By Trend News Line 2024-06-30 16:58:14.
The Family Drug Ring Uncovered in Lakeland, Florida
In a shocking revelation, authorities in Lakeland, Florida have uncovered a family drug trafficking organization that used legitimate businesses as a front for their illegal activities. The three-year investigation led to the arrest of dozens of individuals involved in the operation, which utilized the Rooske Bait and Tackle Shop and Rooske Motorcycle Parts and Accessories for drug trafficking and money laundering.
The Family Behind the Operation
The leader of the organization was identified as Hector Baez Torres, 43, with his wife, Pilar Rivera, and their daughter, Jeimylee Baez Rivera, also implicated in the scheme. Torres’s “right-hand man” was identified as 24-year-old Miguel Castro Rivera. Additionally, two suppliers of illegal drugs to the organization were identified as 26-year-old Wilfredo Feliciano Velez and 59-year-old Casimiro Bidot Del Valle.
The Bust and Seizures
Authorities executed search warrants at various locations connected to the organization, including the Rooske Motorcycle Parts and Accessories, Rooske Bait and Tackle Shop, Torres’s home, Baez Rivera’s home, and two other residences. During the operation, a significant amount of illegal drugs was seized, including 742.14 grams of fentanyl, 3,585.42 grams of cocaine, 13.08 grams of methamphetamine, 57 grams of oxycodone, and 228.69 grams of marijuana. The total street value of the seized drugs was estimated to be worth $475,348.60.
Assets Seized
In addition to the drugs, authorities seized more than $604,000 in assets, including cash, vehicles, watercraft, dirt bikes, off-road vehicles, merchandise from the bait and motorcycle shops, bank accounts, and various other items. The total impact of the seized assets, combined with the illegal drugs, amounted to $1,080,118.60 on the Rooske Drug Trafficking Organization.
The Arrests and Investigation
A total of 64 individuals have been arrested in connection with the drug trafficking ring. The investigation, which began in January 2021, was a collaborative effort involving the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Attorney General’s Office of Statewide Prosecution, led by Ashley Moody.
This revelation has sent shockwaves through the community, as residents grapple with the knowledge that a seemingly innocent family business was a front for a large-scale drug trafficking operation. The diligent work of law enforcement agencies has brought these criminals to justice and disrupted their illicit activities..
1. Bait and motorcycle shops acted as fronts for drug ring
2. Family business drug ring operated through bait and motorcycle shops.