In a major sweep against drug-related crime, Miami Police, in collaboration with the FBI, conducted a series of early morning raids dubbed 'Operation El Primo', resulting in approximately 20 arrests, as NBC Miami reports. Held today, this was an effort to clamp down on a significant cocaine trafficking network, which police described as "sophisticated" and operating within the Miami neighborhoods of Flagami, Little Havana, and Coral Way.
The operation, entering its second phase, targeted individuals facing recent federal indictments, with some also linked to a thwarted murder-for-hire scheme, detailed the police statement obtained by Local 10 News. Those arrested were labeled as "high priority defendants" by law enforcement.
Law enforcement officers did not just arrest suspects during this significant bust; they also confiscated more than 22 kilograms of cocaine, seized in excess of $120,000 in cash, and recovered various firearms and ammunition, an assertion Miami police made. The array of confiscated items signals the extensive nature of the criminal activities being undertaken by those apprehended.
Miami Police Chief Manuel Morales took the opportunity to underline the agency's unwavering stance on drug-related offenses and their associated violence, stating, "This takedown sends a clear and unmistakable message: drug trafficking and the violence that follows it will not be tolerated in Miami," according to a statement obtained by Local 10 News. Morales also commended the teamwork involved, stretching from the Special Investigations Section of the Miami PD to federal partners including the FBI, the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida, and Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office, which he credited for the operation's safe execution and success.
