    Khalid Ali-M Aldawsari: Sentenced to life in prison for the attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction in connection with his 2011 purchase of chemicals and equipment necessary to make an improvised explosive device (IED) and his research of potential U.S. targets, including persons and infrastructure.

    •    Omer Kuzu: Pleaded guilty in 2020 to conspiring to provide material support to terrorism. In March 2019, Kuzu was captured by the Syrian Democratic Forces, alongside 1,500 suspected ISIS fighters.  He was handed over to FBI custody, returned to American soil, and charged with conspiring to provide material support to ISIS.  

    Report suspicious activity to 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324). You can also submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov tips.fbi.gov.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Over 500 Justice and Behavioral Health Professionals Attend 2025 Criminal Justice Conference Emphasizing Collaboration and Resiliency

    Source: US State of Pennsylvania

    April 23, 2025 – State College, PA

    Over 500 Justice and Behavioral Health Professionals Attend 2025 Criminal Justice Conference Emphasizing Collaboration and Resiliency

    The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) kicked off the 2025 Criminal Justice Advisory Board (CJAB) Conference in State College. The two-day event brought together over 530 criminal justice and behavioral health professionals from across the Commonwealth, the largest gathering since the conference’s inception in 2007. Throughout the conference, participants engaged in discussions on new and reemerging issues impacting the criminal justice and behavioral health systems and innovative solutions to address evolving trends.

    Under the Shapiro-Davis Administration, the Commonwealth has achieved notable improvements in public safety. According to data released by CeaseFirePA, Pennsylvania has seen a 42% decrease in total victims of gun violence statewide, and a 38% drop in gun deaths by firearm since 2022. These outcomes reflect the impact of intentional, cross-system collaboration among law enforcement, behavioral health and criminal justice professionals, community-based organizations, courts, and policymakers.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Shapiro Administration and Local Partners in Lancaster County Celebrate Stream Restoration Investments to Little Conestoga Creek

    Source: US State of Pennsylvania

    April 23, 2025 – Lancaster, PA

    Shapiro Administration and Local Partners in Lancaster County Celebrate Stream Restoration Investments to Little Conestoga Creek

    Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Acting Secretary Jessica Shirley and members of the Lancaster Clean Water Partners gathered at the Blue Green Connector Project today to celebrate stream and floodplain restoration investments on Little Conestoga Creek, including more than $4 million in state funds, through the ongoing work of an innovative partnership led by the Little Conestoga Creek Foundation and Steinman Foundation.

    The Blue Green Connector in Lancaster County is a prime example of how sustained investments through programs like Growing Greener are restoring watersheds, reducing pollution, and increasing outdoor recreational opportunities across Pennsylvania’s share of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Acting Secretary Jessica Shirley and project partners offered remarks and toured a stream restoration site as part of DEP’s Earth Week events.

    “DEP is proud to be part of the ongoing effort to restore Little Conestoga Creek, reduce pollution, improve flood resiliency, and create the Blue Green Connector. This project will provide environmental education in a recreational setting, strengthening the community’s connection to nature,” said Acting DEP Secretary Jessica Shirley. “Children who have meaningful environmental experiences become better stewards of our natural resources as adults, so it was fitting to visit this project serving an Environmental Justice area as we celebrate Earth Week.”

    Speakers Include:
    Shane Zimmerman – CEO of The Steinman Foundation
    Allyson Gibson – Executive Director of Clean Water Partners
    Jessica Shirley – Acting Secretary of Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Randolph County Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine Trafficking

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – William Durnal, 60, of Elkins, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 100 months in federal prison for methamphetamine possession and distribution.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Durnal was part of a drug trafficking organization that was distributing large amounts of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine in Morgantown, West Virginia. A search of his home recovered hundreds of grams of methamphetamine. Durnal has a criminal history that includes theft, forgery, burglary, battery, and passing counterfeit money.

    Durnal will serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda Wesley and Stephen Warner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

    Investigative agencies include the Mon Metro Drug Task Force and the Mountain Region Task Force, both HIDTA-funded initiatives.

    This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: D.C. Man Admits to 2023 Killing at Navy Yard Metro Station

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    WASHINGTON – Tyriq Williams, 31, of the District of Columbia, pleaded guilty today to second-degree murder for the 2023 shooting murder of Terry Clark, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). 

    Superior Court Judge Todd E. Edelman accepted the factual basis for the plea and scheduled sentencing for July 19, 2025. The guilty plea, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval at sentencing, called for an agreed-upon prison sentence of between 14 and 18 years, followed by a period of supervised release. 

    On January 7, 2023, the defendant and his girlfriend encountered Mr. Clark on an escalator leaving the Navy Yard Metro Station. The defendant and Mr. Clark did not know each other. After both men left the station, Williams turned around and shot Mr. Clark one time, causing his death. The defendant then went back into the station and took the train to Congress Heights Metro Station, where he took a bus to his place of employment. Williams told a friend that he needed a ride, and his friend picked the defendant up and drove him to the bus stop, where Williams got back on the same bus that he previously rode. The shooting was not captured on video, but law enforcement located the defendant on other video surveillance, including Washington Metro Area Transit Authority surveillance around the metro station and on the bus.  After an investigation, Williams was apprehended, and detectives found, pursuant to a search warrant of the defendant’s home, distinctive clothing that he wore on the night of the shooting.

    Williams has been in custody since his arrest on January 20, 2023.

    This case is being investigated by detectives and other personnel of the Metropolitan Police Department and Metro Transit Police Department. 

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Molly K. Smith and Jamie Carter. This case was investigated by former Assistant U.S. Attorney John Interrante. 

    MIL Security OSI –