If you need help with the Public File, call (954) 364-2526. table.MsoNormalTable The 17-year-old was clutching a backpack, according to the report. Big Pine 29 Bust 1980 BigPineKey.com Authorities said additional deputies were called to the scene along with K9 Coral, who alerted them to drugs in the Lexus and BMW. 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. ; Paco Novalas, 23, 221 Stock Island Apts. WebOver the years, illegal drugs lots of them have been seized or discovered off Florida's shorelines. 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. Now is the time to talk to your loved ones, especially children. He was arrested and charged with trafficking cocaine. Florida WFTV Detectives said the organization Web2:09 PM EST, Wed February 24, 2021. and help keep the future of New Times, Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our. These Are the Four Wildest Drug Finds Off the Coast of Florida Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Whos there, the agent was asked in Spanish. The attorney general says cartels only care about profit and power. false /* Style Definitions */ 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. Stock Island Residents: Fisherman Paco Novalas, 23, 221 Stock Island ApartmentsConstruction worker Ralph Jesus Valdez, 37, 5 SunshineSt.Richard Lee Mungin, 37, No. RELATED: Deadly dupes: Nationwide spike in mass-overdoses, teen deaths due to fentanyl-laced drugs, DEA says. 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. Tawana Blackman and Leroy Lawson were arrested at that location. 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. 0 WebRobertson & Hunter, LLP 501 Whitehead St., Ste. Ramsey also said that receiving information from law abiding citizens is important, especially in cases like this. Agents seized 48 pounds of fentanyl and more than 350 pounds of methamphetamines. The site is an isolated lagoon on Florida Bay. 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. 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. WebThe Border Patrol said 73 pounds of cocaine and 62 pounds of marijuana were found between two days. The woman in the front seat was not arrested, nor was the 15-year-old. Officials say they havent been able to destroy it because of a paperwork backlog. "Twenty-four suspects were arrested but one gang member remains at large: 39-year-old Efren Berumen from Kissimmee, Florida. 29 out of 31 is a pretty good scorefor only 5 men against 32 armed smugglers! Published on Big Pine Keys garbage days, Tuesdays and Fridays. A major drug operation in the Keys was disrupted Friday, leading to the arrest of six people on multiple drug-related charges. They will be turned over to the sheriff for disposal, either by sale or for use in his department. The cocaine, wrapped up in 25 packages stuffed in a large sack and found off Several larger weapons were found in the car and in the area. Police in Florida arrested two men this week after discovering large amounts of cash, marijuana, and illegally harvested lobsters in their vehicle. 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. 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. 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. font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; The investigation started a month ago. Fifteen agents from three agencies seized 25,000 poundsof marijuana in the pre-dawn bust on Big Pine Key. false Oct 23, 2020. Fentanyl, often used to lace other drugs, is considered the deadliest drug in America, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In January she also was credited with helping catch a suspected cocaine dealer. Miami's independent source of 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. Slosar said Good Samaritans stumbled upon the drugs and notified authorities. Amanda Batchelor, Digital Executive Producer. 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. 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 Keys - Miami Herald This page is compiled mostly from Major Seals scrapbook that he wasgraciousenough to share with us. Six Arrested in Keys Drug Bust NBC 6 South Florida Join the New Times community and help support Dealers are also disguising the drugs to look like candy. Bert Thompson waited for a list of the names of those arrested and the charges to be filed. Several weapons were also found at the scene. 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. 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. 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. Normal Copyright 2023 Local10.com is published by WPLG INC., a Berkshire Hathaway company. false 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. Huff is being held on $2.5 million bond, while both Walker and Wilborn are being held on just over $900,000 bond. 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. Horace Calhoun, Clarence Moore, Jr. and Shamichael Johnson were all at the apartment and taken into custody. 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. Two teenage boys, ages 15 and 17, were sitting in the backseat. Copyright 2023 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. 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. 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. On foot and in boats, law officers surprised the smugglers, shutting off their escape by land and sea. Florida Keys traffic stop turns into guns and drugs bust | Miami Herald Another was a miniature (three inches long) replica of the old Colt 45. 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. Marathon Residents:Edward Ronan, 57, Tarpon LodgeRafael Francisco Lopez, 42, P.O. Drugs seized by the U.S. Border Patrol in Monroe County. FLORIDA KEYS, Fla. (WSVN) The Monroe County Sheriffs Office carried out a drug bust. They also took at least a half dozen guns, including several satin steel, pearl-handled handguns, and a replica of a Colt .45. Monroe County Sheriffs Office deputies were praising K9 Coral on Tuesday. Freeman said he was eager to gain title to the smuggling vehicles for his department. Because of that the cops got a tip off that there was an pot unloading operation going on. Florida Keys Drug Arrests | Robertson & Hunter, LLP So the cartels in Mexico are very good about marketing," Staly said. Deputies say her Toyota Camry had expired tags and that Coral then alerted to drugs in the car. Among the arrested: Domingo F. Galvan, 44, a registered nurse at Key Wests tiny DePoo Memorial Hospital. 