Fourthestate

This footage shows how a policeman cracks open a flowerpot holder using a sledgehammer and finds slabs of cocaine inside. The Spanish National Police reported seizing 82 kilogrammes (181 lb) of cocaine encased in flowerpots in Madrid and nearby towns. The drugs had entered Spain through the port of Malaga after being shipped from the Dominican Republic. As part of the operation, nine people accused of trafficking hashish, marijuana, and cocaine were arrested. In addition, five homes were raided, two indoor marijuana plantations were dismantled, and more than EUR 13,000 (GBP 11,400) in cash was seized. Spain's National Police Corps said in a statement obtained by Newsflash: "National Police officers have seized 82 kilogrammes of cocaine hidden in flowerpot holders in an operation against a criminal organisation allegedly dedicated to small- and medium-scale drug trafficking - hashish, marijuana, and cocaine - in Madrid and several nearby towns. The investigation was carried out in two phases during which a total of nine people were arrested, five home searches were conducted, two indoor marijuana plantations were dismantled, and over 13,000 euros in cash were seized. "The investigation began in 2022 around a group of individuals who allegedly formed a well-structured criminal organisation dedicated to drug trafficking in Madrid and several towns in the north. Once the organisation's leadership was identified, its main members were discovered to have planned to introduce a significant amount of cocaine into Spain, originating from the Dominican Republic, hidden in a container through the port of Malaga. "The shipment was destined for an industrial park located in Coslada, Madrid Province. Through coordination channels between several police units, a police control and monitoring device was established for the container, which was intercepted, locating 82 kilogrammes of cocaine hidden in flowerpot holders inside. "The investigation into the top leaders of this criminal organisation allowed the discovery of other criminal activities they were involved in, related to drug trafficking, revealing an entire network of acquisition, storage, and subsequent sale of narcotic substances, including illegal marijuana cultivation. "Finally, the officers launched a police operation in Madrid and other municipalities in the province, consisting of more than 40 police officers. In this second phase of the operation, seven members of the criminal network were arrested, five home searches were conducted, two indoor marijuana plantations were dismantled, and over 13,000 euros in cash were seized."

Detectives are investigating a case involving a LAPD officer who struck a knife-wielding suspect with a patrol car to get him to stop and arrest him. The incident - which took place in the North Hollywood Area in the US city of Los Angeles on 8th March - began as officers received a call for an "assault with a deadly weapon" suspect. Uniformed patrol officers arrived at the location and observed the suspect, Jonathan Mitrani, 31, armed with a knife and under the influence of alcohol and narcotics. Less lethal munitions were deployed but were ineffective in stopping the suspect, who was later hit by a police vehicle and subsequently disarmed and taken into custody. The officer involved in the incident has been identified as Police Officer II Oswaldo Pedemonte, Serial No. 33181, North Hollywood Division. One officer sustained minor injuries, and a pocketknife with a four-inch blade was recovered at the scene. The investigation is ongoing to determine the thoroughness and accuracy of using deadly force.

This dramatic footage shows Los Angeles County Deputies shooting and killing an armed suspect brandishing two knifes. Deputy Carlos Martinez and Deputy Grayson Fernandez-Jordane with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department were involved in a shooting that resulted in the death of 40-year-old Thomas Phan. The deputies responded to a report of a possible burglary in a restaurant located in the 23000 block of Valencia Boulevard, in Santa Clarita, in the US State of California and encountered Phan wearing a dark blue hoodie and blue jeans, on 16th November 2022. When the deputies approached him, Phan brandished a knife and refused to comply with their commands. After a taser was deployed with no effect, Phan fled and was later found armed with two knives. Despite orders to drop the knives, Phan raised them in a throwing motion towards the deputies, and a deputy-involved shooting occurred. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The investigation is ongoing and will be reviewed by the District Attorney's Office to determine if the use of force violated any criminal laws.

This is the moment a police officer shoots back at an armed suspect but then mysteriously loses sight of him. The Metropolitan Police Department's (MPD) Internal Affairs Bureau announced an investigating into officer-involved shooting, which occurred in the 400 block of Mellon Street, Southeast in Washington DC, USA, on 4th March. It began as officers were responding to the sounds of gunshots when they arrived and found shell casings in the alley. Later that evening, they heard gunshots coming from the same alley and an officer responded. An individual discharged a firearm, and the officer fired back before the individual fled into a nearby residence. The Emergency Response Team was called in and recovered a firearm, but no one was found inside the residence. The MPD member involved has been placed on administrative leave and body-worn camera footage is under review. No injuries were reported.

