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Immigration seizes Arizona oil company
OregonianLive ^ | 1/25/2005, 6:44 p.m. PT | KEN THOMAS

Posted on 01/25/2005 7:01:21 PM PST by RedBloodedAmerican

MIAMI (AP) — Federal agents seized an Arizona oil company allegedly funded by proceeds of a marijuana smuggling operation and took control of a number of its other assets, authorities announced Tuesday.

U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement agents seized Phoenix-based Shaboom Oil Inc. on Friday. The company, owned by Panama-based Shaboom Investments, also forfeited 43 operating oil wells in Pennsylvania and mineral rights to 1,100 acres in the Allegheny National Forest, authorities said.

Authorities also said they seized $6.5 million in assets from trusts and bank accounts in Monaco, part of more than $70 million forfeited in the investigation dating to the early 1990s.

Larry Hammond, an attorney for George Basch, Shaboom Oil's former chief executive, declined to comment.

Federal officials said the impetus for the investigation was Paul Hindelang, who operated one of the nation's largest marijuana smuggling operations in the late 1970s. Special agent Cynthia Keuthan said Hindelang did not have any operating control over Shaboom, but "it was his drug proceeds that ultimately funded the company."

Harland Braun, a Los Angeles-based attorney representing Hindelang, said he "doesn't know anything about this."

Hindelang was convicted in 1981 for his part in smuggling 500,000 pounds of marijuana into the southeastern United States, and was sentenced to 30 months.

Hindelang's original plea agreement called for him to forfeit all of his drug money, which he said totaled $640,000. Investigators said they found Hindelang allegedly had hidden money in offshore bank accounts and corporations, and supposedly used it to buy property and businesses in the West and in Costa Rica.

The Arizona Corporation Commission did not have any listings for Shaboom Oil Inc. or Shaboom Investments Inc. The oil wells in Pennsylvania were valued at about $1 million, authorities said.

"Like no other case in recent memory, this investigation demonstrates our perseverance in tracking down the ill-gotten gains of international crime lords," said ICE special agent-in-charge Jesus Torres.

Federal officials said they were continuing their investigation.

"Apparently there's still money floating around that they're tracking but it has nothing to do with Hindelang," Braun said.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; US: Arizona
KEYWORDS: arizona; assetforfeiture; assetforfieture; bordersecurity; drugs; oil; panama; smuggling; wod

1 posted on 01/25/2005 7:01:23 PM PST by RedBloodedAmerican
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To: RedBloodedAmerican

Shaboom Investments ---interesting name


2 posted on 01/25/2005 7:03:25 PM PST by Wolfhound777 (It's not our job to forgive them. Only God can do that. Our job is to arrange the meeting)
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To: Wolfhound777

500,000 pounds ?


3 posted on 01/25/2005 7:04:59 PM PST by Eric in the Ozarks
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To: gubamyster

Ping!


4 posted on 01/25/2005 7:05:30 PM PST by LNewman
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To: Eric in the Ozarks

http://www.customs.ustreas.gov/custoday/nov1999/asset.htm


5 posted on 01/25/2005 7:21:54 PM PST by RedBloodedAmerican (...........IN GOD WE TRUST..........everything else is just target practice............)
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To: RedBloodedAmerican
Forfeited mineral rights to 1,00 acres of Allegheny National Forest, hmmm? Hmmmmmm....and interesting name for an oil company, "Shaboom". Also an extremely interesting bust. Headline should read "Panamanian Drug Lord OUtsources Jobs to US".

My SIL works for a PA based drilling company. I wonder what company will get the mineral rights now...

6 posted on 01/25/2005 7:29:23 PM PST by cake_crumb (Leftist Credo: "One Wing to Rule Them all and to the Dark Side Bind Them")
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To: Wolfhound777
"Shaboom Investments ---interesting name"

They must not be very superstitious.

7 posted on 01/25/2005 7:30:56 PM PST by cake_crumb (Leftist Credo: "One Wing to Rule Them all and to the Dark Side Bind Them")
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To: cake_crumb

:) yes, apparently not.


8 posted on 01/25/2005 7:35:15 PM PST by Wolfhound777 (It's not our job to forgive them. Only God can do that. Our job is to arrange the meeting)
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To: RedBloodedAmerican

It's all George Basch's fault!


9 posted on 01/25/2005 7:45:15 PM PST by thoughtomator (Favorite Dish: Spotted Owl Teriyaki)
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To: RedBloodedAmerican
I dont know why but this stands out..

Hindelang was convicted in 1981 for his part in smuggling 500,000 pounds of marijuana into the southeastern United States, and was sentenced to 30 months.

This guy gets 30 months for smuggling 500,000 lbs... A friend of mine got 48 months for being in posession of 2 lbs. Drug war insanity.
10 posted on 01/25/2005 7:57:57 PM PST by somniferum
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To: thoughtomator

EEEEEEEVEEEEEEL Bush/Cheney/Halliburton triangle...they unilaterally invaded an oil company to steal their oil! 30,000 civilians murdered! Minorites, women and children hardest hit! Puppies and kittens second hardest hit! Wedding parties welcome!


