Copyright 2023 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. Once the windows were down, Faison said she smelled a strong odor of both burnt and fresh marijuana coming from inside the car. 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. Whats that smell in the Florida Keys? David Goodhue covers the Florida Keys and South Florida for FLKeysNews.com and the Miami Herald. Miami man arrested, charged with trafficking cocaine in Florida 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. The 30 suspects surrendered peacefully. mso-style-priority:99; They also took at least a half dozen guns, including several satin steel, pearl-handled handguns, and a replica of a Colt .45. The unloaders of the pot were young Cuban men and were caught milling around Long Beach Road where there are no Cubansnormally seen. The cocaine, wrapped up in 25 packages stuffed in a large sack and found off Book captures Keys' drug-running heyday 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. Because the defendants were charged in federal court instead Circuit Court, Customs took the marijuana to Miami saving the sheriffs department the burden of storing it. false Nearly $80,000 worth of drugs found along coast of Florida Keys FLORIDA KEYS, Fla. (WSVN) The Monroe County Sheriffs Office carried out a drug bust. Authorities said it the most defendants in a single Keys bust and among the most ever in any Florida bust. Marathon Residents:Edward Ronan, 57, Tarpon LodgeRafael Francisco Lopez, 42, P.O. Stock Island Residents: Fisherman Paco Novalas, 23, 221 Stock Island ApartmentsConstruction worker Ralph Jesus Valdez, 37, 5 SunshineSt.Richard Lee Mungin, 37, No. Record drug bust: $1.4 billion worth of cocaine and marijuana Six Arrested in Keys Drug Bust NBC 6 South Florida WebDeputies arrested a 46-year-old Key West woman on multiple drug charges after a traffic stop on Big Pine Key yielded a litany of pills, FLORIDA KEYS. 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. One suspect was in the U.S. illegally. Horace Calhoun, Clarence Moore, Jr. and Shamichael Johnson were all at the apartment and taken into custody. Officials say they havent been able to destroy it because of a paperwork backlog. mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; drug bust local news and culture, The #Florida @USCG Cutter Valiant took down a narco sub carrying 12k lbs of cocaine in the #EasternPacific, cutting approximately $165 mil from smuggler pockets.More info and photos here: https://t.co/mSb28nTIzF pic.twitter.com/hS5kRVtV3f, Someone was dreaming of a white ChristmasApproximately 74 lbs of cocaine was found by a fisherman about 15 miles offshore and south of Sugarloaf Key in federal waters.All packages were turned over to the U.S. Border Patrol. Miami's independent source of pic.twitter.com/ih10AhQAlx. The suspects were identified by authorities as Misty Marie Howard, 39, of Big Pine Key, who had a warrant for trafficking 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. These werent Saturday night specials, the deputy, said. Forbes, who's been arrested multiple times, was charged with, among other things, possession of methamphetamine and trafficking eight grams of fentanyl. 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. 0 Harry, he replied. 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. Florida authorities arrested three suspects and seized more than 11 pounds of fentanyl as part of an undercover drug trafficking bust. Six Arrested in Keys Drug Bust A 35-year-old man and a 29-year-old woman were arrested following a search of their residence Gwen Filosa covers Key West and the Lower Florida Keys for FLKeysNews.com and the Miami Herald and lives in Key West. table.MsoNormalTable KEY 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 says. drug bust mso-para-margin-left:0in; 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. A traffic stop on a Mercedes Benz driving with no lights on early Friday morning turned into a much bigger deal for the driver after Florida Keys deputies said they found a large amount of marijuana, two guns and two runaways from Miami-Dade County in the car. Dozens of them were taken into custody and bused to prison, including the six alleged ringleaders. The woman in the front seat was not arrested, nor was the 15-year-old. Florida Keys - Miami Herald The drugnet, in addition to the arrests, resulted in the confiscation of approximately 500 bales of marijuana; two T-Craft boats; a 40-foot Lobster boat, Miss Lucy out of Marathon; two closed body trucks, a 1980 van, a pickup truck and a 1979 Cadillac. 