DETROIT — Drug and border officials from the United States and Canada said Tuesday they have shut down a drug route that used row boats to move large volumes of cocaine and marijuana into Michigan from St. Joseph Island, Ontario, south of Sault Ste. Marie.
Traffickers were using the boats at night to move drugs across the St. Mary's River into the Upper Peninsula south of Sault Ste. Marie, officials said.
The operation has been shut down after a yearlong international investigation, U.S. Attorney Stephen Murphy said at a news conference.
U.S. officials have arrested 13 people and seized about 1,000 pounds of marijuana, 41 kilograms of cocaine and $350,000 in cash, Murphy said.
In Canada, officials have arrested 24 people and seized 1,000 pounds of marijuana, one kilogram of cocaine and more than $500,000 in cash, said Staff Supt. Richard Gauthier of the Toronto Police Service.
Charged in U.S. District Court in Detroit with conspiracy to import marijuana and named as an alleged ringleader is Ahmad Abboud, 29, of Sterling Heights. Charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute are Tony Davis, 27, of Sterling Heights; Yahab Abboud, 27, of Rochester Hills; and Jonathan Yaldoo, 26, of Sterling Heights.
They are free on bond awaiting a preliminary hearing on July 17.
Officials said key figures in the alleged conspiracy amassed significant wealth, and Drug Enforcement Administration spokesman Rich Isaacson said Ahmad Abboud has an ownership interest in the Plan B and Confidential nightclubs in downtown Detroit.
Michael Kemnitz, a lawyer for Ahmad Abboud, declined comment.
The marijuana, grown in hydroponic labs in British Columbia, Canada, had a potency about 10 times that of regular street-grade marijuana, Murphy said.
Sterling Heights Police Chief David Vinson said effective enforcement and detection at traditional drug trafficking routes such as the Ambassador Bridge and the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel had forced traffickers to improvise.
"There's no quit in them," Vinson said. "They are going to find new and innovative ways to try to defeat our efforts."
Also involved in the investigation are Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Internal Revenue Service.
Wire Service
ma police, boston ma police, massachusetts police, massachusetts police, mass state police, mass police, ma, mass, massachusetts, massachusetts, massachutes, massachusetts law, massachusetts polece, police, officer, police officer, cops, police gear, law enforcement, police duty gear, state police, sheriff, law, police supply, police agency directory, police agency, police department, traffic officer, police dept, state trooper, dispatcher, massachusetts county sheriff, massachusetts sheriff, massachusetts department of corrections, ma doc, doc, dept of corrections, police information, civil service, ma civil service, massachusetts crime, police training, police academy, ma police academy, massachusetts officers, masscop, masscops, mpa, bpa, ibpoa, police association, massachusetts police news, massachusetts crime news, mass most wanted, police career information, police patrol, police administration, police books, crime scene training, police discussion, crime discussions, cops
About MassCops, the home for Massachusetts law enforcement.
The Massachusetts Law Enforcement Network opened in 1998 and is now a part of the New England Police Network The site is a pro-police discussion forum intended for sworn police officers and civilian law enforcement officials as well as those interested in pursuing a career in law enforcement here in Massachusetts.
The goal of The Massachusetts Law Enforcement Network is to provide an informal network of law enforcement officials here in Massachusetts for educational and informational purposes.
The forum covers many topics such as Police Related News Articles, Agency & Profession Discussions, Police Training as well as Law Enforcement Career Information.
The Massachusetts Law Enforcement Network and The New England Police Network (NEPN) and it's network sites are privately owned websites/domains and are not affiliated with or endorsed by any government association or agency.
MassCops (masscops.com) and (masscop.com) are privately owned are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Massachusetts Coalition of Police (masscop.org)
Wire Service
ma police, boston ma police, massachusetts police, massachusetts police, mass state police, mass police, ma, mass, massachusetts, massachusetts, massachutes, massachusetts law, massachusetts polece, police, officer, police officer, cops, police gear, law enforcement, police duty gear, state police, sheriff, law, police supply, police agency directory, police agency, police department, traffic officer, police dept, state trooper, dispatcher, massachusetts county sheriff, massachusetts sheriff, massachusetts department of corrections, ma doc, doc, dept of corrections, police information, civil service, ma civil service, massachusetts crime, police training, police academy, ma police academy, massachusetts officers, masscop, masscops, mpa, bpa, ibpoa, police association, massachusetts police news, massachusetts crime news, mass most wanted, police career information, police patrol, police administration, police books, crime scene training, police discussion, crime discussions, cops