2 illegal aliens arrested in largest fentanyl bust in Florida county's history: 'Didn't come here to better themselves'



Polk County Sheriff's Office in Florida recently announced the "single-largest" fentanyl bust in the county's history, the department revealed in a Friday press conference, WTVT reported.

The sheriff's office launched the investigation into the illicit operation in August after it learned about an organized drug trafficking operation based out of Mexico. The department arrested four individuals in connection with the scheme and seized 14 kilograms of fentanyl, two vehicles, and $5,261 in cash. Two of the suspected criminals, Pedro Rodriguez Correa and Maria Machuca-Alderete, were in the country illegally, according to Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd. The other two individuals, Maria Guadalupe-Garcia and Sergio Garcia, were from California.

"It seems like every time I come up here to talk about fentanyl with my colleagues I'm always saying, 'It's the largest fentanyl seizure in the state of Florida' and, once again, that's what I'm saying today with a seizure of 14 kilos of fentanyl," Judd stated Friday morning. "This is the single-largest seizure in the history of Polk County and that's nothing to be proud of."

One of the detained suspects, Guadalupe-Garcia, told deputies that she did not know anything about the narcotics and claimed to be delivering a box of diapers.

"When was the last time you picked up a box of Huggies that weighed 27 pounds? Maria, we don't have any Huggies in the county jail, but we will have you there," Judd said, according to WTVT.

"They didn't come here to better themselves and their family," he continued, referring to the two illegal migrants. "They came here to kill people in America with a deadly drug through a porous border that we need to seal off."

According to Judd, the amount of drugs seized in the bust is enough to kill one-third of Florida's population. He stated that the traffickers expected to be paid $42,500 for the delivery from Mexico to Florida. In total, the 14 kilogram shipment was worth $3.5 million, the office reported.

According to the sheriff's office, Rodriguez-Correa, the driver for the criminal organization, brought a six-year-old boy along for the fentanyl delivery. The Florida Department of Children and Families seized custody of the child.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement has placed a detainer on Machuca-Alderete and Rodriguez-Correa for being in the country illegally.

Machuca-Alderete was charged with trafficking fentanyl, maintaining a vehicle to traffic illegal drugs, resisting arrest with violence, battery on an officer, unlawful use of a two-way communication device, and possession of drug paraphernalia, WTVT reported.

Rodriguez-Correa was charged with trafficking fentanyl, unlawful use of a two-way communication device, and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to the outlet.

Guadalupe-Garcia and Sergio Garcia were both charged with trafficking fentanyl, maintaining a vehicle to traffic illegal drugs, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

A fifth suspect, whose identity has not been released to the public, is still at large and wanted for similar charges.

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody said during the Friday news conference, "I would submit to you that an appropriate response would not just be, 'We are going to address the cartels with hugs, not violence.' But how about how I have demanded and suggested in that we declare the cartels terrorist organizations and we designate fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction."

"Over the past year, the PCSO seized 30 additional kilograms of fentanyl - about enough to kill all the people in the state of Florida," according to the sheriff's office.


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America's ON FIRE, and China's holding the gas can!



Author Peter Schweizer has blown the lid open on just how insidious China’s influence over America really is.

“China’s holding an empty can of gasoline, and our leaders are basically not saying or doing anything,” Schweizer tells Sara Gonzales.

“It’s not that they caused these problems, but they’ve exacerbated them and made them worse,” he adds.

Some of those problems are the violent left-wing groups operating in America’s streets and the fentanyl epidemic that's killing thousands of Americans every year.

According to Schweizer, the drug cartels in Mexico may be the junior partners overseeing the fentanyl crisis — but the Chinese are the senior partners. The Chinese start the process when they ship the “component parts of the fentanyl” to a port in Mexico.

This port is run by a Chinese company, which then sends the parts to northern Mexico, where it’s made into fentanyl. That fentanyl is then distributed to the 2,000 Chinese nationals in northern Mexico before it makes its way across the border.

