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. Normal She graduated from Indiana University. Deputies found the Taurus inside a fanny pack located in the back seat. The guns ranged from .45 caliber automatics to .25 calibre automatics. RELATED: Deadly dupes: Nationwide spike in mass-overdoses, teen deaths due to fentanyl-laced drugs, DEA says. Richard Allen Shank, 31, who drives a Pepsi Cola delivery truck in Key West. Its like a big family reunion with five or sixfamilies, said another officer, gazing at the crowd ofkin that included two defendants in this yearscelebrated Key West Cop Case. Copyright 2021 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved. The canine deputy joined the department about three months ago and on Monday she caught yet another suspected drug dealer. table.MsoNormalTable For more information on this site, please read our Privacy Policy, and Terms of Service. She was part of the staff at the New Orleans Times-Picayune that in 2005 won two Pulitzer Prizes for coverage of Hurricane Katrina. X-NONE The 104 arrest warrants concluded a months-long investigation by the Brevard County Sheriff's Office into an organization suspected of "distributing kilogram quantities" of heroin, methamphetamine and fentanyl -- a synthetic opioid that can be up to 100 times more powerful than morphine, police said. The senior citizen also had a 9mm handgun, 189 rounds of ammunition and a digital scale, police said. WebA 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. Detectives said the organization was obtaining large quantities of drugs from overseas and distributing them throughout Brevard County, which is about 50 miles east of Orlando. WebA major drug operation in the Keys was disrupted Friday, leading to the arrest of six people on multiple drug-related charges. 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. The owner of a shrimp boat that was seized off Texas last year with 33 tons of marijuana aboard. I was with five of the 29 the night before in the lawyers Eden Pines home (the lawyer wasnt there) snorting coke, smoking pot and drinking booze and trying to get out of there with my ass in one piece. I hoped I could talk my way out of there. Other than those listed previously, also arrested were: Vincente Jose Martinez, 36, 3817 Northside Ct.; Antonio Sanchez, 54, 1803 Atlantic Blvd. Geiger Key Resident: Jamardo, 10 Egret Lane, Key West Residents: Francisco Hernandez, 3000 Flagler Ave.Antonio Hernandez, 1803 Atlantic Blvd.Sergio Galvan, 373E Paula St.Domingo Galvan, 1612 United St.Richard Allen Shank, 3533 Flagler Ave.Manuel Sanchez, 1122 Watson St.Antonio Sanchez, 1803 Atlantic Blvd. and help keep the future of New Times, Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our. They were charged with trafficking in marijuana, possession of over 2,000 pounds of marijuana and conspiracy to deliver a controlled substance. They will be turned over to the sheriff for disposal, either by sale or for use in his department. Stock Island Residents: Fisherman Paco Novalas, 23, 221 Stock Island ApartmentsConstruction worker Ralph Jesus Valdez, 37, 5 SunshineSt.Richard Lee Mungin, 37, No. 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. "We must have strict enforcement for these dealers and treatment for those who have become addicted.. Last week the U.S. Coast Guard seized what it deemed to be. Jamarado 50, the owner of David Electric Inc., an electrical contractor that frequently wins large contracts with Monroe County and the city of Key West. This story was originally published May 22, 2020, 8:40 PM. Newsroom: (305) 795-2777. A major drug operation in the Keys was disrupted Friday, leading to the arrest of six people on multiple drug-related charges. font-size:11.0pt; Coral the K9 helped catch two suspected drug traffickers in the Florida Keys on Monday. mso-style-priority:99; I was with him almost every day during that time and knew the full cast of characters. The confiscated vehicles are expected to be valued in the thousands of dollars. Copyright 2022 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved. Nelson Alvarez-Bermudez, of Big Coppitt Key, was jailed Thursday after the Monroe County Sheriffs Offices SWAT team, along with state and federal agents, found him at home at about 6:40 a.m. and served a warrant. Get the latest updates in news, food, music and culture, and receive special offers direct to your inbox. Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. WebRobertson & Hunter, LLP 501 Whitehead St., Ste. I never heard about any girlfriend of the lawyers disappearing as another other rumor that is floating thirty years later claims. As lawmen gathered near the off-loading site on the bayside of Big Pine Key, a Customs agent was approached by one of the alleged offenders. CAKEGATE 2023: Bad Bunny's Restaurant Accused of Gobbling Birthday Girl's Cake, Neighborhood Nazi Jon Minadeo Peddles Hate by the Minute, Affordable New "Micro-Units" Slated for Little River, Edgewater, Sen. Rubio's Permanent Daylight Savings Bill Sees Light of Day Once More, NFL Legend Ray Lewis Joins World Jai-Alai League Board of Directors. The 30 suspects surrendered peacefully. Authorities said additional deputies were called to the scene along with K9 Coral, who alerted them to drugs in the Lexus and BMW. Harry, what you doing here? the other man queried. Deputies say her Toyota Camry had expired tags and that Coral then alerted to drugs in the car. All rights reserved. Both vehicles were pulled over between Mile Markers 32 and 33. Police in Florida issued arrest warrants for over 100 members of a suspected drug gang on Wednesday and seized enough fentanyl to wipe out a large county. 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. of cocaine valued at over 1.5 million dollars floating in the #FloridaKeys. A very special thanks to Major Monty Seals who ran theoperation. Make a one-time donation today for as little as $1. Ingesting as little as 0.25 milligrams can be fatal. Colorful pills drive new warnings about deadliest drug in the US. Square Grouper is not an un-hip fish. Thompson said the 4 a.m. drug bust culminated a four week investigation involving members of the Marathon sheriffs sub-station, U.S. Customs and the Marine Patrol. 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. All content Copyright 2000 - 2023 WSVN-TV. He plans to break records, These Florida spots, one in the Keys, made the best beaches list. Agents of the Sheriffs Department, the U.S. CustomsService and the Florida Marine Patrol culminated amonth-long investigation at 4 a.m., seizing three boats,three trucks and a gold Cadillac. mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; See what the rescue teams saw, Retired Navy officer enters Florida Keys undersea lodge. 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. A detour to the Customs incinerators in Miami is probable. Its coming from Cuba, weather forecasters say, Body found floating in channel off Key West, Monroe County Sheriffs Office says, A coconut tree farm caught fire in South Miami-Dade. JACKSONVILLE, Fla. Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams said a long-term drug investigation took down a major drug distribution ring in Jacksonville consisting of 27 arrests. WebKEY WEST, Fla. A Key West woman faces methamphetamine trafficking and other drug charges after a bust that was assisted by K9 cop Coral, the Monroe County Sheriffs Office EN-US The cowboys would jump into their go-fast boats that were kept docked at the seawall next to their house, and zoom out to where the floating bales were. Nothing ever happens on Big Pine Key and weusually like it that way. Nelson (Ping-Ping) Jamarado, 41, the wiry, bearded former boat mechanic who early this year bought a share of Bevis-Lewis Chevrolet Inc. of Key West. According to authorities, deputies spotted Howard driving a black BMW south on U.S. 1 around 2:40 p.m. Monday. At the initial approachto the house there were 2 Customs agents, Seals andanother, the other 3 were Sheriffs deputies one of whomwas Mike Barber. Horace Calhoun, Clarence Moore, Jr. and Shamichael Johnson were all at the apartment and taken into custody. WFTV Detectives said the organization This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Fifteen agents from three agencies seized 25,000 poundsof marijuana in the pre-dawn bust on Big Pine Key. Over the years, illegal drugs lots of them have been seized or discovered off Florida's shorelines. "Twenty-four suspects were arrested but one gang member remains at large: 39-year-old Efren Berumen from Kissimmee, Florida. 