Significant Methamphetamine Seizure Unveiled in Riverside County, Among California’s Largest Confiscations

Contributed — Tue, 19 Mar 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Limited details have emerged regarding Wednesday’s confiscation of around 2 tons of methamphetamine in Riverside County and the city of West Covina, but indications suggest it ranks among the largest seizures in California.

At 9:30 p.m., a coordinated operation involving investigators from the Riverside Sheriff’s Special Investigations Bureau, Homeland Security Investigations, and the West Covina Police Department took place.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department disclosed that the collaborative effort targeted methamphetamine transportation and sales across Riverside and Los Angeles counties, culminating in the confiscation of 4,038 pounds of the substance.

The methamphetamine was intercepted in an unincorporated area of Riverside County and West Covina. While local law enforcement typically handles jurisdictional matters, Homeland Security Investigations focuses on combating transnational crime.

No arrests have been made, and additional details are being withheld by the sheriff’s department.

This seizure ranks among the state’s largest. A comparable operation in October 2022, led by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Los Angeles Field Division, netted approximately 3,552 pounds of methamphetamine and 66 kilograms of cocaine in Norco. The operation targeted a drug trafficking organization with alleged ties to the Sinaloa Cartel.

“This marks the largest methamphetamine seizure for the DEA Los Angeles Division,” announced the federal agency.

Beyond California, last month witnessed the interception of 6½ tons of methamphetamine at the Eagle Pass Port of Entry in Texas. Valued at over $117 million, it stands as the largest seizure ever recorded at a port of entry in a single enforcement action, according to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Donald Kusser, director of field operations at CBP’s Laredo Field Office, hailed the Texas operation as a “monumental methamphetamine seizure, the largest ever executed by CBP officers at a port of entry.”

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Border Database Information Exposed In Cyber Attack

Contributed — Sat, 15 Jun 2019 00:54:02 +0000

US citizens have become increasingly concerned about personal privacy. An incident regarding cyber security at The US Customs and Border Protection has increased concerns over identity theft and travel security.
The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) revealed the success of a cyber attack that breached a federal subcontractor’s database on June 10th. This attack was discovered May 31st, but the severity of the attack was inconclusive. The Washington Post was the first of many to record the extent of the attack, and according to their findings shared by the CBP, fewer than 100,000 people were impacted.
The CBP utilizes technology that scans and records facial identification and license plates of individuals leaving and entering the country. This database, home to an insurmountable amount of security and privacy information in charge of identifying traveler photos and plate images, was en route for transfer to a CBP subcontractor’s network.
The CBP explained that this transfer was not authorized and though the subcontractors system succumbed to the attack, the CBP’s own security had not been compromised. Compromised information did not include other forms of travel documentation or major identifying information. Hackers pilfered hundreds of thousands of traveler’s photos of which are utilized as part of growing facial-recognition program designed to track the identity of individuals entering and exiting U.S soil. One of the growing concerns of consumers and travelers is the question of privacy and security.
The CPB utilizes these methods as an extra measure, yet would not comment as to the object of the cyber attack or the subcontractor involved. Perceptics, a company that operates similar to the federal subcontractor in question, manufacturer’s license plate readers utilized by the US government. Perceptics was also hacked.
It is unknown whether this corporation is being utilized by the CBP or if there is a correlation to the attacks.

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Significant Methamphetamine Seizure Unveiled in Riverside County, Among California’s Largest Confiscations

Border Database Information Exposed In Cyber Attack