A drunk driver was shot dead by a Phoenix Police officer as the suspect fought with another officer over a gun during a traffic stop. The deadly shooting occurred in Phoenix, in the US state of Arizona on 25th of February. This incident began in the area of Central Avenue and Bell Road around 2:30 in the afternoon when Phoenix Police received a call about a person driving erratically, swerving in the roadway and openly drinking alcohol while driving. The caller followed the driver and indicated the driver nearly hit a pedestrian before pulling into an apartment complex at 17617 North 9th Street. At about 2:40 pm officers arrived at the apartment complex and found the pickup truck described by the caller backed into a parking spot. They found the male driver reclined in his seat behind the wheel. One of the officers moved up to the passenger side of the truck and noticed there was a rifle in the front console area. After having the man get out of the truck officers saw a handgun in the driver's door pocket. Officers had the man move to the back-quarter panel of the truck as they began to conduct a DUI investigation. One officer returned to his patrol vehicle to conduct a records check on the driver and a second officer stayed with the driver. A few moments later the officer sees the driver move towards the open driver's door and grab the handgun. The officer grabs the man from behind and the two struggled for control of the handgun. The officer doing the records check sees the commotion and comes back with his duty weapon out and fires one shot at the man. After the shooting, officers provided lifesaving measures until the Phoenix Fire Department arrived on the scene. The man was then taken to a local hospital where he did not survive his injuries. The officer involved in this incident is assigned to the Black Mountain Precinct and has over 14 years of service with the department. The investigation is currently ongoing.

This impressive footage shows firefighters battling a massive fire a scrap metal yard. Charlotte Fire Battalion 3 crews, along with other agencies, responded to a fire at a scrap metal recycling facility - in Charlotte, in the US state of North Carolina - that was controlled in less than two-and-a-half hours. Thanks to their solid work, the incident was successfully managed, as reported by the Charlotte Fire Department at 2200 block Donald Ross road in Charlotte on 6th March. Charlotte Fire praised the efforts of Engine 10, 43, 17, 1, 31, Ladder 2, 4, Tower 26, Rescue 10, Rehab 1, Hazmat 13, and Safety 1. No injuries have been reported.

The Colombian Navy has seized a 49-foot-long narco sub in the Pacific Ocean carrying more than 2.6 tonnes of cocaine worth GBP 72 million and two lifeless bodies. Authorities believe the deceased may have died from toxic gas inhalation. This footage shows the massive haul being unloaded and laid out on the ground following the narco sub's seizure. Media in Spain are reporting that the sub was one of three seized by authorities in Colombia and that all three allegedly belonged to FARC dissidents. The FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) was a Marxist-Leninist guerrilla group that operated in Colombia from 1964 to 2017. The group aimed to overthrow the Colombian government and establish a communist state. It was involved in drug trafficking, extortion, kidnapping, and other criminal activities to finance its decades-long insurgency. Spanish media added that each narco sub could carry up to six tonnes of cocaine. Media in Spain also reported that Colombian troops located and destroyed a cocaine processing centre in a rural area near the northern city of Santa Marta. They reportedly seized two tonnes of cocaine from the centre. Colombia's Ministry of National Defence said in a statement obtained by Newsflash: "The Colombian Military Forces, in the course of maritime control and security operations in the Colombian Pacific, intercepted a semi-submersible approximately 15 metres long, in which 2,643 kilograms of cocaine hydrochloride were being transported, destined for distribution in Central America. "Once the illegal device was located, military personnel found two individuals in poor health conditions on the outside of the vessel. Apparently, there was an accident inside the semi-submersible due to the generation of toxic gases from the fuel. The two men were treated and transported to a nearby vessel, where they were given the necessary medical attention to safeguard their lives. "During the inspection of the illegal device, which had a large amount of water in it, two bodies without signs of life were found and recovered. The Colombian Navy, after carrying out these procedures, recovered the alkaloid that was being transported inside the semi-submersible. "Subsequently, the rescued individuals, the bodies, and the drug haul were transported to the municipality of Tumaco, Narino Department, where they were presented to the Technical Investigation Corps of the Attorney General's Office, which determined that the alkaloid was cocaine hydrochloride. "With this operational deployment, which had foreign support, more than 87 million dollars entering the financial structures of the narco-trafficking organisations operating in the Colombian Pacific were prevented, and more than six million doses were prevented from circulating in the international illegal market. "The Colombian Navy will continue to deploy all its capabilities to counteract the scourge of the narco-trafficking structures operating in the Colombian Pacific." Semi-submersible narco subs are designed to partially submerge themselves in water to avoid detection by radar and other surveillance equipment. They are often constructed in remote areas of the Colombian jungle, and their design and construction involve a high degree of secrecy and sophistication.

