The back door of one was still painted in the companys turquoise color with the word Sears still visible. The law caught on fast and the days of the cowboys didnt last much longer. 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. The bag contained 25 bricks of cocaine. At that point the two came face to face and the alleged smuggler, cried, Al, mi madre, the police.. However, he dreaded the prospect of storing the marijuana. Nearly $80,000 worth of drugs discovered along the coastline in the #FloridaKeys since start of May. 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. Richard Allen Shank, 31, who drives a Pepsi Cola delivery truck in Key West. 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. 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. Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com. Get the latest updates in news, food, music and culture, and receive special offers direct to your inbox. "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. It was a routine bust.. The 30 suspects surrendered peacefully. Copyright 2023 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. The presence of the Sooth Carolina man led officials to speculate that that was the destination of the contraband. 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. mso-style-priority:99; He is a graduate of the University of Delaware. #breakingnews #florida. 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. Copyright 2021 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved. See what the rescue teams saw, Retired Navy officer enters Florida Keys undersea lodge. 2 Key West, FL 33040 (305) 735-4587 Se Habla Espaol. The driver was a 43-year-old man from Miami. The guns ranged from .45 caliber automatics to .25 calibre automatics. Authorities said several rolled bills containing a powdery substance that field-tested positive for methamphetamines were found inside of the BMW. The pot that came from a square grouper was called sea weed. She graduated from Indiana University. Oct 23, 2020. He said he knew the older boy was missing, but not the younger teen, Faison said. pic.twitter.com/hN3VjDEG2G, On Wednesday, a Good Samaritan discovered 68 lbs. See what the rescue teams saw, Retired Navy officer enters Florida Keys undersea lodge. These people were very organized and were selling lots of drugs, he said. "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. WSVN-TVSunbeam Television Corp Gwen Filosa covers Key West and the Lower Florida Keys for FLKeysNews.com and the Miami Herald and lives in Key West. Pacheco does not have a concealed carry permit for the weapon, according to the report. The suspects could face multiple charges ranging from conspiracy and trafficking to racketeer influenced corrupt organization (RICO). She's just a few weeks into her job with the Monroe County Sheriff's Office. 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. Coral joined the Monroe County Sheriffs Office this past fall, and it wasnt long before she was racking up drug busts. 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. 1401 79th Street Causeway mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; He didnt. On March 21. Dozens of them were taken into custody and bused to prison, including the six alleged ringleaders. Join the New Times community and help support 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. WebNo. 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. I was just a hanger-on, not a player. false 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 addresses for those named earlier are Jamardo, Geiger Key; F. Remand 3000 Flagler Ave.; A. Hernandez, 1603 Atlantic Blvd; Sanchez, 1122 Watson St; D. Galvan, 1612 United St. Robert Brown, a convicted felon, along with Fentanyl, often used to lace other drugs, is considered the deadliest drug in America, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Smith and Wesson was in the center console of the car, Faison said. A major drug operation in the Keys was disrupted Friday, leading to the arrest of six people on multiple drug-related charges. All rights reserved. WFTV Detectives said the organization We didnt fire a single shot, a Customs agent said. He plans to break records, These Florida spots, one in the Keys, made the best beaches list. He said then that he had gone to get his brother Sergio, 40. Contact Us At age 71, this Florida Keys man is working steady in the drug-dealing game, police say. The sheriffs department already has more than 1,100 bales of pot stored in 16 vehicles under armed guards just outside Freemans office window. 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. They will be turned over to the sheriff for disposal, either by sale or for use in his department. The drugs had an estimated street value of at least $181,000, according to the office. Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody announced the arrest of a massive violent gang operation in Florida linked to a Mexican drug cartel. Big Pine Key Residents:Fisherman Mitchell Earl Noatch, 22, Box 790. These Valuable Pennies Are Worth Thousands, Miami-Dade Mayor, State Attorney Announce New Measures to Protect HOA Residents, Teen in Vicious Attack on Florida Teacher's Aide to Be Charged as Adult, Given $1M Bond, Ex-UM Football Player Accused of Killing Teammate Granted $850K Bond. That was one of the scariest nights I ever had. it wasnt long before she was racking up drug busts. The most famous of these were the Big Coppitt cowboys, a lose group of guys with fast boats and police scanners. If you have any information about Berumen and if you know of his whereabouts, please call FDLE," Special Agent in Charge Eli Lawson said. X-NONE Deputies said they knew Howard had warrants out for her arrest for drug trafficking, and as they were pulling her over they realized that her vehicle was being followed by a Lexus. Published on Big Pine Keys garbage days, Tuesdays and Fridays. Horace Calhoun, Clarence Moore, Jr. and Shamichael Johnson were all at the apartment and taken into custody. There were kidnappings among that crowd, but that is another story and has nothing to do with this one. mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; Colonel Rick Ramsay, who was there when the searches were conducted, said this was a large drug sales operation. One asshole in particular kept spinning the cylinder of his shiny .45 Colt revolver and making up things to accuse me of. They were too many of them and they were too obvious. Florida authorities arrested three suspects and seized more than 11 pounds of fentanyl as part of an undercover drug trafficking bust. A police K-9 sniffed out more than six ounces of cocaine inside a car during a traffic stop. (U.S. Border Patrol) MONROE COUNTY, Fla. Within just five days, nearly $80,000 worth of drugs have been discovered 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. 