Whats that smell in the Florida Keys? Dealers are also disguising the drugs to look like candy. Dozens of them were taken into custody and bused to prison, including the six alleged ringleaders. 4 Sloans Trailer ParkJuan Manuel Venegas, 29, 837 Eighth Ave.Fisherman Michael Patrick OBrien, 22, 216 LincolnGardens. Square Grouper is not an un-hip fish. and help keep the future of New Times, Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our. Traffic stop results in drug bust. Copyright 2021 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved. Copyright 2023 Local10.com is published by WPLG INC., a Berkshire Hathaway company. WebDrugs seized by the U.S. Border Patrol in Monroe County. WebRobertson & Hunter, LLP 501 Whitehead St., Ste. Fifteen agents from three agencies seized 25,000 poundsof marijuana in the pre-dawn bust on Big Pine Key. The long process known as coking in police language continued into the evening hours Saturday at the Monroe County Sheriffs Department 30 men rounded up during a pre-dawn marijuana bust were being questioned by officials. This is a very small list of vessels confiscated by Major Seals Agents in just one or two years during the heyday of Keys pot smuggling. Law enforcement arrests 83 people in Tipsters may remain anonymous. X-NONE Web2:09 PM EST, Wed February 24, 2021. The Brevard County Sheriff's Office said investigators uncovered 75 firearms, 9 pounds of methamphetamine, 3 pounds of fentanyl and an undisclosed amount of heroin. And as frantic efforts were being made to reach U.S. Magistrate Jack Saunders to arrange a bond hearing, Sheriff William A. Freeman Jr. fretted, Where the hell am going to put them? Freemans already over-crowded jail became even more cramped when inmates destroyed Cell Block 2 during a disturbance Wednesday night. Hes in county jail on Stock Island, and his bond information was not immediately available. My Favorite Drug-Sniffing Florida Keys Police drug bust A drug bust in Florida led to the seizure of enough fentanyl to kill at least 500,000 people, according to the Brevard County Sheriff's Office. "But if you are a poison peddler, and you kill someone in Flagler County, we are going to investigate you for first-degree murder, and we already have four people sitting in state prison for killing someone for selling the lethal dose," Staly said. Several weapons were also found at the scene. mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; a whopping$1.4 billion worth of cocaine and weed. In all, 30 people were charged in U.S. District Courtwith drug trafficking. A very special thanks to Major Monty Seals who ran theoperation. Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com. Border Patrol officials ask the public to report any suspicious activity by calling their toll free number 1-877-772-8146. Fentanyl, often used to lace other drugs, is considered the deadliest drug in America, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Some of the many boats confiscated during the smuggling days and their captured loads are shown below. mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; Keys woman facing numerous drug counts after pot smell leads to pills, cocaine. Horace Calhoun, Clarence Moore, Jr. and Shamichael Johnson were all at the apartment and taken into custody. They were too many of them and they were too obvious. So the cartels in Mexico are very good about marketing," Staly said. Inside the bag, deputies found 37 liquid marijuana cartridges used for vaping. "Arrest warrants were issued for each of the 100 suspects who have been identified throughout the course of the investigation as sources or distributors of these deadly drugs," the sheriff's office said in a statement. Deputies say her Toyota Camry had expired tags and that Coral then alerted to drugs in the car. A major drug operation in the Keys was disrupted Friday, leading to the arrest of six people on multiple drug-related charges. Drugs seized by the U.S. Border Patrol in Monroe County. From the Miami HeraldNovember 14, 1980By Michael Capuzzo and Robert Rivas Herald Staff Writers. WebFLORIDA KEYS, Fla. (WSVN) The Monroe County Sheriffs Office carried out a drug bust. She's just a few weeks into her job with the Monroe County Sheriff's Office. Normal Big Pine 29 Bust 1980 BigPineKey.com A police K-9 sniffed out more than six ounces of cocaine inside a car during a traffic stop. FLORIDA KEYS, Fla. (WSVN) The Monroe County Sheriffs Office carried out a drug bust. A 35-year-old man and a 29-year-old woman were arrested following a search of their residence Over 100 arrested in massive Florida drug bust after months Copyright 2023 Local10.com is published by WPLG INC., a Berkshire Hathaway company. The three alleged organizational leaders were identified as Brandon Huff, 35, and Jonathan Walker, 42, both of Cocoa, and Megan Wilborn, 31, of Merritt Island. WebThe U.S. Coast Guard announced Thursday that it was offloading a record-shattering amount of cocaine and marijuana at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. I was with him almost every day during that time and knew the full cast of characters. One asshole