“The cartels are helping kill their customers, but the profit margin for fentanyl is 8 to 10 times what it is for cocaine, so they’re willing to suffer those casualties. Meanwhile, the senior partner, the Chinese,” Schweizer explains, “what they really want to do is kill Americans.”

Now, fentanyl is the leading cause of death for Americans under 45.

“That’s the thing, China’s like, 'Good, we want to kill Americans,'” Gonzales says, disturbed.


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Residents in Maine thought there was a house fire, it ended up being a massive drug bust



An odd event happened in Maine last week when residents believed a fire had broken out, but it ended up being a massive drug bust.

At 11:24 a.m. on Jan. 31, a concerned resident of the town of Turner contacted emergency services to report a possible structure fire and smoke coming from a home's garage, according to the Androscoggin County Sheriff's Office.

When firefighters from the Turner Fire-Rescue Department arrived, they determined that the smoke was actually steam being generated by thousands of marijuana plants.

The intricate weed operation in the single-family house featured grow lights, chemical fertilizers, dehumidifiers, and propane heaters.

Authorities contacted the Maine Office of Cannabis Policy, who determined that there were no records of any license being issued for that residence or the homeowner – who is from Massachusetts.

"A search warrant for the residence was applied for and obtained," Androscoggin County Sheriff's Office said. "Deputies seized approximately 2,500 marijuana plants."

The Miami Herald reported, "That comes to nearly one marijuana plant per square foot, based on Realtor.com records."

Investigators are determining whether the weed operation could be related to similar "illegal marijuana grows" found in Lincoln, Kennebec, and Somerset counties.

No arrests have been made in connection with the massive pot farm.

Police said the investigation is ongoing.

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Illegal marijuana growing operation in Maine leads to seven more arrests www.youtube.com

Suspect fleeing drug bust on motorcycle meets his demise after cop hurls cooler into him, sending him flying



An NYPD police sergeant is in hot water after putting a fleeing suspect on ice.

The department noted in a statement that 35-year-old Sgt. Erik Duran, a 13-year veteran with the Narcotics Borough Bronx, has been suspended from duty without pay following a Wednesday incident in which a man attempting to flee from the police on a motorcycle wound up dead.

The New York state Attorney General's Office is now leading the investigation into possible wrongdoing.

Undercover narcotics officers executed a drug bust in the University Heights section of the Bronx in hopes of capturing drug traffickers in the area, reported the New York Times.

According to officials, the 30-year-old decedent, Eric Duprey, sold drugs to one of the officers. After the exchange was made, plainclothes and undercover officers swooped in to make the arrest.

However, before police could cuff Duprey, he jumped onto a motorcycle and sped off.

Surveillance cameras captured footage of Duprey whipping perilously down a sidewalk near the corner of 190th Street. The fleeing suspect careened toward a group of roughly 10 people seated around a table as well as Sgt. Duran.

Duran reportedly grabbed a plastic cooler from the table and hurled it toward the motorcycle.

A witness told the Daily News that Duprey "was on the bike, moving north when the cops started chasing him. ... Then he took a U-turn and was riding on the sidewalk. ... The cop then took my cooler, which was filled with soda cans, water bottles, and hit him."

The sergeant's aim was good, and the suspect's handling was poor.

After being struck by the cooler, the fleeing suspect lost control, then went flying into a tree. The motorcycle carried on into a metal barricade and a Jeep Cherokee.

Officers immediately called for medical assistance, which arrived just after 5:30 p.m.. Duprey was pronounced dead minutes later.

Duprey reportedly had at least two previous arrests, including an open felony assault case from last summer and a drug case in March.

Orlyanis Velez, Duprey's widow, indicated that he left behind two children, ages 5 and 3, whom she has yet to tell about their father's death.

Duprey reportedly also had a third child, age 9.

"Officers are supposed to be protecting people, not killing people for no reason," said Velez.

— (@)

The Times indicated that Duran's suspension has been criticized inside the department.

One high-ranking officer said that Duran "had attempted to make a lawful arrest" and that the sergeant's use of the cooler could "be equated to closing the door and stopping from leaving."

