WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (WSVN) — In a major crackdown on a Mexican trafficking ring, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, along with multiple law enforcement agencies, arrested four individuals and seized 14 kilograms (approximately 30 pounds) of fentanyl valued at $3.5 million. The operation targeted a network operating across several stated, including Texas, North Carolina, Georgia and Virginia.
The investigation, initiated by the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force in August 2023, led up to the arrests on April 22, 2024. The individuals apprehended were identified as Maria Machuca-Alderete, 29; Maria Guadalupe-Garcia, 48; Sergio Garcia, 52; and Pedro Rodriguez-Correa, 31. All were caught during a scheduled fentanyl delivery in Polk County.
“Fentanyl is an enormous threat to Americans today. In addition to the tens of thousands who are killed by fentanyl-related drug overdoses each year, there is also great damage done to families and communities,” stated Sheriff Grady Judd in a news release on Friday. “I am confident that with the arrests and seizures made during this investigation, many lives have been saved in Polk County and beyond.”
The operation unfolded over several months, with detectives initially receiving 2 kilograms of fentanyl from the traffickers. Successive deliveries were coordinated, leading to the final sting operation where the suspects delivered 11 kilograms of the potent drug to a predetermined location.
According to authorities, Rodriguez-Correa had brought a 6-year-old boy along for the drug delivery. The child was taken into custody by the Florida Department of Children & Families following the arrests.
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody criticized federal border policies in light of the arrests.
“Florida law enforcement continues to fight the death and destruction emanating from Biden’s border crisis. The latest, the largest fentanyl bust in Polk County history—enough of this deadly poison to kill seven million Floridians,” she stated in the news release.
The suspects face various charges, including trafficking fentanyl over 28 grams and possession of drug paraphernalia. Both Machuca-Alderete and Rodriguez-Correa, who are in the U.S. illegally, have had holds placed on them for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
A fifth suspect remains at large and authorities are actively seeking information that could lead to their arrest. The community is urged to contact the Miami-Dade Police Department Homicide Bureau with any relevant tips.
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