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4 suspects arrested for allegedly trafficking $5M in narcotics from California to Pennsylvania

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4 suspects arrested for allegedly trafficking M in narcotics from California to Pennsylvania


DOYLESTOWN, Pennsylvania (WPVI) — The Bucks County District Attorney’s Office announced the arrest of four men who allegedly trafficked millions of dollars worth of cocaine and methamphetamine from California to Pennsylvania.

At a press conference, District Attorney Jen Schorn named Matthew James Byrne, 43, of Broomall; Joseph Byrne, 47, of Levittown; Khalik Kemp, 34, of Philadelphia; and Christian Garwood, 55 of Flourtown, as members of the “Byrne Drug Trafficking Organization.”

According to police, the group — allegedly led by Matthew Byrne — shipped more than $5 million worth of narcotics from coast to coast.

Investigators say they used objects like speakers to conceal the drugs as they were shipped through the postal service.

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“The drug trafficking organization would ship roughly in each shipment approximately 25 to 30 pounds of methamphetamine and cocaine by hiding them inside of large karaoke style Bluetooth speakers,” Schorn said Wednesday.

Investigators said Matthew Byrne traveled to Southern California at least twice a month since January, where he would spend two to three days buying cocaine and methamphetamine from drug brokers with connections in Mexico.

He would then allegedly ship the drugs to his brother’s home on Gable Hill Road in Bristol, Bucks County, and another home in Flourtown, Montgomery County.

“Those shipments would be received by their counterparts in Bucks and Montgomery counties and would later be prepared for distribution to individuals in our community,” Schorn said.

During the course of the investigation, three shipments were intercepted at a United States Postal Service facility in Louisville, Kentucky.

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Authorities said nearly $1.2 million worth of drugs were found stashed away in speakers.

In total, investigators said they tracked 12 shipments to locations in Bristol Township and Montgomery County allegedly containing hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of drugs meant to be distributed on the streets.

“We can connect the dots,” Schorn said. “These drugs were getting into the hands of users shortly after being prepped for distribution in Bucks County and Montgomery County.”

On Monday, all four of the accused who reside in Pennsylvania were hit with several charges, including corrupt organizations and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.

Two other men in California — Ralph Brooks, 42, of Los Angeles, and Chaz Harness-Walker, 40, of Inglewood — were also charged.

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However, they have not yet been arrested.

Authorities said the investigation, which involved both state, local, and federal authorities across multiple jurisdictions, was still active as investigators worked to determine the full scope of the operation.

Assistant Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations Philadelphia, Spiros Karabinas, said the results of the investigation were a reminder to bad actors that drug enforcement is indeed a priority.

“We will continue to work vigorously to prevent them from being trafficked, distributed and ultimately sold throughout our communities,” said Karabinas.

All four Pennsylvania defendants were committed to Bucks County Correctional Facility on bail ranging from $1 million to $5 million.

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Copyright © 2024 WPVI-TV. All Rights Reserved.



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Pennsylvania

1 killed in crash involving horse and buggy in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania State Police say

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1 killed in crash involving horse and buggy in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania State Police say



One person was killed in a two-vehicle crash involving a horse and buggy in Lancaster County on Wednesday afternoon, according to Pennsylvania State Police.

The crash happened around 1:30 p.m. Wednesday in the 4000 block of Strasburg Road in Salisbury Township, state police said.

One person was pronounced dead at the scene, according to state police.

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Strasburg Road, or Rt. 741, near Hoover Road, is closed in both directions, PennDOT says.

PSP said the Lancaster Patrol Unit, Troop J Forensic Services Unit and Troop J Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Specialists Unit are on scene investigating the crash.



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Police hunt for masked suspects who looted a Pennsylvania Lululemon overnight

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Police hunt for masked suspects who looted a Pennsylvania Lululemon overnight


Pennsylvania police are searching for at least two masked suspects believed to have looted a Lululemon store overnight.

At least two masked men broke into a Lululemon in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, around 2 a.m. Tuesday, police told NBC 10 Philadelphia. Ardmore, a suburb of Philadelphia, is home to about 14,000 people.

The suspected thieves used a sledgehammer to break the glass on the store’s front door, according to police.

Once they gained access, the masked individuals grabbed handfuls of merchandise, security footage shows. The men went in and out of the store several times, grabbing handfuls of items that included coats, vests and shirts from the men’s section, police told local outlet WPVI.

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Surveillance footage shows at least two masked men breaking into a Pennsylvania Lululemon, police say

Surveillance footage shows at least two masked men breaking into a Pennsylvania Lululemon, police say (ABC 6/Lower Merion Police Department)

“This is taking it to another level,” Lower Merion Police Superintendent Andy Block told WPVI.

The suspects then loaded the merchandise into a U-Haul truck. Their truck was last seen at the intersection of Bryn Mawr Avenue and Woodbine Avenue, just a few miles from the store, police said.

The entire incident lasted about five minutes, which Block said is longer than usual for this type of burglary.

“Usually, it is because in a smash-and-grab situation they want to get in and get out before they’re identified or anybody’s notified on it,” Block told CBS Philadelphia.

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Block told WPVI the store is a popular target for robbers, given that many of its items cost more than $100. Now, he expects the alleged thieves have sold or exchanged the items.

“They’re using it on the market, maybe they’re exchanging it for drugs, or they’re selling it on the black market. It’s a highly sought-after item,” he told WPVI.

Thieves took off with handfuls of merchandise from a Pennsylvania Lululemon, according to police

Thieves took off with handfuls of merchandise from a Pennsylvania Lululemon, according to police (AFP via Getty Images)

Even though police say Lululemon is a popular target, Lt. Michael Keenan of the Lower Merion Police Department still called the incident “out of character.”

“This is an out of character, out of type incident where we don’t normally see people smashing windows in the middle of the night. But, certainly this is something that is distinct,” Keenan told NBC 10 Philadelphia.

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The store still opened Tuesday, with a banner covering the smashed glass on the door, according to Fox 29. Gina Picciano, a general manager at a restaurant across the street, said it was a frightening incident.

“I walked out here with my bartender and we looked, and it’s scary that it’s happening right across the way from us,” Picciano told Fox 29.

The same store was previously robbed in May 2024. Thieves stole more than $10,000 worth of merchandise during that incident, NBC 10 Philadelphia reports.

The Independent has contacted the Lower Merion Police Department and Lululemon for comment.



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Pennsylvania Gov. Shapiro has $30 million for his reelection bid, a new state record

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Pennsylvania Gov. Shapiro has  million for his reelection bid, a new state record


Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro set another campaign finance record for Pennsylvania with $30 million on hand as he seeks a second term this fall, his campaign said Tuesday. Pennsylvania has emerged as the nation’s premier presidential battleground state, and Shapiro’s strong showing in the 2022 governor’s race elevated his profile within the Democratic Party, where he’s viewed as a potential 2028 White House contender. In the general election, Shapiro, 52, is expected to face Stacy Garrity, the twice-elected state treasurer who has been endorsed by the state Republican Party.



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