A police K-9 sniffed out more than six ounces of cocaine inside a car during a traffic stop. Monroe County Sheriffs Office deputies were praising K9 Coral on Tuesday. Sergio Galvan was arrested Saturday, too. /* Style Definitions */ Among the arrested: Domingo F. Galvan, 44, a registered nurse at Key Wests tiny DePoo Memorial Hospital. Deputies say her Toyota Camry had expired tags and that Coral then alerted to drugs in the car. Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. In January she also was credited with helping catch a suspected cocaine dealer. Copyright 2023 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. Coast guard members work to free the entangled turtle from the bundles of drugs. And a Monroe County commissioner and well-known Florida Keys businessman has died after a battle with COVID-19, friends confirmed. a whopping$1.4 billion worth of cocaine and weed. The guns ranged from .45 caliber automatics to .25 calibre automatics. In all, 30 people were charged in U.S. District Courtwith drug trafficking. Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com. 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. A A. MARATHON, Fla. Two Marathon men are facing multiple drug charged, including trafficking in fentanyl, after a Monroe County Sheriff K9 false "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. Police arrested 100 suspects and seized enough drugs to wipe out a large county. WebFLORIDA KEYS, Fla. (WSVN) The Monroe County Sheriffs Office carried out a drug bust. See what the rescue teams saw, Retired Navy officer enters Florida Keys undersea lodge. 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. Plumber Fermin Tapia, 41, of 1701 Jamaica Dr.Vicente Jose Martinez, 36, 3817 Northside Ct.Fisherman Enrique Blasco, 19, 1504 Laird St.Two Friends Fish Co. fishermen Jose Monzon Garcia, 44,Key West Villas No. 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 17-year-old was clutching a backpack, according to the report. A very special thanks to Major Monty Seals who ran theoperation. Drugs seized by the U.S. Border Patrol in Monroe County. Last week the U.S. Coast Guard seized what it deemed to be. 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. Same as you, waiting, the agent responded. The situation changed dramatically as Forbes tried to run away after a deputy found a suspicious package during a pat down. All three were arrested and taken to jail. 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. Contact Us He is a graduate of the University of Delaware. Authorities said it the most defendants in a single Keys bust and among the most ever in any Florida bust. I hoped I could talk my way out of there. Two men and a woman were arrested on multiple drug violations. 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. 4 Sloans Trailer ParkJuan Manuel Venegas, 29, 837 Eighth Ave.Fisherman Michael Patrick OBrien, 22, 216 LincolnGardens. If you need help with the Public File, call (954) 364-2526. Once the windows were down, Faison said she smelled a strong odor of both burnt and fresh marijuana coming from inside the car. Dealers are also disguising the drugs to look like candy. With this operation, we are making a significant dent in the sales of illegal drugs on Stock Island.. 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. Nothing ever happens on Big Pine Key and weusually like it that way. The suspects could face multiple charges ranging from conspiracy and trafficking to racketeer influenced corrupt organization (RICO). 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. 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. 29. 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. Theyre accused of selling crack Crime The presence of the Sooth Carolina man led officials to speculate that that was the destination of the contraband. Join the New Times community and help support Pacheco does not have a concealed carry permit for the weapon, according to the report. That was one of the scariest nights I ever had. Monroe County sheriffs deputies pulled over his four-door Mercedes around 1 a.m. Friday behind the Seagrapes Apartment complex at 7155 Overseas Highway. Dozens of them were taken into custody and bused to prison, including the six alleged ringleaders. Stock Island Residents: Fisherman Paco Novalas, 23, 221 Stock Island ApartmentsConstruction worker Ralph Jesus Valdez, 37, 5 SunshineSt.Richard Lee Mungin, 37, No. WebPolice in the Florida Keys arrested two men this week after discovering large amounts of cash, drugs, and illegally harvested lobsters in their vehicle. One asshole in particular kept spinning the cylinder of his shiny .45 Colt revolver and making up things to accuse me of. Agents seized 48 pounds of fentanyl and more than 350 pounds of methamphetamines. Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. 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. Florida Gov. Cash in the amount of more than $1,000 was seized as well. The 30 suspects surrendered peacefully. However, he dreaded the prospect of storing the marijuana. 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. That evil gun-toting bunch of psychopaths scared the hell out of me. Nelson Alvarez-Bermudez, of Big Coppitt Key, was jailed Thursday after the Monroe County 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. 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. Harry, what you doing here? the other man queried. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Gwen Filosa covers Key West and the Lower Florida Keys for FLKeysNews.com and the Miami Herald and lives in Key West. WebDrugs seized by the U.S. Border Patrol in Monroe County. At the 11th avenue location, detectives found Marijuana, Oxycontin, crack cocaine, drug paraphernalia and another handgun. I never heard about any girlfriend of the lawyers disappearing as another other rumor that is floating thirty years later claims. WebTwo men and a woman were arrested on multiple drug violations. Colonel Rick Ramsay, who was there when the searches were conducted, said this was a large drug sales operation. Tawana Blackman and Leroy Lawson were arrested at that location. - 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. Slosar said Good Samaritans stumbled upon the drugs and notified authorities. The tension and violence in the air was awful for a hippy like me. Fentanyl, often used to lace other drugs, is considered the deadliest drug in America, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; 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. pic.twitter.com/ih10AhQAlx. Richard Allen Shank, 31, who drives a Pepsi Cola delivery truck in Key West. Horace Calhoun, Clarence Moore, Jr. and Shamichael Johnson were all at the apartment and taken into custody. 