The Polk County Sheriff’s Office and the Central Florida HIDTA task force, in collaboration with various local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, have completed two significant drug trafficking investigations in central Florida. These investigations led to the arrests of 11 individuals (10 men and 1 woman) for trafficking large quantities of fentanyl and cocaine. The law enforcement teams seized 14 kilos of cocaine, 3.5 kilos of fentanyl (including bulk and pill forms), four firearms, a vehicle, and $12,985 in cash.
These operations were supported by the S.A.F.E Florida Program, which is managed by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. This program was established by the Florida Legislature in 2023 to fund investigations targeting illegal fentanyl trafficking, providing financial assistance for various investigative costs.
The agencies involved in these investigations include the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Central Florida HIDTA, Winter Haven Police Department, 10th Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Florida Attorney General’s Office, FBI, DEA, and the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Florida.
Sheriff Grady Judd commended the detectives and partnering agencies for their efforts in removing a substantial amount of drugs from the streets. He emphasized the ongoing battle against fentanyl, a drug responsible for thousands of overdose deaths in the US, highlighting the associated societal impact including violence and family devastation.
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