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. The Big Coppitt cowboys were the most successful. 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. Normal I was with him almost every day during that time and knew the full cast of characters. X-NONE 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. Here's One Way to Pay Off Your Debt, Check Your Change! The site is an isolated lagoon on Florida Bay. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Agents seized 48 pounds of fentanyl and more than 350 pounds of methamphetamines. WebPolice in the Florida Keys arrested two men this week after discovering large amounts of cash, drugs, and illegally harvested lobsters in their vehicle. and help keep the future of New Times, Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our. Then a Florida Keys condo leader was arrested Updated January 30, 2023 5:55 PM . Nothing ever happens on Big Pine Key and weusually like it that way. Courtesy U.S. Coast Guard Last week the U.S. Coast Guard seized what it 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. Several weapons were also found at the scene. 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. Danielle2.5 Tons Pot250,000 Quaaludes1979, Officers Mark Walker and Doug Smith Sugarloaf Key 1980. Letters to the editor with pictures since 2002. - 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. 29 out of 31 is a pretty good scorefor only 5 men against 32 armed smugglers! Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. She was part of the staff at the New Orleans Times-Picayune that in 2005 won two Pulitzer Prizes for coverage of Hurricane Katrina. The amount of opiates seized were "enough to kill every single resident of Brevard County," which has an estimated population of about 590,000 people, according to police. K9 Coral assisted in the arrest of a Key West woman who faces drug trafficking and possession charges. Same as you, waiting, the agent responded. mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; A man in a smaller boat could clear maybe $40,000. "I been to the border twice, so I saw how it's coming in. This time she alerted deputies to drugs inside a Lexus and a BMW that were pulled over Monday afternoon on Big Pine Key. Authorities said it the most defendants in a single Keys bust and among the most ever in any Florida bust. (The-CNN-Wire & 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. What we're seeing, for example, just two months ago, we ceased purple fentanyl. They also took at least a half dozen guns, including several satin steel, pearl-handled handguns, and a replica of a Colt .45. Horace Calhoun, Clarence Moore, Jr. and Shamichael Johnson were all at the apartment and taken into custody. 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. K9 Coral with drugs seized during March 15 traffic stop. The canine deputy joined the department about three months ago and on Monday she caught yet another suspected drug dealer. Officers also found more than $3,000 in cash. The unloaders of the pot were young Cuban men and were caught milling around Long Beach Road where there are no Cubansnormally seen. 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. The 29s lawyer knew about the smuggle. font-size:11.0pt; For more information on this site, please read our Privacy Policy, and Terms of Service. Fifteen agents from three agencies seized 25,000 poundsof marijuana in the pre-dawn bust on Big Pine Key. A A. MARATHON, Fla. Two Marathon men are facing multiple drug charged, including trafficking in fentanyl, after a Monroe County Sheriff K9 Copyright 2021 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved. A detour to the Customs incinerators in Miami is probable. Border Patrol officials ask the public to report any suspicious activity by calling their toll free number 1-877-772-8146. 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. Drugs seized by the U.S. Border Patrol in Monroe County. Alvarez-Bermudez is a convicted felon, so his possession of the gun drew a felony charge. The situation changed dramatically as Forbes tried to run away after a deputy found a suspicious package during a pat down. Square Grouper is not an un-hip fish. Deputies say her Toyota Camry had expired tags and that Coral then alerted to drugs in the car. Rickie Santiago Pacheco, 23, faces charges of carrying a concealed firearm without a license, possessing a firearm while committing a felony, possession of marijuana with intent to sell, possession of drug paraphernalia, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and interfering with the custody of a minor. Now is the time to talk to your loved ones, especially children. 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. 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. The men were in the process of bonding out late Saturday. Dyer was found in possession of the following, according to deputies: Deputies said Bell was found to be in possession of three grams of MDMA/ecstasy and a metal pipe. 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. There might have been something else,but it escapes me. font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; 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. 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. Amanda Batchelor, Digital Executive Producer. The woman in the front seat was not arrested, nor was the 15-year-old. Staly said in Flagler, the age of overdoses range from 18 to 60. 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. In all, 30 people were charged in U.S. District Courtwith drug trafficking. 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. 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. 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. Nelson Alvarez-Bermudez, of Big Coppitt Key, was jailed Thursday after the Monroe County Staly adds there are a lot of undercover operations in the county and you will eventually get caught. mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; WebThe Border Patrol said 73 pounds of cocaine and 62 pounds of marijuana were found between two days. The 17-year-old was clutching a backpack, according to the report. That evil gun-toting bunch of psychopaths scared the hell out of me. A man going out on the smugglers mother ship could make a quick $100,000.