Tipsters may remain anonymous. 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. Before joining the Herald, he covered Congress, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy in Washington, D.C. Marathon couple charged with possession in drug bust #news pic.twitter.com/rUf0Etk61f. 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. The individual noticed a large black bundle wrapped in tape & contacted local authorities. drug bust "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. 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. That was one of the scariest nights I ever had. The presence of the Sooth Carolina man led officials to speculate that that was the destination of the contraband. "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. Several weapons were also found at the scene. 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. 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. 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. Big Pine 29 Bust 1980 BigPineKey.com If you have any information about Berumen and if you know of his whereabouts, please call FDLE," Special Agent in Charge Eli Lawson said. FLORIDA KEYS, Fla. (WSVN) The Monroe County Sheriffs Office carried out a drug bust. Authorities said several rolled bills containing a powdery substance that field-tested positive for methamphetamines were found inside of the BMW. 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. WebRobertson & Hunter, LLP 501 Whitehead St., Ste. 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. 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. The sheriffs department already has more than 1,100 bales of pot stored in 16 vehicles under armed guards just outside Freemans office window. A police K-9 sniffed out more than six ounces of cocaine inside a car during a traffic stop. false Monroe County K9 busts 3 more for drugs during traffic stop - WPLG of cocaine valued at over 1.5 million dollars floating in the #FloridaKeys. If you need help with the Public File, call (954) 364-2526. 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 back door of one was still painted in the companys turquoise color with the word Sears still visible. Drugs seized by the U.S. Border Patrol in Monroe County. Coral joined the Monroe County Sheriffs Office this past fall, and it wasnt long before she was racking up drug busts. Copyright 2023 Local10.com is published by WPLG INC., a Berkshire Hathaway company. The bag contained 25 bricks of cocaine. 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. Then a Florida Keys condo leader was arrested Updated January 30, 2023 5:55 PM . "Twenty-four suspects were arrested but one gang member remains at large: 39-year-old Efren Berumen from Kissimmee, Florida. Forbes, who's been arrested multiple times, was charged with, among other things, possession of methamphetamine and trafficking eight grams of fentanyl. mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; Based on anonymous tips, Customs, Sheriffs Department and Marine Patrol aircraft began watching the Big Pine Key area, officials said. 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. pic.twitter.com/hN3VjDEG2G, On Wednesday, a Good Samaritan discovered 68 lbs. Because of that the cops got a tip off that there was an pot unloading operation going on. 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. At the 11th avenue location, detectives found Marijuana, Oxycontin, crack cocaine, drug paraphernalia and another handgun. a whopping$1.4 billion worth of cocaine and weed. mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; Nearly $80,000 worth of drugs discovered along the coastline in the #FloridaKeys since start of May. Good Samaritans found the drugs & notified authorities. line-height:115%; 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. Dealers are also disguising the drugs to look like candy. Deputies ran a check on their names and found out they were runaways from Dade, Faison said. Here's One Way to Pay Off Your Debt, Check Your Change! There were kidnappings among that crowd, but that is another story and has nothing to do with this one. mso-style-parent:""; Among the arrested: Domingo F. Galvan, 44, a registered nurse at Key Wests tiny DePoo Memorial Hospital. Richard Allen Shank, 31, who drives a Pepsi Cola delivery truck in Key West. If you need help with the Public File, call (954) 364-2526. The two closed body trucks, both painted white, were former Sears vehicles, authorities said. See what the rescue teams saw, Retired Navy officer enters Florida Keys undersea lodge. 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. 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. 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 men arrested for drug trafficking after K9 finds stash BIG PINE KEY, Fla. Just days after helping bust a woman for drug possession in the Florida Keys, Monroe County Sheriffs Office K9 Coral is at it again. 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 mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; They were charged with trafficking in marijuana, possession of over 2,000 pounds of marijuana and conspiracy to deliver a controlled substance. Amanda Batchelor, Digital Executive Producer. Ruff arrest: K9 busts alleged drug trafficker in Florida Keys - WPLG 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 Make a one-time donation today for as little as $1. The 29s lawyer knew about the smuggle. Oct 23, 2020. Florida traffic stop uncovers poached lobsters, drugs Published on Big Pine Keys garbage days, Tuesdays and Fridays. Amanda Batchelor, Digital Executive Producer. Border Patrol officials ask the public to report any suspicious activity by calling their toll free number 1-877-772-8146. He didnt. All rights reserved. It was a routine bust.. mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; A A. MARATHON, Fla. Two Marathon men are facing multiple drug charged, including trafficking in fentanyl, after a Monroe County Sheriff K9 Sergio Galvan was arrested Saturday, too. EN-US The illegal Coral the K9 helped catch two suspected drug traffickers in the Florida Keys on Monday. Authorities said it the mostdefendants in a single Keys bust and among the most everin any Florida bust. 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. Law enforcement arrests 83 people in Copyright 2021 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved. 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. Officials say they havent been able to destroy it because of a paperwork backlog. Feds charge Florida Keys woman and Homestead man with dealing Hes in county jail on Stock Island, and his bond information was not immediately available. 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. 