Miami's independent source of (U.S. Border Patrol) MONROE COUNTY, Fla. Within just five days, nearly $80,000 worth of drugs have been discovered 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. A major drug operation in the Keys was disrupted Friday, leading to the arrest of six people on multiple drug-related charges. 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. 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. Traffic stop results in drug bust. Colonel Rick Ramsay, who was there when the searches were conducted, said this was a large drug sales operation. Theyre accused of selling crack David Goodhue covers the Florida Keys and South Florida for FLKeysNews.com and the Miami Herald. The site is an isolated lagoon on Florida Bay. "Several of the suspects arrested today were arrested previously in this investigation for drug related charges and were released after posting lowered bonds.". 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. FDOT Gives Update on Project's Progress, Credit Card Balances Reach New Record High. Because of that the cops got a tip off that there was an pot unloading operation going on. 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. Copyright 2023 Local10.com is published by WPLG INC., a Berkshire Hathaway company. mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; Robert Brown, a convicted felon, along with Dealers are also disguising the drugs to look like candy. Huff is being held on $2.5 million bond, while both Walker and Wilborn are being held on just over $900,000 bond. Make a one-time donation today for as little as $1. 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. 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. Border Patrol officials ask the public to report any suspicious activity by calling their toll free number 1-877-772-8146. From the Miami HeraldNovember 14, 1980By Michael Capuzzo and Robert Rivas Herald Staff Writers. I hoped I could talk my way out of there. The illegal They successfully evacuated the building, removed and destroyed the device. Dozens of them were taken into custody and bused to prison, including the six alleged ringleaders. A man in a smaller boat could clear maybe $40,000. 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. The investigation started a month ago. Switchboard: (305) 751-6692 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. As lawmen gathered near the off-loading site on the bayside of Big Pine Key, a Customs agent was approached by one of the alleged offenders. Authorities said Bell was driving the Lexus and Dyer was the passenger. 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. ~Editor. Web2:09 PM EST, Wed February 24, 2021. 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. Miami, FL 33141 Whats that smell in the Florida Keys? 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. mso-pagination:widow-orphan; RELATED: What is rainbow fentanyl? 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. Officers also found more than $3,000 in cash. 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. Same as you, waiting, the agent responded. The confiscated vehicles are expected to be valued in the thousands of dollars. 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. We didnt fire a single shot, a Customs agent said. He didnt. Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody announced the arrest of a massive violent gang operation in Florida linked to a Mexican drug cartel. 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. Slosar said Good Samaritans stumbled upon the drugs and notified authorities. Brandy Victoria Gesell, 38, was arrested after a traffic stop Thursday night on Big Pine Key. The pot that came from a square grouper was called sea weed. 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. "Twenty-four suspects were arrested but one gang member remains at large: 39-year-old Efren Berumen from Kissimmee, Florida. Whats that smell in the Florida Keys? Ron DeSantis said the bust marked the biggest drug seizure in the county's history. If you need help with the Public File, call (954) 364-2526. 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. mso-para-margin-left:0in; 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. Authorities said additional deputies were called to the scene along with K9 Coral, who alerted them to drugs in the Lexus and BMW. She was part of the staff at the New Orleans Times-Picayune that in 2005 won two Pulitzer Prizes for coverage of Hurricane Katrina. These people were very organized and were selling lots of drugs, he said. mso-para-margin-right:0in; 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. So the cartels in Mexico are very good about marketing," Staly said. Then a Florida Keys condo leader was arrested Updated January 30, 2023 5:55 PM . Horace Calhoun, Clarence Moore, Jr. and Shamichael Johnson were all at the apartment and taken into custody. The unloaders of the pot were young Cuban men and were caught milling around Long Beach Road where there are no Cubansnormally seen. I was just a hanger-on, not a player. Courtesy U.S. Coast Guard Last week the U.S. Coast Guard seized what it He said then that he had gone to get his brother Sergio, 40. Some of the many boats confiscated during the smuggling days and their captured loads are shown below. The driver was a 43-year-old man from Miami. 