mso-style-priority:99; Harry, he replied. "We must have strict enforcement for these dealers and treatment for those who have become addicted.. ; Paco Novalas, 23, 221 Stock Island Apts. Drug smuggling really took hold and changed lifestyles in the Florida Keys in the 1970s and 80s. #news pic.twitter.com/rUf0Etk61f. Dealers are also disguising the drugs to look like candy. 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. Whats that smell in the Florida Keys? Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. FLORIDA KEYS, Fla. (WSVN) The Monroe County Sheriffs Office carried out a drug bust. If you need help with the Public File, call (954) 364-2526. 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. 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. Other charges, such as possession of a concealed weapon by several defendants, were pending. The back door of one was still painted in the companys turquoise color with the word Sears still visible. Fentanyl bust: Enough drugs seized to kill half of Florida, Attorney Copyright 2023 Local10.com is published by WPLG INC., a Berkshire Hathaway company. These Are the Four Wildest Drug Finds Off the Coast of Florida 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. it wasnt long before she was racking up drug busts. Bert Thompson waited for a list of the names of those arrested and the charges to be filed. The 30 suspects surrendered peacefully. Six Arrested in Keys Drug Bust NBC 6 South Florida Inside the bag, deputies found 37 liquid marijuana cartridges used for vaping. He didnt. A major drug operation in the Keys was disrupted Friday, leading to the arrest of six people on multiple drug-related charges. 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. Theyre accused of selling crack Monroe County K9 busts 3 more for drugs during traffic stop - WPLG 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 pot that came from a square grouper was called sea weed. The only person who listed at out-of-state address wasNorman Lee Young, 30, 110 Gum Tree Rd., Hilton Head,S.C. From the Key WestCitizen November 14,1980BySheila Quickstad Citizen Staff Writer. 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. Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. This time she alerted deputies to drugs inside a Lexus and a BMW that were pulled over Monday afternoon on Big Pine Key. Drugs seized by the U.S. Border Patrol in Monroe County. Switchboard: (305) 751-6692 mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; 2: Drug Bust at Haulover Marina. Police in Florida arrested two men this week after discovering large amounts of cash, marijuana, and illegally harvested lobsters in their vehicle. Record drug bust: $1.4 billion worth of cocaine and marijuana mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; 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. WebRobertson & Hunter, LLP 501 Whitehead St., Ste. tons of seized cocaine, marijuana worth over line-height:115%; The woman in the front seat was not arrested, nor was the 15-year-old. Deputies ran a check on their names and found out they were runaways from Dade, Faison said. It was a routine bust.. Both vehicles were pulled over between Mile Markers 32 and 33. mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} table.MsoNormalTable RELATED: What is rainbow fentanyl? K9 Coral assisted in the arrest of a Key West woman who faces drug trafficking and possession charges. A police K-9 sniffed out more than six ounces of cocaine inside a car during a traffic stop. Nearly $80,000 worth of drugs found along coast of Florida Keys Florida authorities arrested three suspects and seized more than 11 pounds of fentanyl as part of an undercover drug trafficking bust. 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. 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 Authorities said several rolled bills containing a powdery substance that field-tested positive for methamphetamines were found inside of the BMW. 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. 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. 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. However, he dreaded the prospect of storing the marijuana. On foot and in boats, law officers surprised the smugglers, shutting off their escape by land and sea. mso-style-noshow:yes; 0 Copyright 2023 Local10.com is published by WPLG INC., a Berkshire Hathaway company. 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. Join the New Times community and help support The estimated value of the marijuana was listed at $2 million. Copyright 2023 Local10.com is published by WPLG INC., a Berkshire Hathaway company. Ruff arrest: K9 busts alleged drug trafficker in Florida Keys - WPLG FLORIDA KEYS, Fla. (WSVN) The Monroe County Sheriffs Office carried out a drug bust. Get the latest updates in news, food, music and culture, and receive special offers direct to your inbox. K9 Coral with drugs seized during March 15 traffic stop. She was part of the staff at the New Orleans Times-Picayune that in 2005 won two Pulitzer Prizes for coverage of Hurricane Katrina. Francisco Hernandez, 58, an engineer for the Key West City Electric System and a former civilian fire fighter at the Key West Naval Air Station. One suspect was in the U.S. illegally. Deputies found the Taurus inside a fanny pack located in the back seat. 