The sheriffs department already has more than 1,100 bales of pot stored in 16 vehicles under armed guards just outside Freemans office window. {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; One suspect was in the U.S. illegally. 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. pic.twitter.com/ih10AhQAlx. Dealers are also disguising the drugs to look like candy. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. The unloaders of the pot were young Cuban men and were caught milling around Long Beach Road where there are no Cubansnormally seen. Two teenage boys, ages 15 and 17, were sitting in the backseat. I was with him almost every day during that time and knew the full cast of characters. "Twenty-four suspects were arrested but one gang member remains at large: 39-year-old Efren Berumen from Kissimmee, Florida. (The-CNN-Wire & 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. K9 Coral with drugs seized during March 15 traffic stop. All content Copyright 2000 - 2023 WSVN-TV. There were kidnappings among that crowd, but that is another story and has nothing to do with this one. He said he knew the older boy was missing, but not the younger teen, Faison said. Monroe County Sheriff's Office reports the Sheriff's Oct 23, 2020. mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; What we're seeing, for example, just two months ago, we ceased purple fentanyl. pic.twitter.com/hN3VjDEG2G, On Wednesday, a Good Samaritan discovered 68 lbs. Now is the time to talk to your loved ones, especially children. 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. Ingesting as little as 0.25 milligrams can be fatal. A 35-year-old man and a 29-year-old woman were arrested following a search of their residence Copyright 2023 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. At the 11th avenue location, detectives found Marijuana, Oxycontin, crack cocaine, drug paraphernalia and another handgun. A police K-9 sniffed out more than six ounces of cocaine inside a car during a traffic stop. 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. 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. 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. Fifteen agents from three agencies seized 25,000 poundsof marijuana in the pre-dawn bust on Big Pine Key. 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. 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. 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. 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. On March 21. RELATED: Deadly dupes: Nationwide spike in mass-overdoses, teen deaths due to fentanyl-laced drugs, DEA says. 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. We didnt fire a single shot, a Customs agent said. 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 might have been something else,but it escapes me. 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. 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. They will be turned over to the sheriff for disposal, either by sale or for use in his department. false Published on Big Pine Keys garbage days, Tuesdays and Fridays. Other charges, such as possession of a concealed weapon by several defendants, were pending. 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. 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. 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 senior citizen also had a 9mm handgun, 189 rounds of ammunition and a digital scale, police said. They successfully evacuated the building, removed and destroyed the device. line-height:115%; He plans to break records, These Florida spots, one in the Keys, made the best beaches list. He plans to break records, These Florida spots, one in the Keys, made the best beaches list. They were too many of them and they were too obvious. A Key West woman faces drug trafficking and possession charges after a bust that was assisted by K9 cop Coral, the Monroe County Sheriffs Office says. Based on anonymous tips, Customs, Sheriffs Department and Marine Patrol aircraft began watching the Big Pine Key area, officials said. 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. Staly said in Flagler, the age of overdoses range from 18 to 60. They were charged with trafficking in marijuana, possession of over 2,000 pounds of marijuana and conspiracy to deliver a controlled substance. Monroe County sheriffs deputies pulled over his four-door Mercedes around 1 a.m. Friday behind the Seagrapes Apartment complex at 7155 Overseas Highway. /* Style Definitions */ "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. Become a member to support the independent voice of South Florida Robert Brown, a convicted felon, along with Deputies say her Toyota Camry had expired tags and that Coral then alerted to drugs in the car. The Smith and Wesson was in the center console of the car, Faison said. (U.S. Border Patrol) MONROE COUNTY, Fla. Within just five days, nearly $80,000 worth of drugs have been discovered Before joining the Herald, he covered Congress, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy in Washington, D.C. Florida Gov. The 30 suspects surrendered peacefully. "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. "We must have strict enforcement for these dealers and treatment for those who have become addicted.. mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; During the wait, the lobby at the department filled with relatives, friends of the arrested men and interested on-lookers. Brandy Victoria Gesell, 38, was arrested after a traffic stop Thursday night on Big Pine Key. "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. A major drug operation in the Keys was disrupted Friday, leading to the arrest of six people on multiple drug-related charges. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. The suspects could face multiple charges ranging from conspiracy and trafficking to racketeer influenced corrupt organization (RICO). Whats that smell in the Florida Keys? 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. Because of that the cops got a tip off that there was an pot unloading operation going on. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? #breakingnews #florida. Several weapons were also found at the scene. it wasnt long before she was racking up drug busts. 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. At age 71, this Florida Keys man is working steady in the drug-dealing game, police say. 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. MONROE COUNTY, Fla. Within just five days, nearly $80,000 worth of drugs have been discovered along the coastline in the Florida Keys, the U.S. Border Patrol in Miami announced Thursday. Nearly $80,000 worth of drugs discovered along the coastline in the #FloridaKeys since start of May. Ramsey also said that receiving information from law abiding citizens is important, especially in cases like this. 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. 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. mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; One of the bales hadapparentlybroken open, one officer said, and had been patched with a Colombian newspaper. a whopping$1.4 billion worth of cocaine and weed. 