It appears that the hasty suspension may have been intended to put a damper on protests or worse.

An internal departmental memo obtained by the New York Post said, "We had an incident in the Bronx with narcotics that is high potential for unrest."

The memo further recommended that officers keep their protective gear and batons handy.

Sgt. Duran's lawyer Andrew Quinn indicated that his client would be exonerated, stating, "There is much more to this situation than the brief, 10-second video clip shows."

"What is undisputably clear is that the deceased, who was intent on evading arrest for selling drugs to an undercover officer, was speeding on a motorbike in an incredibly dangerous manner down a crowded sidewalk, jeopardizing the life and safety of everyone there," added Quinn.

Duran has reportedly been recognized by the force 38 times for excellent and meritorious police service.

NYPD says sergeant who threw object at suspect, killing him, is suspendedyoutu.be

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California police union executive director ran international fentanyl operation, used office to distribute drugs: Feds



A California police union executive director used her office to distribute drugs, according to a federal criminal complaint.

Joanne Marian Segovia, 64, has been the executive director of the San Jose Police Officers' Association since 2003. On Wednesday, Segovia was charged with attempting to unlawfully import valeryl fentanyl from overseas. Segovia was allegedly exposed by a Homeland Security investigation into an illegal drug network operating in the San Francisco Bay area.

Segovia had been running an international fentanyl operation out of her home and her office, according to federal officials. Segovia was accused of using her personal and office computers to order thousands of illegal pills to distribute across the country.

The federal criminal complaint said Segovia sent a package to a woman in North Carolina and used the UPS account of the San Jose Police Officers’ Association to ship the controlled substances.

Between October 2015 and January 2023, Segovia had at least 61 shipments of drugs mailed to her home. The drugs were shipped from China, Hungary, India, and Singapore. The shipments of synthetic opioids were labeled with descriptions such as “Wedding Party Favors,” “Gift Makeup,” "Clock," or “Chocolate and Sweets.”

The Northern District of California U.S. Attorney's Office said in a press release, "But between July 2019 and January 2023, officials intercepted and opened five of these shipments and found that they contained thousands of pills of controlled substances, including the synthetic opioids Tramadol and Tapentadol. Certain parcels were valued at thousands of dollars’ worth of drugs."

Segovia allegedly utilized encrypted WhatsApp communications to purchase and coordinate the transportation of the illegal pills. The California police union executive director exchanged hundreds of WhatsApp messages with someone using a phone with a country code from India, according to federal officials. WhatsApp messages purportedly had photos of shipping labels and payment receipts.

On May 2, 2022, Segovia allegedly wrote, "I'm so sorry, I’m on a business trip because we had 2 officers that got shot! I should be home tomorrow night so ill get them shopped as soon as I can."

Despite being interviewed by federal investigators in February 2023, Segovia allegedly continued to run her international drug operation.

Federal agents seized a shipment of valeryl fentanyl from China that was addressed to Segovia on March 14, 2023, according to United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Tatum King. Segovia allegedly blamed her housekeeper for the package of valeryl fentanyl.

San Jose Police Officers' Association president Sean Pritchard described Segovia as the "grandma of the POA."

"This is not the person we’ve known, the person who has worked with fallen officers’ families, organized fundraisers for officers’ kids — just not who we’ve known over a decade," Pritchard told KNTV.

Segovia faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a possible fine of as much as $250,000.

Segovia is scheduled to make her first court appearance on March 31.

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CA police union exec charged with attempt to import, sell valeryl fentanyl, officials say www.youtube.com

New York authorities seize 15K fentanyl pills disguised as candy in LEGO box, just before Halloween



Authorities in New York City arrested one person and seized nearly 15,000 "rainbow fentanyl" pills that were disguised and hidden in a LEGO box in what was the largest drug bust of its kind to date in the city.

With Halloween just around the corner, the fentanyl pills had been made to look like candy and prescription medications in what officials say appears to be a disturbing attempt to market the deadly synthetic opioid to children. The Drug Enforcement Administration and New York police cooperated in the investigation and announced the arrest in a press conference on Tuesday.

