The Indian River County Sheriff’s Office, along with several other local and federal agencies, simultaneously executed 6 search warrants in Fellemere Tuesday.
The target was a suspected organized crime ring dealing in illegal drugs, according to a post on the IRC Sheriff's Facebook page. Several arrests were made "on a litany of charges" in an investigation authorities have dubbed - 'Operation Weeping Willow.'
The number of arrests, the charges and identities of those in custody have not yet been released. "In the coming days we'll be releasing more about this case," said Indian River County Sheriff Eric Flowers. No one was injured during the operation, he said.
The arrests are the result of a two-year investigation that involved the IRC Sheriff's Office in cooperation with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security, the FBI, as well as the Fellsmere, Sebastian and Vero Beach police departments.
"We've had a number of complaints over the years about illicit drug sales and other criminal activity," said Fellsmere Police Chief Keith Touchberry. "The subject of the search warrants that were executed (Tuesday) will become known to the public in the coming days."
"You not only have drug dealers, you have a murder suspect," said America's Most Wanted host and victim's rights advocate John Walsh. Walsh was a ride-along witness to the arrests. "This operation (Tuesday) was one of the premiere operations I've been honored to ride on," said Walsh.
View the announcement on the IRC Facebook page here > https://www.facebook.com/ircsheriff/videos/1287486678443805/ .