Six migrants, including a pregnant woman, lost their lives and nine more are feared dead after their flimsy dinghy took on water off the coast of Turkey. Remarkably, five migrants were found alive on a small Greek island after they apparently fell in the sea and managed to swim for miles. The Turkish Coast Guard was alerted to a vessel taking on water off Turkey's south-western coast at 6.20am on 11th March. Coastguards arrived on the scene and rescued 11 people - mostly African nationals and one a child - from the partly-submerged rubber boat. Footage of the rescue shows the flimsy vessel struggling as it is tossed around in the choppy seas. The survivors were taken to the small coastal town of Didim in Turkey, where they were handed over to medics for treatment. The dead bodies of six migrants who had fallen off the dinghy were pulled from the sea and taken to the morgue of Didim State Hospital. A pregnant woman is reported to be among the dead. The Greek Coastguard reported that five people were found alive on the small Greek island of Farmakonisi, which lies about 12 miles from Didim. The survivors reported that there were 31 people on board the dinghy. It is not clear if searches for the nine people believed to be unaccounted for are still ongoing. The Didim District Security Directorate is investigating the incident. Turkey's Coast Guard Command said in a statement obtained by Newsflash on 11th March: "On 11th March, 2023, at 06.20am, upon receiving information that a rubber boat carrying a group of irregular migrants had taken on water and was in danger of sinking in the Turkish Search and Rescue Region off the coast of Didim District in Aydin Province, one Coast Guard vessel (TCSG-82) and two Coast Guard boats (TCSG-901, TCSG-909) were dispatched to the scene immediately. "Upon arrival in the area, Coast Guard units rescued 11 irregular migrants (10 adults, one child) and delivered them to 112 Emergency Health Ambulance personnel at the Didim Port, and the lifeless bodies of six irregular migrants were recovered. "Based on initial information obtained from the rescued irregular migrants, search and rescue operations are ongoing to locate the irregular migrants who are believed to be missing."

This is the moment firefighters reach a relieved hiker who spent three days in the Brazilian forest without food after getting lost. At one point during her ordeal, she fell into water and survived because her pal had given her a life vest before they became separated. After her rescue, she told how she survived by drinking from a waterfall and took shelter from the rain in a grotto. Outdoors lover Cecilia Nunes Siqueira met with a friend to do a 90-minute-long hike through the Serra do Mar State Park in Sao Paulo State on 5th March. During the hike, she needed to relieve herself, so her pal waited with her belongings, including her mobile phone, about 100 metres (109 yards) away. She told local media: "It was an easy uphill climb and I told him to go ahead to create some space. I hurried and, when I finished, I went up the hill and didn't find him. "I panicked, sat down and waited for a while. But I didn't go up the right path, everything looked the same, and I didn't know if I was going up or down." Her friend - a police officer - waited for about 20 minutes before deciding to go to look for her. When he failed to find her, he called the Fire Department. Cecilia, 30, walked for miles through the forest without any food. She told local media: "I took a deep breath and kept walking. At night, I slept well and stayed away from the water because of animals. "I found a hole in the middle of the hill to rest. It rained a lot. I even thought I might have hypothermia, but I didn't." At one point, she had a scare when she slipped from a rock, fell into water, and was swept away by the current. Despite not knowing how to swim, she survived because her friend had given her a life vest. However, the fall left her with a wound to the head. Firefighters scoured the area on foot and from a helicopter. A video shows the moment Cecilia was reached and winched up to safety on 7th March. She told local media: "I was sleeping and heard the conversations. They were the firefighters. I screamed, and they found me after about half an hour. "I even thought it was a dream. It was emotional." Cecilia was taken to hospital in the municipality of Sao Bernardo do Campo for treatment and is now recovering from the ordeal at home.