“Rainbow fentanyl is a clear and present danger, and it is here in New York City,” DEA Special Agent in Charge Frank Tarentino said in a statement.

“Approximately forty percent of the pills we analyze in our lab contain a lethal dose; and in a recent 15-week enforcement operation, DEA New York seized half a million lethal pills. These staggering statistics underscore the importance of reminding the public that just one pill can kill; and this operation alone removed the equivalent of 500,000 lethal doses of fentanyl from circulation in the Empire State. In the same reporting period, DEA seized the equivalent of over 36 million lethal doses nationally,” he said.

Latesha Bush, 48, of Trenton, New Jersey, was arrested and has been charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Authorities said that on Wednesday, Sept. 28, while conducting a surveillance operation as part of an ongoing investigation into narcotics trafficking, they observed Bush carrying what appeared to be a black tote bag wrapped around a large object as she entered a vehicle in front of 475 10th Avenue in Manhattan.

Agents and officers stopped the vehicle and allegedly found Bush in the rear seat with two black tote bags and a yellow LEGO container. Inside the LEGO box, officials say they discovered "several brick-shaped packages covered in black tape" that, when opened, were found to contain approximately 15,000 pills. Preliminary lab testing indicated the presence of fentanyl, authorities said.

The investigation traced the origins of those pills to Mexico and the Sinaloa Cartel and Jalisco New Generation Cartel.

“Disguising fentanyl as candy – and concealing it in children’s toys – will never hide the fact that fentanyl is a deadly poison that harms our communities, our families, and our city,” NYPD Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell said in a statement.

“The criminal complaint unsealed today is another example of the NYPD’s relentless commitment to never stop working to rid New York City of illegal drugs and I want to thank the Special Narcotics Prosecutor for the City of New York, the DEA New York Division, the New York State Police, and everyone else involved in this case for their exceptional work,” he added.

New York State Police Superintendent Kevin P. Bruen said, “I want to thank our members and law enforcement partners for their unwavering work in stopping the flow of illegal drugs throughout our state. The arrest of Latesha Bush and the seizure of these lethal drugs are the direct result of a commitment to aggressively target and pursue criminals who perpetuate the distribution of these narcotics. Together, we will continue to eliminate these operations and those who seek to destroy the quality of life within our communities.”

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. Just two milligrams of the drug, equivalent to 10-15 grains of table salt, is enough to kill an adult.

DEA officials have said fentanyl is the deadliest drug threat facing this country. CDC data shows 107,622 Americans died of drug overdoses in 2021, with 66% of those deaths linked to synthetic opioids like fentanyl.

Last month, a bipartisan coalition of state attorneys general called on President Joe Biden to declare fentanyl a "weapon of mass destruction."

This latest fentanyl seizure in New York follows other high-profile drug busts along the southern border. Rainbow fentanyl trafficked from border states like Arizona has been found in Washington, D.C., and other major U.S. cities.

According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection data, in August there was more than a 200% increase in fentanyl seizures by weight (lbs) along the border compared to that month last year. There was a total of 11, 201 lbs of fentanyl seized in all of fiscal year 2021. That number has already been exceeded this fiscal year, with more than 12,800 lbs of fentanyl seized by authorities.

DEA analysis has found that 42% of counterfeit pills tested for fentanyl contained at least 2 mg of the drug, considered a potentially lethal dose. Drug traffickers typically distribute fentanyl by the kilogram. One kilogram of fentanyl, roughly two pounds, can kill 500,000 people. The amount of fentanyl reportedly seized this year alone could kill more than one billion people.

More from WNWY-TV:

DEA finds candy-like fentanyl pills in LEGO box in NYC youtu.be

Mexico announces 'historic' fentanyl bust, seizing over a half-ton of deadly drug from warehouse



Mexican authorities carried out a "historic" drug bust this week, seizing more than a half-ton of fentanyl from a warehouse in the northern city of Culiacan, officials said.