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. Copyright 2023 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. 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. At that point the two came face to face and the alleged smuggler, cried, Al, mi madre, the police.. Miami, FL 33141 independent local journalism in Miami. "Several of the suspects arrested today were arrested previously in this investigation for drug related charges and were released after posting lowered bonds.". 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. FDOT Gives Update on Project's Progress, Credit Card Balances Reach New Record High. What we're seeing, for example, just two months ago, we ceased purple fentanyl. mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; He plans to break records, These Florida spots, one in the Keys, made the best beaches list. Slosar said Good Samaritans stumbled upon the drugs and notified authorities. Florida Gov. These people were very organized and were selling lots of drugs, he said. Pacheco does not have a concealed carry permit for the weapon, according to the report. Tipsters may remain anonymous. If you need help with the Public File, call (954) 364-2526. X-NONE Because of that the cops got a tip off that there was an pot unloading operation going on. The suspects could face multiple charges ranging from conspiracy and trafficking to racketeer influenced corrupt organization (RICO). Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com. 27 lbs of marijuana & 3 lbs of cocaine. Horace Calhoun, Clarence Moore, Jr. and Shamichael Johnson were all at the apartment and taken into custody. Horace Calhoun, Clarence Moore, Jr. and Shamichael Johnson were all at the apartment and taken into custody. font-size:11.0pt; Traffic stop results in drug bust | Mile Markers | keysnews.com 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. "Twenty-four suspects were arrested but one gang member remains at large: 39-year-old Efren Berumen from Kissimmee, Florida. The driver was a 43-year-old man from Miami. A police K-9 sniffed out more than six ounces of cocaine inside a car during a traffic stop. false 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. FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - The US Coast Guard offloaded more than $500 million worth of cocaine and marijuana in South Florida on Monday. One asshole in particular kept spinning the cylinder of his shiny .45 Colt revolver and making up things to accuse me of. Cash in the amount of more than $1,000 was seized as well. (The-CNN-Wire & 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. Other than those listed previously, also arrested were: Vincente Jose Martinez, 36, 3817 Northside Ct.; Antonio Sanchez, 54, 1803 Atlantic Blvd. font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; They were charged with trafficking in marijuana, possession of over 2,000 pounds of marijuana and conspiracy to deliver a controlled substance. The Big Coppitt cowboys were the most successful. 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. Among the arrested: Domingo F. Galvan, 44, a registered nurse at Key Wests tiny DePoo Memorial Hospital. 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. The site is an isolated lagoon on Florida Bay. Two teenage boys, ages 15 and 17, were sitting in the backseat. pic.twitter.com/ih10AhQAlx. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Tawana Blackman and Leroy Lawson were arrested at that location. They were too many of them and they were too obvious. That evil gun-toting bunch of psychopaths scared the hell out of me. The suspects were identified by authorities as Misty Marie Howard, 39, of Big Pine Key, who had a warrant for trafficking Florida Keys men arrested for drug trafficking after K9 finds stash Florida Keys - Miami Herald The lobster boat reportedly was outfitted with sophisticated radar equipment and, as an official described, the biggest engine Ive ever seen. One of the vehicles was said to have a built-in police scanner. If you need help with the Public File, call (954) 364-2526. Traffic stop results in drug bust. 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. 1401 79th Street Causeway 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. Dozens of them were taken into custody and bused to prison, including the six alleged ringleaders. #breakingnews #florida. Danielle2.5 Tons Pot250,000 Quaaludes1979, Officers Mark Walker and Doug Smith Sugarloaf Key 1980. Letters to the editor with pictures since 2002. RELATED: Deadly dupes: Nationwide spike in mass-overdoses, teen deaths due to fentanyl-laced drugs, DEA says. WebAt age 71, this Florida Keys man is working steady in the drug-dealing game, police say. I was just a hanger-on, not a player. Mastermind behind largest meth seizure in Polk history was He plans to break records, These Florida spots, one in the Keys, made the best beaches list. WebOver the years, illegal drugs lots of them have been seized or discovered off Florida's shorelines. I was with him almost every day during that time and knew the full cast of characters. 