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. font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; Ruff arrest: K9 busts alleged drug trafficker in Florida Keys - WPLG He said he knew the older boy was missing, but not the younger teen, Faison said. #BorderPatrol agents have responded to multiple drug washups & seized approx. mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; Whats that smell in the Florida Keys? These Are the Four Wildest Drug Finds Off the Coast of Florida I never heard about any girlfriend of the lawyers disappearing as another other rumor that is floating thirty years later claims. "It is enough to kill 66 out of the 67 counties' population here in Florida," Moody said at the Tampa Bay Regional Operational Center alongside Florida Department of Law Enforcement agents. The drugs had an estimated street value of at least $181,000, according to the office. The site is an isolated lagoon on Florida Bay. Because of that the cops got a tip off that there was an pot unloading operation going on. The owner of a shrimp boat that was seized off Texas last year with 33 tons of marijuana aboard. Florida Gov. For more information on this site, please read our Privacy Policy, and Terms of Service. He is a graduate of the University of Delaware. 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. WebPolice in the Florida Keys arrested two men this week after discovering large amounts of cash, drugs, and illegally harvested lobsters in their vehicle. #news pic.twitter.com/rUf0Etk61f. man arrested, charged with trafficking cocaine in Florida Keys Several larger weapons were found in the car and in the area. Florida Keys men arrested for drug trafficking after K9 finds stash The 29s lawyer knew about the smuggle. Coast guard members work to free the entangled turtle from the bundles of drugs. If you have any information about Berumen and if you know of his whereabouts, please call FDLE," Special Agent in Charge Eli Lawson said. She might be cute. WebThe Border Patrol said 73 pounds of cocaine and 62 pounds of marijuana were found between two days. it wasnt long before she was racking up drug busts. One asshole in particular kept spinning the cylinder of his shiny .45 Colt revolver and making up things to accuse me of. 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. "We must have strict enforcement for these dealers and treatment for those who have become addicted.. 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. Copyright 2023 Local10.com is published by WPLG INC., a Berkshire Hathaway company. Authorities said it the mostdefendants in a single Keys bust and among the most everin any Florida bust. On March 21. Published on Big Pine Keys garbage days, Tuesdays and Fridays. They captured 29 smugglers, and only missedtwo who swam away. Square Grouper is not an un-hip fish. Over the years, illegal drugs lots of them have been seized or discovered off Florida's shorelines. The canine deputy joined the department about three months ago and on Monday she caught yet another suspected drug dealer. ; Ralph Jesus Valdez, 37, No. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Drugs seized by the U.S. Border Patrol in Monroe County. I was just a hanger-on, not a player. That was one of the scariest nights I ever had. Danielle2.5 Tons Pot250,000 Quaaludes1979, Officers Mark Walker and Doug Smith Sugarloaf Key 1980. Letters to the editor with pictures since 2002. At the 11th avenue location, detectives found Marijuana, Oxycontin, crack cocaine, drug paraphernalia and another handgun. He was arrested and charged with trafficking cocaine. Chief Patrol Agent Walter N. Slosar confirmed that agents have responded to numerous drug wash-ups since the start of the month, seizing about 27 pounds of marijuana and three pounds of cocaine. drug bust The most famous of these were the Big Coppitt cowboys, a lose group of guys with fast boats and police scanners. font-size:11.0pt; Ramsey also said that receiving information from law abiding citizens is important, especially in cases like this. mso-pagination:widow-orphan; This page is compiled mostly from Major Seals scrapbook that he wasgraciousenough to share with us. 1401 79th Street Causeway Before joining the Herald, he covered Congress, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy in Washington, D.C. "Several of the suspects arrested today were arrested previously in this investigation for drug related charges and were released after posting lowered bonds.". A major drug operation in the Keys was disrupted Friday, leading to the arrest of six people on multiple drug-related charges. Drug smuggling really took hold and changed lifestyles in the Florida Keys in the 1970s and 80s. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Ingesting as little as 0.25 milligrams can be fatal. Slosar said Good Samaritans stumbled upon the drugs and notified authorities. WSVN-TVSunbeam Television Corp They will be turned over to the sheriff for disposal, either by sale or for use in his department. mso-para-margin-top:0in; We didnt fire a single shot, a Customs agent said. Freeman said he was eager to gain title to the smuggling vehicles for his department. 