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 bag contained 25 bricks of cocaine. Coast guard members work to free the entangled turtle from the bundles of drugs. Over the years, illegal drugs lots of them have been seized or discovered off Florida's shorelines. There might have been something else,but it escapes me. 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 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. 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 tension and violence in the air was awful for a hippy like me. X-NONE Both vehicles were pulled over between Mile Markers 32 and 33. FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - The US Coast Guard offloaded more than $500 million worth of cocaine and marijuana in South Florida on Monday. man arrested, charged with trafficking cocaine in Florida Keys At that point the two came face to face and the alleged smuggler, cried, Al, mi madre, the police.. Monroe County K9 busts 3 more for drugs during traffic stop - WPLG Marathon couple charged with possession in drug bust Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. 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. The senior citizen also had a 9mm handgun, 189 rounds of ammunition and a digital scale, police said. The 29s lawyer knew about the smuggle. 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. 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. Over 100 arrested in massive Florida drug bust after months Nearly $80,000 worth of drugs discovered along the coastline in the #FloridaKeys since start of May. a whopping$1.4 billion worth of cocaine and weed. "I been to the border twice, so I saw how it's coming in. WebFLORIDA KEYS, Fla. (WSVN) The Monroe County Sheriffs Office carried out a drug bust. That was one of the scariest nights I ever had. WebDrugs seized by the U.S. Border Patrol in Monroe County. Book captures Keys' drug-running heyday A man in a smaller boat could clear maybe $40,000. One suspect was in the U.S. illegally. 1401 79th Street Causeway 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. If youre a druggie driving U.S. 1 through the Florida Keys and youre pulled over, the last thing you want to hear is the Monroe County Sheriffs Department call in backup in the form of the K-9 crew, specifically the drug-sniffing two-year-old Golden Retriever named Coral. Last week the U.S. Coast Guard seized what it deemed to be. David Goodhue covers the Florida Keys and South Florida for FLKeysNews.com and the Miami Herald. Danielle2.5 Tons Pot250,000 Quaaludes1979, Officers Mark Walker and Doug Smith Sugarloaf Key 1980. Letters to the editor with pictures since 2002. it wasnt long before she was racking up drug busts. mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; 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 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. 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. Traffic stop results in drug bust | Mile Markers | keysnews.com Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. He plans to break records, These Florida spots, one in the Keys, made the best beaches list. 6 to Know: Drug Bust at Haulover Marina, Search - NBC 6 South mso-style-parent:""; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; She was part of the staff at the New Orleans Times-Picayune that in 2005 won two Pulitzer Prizes for coverage of Hurricane Katrina. Copyright 2023 Local10.com is published by WPLG INC., a Berkshire Hathaway company. Authorities said it the mostdefendants in a single Keys bust and among the most everin any Florida bust. The estimated value of the marijuana was listed at $2 million. font-size:11.0pt; Square Grouper is not an un-hip fish. Staly said in Flagler, the age of overdoses range from 18 to 60. #BorderPatrol agents have responded to multiple drug washups & seized approx. She graduated from Indiana University. The Big Coppitt cowboys were the most successful. The canine deputy joined the department about three months ago and on Monday she caught yet another suspected drug dealer. #breakingnews #florida. However, he dreaded the prospect of storing the marijuana. 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. Newsroom: (305) 795-2777. Staly adds there are a lot of undercover operations in the county and you will eventually get caught. There were kidnappings among that crowd, but that is another story and has nothing to do with this one. A A. MARATHON, Fla. Two Marathon men are facing multiple drug charged, including trafficking in fentanyl, after a Monroe County Sheriff K9 On March 21. mso-para-margin-right:0in; Horace Calhoun, Clarence Moore, Jr. and Shamichael Johnson were all at the apartment and taken into custody. On Friday afternoon, Alvarez-Bermudez remained jailed without bond at the Stock Island Detention Center. Inside the bag, deputies found 37 liquid marijuana cartridges used for vaping. Harry, what you doing here? the other man queried. Keys woman facing numerous drug counts after pot smell leads to pills, cocaine. According to authorities, deputies spotted Howard driving a black BMW south on U.S. 1 around 2:40 p.m. Monday. A man going out on the smugglers mother ship could make a quick $100,000. 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 illegal He plans to break records, These Florida spots, one in the Keys, made the best beaches list. Make a one-time donation today for as little as $1. She might be cute. 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. Pacheco does not have a concealed carry permit for the weapon, according to the report. The back door of one was still painted in the companys turquoise color with the word Sears still visible. He said he knew the older boy was missing, but not the younger teen, Faison said.