Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said a multi-agency investigation resulted in the arrests of 11 people in Florida and the seizure of fentanyl equivalent to more than 1.7 million deaths.
Judd's office worked with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to combat two Central Florida drug trafficking organizations known as the Colon-Colon drug trafficking organization and the Espinoza & Romero Central Florida drug trafficking organization.
“We're fighting a battle we have to win,” Judd said at a news conference Tuesday. “Fentanyl is killing thousands of people across this country.”
The operation resulted in the seizure of 14 kilograms of cocaine, 3.5 kilograms of fentanyl drug substance, fentanyl pills, four firearms, a vehicle and $12,985 in U.S. currency, the Polk County Sheriff's Office (PCSO) said in a news release. .
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Five men from the Espinosa & Romero Central Florida drug trafficking organization have been arrested. (Polk County Sheriff's Office Facebook)
All 10 men and one woman arrested are in the United States legally, and most are of Puerto Rican descent, Judd said. Many of them have criminal records.
According to PCSO, detectives arranged to purchase one kilogram of cocaine from Pedro “Bemba” Romero of Haines City in November 2023. Romero allegedly brought his drug supplier, 44-year-old Maximo Espinosa of Kissimmee, into the transaction.
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Five men and one woman were arrested for their alleged involvement in the Korong-Korong drug trafficking organization. (Polk County Sheriff's Office Facebook)
Investigators determined that Espinosa operated a drug trafficking organization that trafficked cocaine and fentanyl between the northeastern United States, South Florida, Puerto Rico and Mexico, authorities said. Espinosa was previously arrested by federal authorities on suspicion of armed trafficking of heroin, PCSO said.
Additional interviews with numerous suspects were conducted during the course of the investigation, which was conducted with support from the State Funded Assistance to Fight Fentanyl Eradication (SAFE) program administered by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The Florida Legislature last year established funding for the SAFE program to combat illegal fentanyl trafficking.
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“These drug traffickers are destroying lives, families, and communities. These drugs are inextricably linked to the violence and misery in our communities,” Judd said in a statement.
