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http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/local/scn-sa-drugring4mar22,0,2399722.story
Area men charged in international pot ring
By Martin B. Cassidy
Staff Writer
March 22, 2008
GREENWICH - A Fairfield County marijuana and money-laundering operation funneled more than 100 kilograms of Canadian-grown marijuana into the area over the past two years, according to indictments unsealed yesterday by the U.S. Attorney's Office for Connecticut.
Investigators seized more than $1.4 million from the operation, which was investigated by a joint task force of federal authorities and police departments throughout Fairfield County for more than a year.
Local police departments including Greenwich, Stamford, Norwalk, Stratford and Naugatuck assisted federal authorities in the investigation, according to the U.S. Attorney's office.
Six men from Connecticut, New York, and Quebec face federal charges in the case, four of whom were arrested in late December in connection with the ring, said Thomas Carson, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office for Connecticut. The other two remain at large.
The four are: Brian Danzi, 33, of 60 Laurel Lane, Ridgefield; his brother Michael Danzi, 31, of 2 Geneva Road, Norwalk; George Tsellos, 38, who also lived at 2 Geneva Road in Norwalk in addition to having a residence in St. Laurent, Quebec; and Christian "Elias" Fortier Kaeslin, 26, of Mooers, N.Y.
The Danzis are alleged to have received marijuana supplied by Tsellos, who then smuggled the more than $500,000 in proceeds back into Canada and to his Canadian associates, according to the indictment.
They, along with Kaeslin, each were indicted on single counts of conspiracy to distribute more than 100 kilograms or more of marijuana, possession with intent to distribute, distribution of marijuana, and conspiracy to smuggle cash in bulk out of the United States, according to the indictment.
Federal authorities are seeking the forfeiture of property acquired by the defendants, including Danzi's three-story home in Ridgefield, three Yamaha all-terrain vehicles, a black 2000 Mercedes-Benz, and a black 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee.
Tsellos, 38, has pleaded not guilty to the charges and is being held without bond because of concerns about his immigration status, his Bridgeport-based defense attorney Frank Riccio said.
"It really is too early to comment on the facts of the case, and we're in the process of discovery of the government's evidence," Riccio said.
Calls to Bruce Koffsky, Brian Danzi's criminal defense attorney, and federal public defender Paul Thomas, who is representing Michael Danzi were not returned.
Attempts to reach Kaeslin and the two remaining men at large and indicted on the same charges, Jose Legeun-Mejia, and Soterios "Michael" Tsellos, were unsuccessful.
here is what not to do:
http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/local/scn-sa-drugring4mar22,0,2399722.story
Area men charged in international pot ring
By Martin B. Cassidy
Staff Writer
March 22, 2008
GREENWICH - A Fairfield County marijuana and money-laundering operation funneled more than 100 kilograms of Canadian-grown marijuana into the area over the past two years, according to indictments unsealed yesterday by the U.S. Attorney's Office for Connecticut.
Investigators seized more than $1.4 million from the operation, which was investigated by a joint task force of federal authorities and police departments throughout Fairfield County for more than a year.
Local police departments including Greenwich, Stamford, Norwalk, Stratford and Naugatuck assisted federal authorities in the investigation, according to the U.S. Attorney's office.
Six men from Connecticut, New York, and Quebec face federal charges in the case, four of whom were arrested in late December in connection with the ring, said Thomas Carson, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office for Connecticut. The other two remain at large.
The four are: Brian Danzi, 33, of 60 Laurel Lane, Ridgefield; his brother Michael Danzi, 31, of 2 Geneva Road, Norwalk; George Tsellos, 38, who also lived at 2 Geneva Road in Norwalk in addition to having a residence in St. Laurent, Quebec; and Christian "Elias" Fortier Kaeslin, 26, of Mooers, N.Y.
The Danzis are alleged to have received marijuana supplied by Tsellos, who then smuggled the more than $500,000 in proceeds back into Canada and to his Canadian associates, according to the indictment.
They, along with Kaeslin, each were indicted on single counts of conspiracy to distribute more than 100 kilograms or more of marijuana, possession with intent to distribute, distribution of marijuana, and conspiracy to smuggle cash in bulk out of the United States, according to the indictment.
Federal authorities are seeking the forfeiture of property acquired by the defendants, including Danzi's three-story home in Ridgefield, three Yamaha all-terrain vehicles, a black 2000 Mercedes-Benz, and a black 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee.
Tsellos, 38, has pleaded not guilty to the charges and is being held without bond because of concerns about his immigration status, his Bridgeport-based defense attorney Frank Riccio said.
"It really is too early to comment on the facts of the case, and we're in the process of discovery of the government's evidence," Riccio said.
Calls to Bruce Koffsky, Brian Danzi's criminal defense attorney, and federal public defender Paul Thomas, who is representing Michael Danzi were not returned.
Attempts to reach Kaeslin and the two remaining men at large and indicted on the same charges, Jose Legeun-Mejia, and Soterios "Michael" Tsellos, were unsuccessful.