The Mexican Army and National Guard announced Thursday that on July 2, law enforcement located a property that had been used by criminals to smuggle drugs and had arrested 10 individuals found there. Authorities discovered an incredible 542.72 kilograms (1196.49 lbs) of fentanyl valued at nearly $230 million, the Associated Press reports.

"This is the largest seizure in history of this lethal drug," said Assistant Public Safety Secretary Ricardo Mejia.

Fentanyl is a deadly synthetic opioid that was responsible for more than 70,000 overdose deaths in the U.S. last year. It is 100 times more potent than morphine; just two milligrams of fentanyl can be enough to kill a person.

\u201cNEW: Mexican authorities announce what they say is the largest fentanyl seizure in history. Over a half ton (543 kilos) of fentanyl found in a warehouse in Culiacan.\nThe DEA says one kilo of fentanyl can kill 500,000 people. Roughly 271 million lethal doses in this bust. @FoxNews\u201d
— Bill Melugin (@Bill Melugin) 1657208248

Drug smugglers south of the U.S.-Mexico border disguise fentanyl as counterfeit pills for common medications like Xanax, Adderall, or oxycodone. The opioid is commonly laced with other drugs into deadly cocktails that have led thousands to accidentally overdose.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration believes China is providing the source materials for fentanyl, which is manufactured in Mexico and then smuggled into the U.S. through the southern border.

Mexico's Defense Department said the warehouse stash was discovered in Culiacan, the capital of Sinaloa state, where a violent drug cartel of the same name has its base of operations.

The July 2 raid also uncovered half-ton of meth, as well as cocaine, opium, and at least 70 tons of precursor chemicals, authorities said.

President Joe Biden's administration hopes to curb the number of fatal drug overdoses in the U.S., setting an ambitious goal for a 13 percent reduction in overdose deaths by 2025. The White House released a National Drug Control Strategy in April that seeks to address untreated addiction and go after drug traffickers.

Dr. Rahul Gupta, head of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, testified before a Senate oversight committee three weeks ago about the administration's efforts to combat fentanyl manufactured in Mexico and smuggled into the U.S. by violent cartels.

"A Pandora's box has been opened. We can expect to see much more potent substances [in the future]," he told lawmakers.

Biden's plan calls for increased spending on drug treatment and for medications that help reverse opioid overdoses to be made widely available.

But Republicans have insisted tighter border security and increased enforcement of drug laws targeting supply be a priority as well.

Major drug bust in South Carolina linked to 'violent' Mexican cartel, authorities say



A major drug bust in upstate South Carolina resulted in 124 charges against 34 defendants allegedly involved with a Mexican cartel trafficking cocaine and methamphetamine in the southeast.

State Attorney General Alan Wilson announced grand jury indictments Wednesday against the owners of the Los Primos restaurant in Greenville, S.C. The attorney general's office said the restaurant served as a regional hub through which drugs were trafficked to other states, with some drugs allegedly trafficked out of taco trucks owned by the restaurant owners.

“The upstate has become a hub," Wilson said at a press conference. "When you look at the I-85 corridor from Charlotte to Atlanta, obviously it’s an artery for this type of illicit activity.”

The case, dubbed "Los Banditos" by investigators, has to date resulted in the seizure of nearly 11 kilograms (24 pounds) of methamphetamine, 584 grams (1.3 pounds) of cocaine, approximately $63,000 in cash, and over 20 firearms in South Carolina, according to the attorney general.

“This major drug trafficking ring was anything but unbelievable,” said Solicitor Walt Wilkins.

Investigators believe the alleged drug traffickers were responsible for moving more than 1,000 kilograms (more than one ton) of methamphetamine, 100 kilograms (220 pounds) of cocaine, and 2 kilograms (4.4 pounds) of heroin in the state.

Wilkins said the amount of drugs flowing through upstate South Carolina is at the highest level he's ever seen.

“It is much more significant," he said. "There’s much more volume flowing into our communities. It’s much more organized, as seen in this case. Thousands of kilos of methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine were pumping into Greenville County.”

He said the street value of the more than 1,000 kilos of methamphetamine seized by law enforcement is over $75 million.