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. The public may view the reports by going to WSVN.com and clicking on "FCC Public File", or by visiting the FCC's website at FCC.org. The illegal On Friday afternoon, Alvarez-Bermudez remained jailed without bond at the Stock Island Detention Center. Ron DeSantis said the bust marked the biggest drug seizure in the county's history. The drugs had an estimated street value of at least $181,000, according to the office. 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. These werent Saturday night specials, the deputy, said. drug bust Keys woman facing numerous drug counts after pot smell leads to pills, cocaine. Feds charge Florida Keys woman and Homestead man with dealing mso-para-margin-top:0in; 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. Alvarez-Bermudez is a convicted felon, so his possession of the gun drew a felony charge. 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. Officers also found more than $3,000 in cash. bust pic.twitter.com/hN3VjDEG2G, On Wednesday, a Good Samaritan discovered 68 lbs. mso-para-margin-left:0in; The only things of note toever happen here was the Spanish landing in the 1600s, the burningdown of the Big Pine Inn in the 1970 and the Big Pine29 Bust in 1980. According to authorities, deputies spotted Howard driving a black BMW south on U.S. 1 around 2:40 p.m. Monday. Gwen Filosa covers Key West and the Lower Florida Keys for FLKeysNews.com and the Miami Herald and lives in Key West. Staly adds there are a lot of undercover operations in the county and you will eventually get caught. Huff is being held on $2.5 million bond, while both Walker and Wilborn are being held on just over $900,000 bond. Florida Keys Drug Arrests | Robertson & Hunter, LLP This story was originally published May 22, 2020, 8:40 PM. mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; X-NONE They also confiscated 36 pounds of crystal meth, two kilograms of cocaine, over one kilogram of heroin, three kilograms of fentanyl, $108,000 in cash and 21 guns and ammunition - all in just three months. The confiscated vehicles are expected to be valued in the thousands of dollars. Marathon Residents:Edward Ronan, 57, Tarpon LodgeRafael Francisco Lopez, 42, P.O. Big Pine 29 Bust 1980 BigPineKey.com The Holiday Inn doesnt check as many people in and out a day as I do. the sheriff mused as he, members of the press and Public Information Officer Sgt. All rights reserved. A very special thanks to Major Monty Seals who ran theoperation. - A major drug bust led deputies to 120 gallons of liquid meth being transported in buckets by suspects from Georgia to Florida, overseen by a "mastermind" who ran the operation from federal prison, officials said Thursday. The law caught on fast and the days of the cowboys didnt last much longer. false I never heard about any girlfriend of the lawyers disappearing as another other rumor that is floating thirty years later claims. 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. 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. a whopping$1.4 billion worth of cocaine and weed. ), Car dealership workers kidnapped, tortured in armed robbery: police, Woman buys new tires that turn out to be 9 years old. /* Style Definitions */ Published on Big Pine Keys garbage days, Tuesdays and Fridays. He said then that he had gone to get his brother Sergio, 40. 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. Officials say they havent been able to destroy it because of a paperwork backlog. All rights reserved, What's With the Construction on I-95 in Broward? The men were in the process of bonding out late Saturday. Based on anonymous tips, Customs, Sheriffs Department and Marine Patrol aircraft began watching the Big Pine Key area, officials said. 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. The presence of the Sooth Carolina man led officials to speculate that that was the destination of the contraband. 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. Fentanyl, often used to lace other drugs, is considered the deadliest drug in America, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; Ramsey also said that receiving information from law abiding citizens is important, especially in cases like this. 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. The unloaders of the pot were young Cuban men and were caught milling around Long Beach Road where there are no Cubansnormally seen. The two closed body trucks, both painted white, were former Sears vehicles, authorities said. 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.