10 kilos of fentanyl siezed in Polk, two of three men charged are in the U.S. illegally: sheriff
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. – Three men living in Hillsborough County have been arrested and charged with allegedly trafficking fentanyl during a multi-agency investigation where 10 kilograms of fentanyl were seized.
During a press conference Tuesday, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said two of the men were residing in the U.S. illegally from Mexico.
The investigation revealed the seized fentanyl was illegally brought into the U.S. from the Sinaloa, Mexico region by the Sinaloa Cartel. The sheriff said the drugs went to Compton, California; to Riverview, Florida; and then to Polk County.
The street value of the 10 kilograms of fentanyl is approximately $2.5 million, which is enough to kill 5 million Floridians, according to the sheriff’s office.
The investigation was initiated in September with Polk County Sheriff’s Office detectives acting in an undercover capacity working with Florida Department of Law Enforcement special agents.
During the investigation, detectives completed drug transactions with Juan Manuel Gutierrez Medina, Ruperto Rocha, and Juan Manuel Contreras Gutierrez.
Medina and Gutierrez were in the U.S. illegally, while Rocha has an “unknown resident alien status,” officials said.
Gutierrez has a criminal history and was ordered to be removed by an immigration judge in 2020. He was deported back to Mexico on Nov. 23, 2020.
Five days later, he was encountered again trying to enter the U.S. illegally and was sent back to Mexico. Officials said Gutierrez re-entered the U.S. illegally at an unknown time after deportation.
Judd said these drugs are “extremely dangerous,” and “the people bringing them across an unsecure border are evil.”
Gov. Ron DeSantis said states like Florida are “forced to deal with the consequences of Biden’s refusal to control the border.”
Authorities in Polk County seized 10 kilos of fentanyl – enough to kill 5 million Floridians.
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) October 31, 2023
States like Florida are forced to deal with the consequences of Biden's refusal to control the border. Thank you to the law enforcement officers who are stepping up to protect our…
Attorney General Ashley Moody called the case “significant” during the press conference.
“This could have harmed so many people in Florida. This is not just about Polk County. This is about our nation, this is about our state, this is about mitigating the harm to our children and our community members,” Moody said.
Frightening news this Halloween: @PolkCoSheriff and @fdlepio seized enough fentanyl to kill every child in Florida—while children 14 and under are the fastest-growing age group dying from fentanyl poisoning. pic.twitter.com/6O8YM8PS8L
— AG Ashley Moody (@AGAshleyMoody) October 31, 2023
Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Mark Glass said the arrests are the first in Florida using grant money from the State Assistance for Fentanyl Eradication program.
The grant provides money for local law enforcement agencies in fentanyl and drug trafficking investigations.
“Never has there been a time when shutting down a drug trafficking organization has been more important. While these cases are usually very expensive to investigate, this grant means money won’t be a barrier,” Glass said.
Glass thanked the governor and lawmakers for “empowering law enforcement to work more drug investigations making Florida safer by taking fentanyl and these dangerous drug traffickers off our streets.”
Agencies participating in the investigation include: Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Florida Attorney General’s Office, Attorney General Ashley Moody, Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, Florida Highway Patrol, United States Customs and Border Protection, United States Department of Homeland Security, 10th Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office and the 13th Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office.