in particular kept spinning the cylinder of his shiny .45 Colt revolver and making up things to accuse me of. In addition to charges of possession of more than 2,000 pounds of marijuana trafficking and conspiracy to deliver a controlled substance, which were filed against all 30 defendants, charges of carrying concealed weapons were still pending against several of the men. mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; On Friday afternoon, Alvarez-Bermudez remained jailed without bond at the Stock Island Detention Center. Reed Bryan Bell, 55, of Islamorada, was also arrested on a charge of possession of a controlled substance and Markus Dyer, 31, of Big Pine Key, was arrested on charges of trafficking in heroin, trafficking in methamphetamines, possession of cocaine, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; The illegal Join the New Times community and help support Pacheco does not have a concealed carry permit for the weapon, according to the report. Amanda Batchelor, Digital Executive Producer. Sergio Galvan was arrested Saturday, too. He was arrested and charged with trafficking cocaine. FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - The US Coast Guard offloaded more than $500 million worth of cocaine and marijuana in South Florida on Monday. false WebA major drug operation in the Keys was disrupted Friday, leading to the arrest of six people on multiple drug-related charges. Ron DeSantis said the bust marked the biggest drug seizure in the county's history. He plans to break records, These Florida spots, one in the Keys, made the best beaches list. Forbes, who's been arrested multiple times, was charged with, among other things, possession of methamphetamine and trafficking eight grams of fentanyl. "They're also making counterfeit pills that, they're multiple colors laced with fentanyl, so they're marketing to younger and younger people," Staly said. On foot and in boats, law officers surprised the smugglers, shutting off their escape by land and sea. The canine deputy joined the department about three months ago and on Monday she caught yet another suspected drug dealer. On Wednesday, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody announced the arrest of a massive violent gang operation in Florida linked to a Mexican drug cartel, WESH reported. Get the latest updates in news, food, music and culture, and receive special offers direct to your inbox. Traffic stop results in drug bust | Mile Markers | keysnews.com Deputies ran a check on their names and found out they were runaways from Dade, Faison said. Because of that the cops got a tip off that there was an pot unloading operation going on. Ramsey also said that receiving information from law abiding citizens is important, especially in cases like this. Monroe County Sheriff's Office reports the Sheriff's detectives and the Special Weapons and Tactics Team gathered information for over a month's time, leading them to serve two search warrants simultaneously--- one on 2nd street and one on 11th avenue in Stock Island. independent local journalism in Miami. As the Marine Patrol or Customs would be speeding to intercept a pot boat the people on the pot boat would throw the bales off as fast as they could, trying to get rid of the evidence. These people were very organized and were selling lots of drugs, he said. Deputies checked the car and found 38 more marijuana vaping products, a loaded Taurus .40 caliber handgun, a Smith and Wesson SD40 VE handgun, five 12-gauge shotgun shells, 57 .22 magnum bullets, and one 9 mm bullet, as well as various drug equipment, including rolling papers and a marijuana grinder, according to the report. Ruff arrest: K9 busts alleged drug trafficker in Florida Keys - WPLG Marathon couple charged with possession in drug bust mso-style-parent:""; line-height:115%; Miami was snubbed, Florida Keys firefighter arrested after deputies say she beat her wife outside a bar, Human smuggling, a truck and a school bus: A Broward child rapist goes back behind bars. The search by Special Operations detectives revealed a crack cocaine lab at the 2nd street location that contained powdered cocaine, crack cocaine and about 350 grams of marijuana packaged for sale. A man in a smaller boat could clear maybe $40,000. Law enforcement officers raided a Keys smugglingoperation Saturday and busted an assortment of KeyWests establishment: the head of the Sears mensdepartment, a Chevrolet dealer, w Pepsi Cola truckdriver and a county commissioners uncle. He said then that he had gone to get his brother Sergio, 40. The investigation started a month ago. EN-US Authorities said it the mostdefendants in a single Keys bust and among the most everin any Florida bust. An official confided that at least a half dozen hand guns were taken from the suspects. Authorities said additional deputies were called to the scene along with K9 Coral, who alerted them to drugs in the Lexus and BMW. Everyones a good friend or family of a number ofpeople. Sheriff William A. Freeman said of thesuspects, who were greeted by about 40 red-eyedrelatives at the Monroe County jail as they were booked. Florida Keys traffic stop turns into guns and drugs bust | Miami Herald Authorities confiscated 500 50-pound bales of pot, a 40-foot Marathon-based lobster boat, the Miss Lucy, two trucks, a 1980 Ford van, a Chevy pickup with a camper, a 1979 gold Cadillac and two 24- foot T-craft, boats designed for back-country fishing that arepopularwith smugglers because they can haul huge loads over shallow water at high speed. Marathon Residents:Edward Ronan, 57, Tarpon LodgeRafael Francisco Lopez, 42, P.O. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Both vehicles were pulled over between Mile Markers 32 and 33. The drugs had an estimated street value of at least $181,000, according to the office. Whoever loaned his van or truck to a smuggler didnt even have to be there to make $10,000. These Are the Four Wildest Drug Finds Off the Coast of Florida Record drug bust: $1.4 billion worth of cocaine and marijuana (The-CNN-Wire & 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. Copyright 2023 Local10.com is published by WPLG INC., a Berkshire Hathaway company. Deputies drove him to the COVID-19 checkpoint at mile marker 112.5 on U.S. 1, where his parents picked him up, Linhardt said. false If youre a druggie driving U.S. 1 through the Florida Keys and youre pulled over, the last thing you want to hear is the Monroe County Sheriffs Department call in backup in the form of the K-9 crew, specifically the drug-sniffing two-year-old Golden Retriever named Coral. Deputy Megan Faison wrote in her report that she asked a 22-year-old female passenger in the front seat to roll her window all the way down so he could safely look inside the car, since it had dark tinted windows. Plumber Fermin Tapia, 41, of 1701 Jamaica Dr.Vicente Jose Martinez, 36, 3817 Northside Ct.Fisherman Enrique Blasco, 19, 1504 Laird St.Two Friends Fish Co. fishermen Jose Monzon Garcia, 44,Key West Villas No. I was with him at breakfast that morning when he had to leave Mister Jims Restaurant when he heard about the bust on US1 Radio while it was playing in the background. Authorities say they then found the following in the Camry: In addition to the trafficking charge, Gesell also faces charges of possession of cocaine, possession of marijuana, possession of a controlled substance (pills) without a prescription and possession of drug paraphernalia. Deputies said they found Alvarez-Bermudez in possession of 22.7 grams of cocaine more than three-quarters of an ounce along with $10,182 cash they suspect came from illicit drug sales. ), Car dealership workers kidnapped, tortured in armed robbery: police, Woman buys new tires that turn out to be 9 years old. MONROE COUNTY, Fla. Within just five days, nearly $80,000 worth of drugs have been discovered along the coastline in the Florida Keys, the U.S. Border Patrol in Miami announced Thursday. Florida authorities arrested three suspects and seized more than 11 pounds of fentanyl as part of an undercover drug trafficking bust. We didnt fire a single shot, a Customs agent said. Florida The 17-year-old was clutching a backpack, according to the report. The sheriffs department already has more than 1,100 bales of pot stored in 16 vehicles under armed guards just outside Freemans office window. 1401 79th Street Causeway Monroe County Sheriff's Office reports the Sheriff's Then a Florida Keys condo leader was arrested Updated January 30, 2023 5:55 PM . Over the years, illegal drugs lots of them have been seized or discovered off Florida's shorelines. drug bust Friday night, it became clear they were about to hit pay dirt, and officers added men to their stakeout in a posh neighborhood along a mangrove swamp just north of U.S. 1. Pacheco waived his Miranda rights, according to the report, and told deputies he picked up the 17-year-old in Miami and the 15-year-old in Homestead. If you need help with the Public File, call (954) 364-2526. mso-para-margin-top:0in; Good Samaritans found the drugs & notified authorities. Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. Box 713Fisherman Greg Collazo, 25, Gulf Crain HamitFisherman Bernardo Lewis Valiente, 25, 300 East 63rdSt. Dade County residents arrested were: Orlando Vidal Maldonado, 42, 1265 W. Fourth LaneNestor Fernandez, 30, 4572 SW 127th Ct.Coral Fish Market owner Raul Hernandez, 44, 3811 SW88th PlaceRolando Aguiar, 30, 4132 SW 102nd CourtCatalino Rioseco Chambrot, 35, 10351 SW 56th St.Angel Cruz, 29, 2421 SW 129th Ave.Fisherman Carmelo Fernandez, 28, 5472 SW 127th Ct. X-NONE The situation changed dramatically as Forbes tried to run away after a deputy found a suspicious package during a pat down. She graduated from Indiana University. Bert Thompson waited for a list of the names of those arrested and the charges to be filed. WebAt age 71, this Florida Keys man is working steady in the drug-dealing game, police say. Richard Allen Shank, 31, who drives a Pepsi Cola delivery truck in Key West. mso-pagination:widow-orphan; Officers also found more than $3,000 in cash. It was a routine bust.. The 30 suspects surrendered peacefully. WebThe Border Patrol said 73 pounds of cocaine and 62 pounds of marijuana were found between two days.