South Carolina partnered with Georgia and federal authorities to make the drug bust. Information from the Los Banditos investigation was used to make another bust in Atlanta, where authorities seized approximately 200 kilos (441 pounds) of methamphetamine, 3.5 kilos (7.7 pounds) of cocaine, 3.2 kilos (7 pounds) of heroin, 5 ounces of cocaine mixed with fentanyl, 183 pounds of marijuana, 900 Xanax pills, and multiple firearms from stash houses in apartments, the attorney general's office said.

Investigators alleged the drug operation was linked to a Mexican drug cartel. Attorney General Wilson said that drugs in the southeast are typically trafficked across the southern border and sent to Atlanta, where they are then distributed to neighboring states.

“The cartel we believe is primarily involved in this is La Familia," Homeland Security Deputy Special Agent Mike Prado said. "A well-known, very violent cartel that’s operated for many years in Mexico.”

The attorney general's office said a "substantial portion" of the drugs seized in Atlanta were intended for South Carolina.

“If you engage in this illicit type of activity, drug trafficking, you’re going to eventually get busted and we’re going to put you away,” Wilson said.

'My auntie probably your boss': New video shows Chicago cops' drug bust traffic stop of car owned by internal affairs chief — that her niece was driving



Chicago police bodycam video shows what went down when cops on Feb. 1 pulled over a Lexus belonging to Yolanda Talley, their new chief of internal affairs.

While Talley wasn't in the vehicle, her niece was — along with a male passenger who tried to ditch 84 packets of heroin valued at $6,300, the Chicago Sun-Times reported, citing police records and a source familiar with the investigation.

What does the video show?

WLS-TV said it obtained the bodycam video under the Freedom of Information Act. It shows the woman who was driving the silver Lexus telling officers that her police officer aunt owns the vehicle and that "my auntie probably your boss."

The station, citing documents it obtained from the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, reported the car indeed belongs to Talley and that her niece was driving it at the time of the traffic stop.

Chicago police confirmed to WLS that Talley remains chief of internal affairs and that the case was referred to the office of the inspector general to investigate any potential misconduct.

Neither the police department's spokesman nor Talley will comment on the case, the station said, adding that the inspector general's investigation likely will take months to complete.

What's the background?

The traffic stop in the 500 block of North St. Louis Avenue occurred after officers in a gang investigations unit targeting drug sales spotted a man in a black mask picking up a bag near a black SUV and entering the passenger side of a four-door silver Lexus, the Sun-Times said in a previous story, citing a police report.

Officers said they stopped the car because the driver failed to use a turn signal, the Sun-Times said, adding that the passenger tossed a baggie containing 84 pink packets of heroin out of the window. Police said they recovered about 42 grams of heroin worth about $6,300, the paper added.

Police arrested the passenger — 34-year-old Kenneth Miles — for possession of a controlled substance, a felony, the paper said. But Talley’s niece was let go because there wasn’t clear evidence linking her to the heroin, the source told the Sun-Times.

Court records indicate that Talley's niece lives with Miles, the paper said, adding that he's a reputed member of the Traveling Vice Lords street gang and that court records show he has a lengthy criminal record that includes seven drug-related convictions.

Miles on Feb. 1 was free on bail in connection to a separate felony case for allegedly selling fentanyl, the Sun-Times said, adding that the Cook County sheriff’s office said he was being held in jail without bail.

High-ranking police officials decided not to impound Talley's car, even though that's the routine procedure for cars stopped during narcotics arrests so they can be searched for guns and drugs, the paper said.

With that, officers drove Talley’s Lexus back to the block where the arrest took place and returned the keys to her niece, the source told the Sun-Times.

The source added to the paper that “knowing what we know, I don’t think Chief Yolanda Talley had any idea what was going on with her car."

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot weighs in

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said she was concerned about media coverage “which seems to intimate that chief Talley had some involvement in what happened," the Chicago Tribune reported, adding that Lightfoot also said she's seen "seen zero evidence to substantiate that. What I know of her is she is very hardworking, very well regarded, and does her job with integrity.”