29. WebEnough fentanyl seized to kill half of Florida; 'massive' bust linked to a Mexican drug cartel: AG By Gail Paschall-Brown, WESH , CNNWire Friday, October 14, 2022 Two men and a woman were arrested on multiple drug violations. Join the New Times community and help support Pacheco told cops the gun belonged to the 17-year-old, who was also arrested and turned over to juvenile justice authorities, Adam Linhardt, sheriffs office spokesman, said. The cocaine, wrapped up in 25 packages stuffed in a large sack and found off The woman in the front seat was not arrested, nor was the 15-year-old. it wasnt long before she was racking up drug busts. mso-style-noshow:yes; The estimated value of the marijuana was listed at $2 million. mso-style-parent:""; A massive drug bust has placed a dozen people behind bars after a drug home in New Smyrna Beach has been on deputies radar for months, they say. This time she alerted deputies to drugs inside a Lexus and a BMW that were pulled over Monday afternoon on Big Pine Key. The site is an isolated lagoon on Florida Bay. Two teenage boys, ages 15 and 17, were sitting in the backseat. WebA Florida Keys man was pulled over by Monroe County sheriffs deputies, who said they found a lot of marijuana, several handguns and two runaways from Miami-Dade County. WebA South Florida man and woman each face more than 60 years in federal prison after being charged with multiple drug dealing counts last week. WebDrugs seized by the U.S. Border Patrol in Monroe County. Another was a miniature (three inches long) replica of the old Colt 45. They were too many of them and they were too obvious. mso-para-margin-left:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; In those days the cowboys had faster boats and knew the waters better than the Marine Patrol (except for Officer Mark Walker, the best Marine Patrol Officer anyone has ever seen) so most times they could outrun the law. On foot and in boats, law officers surprised the smugglers, shutting off their escape by land and sea. Florida authorities arrested three suspects and seized more than 11 pounds of fentanyl as part of an undercover drug trafficking bust. FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. -- A traffic stop involving James Forbes Jr. happened just before 9 p.m. Tuesday night while riding a bike on Palm Avenue in Bunnell. 5 Sunshine St., Stock Island; Orlando Vidal Maldonado, 42, Miami; Norman Lee Young, 30, Hilton Head, S.C.; Sergio Edward Galvan, 40, 3738 Paula Ave.; Richard Allen Shank, 31, 3533 Flagler Ave., route man for Pepsi Cola Miami; Mitchell Earl Noa, 22, Big Pine Key; Carmen Fernandez, 28, Miami, listed employer as Two Friends Inc, Co.; Enrique Blasco, 19, Laird St.; Raul Hernandez Miami, listed as owner Coral Fish Co., Miami; Edward Ronan, 57, Tarpon Lodge, Marathon; Rafael Francisco Lopez, Marathon; Rolando Aguiar 30, Miami; Bernardo L Valiente, 25, Marathon, Michael Patrick OBrien, 216 Lincoln Gardens, Stock Island; Fermin Tapia, 41, Jamaica Dr. (city directory lists same address on P. Avenue as given to authorities by Sergio Galvan); G. Collazo, 25, Marathon; Jose Morzon Garcia, 44, 29, Key West Villas, listed employer as Two Friends Inc, Co.; Catalino Rios Chambrot, 35, Miami; Richard Lee Mungin, 37, Sloan Trailer Park, Stock Island; Angel Cruz, 27, Miami; Juano Manuel Venegas, A37 8th Ave., Stock Island. Officers also found more than $3,000 in cash. Nelson Alvarez-Bermudez, of Big Coppitt Key, was jailed Thursday after the Monroe County A 35-year-old man and a 29-year-old woman were arrested following a search of their residence Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody announced the arrest of a massive violent gang operation in Florida linked to a Mexican drug cartel. 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. A man going out on the smugglers mother ship could make a quick $100,000. Galvan returned from Cuba aboard the Blanchie III and was the first Cuban-American to announce that Cuba had opened the harbor to the Freedom Flotilla. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Copyright 2021 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved. An official confided that at least a half dozen hand guns were taken from the suspects. The Big Coppitt cowboys were the most successful. 