Two people were arrested in Flagler County and accused of drug charges. The two people were taken into custody behind the county’s public library where they were said to be living in a makeshift homeless encampment. According to police, they are suspected of being drug dealers. Police said that the camp became an “open air drug market” and it is a point of attention in an ongoing drug roundup campaign by the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office called Operation Spring Mix.
On March 27, the sheriff’s office arrested a 38-year-old man and a 23-year-old woman at the camp. Authorities said that they made multiple undercover drug purchases of MDMA and “bath salts” from the man while they reportedly bought heroin with fentanyl from the woman. However, the drug arrests were not limited to those at the camp. After a lengthy undercover investigation, police obtained arrest warrants for 18 people accused of drug distribution; they arrested seven of these people during raids throughout the area. The sheriff also said that the agency had seized $15,000 in drugs over the past year, including heroin, fentanyl, oxycodone, cocaine, methamphetamine, THC oil and cannabis.
Another 49-year-old woman was arrested on charges of selling her prescription pills; like one-third of the people targeted, she had no prior criminal record. Police are also looking for a woman who allegedly mailed drugs inside the county jail to a man formerly held there. According to police, she placed thin suboxone sublingual strips into the seals of the envelopes.
Drug charges can lead to serious consequences for people in Florida. Those who are convicted can face heavy fines, jail time and a felony criminal record that can affect them for years to come. People who are accused of drug crimes may work with a criminal defense lawyer to present a defense before trial and in the courtroom.
Source: The Daytona Beach News-Journal, “Flagler County drug sweep nets 18 suspects“, Matt Bruce, 03/27/2019