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. 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. false Good Samaritans found the drugs & notified authorities. This story was originally published May 22, 2020, 8:40 PM. From the Miami HeraldNovember 14, 1980By Michael Capuzzo and Robert Rivas Herald Staff Writers. Whats that smell in the Florida Keys? 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. Stock Island Residents: Fisherman Paco Novalas, 23, 221 Stock Island ApartmentsConstruction worker Ralph Jesus Valdez, 37, 5 SunshineSt.Richard Lee Mungin, 37, No. Traffic stop results in drug bust. Nothing ever happens on Big Pine Key and weusually like it that way. See what the rescue teams saw, Retired Navy officer enters Florida Keys undersea lodge. We cannot allow these drugs and the criminals who peddle them to poison our communities and destroy lives," DeSantis said in a statement Wednesday. According to authorities, deputies spotted Howard driving a black BMW south on U.S. 1 around 2:40 p.m. Monday. Normal Police in Florida arrested two men this week after discovering large amounts of cash, marijuana, and illegally harvested lobsters in their vehicle. They were expensive guns. At Least two, he said, had satin steel finish with pearl handles. A very special thanks to Major Monty Seals who ran theoperation. Horace Calhoun, Clarence Moore, Jr. and Shamichael Johnson were all at the apartment and taken into custody. font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; 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. FLORIDA KEYS, Fla. (WSVN) The Monroe County Sheriffs Office carried out a drug bust. 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 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. 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. Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com. 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. 27 lbs of marijuana & 3 lbs of cocaine. "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. Harry, he replied. font-size:11.0pt; One asshole in particular kept spinning the cylinder of his shiny .45 Colt revolver and making up things to accuse me of. "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. 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. WebFLORIDA KEYS, Fla. (WSVN) The Monroe County Sheriffs Office carried out a drug bust. WebDrugs seized by the U.S. Border Patrol in Monroe County. WebPolice in the Florida Keys arrested two men this week after discovering large amounts of cash, drugs, and illegally harvested lobsters in their vehicle. WFTV Detectives said the organization Authorities said several rolled bills containing a powdery substance that field-tested positive for methamphetamines were found inside of the BMW. Officials say they havent been able to destroy it because of a paperwork backlog. 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. A police K-9 sniffed out more than six ounces of cocaine inside a car during a traffic stop. That was one of the scariest nights I ever had. Richard Allen Shank, 31, who drives a Pepsi Cola delivery truck in Key West. 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. Over the years, illegal drugs lots of them have been seized or discovered off Florida's shorelines. 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 drugs had an estimated street value of at least $181,000, according to the office. Harry, what you doing here? the other man queried. false FLORIDA KEYS, Fla. (WSVN) The Monroe County Sheriffs Office carried out a drug bust. 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. The two closed body trucks, both painted white, were former Sears vehicles, authorities said. David Goodhue covers the Florida Keys and South Florida for FLKeysNews.com and the Miami Herald. Another was a miniature (three inches long) replica of the old Colt 45. mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; A A. MARATHON, Fla. Two Marathon men are facing multiple drug charged, including trafficking in fentanyl, after a Monroe County Sheriff K9 They captured 29 smugglers, and only missedtwo who swam away. mso-pagination:widow-orphan; All rights reserved, What's With the Construction on I-95 in Broward? Marathon Residents:Edward Ronan, 57, Tarpon LodgeRafael Francisco Lopez, 42, P.O. Drugs seized by the U.S. Border Patrol in Monroe County. All three were arrested and taken to jail. 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. Bert Thompson waited for a list of the names of those arrested and the charges to be filed. Whos there, the agent was asked in Spanish. X-NONE Pacheco does not have a concealed carry permit for the weapon, according to the report. Coast guard members work to free the entangled turtle from the bundles of drugs. 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. Copyright 2023 Local10.com is published by WPLG INC., a Berkshire Hathaway company. Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. Tipsters may remain anonymous. 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. Big Pine Key Residents:Fisherman Mitchell Earl Noatch, 22, Box 790. 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. Authorities said Bell was driving the Lexus and Dyer was the passenger. The owner of a shrimp boat that was seized off Texas last year with 33 tons of marijuana aboard. 1401 79th Street Causeway 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. Authorities said it the most defendants in a single Keys bust and among the most ever in any Florida bust. Both vehicles were pulled over between Mile Markers 32 and 33. 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 17-year-old was clutching a backpack, according to the report. Newsroom: (305) 795-2777. independent local journalism in Miami. "I been to the border twice, so I saw how it's coming in. Two men and a woman were arrested on multiple drug violations. On Friday afternoon, Alvarez-Bermudez remained jailed without bond at the Stock Island Detention Center. Get the latest updates in news, food, music and culture, and receive special offers direct to your inbox. 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. 29. WebOver the years, illegal drugs lots of them have been seized or discovered off Florida's shorelines. Here's One Way to Pay Off Your Debt, Check Your Change! Switchboard: (305) 751-6692 If you need help with the Public File, call (954) 364-2526. 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. Courtesy U.S. Coast Guard Last week the U.S. Coast Guard seized what it 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. 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. Monroe County Sheriffs Office deputies were praising K9 Coral on Tuesday. 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. If you need help with the Public File, call (954) 364-2526. At that point the two came face to face and the alleged smuggler, cried, Al, mi madre, the police.. I was just a hanger-on, not a player. These people were very organized and were selling lots of drugs, he said.