FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. – The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office operation took enough fentanyl off the streets to kill off the population of Palm Coast, according to Sheriff Rick Staly.
[TRENDING: Homebuyers backing out of contracts as interest rates rise | Video shows man’s shootout with law enforcement, bloody aftermath in Mount Dora | Become a News 6 Insider (it’s free!)]
Staly announced the results of an investigation called “Operation Meth Side Story,” which focused on Bunnell and the rural west side of the county, at a news conference Thursday afternoon.
Staly said the investigation seized 28,000 grams of illegal narcotics and $31,000 in cash. They’ve also arrested 13 of 18 suspects charged in the investigation so far. Staly said the suspects had 177 prior felony and 157 misdemeanor arrests between them, resulting in 64 and 95 convictions respectively.
Of those arrested, the youngest “poison peddler,” as Staly called them, was 21 years old and the oldest was 66 years old.
“All I can tell you is that we in law enforcement are doing our job. And we’re making the arrests and it’s up to the prosecution and the judges,” Staly said. “Obviously when they have a criminal history like this, they can’t be rehabilitated. They don’t want to be rehabilitated. So now you need to go to jail because eventually these people are going to sell something to kill someone.”
Among the drugs seized:
- 179.44 grams of fentanyl (enough to kill 89,720 people)
- 1,131 grams of cocaine (enough to kill 949 people)
- 695.34 grams of meth (enough to kill 3,476 people)
- 12 grams of heroin (enough to kill 4,000 people)
This also includes an assortment of other drugs, which in addition to those listed above, could kill about 98,000 people.
“It’s really a smorgasbord of drugs although obviously meth was the big one,” Staly said.
Staly said the amount of fentanyl his office has seized in the first six months of the year is up 273% compared to all of last year.
Each defendant was booked in the Flagler County jail.
Anyone who has information about the location of the suspects who have not yet been arrested is encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at 1-888-277-TIPS (8477), where they may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.
Law enforcement has previously pointed to factors such as border security and foreign cartels to explain the rise in drug-related deaths across Central Florida
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office said you can also submit tips to them by emailing TIPS@flaglersheriff.com or calling 386-313-4911.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: