USA - Bullhead City man David Linder nabbed in Internet designer drug bust

[chillinwill]

Federal authorities arrested a 49-year-old Bullhead City man Wednesday in connection with a multiple-state bust of Internet sites believed to be selling designer drugs and responsible for at least two overdose deaths.

The Drug Enforcement Administration, Norfolk, Va.-based Naval Criminal Investigative Service and Bullhead City police joined forces to take David Linder into custody in the 200 block of Moser Avenue as part of what is being called "Operation Web Tryp."

Linder's Web site, www.pondman.nu, reportedly had a front of selling landscape supplies.

"It was a Web site that by initial appearance looked like they sold fish pond equipment," said Ed Childress, special agent for the DEA.

Designer drugs from the site have been linked to the 2002 death of an 18-year-old male in Hancock, N.Y., and three non-fatal overdoses that resulted in bodily injuries, according to a DEA report.

"A 19-year-old male friend of the decedent later confirmed using similar chemicals obtained from www.pondman.nu that resulted in him suffering from seizures, floating spots in his vision, memory lapses, uncontrollable teeth grinding and large lumps that would appear and disappear periodically on his face and neck," the report stated.

In addition, the report alleged Linder also supplied drugs to U.S. Navy personnel who then held rave-style parties to distribute the narcotics.

A total of 10 arrests were made throughout Arizona, California, Georgia and Louisiana as part of the operation that targeted five Web sites allegedly distributing drugs under the guise of legitimate research chemicals. Many people were led to believe the substances were safe and legal versions of drugs such as Ecstasy and LSD, according to the report.

The drugs were actually "analogue" versions of the illegal substances, meaning the molecular structure of the chemical was altered to avoid prosecution under the federal Controlled Substance Act, Childress said.

However, the modified drugs, shipped mainly from China and India, are still illegal under the Controlled Substance Analogue Enforcement Act, established by Congress in 1996, and carry the same criminal penalties as other narcotics, Childress said.

While specific details of Linder's distribution are still being investigated, as a whole the Web sites are believed to have had thousands of customers and netted tens of thousands of dollars in sales.

"I think it's going to have a pretty tremendous impact," Childress said of Wednesday's arrests. "And I'm not going to say that these were the only guys doing it, but this is going to put out a big message to others that are using the Internet for this illegal activity."

Operation Web Tryp was established in 2002 and Childress said the DEA is taking a "very intensive interest" in continuing its investigations.

"This is the beginning of this operation, it's not the end," he said. "There's more to come."

Other Web sites involved in the investigation were www.raceresearch.com, www.duncanlabproducts.com, www.americanchemicalsupply.com and www.omegafinechemicals.com.

Phoenix resident April Curtis was the second Arizonan arrested in the bust for her connection to two of the Web sites, the DEA reported.

It is believed many of the site operators knew each other and may have been working together, Childress said.

Local police officers have reportedly been watching Linder's residence and providing information to the DEA for several months.

Linder is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substance analogues out of the Eastern District of Virginia and was taken to Las Vegas to await an initial appearance before a U.S. magistrate, said DEA public information officer Ramona Sanchez.

Linder's Web site was not operating as of Thursday evening.

By MICA THOMAS MULLOY
Thursday July 22, 2004
Mohave Daily News
http://www.mohavedailynews.com/artic...news/news1.txt