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 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 owner of a shrimp boat that was seized off Texas last year with 33 tons of marijuana aboard. WebA major drug operation in the Keys was disrupted Friday, leading to the arrest of six people on multiple drug-related charges. WebIn all, 30 people were charged in U.S. District Court with drug trafficking. 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. Freeman said he was eager to gain title to the smuggling vehicles for his department. The suspects could face multiple charges ranging from conspiracy and trafficking to racketeer influenced corrupt organization (RICO). Gwen Filosa covers Key West and the Lower Florida Keys for FLKeysNews.com and the Miami Herald and lives in Key West. The 30 suspects surrendered peacefully. 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. 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. FLORIDA KEYS, Fla. (WSVN) The Monroe County Sheriffs Office carried out a drug bust. With this operation, we are making a significant dent in the sales of illegal drugs on Stock Island.. 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. They captured 29 smugglers, and only missedtwo who swam away. independent local journalism in Miami. 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. Alvarez-Bermudez is a convicted felon, so his possession of the gun drew a felony charge. {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; 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. Richard Allen Shank, 31, who drives a Pepsi Cola delivery truck in Key West. 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. The individual noticed a large black bundle wrapped in tape & contacted local authorities. RELATED: Deadly dupes: Nationwide spike in mass-overdoses, teen deaths due to fentanyl-laced drugs, DEA says. Fifteen agents from three agencies seized 25,000 poundsof marijuana in the pre-dawn bust on Big Pine Key. mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. They were expensive guns. At Least two, he said, had satin steel finish with pearl handles. The three alleged organizational leaders were identified as Brandon Huff, 35, and Jonathan Walker, 42, both of Cocoa, and Megan Wilborn, 31, of Merritt Island. bust a woman for drug possession in the Florida Keys. WebPolice in the Florida Keys arrested two men this week after discovering large amounts of cash, drugs, and illegally harvested lobsters in their vehicle. This page is compiled mostly from Major Seals scrapbook that he wasgraciousenough to share with us. Monroe County sheriffs deputies pulled over his four-door Mercedes around 1 a.m. Friday behind the Seagrapes Apartment complex at 7155 Overseas Highway. However, he dreaded the prospect of storing the marijuana. She's just a few weeks into her job with the Monroe County Sheriff's Office. false 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. WSVN-TVSunbeam Television Corp Deputy Megan Faison wrote in her report that she asked a 22-year-old female passenger in the front seat to roll her window all the way down so he could safely look inside the car, since it had dark tinted windows. We cannot allow these drugs and the criminals who peddle them to poison our communities and destroy lives," DeSantis said in a statement Wednesday. Coral the K9 helped catch two suspected drug traffickers in the Florida Keys on Monday. mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; #BorderPatrol agents have responded to multiple drug washups & seized approx. Nelson Alvarez-Bermudez, of Big Coppitt Key, was jailed Thursday after the Monroe County Staly said in Flagler, the age of overdoses range from 18 to 60. Horace Calhoun, Clarence Moore, Jr. and Shamichael Johnson were all at the apartment and taken into custody. "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. The senior citizen also had a 9mm handgun, 189 rounds of ammunition and a digital scale, police said. WebRobertson & Hunter, LLP 501 Whitehead St., Ste. Drug smuggling really took hold and changed lifestyles in the Florida Keys in the 1970s and 80s. X-NONE Other charges, such as possession of a concealed weapon by several defendants, were pending. A detour to the Customs incinerators in Miami is probable. mso-para-margin-top:0in; 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 29. Become a member to support the independent voice of South Florida Tipsters may remain anonymous. A 35-year-old man and a 29-year-old woman were arrested following a search of their residence Square Grouper is not an un-hip fish. Police arrested 100 suspects and seized enough drugs to wipe out a large county. Florida authorities arrested three suspects and seized more than 11 pounds of fentanyl as part of an undercover drug trafficking bust. A very special thanks to Major Monty Seals who ran theoperation. Newsroom: (305) 795-2777. They will be turned over to the sheriff for disposal, either by sale or for use in his department. They were too many of them and they were too obvious. 