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. Whos there, the agent was asked in Spanish. mso-style-noshow:yes; Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. Authorities said Bell was driving the Lexus and Dyer was the passenger. He said he knew the older boy was missing, but not the younger teen, Faison said. A reporter for the Miami Herald, who wanted to take pictures of the arrested men, was threatened by the lobby crowd who warned him that neither he nor the camera would make it out of the building unharmed if he took photos. Other than those listed previously, also arrested were: Vincente Jose Martinez, 36, 3817 Northside Ct.; Antonio Sanchez, 54, 1803 Atlantic Blvd. ; Ralph Jesus Valdez, 37, No. Hes the uncle of County Commissioner Jerry Hernandez and the brother of former Key West police Chief Eugene Hernandez: Manuel Sanchez, 57, manager of the mens department at Key Wests Sears Roebuck & Co. store in Searstown Plaza on North Roosevelt Boulevard, and his brother Antonio, 54, a jewelry salesman. Slosar said Good Samaritans stumbled upon the drugs and notified authorities. Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. On foot and in boats, law officers surprised the smugglers, shutting off their escape by land and sea. Last week the U.S. Coast Guard seized what it deemed to be. Jul 17, 2021. 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. Deputies say her Toyota Camry had expired tags and that Coral then alerted to drugs in the car. Whats that smell in the Florida Keys? "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. Get the latest updates in news, food, music and culture, and receive special offers direct to your inbox. 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. Several larger weapons were found in the car and in the area. 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. These werent Saturday night specials, the deputy, said. 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. WebOver the years, illegal drugs lots of them have been seized or discovered off Florida's shorelines. At that point the two came face to face and the alleged smuggler, cried, Al, mi madre, the police.. Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody announced the arrest of a massive violent gang operation in Florida linked to a Mexican drug cartel. WebMarathon couple charged with possession in drug bust. 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. 29 out of 31 is a pretty good scorefor only 5 men against 32 armed smugglers! In January she also was credited with helping catch a suspected cocaine dealer. Fifteen agents from three agencies seized 25,000 poundsof marijuana in the pre-dawn bust on Big Pine Key. Copyright 2023 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. Crime {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; A man in a smaller boat could clear maybe $40,000. 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. David Goodhue covers the Florida Keys and South Florida for FLKeysNews.com and the Miami Herald. Courtesy U.S. Coast Guard Last week the U.S. Coast Guard seized what it The 30 suspects surrendered peacefully. font-size:11.0pt; 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. /* Style Definitions */ Become a member to support the independent voice of South Florida WebDrugs seized by the U.S. Border Patrol in Monroe County. Marathon Residents:Edward Ronan, 57, Tarpon LodgeRafael Francisco Lopez, 42, P.O. - 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. 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. On March 21. Staly adds there are a lot of undercover operations in the county and you will eventually get caught. 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. 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. At the initial approachto the house there were 2 Customs agents, Seals andanother, the other 3 were Sheriffs deputies one of whomwas Mike Barber. She might be cute. Stock Island Residents: Fisherman Paco Novalas, 23, 221 Stock Island ApartmentsConstruction worker Ralph Jesus Valdez, 37, 5 SunshineSt.Richard Lee Mungin, 37, No. The suspects were identified by authorities as Misty Marie Howard, 39, of Big Pine Key, who had a warrant for trafficking The site is an isolated lagoon on Florida Bay. From the Miami HeraldNovember 14, 1980By Michael Capuzzo and Robert Rivas Herald Staff Writers. Police arrested 100 suspects and seized enough drugs to wipe out a large county. One of the bales hadapparentlybroken open, one officer said, and had been patched with a Colombian newspaper. Ron DeSantis said the bust marked the biggest drug seizure in the county's history. ; Paco Novalas, 23, 221 Stock Island Apts. Monroe County Sheriffs Office deputies were praising K9 Coral on Tuesday. 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. 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. Florida authorities arrested three suspects and seized more than 11 pounds of fentanyl as part of an undercover drug trafficking bust. She's just a few weeks into her job with the Monroe County Sheriff's Office. Nearly $80,000 worth of drugs found along coast of Florida Keys Copyright 2023 Local10.com is published by WPLG INC., a Berkshire Hathaway company. He was arrested and charged with trafficking cocaine. WSVN-TVSunbeam Television Corp This page is compiled mostly from Major Seals scrapbook that he wasgraciousenough to share with us. That evil gun-toting bunch of psychopaths scared the hell out of me. 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. 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. mso-pagination:widow-orphan; The suspects could face multiple charges ranging from conspiracy and trafficking to racketeer influenced corrupt organization (RICO). WSVN broadcast educational and informational programming for children, and file quarterly reports with the FCC detailing the station's outreach to children. Staly said in Flagler, the age of overdoses range from 18 to 60. mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; Over 100 arrested in massive Florida drug bust after months Join the New Times community and help support A major drug operation in the Keys was disrupted Friday, leading to the arrest of six people on multiple drug-related charges. The canine deputy joined the department about three months ago and on Monday she caught yet another suspected drug dealer. #BorderPatrol agents have responded to multiple drug washups & seized approx. Ingesting as little as 0.25 milligrams can be fatal. 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. Theyre accused of selling crack 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. This story was originally published May 22, 2020, 8:40 PM. I never heard about any girlfriend of the lawyers disappearing as another other rumor that is floating thirty years later claims. The Big Coppitt cowboys were the most successful. Drug smuggling really took hold and changed lifestyles in the Florida Keys in the 1970s and 80s. 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. Same as you, waiting, the agent responded. The pot that came from a square grouper was called sea weed. He said then that he had gone to get his brother Sergio, 40. bust a woman for drug possession in the Florida Keys. The men were in the process of bonding out late Saturday. What we're seeing, for example, just two months ago, we ceased purple fentanyl. Colorful pills drive new warnings about deadliest drug in the US. Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com. The 17-year-old was clutching a backpack, according to the report. Alvarez-Bermudez is a convicted felon, so his possession of the gun drew a felony charge. So the cartels in Mexico are very good about marketing," Staly said. (The-CNN-Wire & 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. 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.