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. mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; 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. 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. ), Car dealership workers kidnapped, tortured in armed robbery: police, Woman buys new tires that turn out to be 9 years old. mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; WFTV Detectives said the organization Marathon Residents:Edward Ronan, 57, Tarpon LodgeRafael Francisco Lopez, 42, P.O. We didnt fire a single shot, a Customs agent said. mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; At the initial approachto the house there were 2 Customs agents, Seals andanother, the other 3 were Sheriffs deputies one of whomwas Mike Barber. Officers also found more than $3,000 in cash. Staly said in Flagler, the age of overdoses range from 18 to 60. 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. Deputies found the Taurus inside a fanny pack located in the back seat. Whos there, the agent was asked in Spanish. The most famous of these were the Big Coppitt cowboys, a lose group of guys with fast boats and police scanners. WebThe Border Patrol said 73 pounds of cocaine and 62 pounds of marijuana were found between two days. 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. table.MsoNormalTable At that point the two came face to face and the alleged smuggler, cried, Al, mi madre, the police.. 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. RELATED: What is rainbow fentanyl? The cocaine, wrapped up in 25 packages stuffed in a large sack and found off They were charged with trafficking in marijuana, possession of over 2,000 pounds of marijuana and conspiracy to deliver a controlled substance. Border Patrol officials ask the public to report any suspicious activity by calling their toll free number 1-877-772-8146. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? 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. Then a Florida Keys condo leader was arrested Updated January 30, 2023 5:55 PM . mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; 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. false Monroe County Sheriff's Office reports the Sheriff's (The-CNN-Wire & 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. 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. The investigation started a month ago. WebAt age 71, this Florida Keys man is working steady in the drug-dealing game, police say. Web2:09 PM EST, Wed February 24, 2021. 2: Drug Bust at Haulover Marina. 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. Alvarez-Bermudez is a convicted felon, so his possession of the gun drew a felony charge. A police K-9 sniffed out more than six ounces of cocaine inside a car during a traffic stop. A man in a smaller boat could clear maybe $40,000. X-NONE 0 These people were very organized and were selling lots of drugs, he said. FLORIDA KEYS, Fla. (WSVN) The Monroe County Sheriffs Office carried out a drug bust. Ingesting as little as 0.25 milligrams can be fatal. Other than those listed previously, also arrested were: Vincente Jose Martinez, 36, 3817 Northside Ct.; Antonio Sanchez, 54, 1803 Atlantic Blvd. FLORIDA KEYS, Fla. (WSVN) The Monroe County Sheriffs Office carried out a drug bust. They will be turned over to the sheriff for disposal, either by sale or for use in his department. See what the rescue teams saw, Retired Navy officer enters Florida Keys undersea lodge. A detour to the Customs incinerators in Miami is probable. 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. 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. RELATED: Deadly dupes: Nationwide spike in mass-overdoses, teen deaths due to fentanyl-laced drugs, DEA says. Other charges, such as possession of a concealed weapon by several defendants, were pending. Authorities said several rolled bills containing a powdery substance that field-tested positive for methamphetamines were found inside of the BMW. Copyright 2021 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved. Two teenage boys, ages 15 and 17, were sitting in the backseat. Huff is being held on $2.5 million bond, while both Walker and Wilborn are being held on just over $900,000 bond. 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. They also took at least a half dozen guns, including several satin steel, pearl-handled handguns, and a replica of a Colt .45. Fifteen agents from three agencies seized 25,000 poundsof marijuana in the pre-dawn bust on Big Pine Key. Get the latest updates in news, food, music and culture, and receive special offers direct to your inbox. mso-style-priority:99; WebA major drug operation in the Keys was disrupted Friday, leading to the arrest of six people on multiple drug-related charges. A man going out on the smugglers mother ship could make a quick $100,000. 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. Reed Bryan Bell, 55, of Islamorada, was also arrested on a charge of possession of a controlled substance and Markus Dyer, 31, of Big Pine Key, was arrested on charges of trafficking in heroin, trafficking in methamphetamines, possession of cocaine, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. The suspects were identified by authorities as Misty Marie Howard, 39, of Big Pine Key, who had a warrant for trafficking 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. of cocaine valued at over 1.5 million dollars floating in the #FloridaKeys. She's just a few weeks into her job with the Monroe County Sheriff's Office. The 29s lawyer knew about the smuggle. During the wait, the lobby at the department filled with relatives, friends of the arrested men and interested on-lookers. He said then that he had gone to get his brother Sergio, 40. 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 captured 29 smugglers, and only missedtwo who swam away. So the cartels in Mexico are very good about marketing," Staly said. 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. Miami's independent source of Inside the bag, deputies found 37 liquid marijuana cartridges used for vaping. The Big Coppitt cowboys were the most successful. 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 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. The drugs had an estimated street value of at least $181,000, according to the office.