11 posted on 01/25/2005 7:59:41 PM PST by cake_crumb (Leftist Credo: "One Wing to Rule Them all and to the Dark Side Bind Them")
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To: cake_crumb

Look at the name of their former CEO


12 posted on 01/25/2005 8:01:28 PM PST by thoughtomator (Favorite Dish: Spotted Owl Teriyaki)
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To: somniferum
Well, 1981 would have been before we tightened up the drug laws and the courts would have been filled with their max of Carter judges. I'm more amazed they even sentenced him to 30 months.

Also, it doesn't say if he ratted out some others in that trial for a lesser sentence nor does it say exactly what his "part" in the smuggling was.

13 posted on 01/25/2005 8:14:38 PM PST by LenS
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To: somniferum

Papaver?

Rather like Jimson Weed in my case. The level of entheogenic knowledge in here is slight. At best.


14 posted on 01/25/2005 8:18:39 PM PST by datura (Destroy The UN, the MSM, and China. The rest will fall into line once we get rid of these.)
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To: thoughtomator

Amazinf , isn't it? How long do you suppose it'll be before the left starts confusing George Basche with George Bush?


15 posted on 01/25/2005 8:20:42 PM PST by cake_crumb (Leftist Credo: "One Wing to Rule Them all and to the Dark Side Bind Them")
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To: Wolfhound777


Shaboom?!
16 posted on 01/25/2005 8:21:49 PM PST by July 4th (A vacant lot cancelled out my vote for Bush.)
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To: RedBloodedAmerican

Question: if this is a drug-related seizure, why isn't DEA doing this?


17 posted on 01/25/2005 8:28:47 PM PST by LibertarianInExile (NO BLOOD FOR CHOCOLATE! Get the UN-ignoring, unilateralist Frogs out of Ivory Coast!)
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To: cake_crumb; Wolfhound777

They could be fans of the Crew Cuts.

Sh - Boom (Life Could Be A Dream)

Hey nonny ding dong, alang alang alang
Boom ba-doh, ba-doo ba-doodle-ay

Oh, life could be a dream (sh-boom)
If I could take you up in paradise up above (sh-boom)
If you would tell me I'm the only one that you love
Life could be a dream, sweetheart
(Hello, hello again, sh-boom and hopin' we'll meet again)

Oh, life could be a dream (sh-boom)
If only all my precious plans would come true (sh-boom)
If you would let me spend my whole life lovin' you
Life could be a dream, sweetheart

Now every time I look at you
Something is on my mind (dat-dat-dat-dat-dat-duh)
If you do what I want you to
Baby, we'd be so fine!

Oh, life could be a dream (sh-boom)
If I could take you up in paradise up above (sh-boom)
If you would tell me I'm the only one that you love
Life could be a dream, sweetheart

Sh-boom sh-boom Ya-da-da Da-da-da Da-da-da Da
Sh-boom sh-boom Ya-da-da Da-da-da Da-da-da Da
Sh-boom sh-boom Ya-da-da Da-da-da Da-da-da Da, sh-boom!

Sh-boom sh-boom Ya-da-da Da-da-da Da-da-da Da
Sh-boom sh-boom Ya-da-da Da-da-da Da-da-da Da
Sh-boom sh-boom Ya-da-da Da-da-da Da-da-da Da, sh-boom!

Every time I look at you
Somethin' is on my mind
If you do what I want you to
Baby, we'd be so fine!

Life could be a dream
If I could take you up in paradise up above
If you would tell me I'm the only one that you love
Life could be a dream, sweetheart
(Hello hello again, sh-boom and hopin' we'll meet again) boom sh-boom

Hey nonny ding dong, alang alang alang (sh-boom)
Ba-doh, ba-doo ba-doodle-ay
Life could be a dream
Life could be a dream, sweetheart!

Life could be a dream
If only all my precious plans would come true
If you would let me spend my whole life loving you
Life could be a dream, sweetheart

(dee-oody-ooh, sh-boom, sh-boom)
(dee-oody-ooh, sh-boom, sh-boom)
(dee-oody-ooh, sh-boom, sh-boom)
Sweetheart!!


18 posted on 01/25/2005 8:31:12 PM PST by LibertarianInExile (NO BLOOD FOR CHOCOLATE! Get the UN-ignoring, unilateralist Frogs out of Ivory Coast!)
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To: datura

*cackle*

Kudos on your nick, and btw you are the first person to understand what my nick means *eg*


19 posted on 01/25/2005 8:42:29 PM PST by somniferum
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To: RedBloodedAmerican

Read later, thanks.


20 posted on 01/25/2005 9:18:32 PM PST by JustAnotherSavage (When conservatives break their principles they seem to become casual about breaking the law, too.)
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