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. At that point the two came face to face and the alleged smuggler, cried, Al, mi madre, the police.. Dyer is Howards boyfriend, according to the sheriffs office. 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. 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. Nothing ever happens on Big Pine Key and weusually like it that way. 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. Authorities said several rolled bills containing a powdery substance that field-tested positive for methamphetamines were found inside of the BMW. Copyright 2023 Local10.com is published by WPLG INC., a Berkshire Hathaway company. it wasnt long before she was racking up drug busts. 2 Key West, FL 33040 (305) 735-4587 Se Habla Espaol. ; Paco Novalas, 23, 221 Stock Island Apts. For more information on this site, please read our Privacy Policy, and Terms of Service. That evil gun-toting bunch of psychopaths scared the hell out of me. The canine deputy joined the department about three months ago and on Monday she caught yet another suspected drug dealer. Police in Florida arrested two men this week after discovering large amounts of cash, marijuana, and illegally harvested lobsters in their vehicle. Other than those listed previously, also arrested were: Vincente Jose Martinez, 36, 3817 Northside Ct.; Antonio Sanchez, 54, 1803 Atlantic Blvd. Jul 17, 2021. WebAt age 71, this Florida Keys man is working steady in the drug-dealing game, police say. (The-CNN-Wire & 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. Coral joined the Monroe County Sheriffs Office this past fall, and it wasnt long before she was racking up drug busts. FLORIDA KEYS, Fla. (WSVN) The Monroe County Sheriffs Office carried out a drug bust. 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. Copyright 2021 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved. All content Copyright 2000 - 2023 WSVN-TV. 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. Among the arrested: Domingo F. Galvan, 44, a registered nurse at Key Wests tiny DePoo Memorial Hospital. 0 Good Samaritans found the drugs & notified authorities. Danielle2.5 Tons Pot250,000 Quaaludes1979, Officers Mark Walker and Doug Smith Sugarloaf Key 1980. Letters to the editor with pictures since 2002. A police K-9 sniffed out more than six ounces of cocaine inside a car during a traffic stop. 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. ; Ralph Jesus Valdez, 37, No. Ingesting as little as 0.25 milligrams can be fatal. And a Monroe County commissioner and well-known Florida Keys businessman has died after a battle with COVID-19, friends confirmed. He was arrested and charged with trafficking cocaine. 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. 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. WebKEY 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 Contact Us 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. Crime Officials say they havent been able to destroy it because of a paperwork backlog. Last week the U.S. Coast Guard seized what it deemed to be. Two men and a woman were arrested on multiple drug violations. The guns ranged from .45 caliber automatics to .25 calibre automatics. mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; Staly adds there are a lot of undercover operations in the county and you will eventually get caught. 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. mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; "I been to the border twice, so I saw how it's coming in. of cocaine valued at over 1.5 million dollars floating in the #FloridaKeys. Whos there, the agent was asked in Spanish. The cocaine, wrapped up in 25 packages stuffed in a large sack and found off He plans to break records, These Florida spots, one in the Keys, made the best beaches list. 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. Nearly $80,000 worth of drugs discovered along the coastline in the #FloridaKeys since start of May. I never heard about any girlfriend of the lawyers disappearing as another other rumor that is floating thirty years later claims. Cash in the amount of more than $1,000 was seized as well. There might have been something else,but it escapes me. Several larger weapons were found in the car and in the area. mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; 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. Coast guard members work to free the entangled turtle from the bundles of drugs. On foot and in boats, law officers surprised the smugglers, shutting off their escape by land and sea. WebDrugs seized by the U.S. Border Patrol in Monroe County. 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. On Friday afternoon, Alvarez-Bermudez remained jailed without bond at the Stock Island Detention Center. 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. They also took at least a half dozen guns, including several satin steel, pearl-handled handguns, and a replica of a Colt .45. 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. 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