This is the adorable moment Turkish police officers hand out toys and gifts to children living in earthquake-affected areas. The heartwarming video was obtained by Newsflash from the Turkish Police Service on 9th March shows police officers distributing gifts to children who were victims of an earthquake in Hatay, Turkey, which resulted in thousands of injuries, according to reports. The footage depicts the officers bringing joy to the children affected by the disaster, highlighting the efforts made to uplift the spirits of those affected by the tragedy.

This touching footage shows Turkish soldiers handing out caps to children who have been made victims by the earthquakes. The images were obtained by Newsflash from the Turkish Ministry of National Defence, which released the footage on 9th Match. The Ministry said in a short statement Newsflash obtained: "Child means happiness, means joy. We distributed the gifts sent by our Force Commands to our children in the earthquake zone and shared their happiness." Turkish military personnel are continuing their effort in providing assistance to those affected by the disaster, highlighting the importance of solidarity and support during times of crisis.

This is the dramatic moment police officers saw through the front door of a house to arrest four suspects who had stashed drugs, money and weapons inside. The bust came as part of 'Operation Movan' - which ended with the arrest of four men who allegedly intended to supply class A drugs in Wigan, seizing GBP 4,000 in cash, cocaine, a machete, an axe, and three vehicles. Officers from Wigan's Challenger team executed two warrants and arrested four men aged 23, 25, 26 and 32 as part of the operation on 9th March. The activity followed an investigation into a criminal network suspected of supplying large quantities of crack cocaine and heroin, using intimidation and violence along the way. Officers entered one of the houses after cutting the front door in half. Detective Inspector Zoe Nightingale, from Wigan’s Challenger, highlighted the importance of the public reporting any suspicious activity in their area to help combat serious and organised crime.

The 1993 'Storm of the Century' brought an unprecedented amount of snowfall, with Mount LeConte, Tennessee, receiving nearly five feet of snow. Infrared imagery from NOAA's GOES-7 satellite captured the storm's progression from the 10th of March to the 15th of March. It shows the incredible coverage of snowfall from Alabama to Maine—with measurable snowfall being recorded even in parts of the Florida Panhandle.

This is the dramatic moment police officers have to rescue a 14-year-old human smuggler who had become lost while attempting to evade law enforcement. The boy had been trying to smuggle six to seven illegal immigrants when he bailed out of the vehicle in in Maverick County, in the US state of Texas on 7th March. The mother of the boy sought help from DPS Troopers after receiving a text message from her teenage son. Troopers were able to pinpoint the boy's GPS location and find him in the brush after a short search. He then confessed to being involved in the vehicle pursuit earlier in the day. The illegal immigrants were located and referred to Border Patrol. The boy has been charged with smuggling of persons.

The video shows the moment cops in the USA arrest a man after a high-speed helicopter chase ended in a three-vehicle crash with one person left seriously injured. The suspect identified as Richard Harris, aged 20, was taken into custody by officers from the Indian River County, in Florida State, USA, on Thursday, 2nd March 2023. He reportedly faces charges of reckless driving resulting in serious bodily injury, aggravated fleeing and eluding, leaving the scene of a crash with property damage, driving with no valid license as well as numerous counts of auto burglary. Officials from the Indian River County Sheriff's Office claimed that cops responded to a report of three people breaking into more than two dozen parked cars. Investigators then identified a suspect vehicle - a white newer model BMW 430i - which was later spotted in a parking lot in the Sebastian Barber Street Sports Complex in the northern part of the county. But as the sergeant moved in, the Harris took off and rammed the sergeant's car in the process. Police helicopter footage shows Harris attempting to flee away officers in a BMW 430i, as he speeds along 90th Avenue where he makes a U-turn during his getaway. But as the video shows, a car then crashes into the BMW, which then hits a third vehicle, after which Harris gets arrested by deputies. Reports claimed that one driver was taken to the hospital with injuries. Following his arrest, Harris was taken to the Indian River County Jail where he is currently being held on a USD 530,000 (GBP 435,776) bond. The investigation for the other suspects is ongoing.