Agents arrest alleged leader of drug ring with ties to Ann Arbor
Federal agents Wednesday arrested a man accused of being the leader of an international drug ring based in Detroit with ties to Ann Arbor, The Detroit News reported.
During agents’ years-long investigation of Carlos Powell and his alleged drug ring they seized more than $21 million in cash, 66 pounds of heroin, 12 kilograms of cocaine and 1,000 pounds of marijuana, the newspaper reported.
One of those seizures was at an Ann Arbor hotel June 23, 2010, when agents confiscated 13 kilograms of heroin, The News reported. Agents also seized $2 million and 12 kilograms of cocaine in October 2010 from a woman agents said picked up the drugs and money at an Ann Arbor hotel. They stopped the 2010 Toyota Avalon she was driving west on Interstate 94 in Calhoun County.
Vallejo admitted taking a flight to Chicago, where she rented a car from Hertz and drove to Ann Arbor, an affidavit said. She said the purpose of the trip was to "pick up money and transport the money to Chicago," according to the affidavit.
Powell and 11 others were charged in an indictment unsealed Wednesday in federal court, The News reported. Among them was former state Rep. Ken Daniels, D-Detroit.
Comments
Sallyxyz
Fri, Feb 3, 2012 : 1:25 a.m.
They let the drug ring leader out on a $50,000 unsecured bond? You must be joking. Do they think this guy will show up in court? GPS or no GPS, he will be heading out of the country. Well, this article in the Detroit paper just shows the depth of corruption in the city of Detroit, with a huge international drug ring and corrupt officials. No surprises, unfortunately.
The Black Stallion3
Thu, Feb 2, 2012 : 5:01 p.m.
This is why we can not legalize MJ......it leads to other drugs.
clownfish
Thu, Feb 2, 2012 : 2:22 p.m.
Another example of why MJ should be legal. When people go to get MJ from the street they have to deal with people like this, which brings the buyer into contact with actual dangerous drugs. If The People are allowed to grow their own, or buy it from a licensed purveyor, the "gateway drug" is no longer a gateway to the underworld.
boo
Thu, Feb 2, 2012 : 3:15 a.m.
I spent a weekend in jail when I was younger for disorderly conduct???? Dangit, I need to start selling drugs. I could make a ton of money and not have to go to jail at all. Anyone who thinks this dude is gonna make it back for trail is fooling themselves.
justcurious
Thu, Feb 2, 2012 : 12:24 a.m.
And then there was Leo, the daylily grower.
Ron Granger
Wed, Feb 1, 2012 : 10:23 p.m.
Former state rep Ken Daniels was also arrested. From the news: Daniels was appointed by ex-Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick to the board overseeing the city's water department, which Kilpatrick is accused of corrupting while allegedly orchestrating a multimillion-dollar scheme to rig bids and extort money. Daniels was involved in a controversy in 2008 after the Kilpatrick administration and City Council awarded a $10 million photocopier contract to a company owned by Daniels, who was a former state House colleague of the mayor's. Daniels won the contract despite not being authorized to sell or service the copiers involved." The judge released the alleged leader of the drug ring on an *unsecured* $50K bond. Apparently, 66 pounds of heroin is not enough to keep someone in a detroit jail.
gladys
Wed, Feb 1, 2012 : 10:09 p.m.
And they let the drug ring leader out on a $50,000 unsecured bond? Oh sure, he's gonna stick around for trial!
Bertha Venation
Wed, Feb 1, 2012 : 9:03 p.m.
Dadgumit... and all this time I thought pepole were stopping by Paw Paw for a jug of hooch!
treetowncartel
Wed, Feb 1, 2012 : 8:53 p.m.
And everyone thought all those stops on I-94 between Battle Creek and Chelsea over the last couple of years producing huge amounts of product were random.
bhall
Wed, Feb 1, 2012 : 8:53 p.m.
Use The Google. Its power will set you free...
Hmm
Wed, Feb 1, 2012 : 8:42 p.m.
What exactly is a "drug ring"? I'm not trying to criticize or be snarky, I would just like to know what that term even means
snapshot
Thu, Feb 2, 2012 : 4:19 a.m.
It's like your circle of friends only they'll kill you if you don't show up when expected.