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. If you need help with the Public File, call (954) 364-2526. 27 lbs of marijuana & 3 lbs of cocaine. mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; Newsroom: (305) 795-2777. 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. Same as you, waiting, the agent responded. 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. On foot and in boats, law officers surprised the smugglers, shutting off their escape by land and sea. In all, 30 people were charged in U.S. District Courtwith drug trafficking. The investigation started a month ago. Normal 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. Amanda Batchelor, Digital Executive Producer. Dyer is Howards boyfriend, according to the sheriffs office. Copyright 2022 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved. A police K-9 sniffed out more than six ounces of cocaine inside a car during a traffic stop. Keys woman facing numerous drug counts after pot smell leads to pills, cocaine. Amanda Batchelor, Digital Executive Producer. During the wait, the lobby at the department filled with relatives, friends of the arrested men and interested on-lookers. The suspects were identified by authorities as Misty Marie Howard, 39, of Big Pine Key, who had a warrant for trafficking in heroin, trafficking in methamphetamines and possession of a controlled substance. Inside the bag, deputies found 37 liquid marijuana cartridges used for vaping. Contact Us Here's One Way to Pay Off Your Debt, Check Your Change! 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. 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. This time she alerted deputies to drugs inside a Lexus and a BMW that were pulled over Monday afternoon on Big Pine Key. All rights reserved. She was part of the staff at the New Orleans Times-Picayune that in 2005 won two Pulitzer Prizes for coverage of Hurricane Katrina. "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. 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. He said then that he had gone to get his brother Sergio, 40. Fentanyl bust: Enough drugs seized to kill half of Florida, Attorney Copyright 2021 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Colorful pills drive new warnings about deadliest drug in the US. 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. Copyright 2021 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved. With this operation, we are making a significant dent in the sales of illegal drugs on Stock Island.. WebRobertson & Hunter, LLP 501 Whitehead St., Ste. Agents seized 48 pounds of fentanyl and more than 350 pounds of methamphetamines. 4 Sloans Trailer ParkJuan Manuel Venegas, 29, 837 Eighth Ave.Fisherman Michael Patrick OBrien, 22, 216 LincolnGardens. Detectives also found more $1,700 in cash, a handgun, and what appeared to be a pipe bomb, to which the Sheriff's Office Bomb Squad responded. These square grouper were picked up by cowboys in fast boats who listened to the marine radio day and night for word when there was a dumping. 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. From the Miami HeraldNovember 14, 1980By Michael Capuzzo and Robert Rivas Herald Staff Writers. The situation changed dramatically as Forbes tried to run away after a deputy found a suspicious package during a pat down. See what the rescue teams saw, Retired Navy officer enters Florida Keys undersea lodge. A man in a smaller boat could clear maybe $40,000. One of the bales hadapparentlybroken open, one officer said, and had been patched with a Colombian newspaper. Monroe County K9 busts 3 more for drugs during traffic stop - WPLG tons of seized cocaine, marijuana worth over 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. However, he dreaded the prospect of storing the marijuana. An official confided that at least a half dozen hand guns were taken from the suspects. Among those arrested at a marijuana off-loading site on Big Pine Key were several familiar Key West names including Nelson Jamardo, better known as Ping Ping; Francisco Hernandez, 58, a former fireman for the Navy and now a watch engineer at the City Electric System; Antonio Tony Hernandez, 50, owner of David Electric; Manuel Sanchez, 57, salesman at Sears; and Domingo Galvan, 44, a registered nurse employed at DePoo Memorial Doctors Hospital. The two closed body trucks, both painted white, were former Sears vehicles, authorities said. Monroe County Sheriff's Office reports the Sheriff's 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. The individual noticed a large black bundle wrapped in tape & contacted local authorities. (U.S. Border Patrol) MONROE COUNTY, Fla. Within just five days, nearly $80,000 worth of drugs have been discovered "We have seen our seizures in Flagler County is up over 500 percent so far this year compared to all of last year," Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly said. 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.