Chicago cops pull over internal affairs chief's car; niece behind wheel reportedly says 'My auntie’s probably your boss' after passenger tries ditching 84 heroin packets



When Chicago police on Feb. 1 pulled over a Lexus belonging to Yolanda Talley, their new chief of internal affairs, Talley wasn't in the vehicle — but her niece was, along with a male passenger who tried to ditch 84 packets of heroin valued at $6,300, the Chicago Sun-Times reported, citing police records and a source familiar with the investigation.

What's more, Talley's niece — who was behind the wheel — told cops "my auntie’s probably your boss,” the source noted to the Sun-Times.

What else?

The traffic stop in the 500 block of North St. Louis Avenue occurred after officers in a gang investigations unit targeting drug sales spotted a man in a black mask picking up a bag near a black SUV and entering the passenger side of a four-door silver Lexus, the paper said in a previous story, citing a police report.

Officers said they stopped the car because the driver failed to use a turn signal, the Sun-Times said, adding that the passenger tossed a baggie containing 84 pink packets of heroin out of the window. Police said they recovered about 42 grams of heroin worth about $6,300, the paper said.

Police arrested the passenger — 34-year-old Kenneth Miles — for possession of a controlled substance, a felony, the paper said. But Talley’s niece was let go because there wasn’t clear evidence linking her to the heroin, the source told the Sun-Times.

Court records indicate that Talley's niece lives with Miles, the paper said, adding that he's a reputed member of the Traveling Vice Lords street gang and that court records show he has a lengthy criminal record that includes seven drug-related convictions.

Miles on Feb. 1 was free on bail in connection to a separate felony case for allegedly selling fentanyl, the Sun-Times said, adding that the Cook County sheriff’s office said he was being held in jail without bail.

In addition, Miles reportedly provided police with bad information that led to a botched raid at the home of Anjanette Young in 2019, WGN-TV reported, citing sources and police records.

The Civilian Office of Police Accountability in November published a report recommending suspensions for seven officers involved in the raid, the station said, adding that City Council in December approved a $2.9 million settlement in Young’s lawsuit stemming from the raid.

What happened to the car?

Following conversations between high-ranking police officials, a decision was made not to impound Talley's car, even though that's the routine procedure for cars stopped during narcotics arrests so they can be searched for guns and drugs, the paper said.

With that, officers drove Talley’s Lexus back to the block where the arrest took place and returned the keys to her niece, the source told the Sun-Times.

One day after the traffic stop, involved officers were taken off the street for training with no further explanation, the Sun-Times said, adding that the source said it was apparent “punishment.”

“This was in direct response to this incident,” the source also noted to the paper, adding that all the officers are expected to return to normal duty next week.

The Sun-Times — citing a high-ranking police official — also reported that pulling those officers from the street is a decision that only could have come from Superintendent David Brown, First Deputy Superintendent Eric Carter, or Chief Ernest Cato.

Still, the source added to the paper that “knowing what we know, I don’t think Chief Yolanda Talley had any idea what was going on with her car."

What did Chicago police have to say about it all?

Police spokesman Don Terry said Tuesday that the incident involving Talley’s car has been referred to the city’s office of the inspector general in order to avoid a conflict of interest due to Talley's role as chief of internal affairs, which involves investigating misconduct allegations against other officers, the Sun-Times said.

The paper added in its initial story that Talley didn't respond to its email seeking comment. Terry declined to answer its questions, the Sun-Times also said.

Talley was promoted to chief of internal affairs in December, the Sun-Times said, adding that prior to that she was deputy chief of recruitment and retention and a deputy chief in charge of district commanders on the South Side.

The paper said Talley’s been a rising star in the department and that many police sources have indicated they believe she's being groomed for an even higher position, such as first deputy superintendent — the No. 2 spot in the department — if Carter retires.

Here's Talley in a CPD video titled "Be the Change," aimed at police recruitment, which was posted to YouTube prior to her promotion to internal affairs chief:

Be The Change: Deputy Chief Yolanda Talleyyoutu.be