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. mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; WebPolice in the Florida Keys arrested two men this week after discovering large amounts of cash, drugs, and illegally harvested lobsters in their vehicle. Copyright 2023 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. WebThe Border Patrol said 73 pounds of cocaine and 62 pounds of marijuana were found between two days. The 30 persons arrested were booked at the Monroe County Jail and questioned before being sent to a U.S. magistrate for bond hearings Saturday night. There also were grandfathers, a plumber, a power companyengineer, a crewman from the first vessel to arrive inKey West in the Cuban boatlift last March, and thebrother he brought back from Cuba. There was the time in the 1970s when square grouper was code for a bale of marijuana that was thrown overboard when the water cops showed up. All rights reserved, What's With the Construction on I-95 in Broward? Fentanyl, often used to lace other drugs, is considered the deadliest drug in America, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They captured 29 smugglers, and only missedtwo who swam away. #news pic.twitter.com/rUf0Etk61f. Whoever loaned his van or truck to a smuggler didnt even have to be there to make $10,000. Other charges, such as possession of a concealed weapon by several defendants, were pending. WSVN broadcast educational and informational programming for children, and file quarterly reports with the FCC detailing the station's outreach to children. Coast guard members work to free the entangled turtle from the bundles of drugs. Bert Thompson waited for a list of the names of those arrested and the charges to be filed. WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports | Fort Lauderdale, Coral Gables resident still refuses to sell decades-old home surrounded by massive development, Broward County pastor faces several fraud, grand theft charges after defrauding church, Gunman dead after hours-long SWAT standoff at SW Miami-Dade apartment complex, Police: Man fatally shot 3-year-old son, himself inside Coconut Grove condo, Police arrest student who made false bomb threat at Dillard High School; classes resume. 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. Big Pine Key Residents:Fisherman Mitchell Earl Noatch, 22, Box 790. Police arrested 100 suspects and seized enough drugs to wipe out a large county. Monroe County sheriffs deputies pulled over his four-door Mercedes around 1 a.m. Friday behind the Seagrapes Apartment complex at 7155 Overseas Highway. Huff is being held on $2.5 million bond, while both Walker and Wilborn are being held on just over $900,000 bond. Keys woman facing numerous drug counts after pot smell leads to pills, cocaine. Staly said in Flagler, the age of overdoses range from 18 to 60. K9 Coral assisted in the arrest of a Key West woman who faces drug trafficking and possession charges. 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. The investigation started a month ago. There were kidnappings among that crowd, but that is another story and has nothing to do with this one. Contact Us The drugs had an estimated street value of at least $181,000, according to the office. From the Miami HeraldNovember 14, 1980By Michael Capuzzo and Robert Rivas Herald Staff Writers. Sergio Galvan was arrested Saturday, too. At the 11th avenue location, detectives found Marijuana, Oxycontin, crack cocaine, drug paraphernalia and another handgun. He was arrested on charges of possession of cocaine with the intent to sell, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of drug paraphernalia. pic.twitter.com/ih10AhQAlx. WebFLORIDA KEYS, Fla. (WSVN) The Monroe County Sheriffs Office carried out a drug bust. Crime The driver was a 43-year-old man from Miami. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Florida Gov. FDOT Gives Update on Project's Progress, Credit Card Balances Reach New Record High. Monroe County Sheriff's Office reports the Sheriff's 29 out of 31 is a pretty good scorefor only 5 men against 32 armed smugglers! Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com. With this operation, we are making a significant dent in the sales of illegal drugs on Stock Island.. During the wait, the lobby at the department filled with relatives, friends of the arrested men and interested on-lookers. 27 lbs of marijuana & 3 lbs of cocaine. 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. 1401 79th Street Causeway The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Hamilton brought 26,250 pounds of cocaine and 3,700 pounds of marijuana to Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale -- the largest drug interdiction in the ship's history.