SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - Police have discovered tubs of marijuana sitting on a property in Southwest Miami-Dade Wednesday after finding two horses that were stolen from a local ranch.
They were initially looking for one stolen horse, but once they found that horse along with a second one, they found the drugs that made the search worth more than they bargained for.
Raul Ramos knows he is lucky to have his horse back a day after someone stole him from his ranch.
“It was a miracle,” he said.
The miraculous reunion may not have happened so quickly were it not for his neighbors who never stopped searching.
“We never gave up. We never gave up. We continued, we continued,” Ramos said.
Ramos said just before 6 a.m., Tuesday, someone cut his fence to get to his horse, and surveillance footage captured a dark SUV or truck driving down the 21000 block of Southwest 207th Avenue with the horse around the same time.
At around 9 p.m. that same evening, neighbors spotted the same truck again but without the horse and shared the video with 7News.
The vehicle in the videos ultimately led authorities to the property near Southwest 203rd Court and 198th Street.
Police said someone was renting the property.
“This is absolutely crazy,” said neighbor Marcia, who did not provide her last name.
Not only did detectives find Ramos’s horse, they found another horse and 5,000 pounds of marijuana.
Once 7News spotted the drug, police were called, and they were able to confiscate it.
“I could not believe this was happening,” Marcia said.
The property owners invited 7News to the ranch to take a look around. The trailer was found and inside were several more bins full of marijuana.
“Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh. I can’t believe that and so close to our homes,” a woman said.
Whatever may be happening in their Southwest Miami-Dade community, they want it to stop.
“I want that person gone. I want that whole group of people cut,” Ramos said.
Ramos and his neighbors are worried this could happen again, and his horse may not be so lucky.
“We’re going to bet we don’t know if our horses are going to be out there in the morning when we wake up,” Ramos said.
Part of the reason why people in the farm community were nervous is that oftentimes, when horses are stolen, they end up getting killed, butchered and their meat is sold.
If you have information regarding the horse thief’s whereabouts, call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a $1,000 reward.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.