St. Lucie County - Wednesday July 19, 2023: St. Lucie County Sheriff Ken Mascara this afternoon (Wednesday afternoon) announced that a large-scale drug distribution network has been busted … and investigators have seized what is believed to be the largest amount of fentanyl ever seized in the Treasure Coast.
Sheriff Mascara said the bust was the result of a joint six-month investigation with his deputies and Palm Beach DEA.
Among the illegal drugs seized arrested 11.25 pounds of cocaine, and 2.75 pounds of fentanyl were seized.
“I cannot underscore the gravity of the potential effects in our community of the drugs seized in this investigation," said Sheriff Mascara. "The amount of fentanyl seized during this investigation could have killed every person in Martin County, St. Lucie County and Indian River County.”
The 2.75 pounds of fentanyl seized by SLC Sheriff Detectives, said Sheriff Mascara, exceeds the 2.5 pounds seized Tuesday night by Port St. Lucie Police.
The investigation focused on three smoke shops and a residence in St. Lucie County. They are:
* Smoking Buds in Fort Pierce
* The Joint Smoke and Vape in Fort Pierce and Port St. Lucie
* High Expectations in Port St. Lucie
* A private residence located in the 1000 block of SW McCoy Ave. in Port St. Lucie
“It is not uncommon, and we see this often, that drug dealers use a legitimate business to conceal their drug dealing activities which was the case in this investigation,” said the Sheriff.
In all seven people were arrested. They are:
- 52-year-old Richard Delapaz
- His daughter 20-year-old Natasha Delapaz
- 67-year-old Rafael Luis Diaz
- His son 31-year-old Jesus Luis Diaz
- 44-year-old Louis Riviera
- 29-year-old Francisco Alejandro Valencia
- 21-year-old Sanders Emilio Mendez DeJesus.
Click on this link to see the news conference: https://fb.watch/lT-MgwvJFj/.