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Treasury secretary travels to Atlanta to announce crackdown on fentanyl

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Treasury secretary travels to Atlanta to announce crackdown on fentanyl


by Dave Williams 

ATLANTA – U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen Thursday announced new sanctions against a Mexican drug cartel that smuggles fentanyl and other synthetic opioids into the United States.

Yellen’s announcement during a news conference in Atlanta coincided with the arrests of eight leaders of the cartel La Nueva Familia Michocana on 13 indictments.

More than 1 million Americans have died of drug overdoses since 2000, while fatal overdoses of fentanyl among Georgians rose by 200% between 2019 and 2021, Yellen said.

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“Far too many families in communities across the United States are losing their loved ones to opioids,” she said. “That’s why President Biden has directed the entire U.S. government to use every tool at our disposal to combat the opioid epidemic.”

“Illicit drugs imported into the United States are killing our citizens at an unprecedented rate,” added Ryan Buchanan, U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Georgia.

Yellen said the sanctions imposed by the Treasury Department’s Office of Financial Assets Control are aimed at denying cartels the funds they need to carry out their illegal activities.

“Cartels that peddle fentanyl operate in many respects like other businesses,” she said. “They rely on access to banking systems … to make payroll and finance purchases.”

Yellen said the federal government needs help from the private sector to make the sanctions work. Toward that end, the Treasury Department also issued an advisory Thursday to help financial institutions detect and report flows of money fueling the fentanyl supply chain.

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“One of the most powerful things we can do is deny (cartels) the fruits of their labor, the very essence of what these cartels need – their money,” said Robert Murphy, special agent in charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s Atlanta office. “We don’t want them to use that money to make them stronger and have a bigger impact in the United States.”

Yellen said La Nueva Familia Michocana not only ships fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamines into the U.S. but also smuggles illegal immigrants across the southern border and engages in arms trafficking.

Yellen said Chinese officials have agreed to cooperate with the American effort to combat fentanyl, and she is reaching out to Claudia Sheinbaum, recently elected president of Mexico, to work with the U.S. on choking off the flow of dangerous drugs across the border.



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Atlanta, GA

Suspect on the run after shooting woman during argument, Atlanta police say

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Suspect on the run after shooting woman during argument, Atlanta police say


ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – Police are investigating an argument that turned violent overnight in northwest Atlanta.

Officers say two women were fighting on the 100 block of 26th Street NW when one shot at the other.

The victim was hit with fragments of gunfire and taken to Grady Memorial Hospital for treatment. Officers say she is expected to make a full recovery.

Police are still searching for the suspect.

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If you have any information, contact the Atlanta Police Department at 404-658-6666. To remain anonymous, tipsters should contact Crime Stoppers at 404-577-TIPS (8477) or visit www.stopcrimeATL.com. Crime Stoppers tipsters can receive a cash reward for information leading to an arrest and indictment in this case.



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Atlanta, GA

Miami Heat And Atlanta Hawks Make A Trade

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Miami Heat And Atlanta Hawks Make A Trade


On Thursday evening, the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft concluded.

Before the second day of the draft began, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Atlanta Hawks traded AJ Griffin to the Houston Rockets for the 44th pick.

The Hawks then traded that pick (plus cash) to the Miami Heat to acquire the 43rd pick (Nikola Djurisic).

Via The Miami Heat: “OFFICIAL: The Miami HEAT have acquired the draft rights to Pelle Larsson (selected 44th overall) and cash considerations from the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for the draft rights to Nikola Djurisic (selected 43rd overall) in a three-team trade involving the Houston Rockets in which Atlanta also sent AJ Griffin to Houston for the 44th pick in the draft.”

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Djurisic is coming off a season where he averaged 14.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.0 steals per contest while shooting 45.4% from the field and 33.0% from the three-point range in 26 AdmiralBet ABA League games.

Via Jonathan Wasserman of NBA Draft.Net: “Atlanta adds Djurisic in the 2nd, a highly skilled wing whose passing may be one of draft’s more underrated skills. Got to be around him a lot at Eurocamp—interesting kid with potential shoot-pass-dribble skill set for 6-7 wing”

As for the Hawks, they finished the season with a 36-46 record, which had them as the tenth seed in the Eastern Conference.

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They lost to the Chicago Bulls in the play-in tournament, so they missed the NBA playoffs.

The franchise had the first overall pick, and they selected Zachary Risacher.





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Atlanta, GA

BREAKING: Atlanta Hawks Trade Ex-1st Round Pick To Houston Rockets

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BREAKING: Atlanta Hawks Trade Ex-1st Round Pick To Houston Rockets


AJ Griffin is coming off his second season in the NBA with the Atlanta Hawks.

The former Duke star only appeared in 20 games and finished the regular season with averages of 2.4 points per contest while shooting 29.0% from the field and 25.6% from the three-point range.

On Thursday, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Griffin has been traded to the Houston Rockets.

Via Wojnarowski: “ESPN Sources: The Atlanta Hawks are trading F AJ Griffin to the Houston Rockets for the 44th pick in Thursday’s NBA Draft. Griffin, 20, was a 2022 first-round pick out of Duke.”

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Griffin showed promise during his rookie season.

After being selected with the 16th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, he averaged a productive 8.9 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.0 assists per contest while shooting 46.5% from the field and 39.0% from the three-point range in 72 games (12 starts).

Therefore, the Rockets may be getting a good deal, considering he is coming off a down season.

AJ Griffin

Oct 2, 2023; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard AJ Griffin (14) photographed during Hawks Media Day. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports / Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

As for the Rockets, they finished the 2023-24 season with a 41-41 record, which had them as the 11th seed in the Western Conference.

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They missed the NBA playoffs for the fourth straight season, but it looks like they are on the verge of being able to end the drought in the next two seasons.

Ime Udoka

Mar 19, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka looks onto the court during the first half against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports / Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Meanwhile, the Hawks finished the year as the tenth seed in the Eastern Conference with a 36-46 record.

After losing to the Chicago Bulls in the play-in tournament, they missed the NBA playoffs for the first time since the 2020 season.





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