‘Violent’ Drug Ring Busted In St. Petersburg
On Tuesday morning the St. Petersburg police department shared their findings on a “violent drug ring” that trafficked millions of dollars worth of drugs. The St. Pete police worked with several federal, state, and local authorities to arrest 26 people connected to the ring. These individuals have been trafficking narcotics since January 2022 to several Tampa Bay counties including Pinellas, Sarasota, and Manatee Counties.
#stpetepd Chief Holloway discussing a multi-agency task force targeting a violent drug ring, bringing in 3+ million dollars in drugs. 26 arrests & more pending. pic.twitter.com/nUW70u3gnW
— St. Pete Police (@StPetePD) October 25, 2022
Authorities reported that the gang would receive weekly “shipments” from California. A tractor-trailer loaded with narcotics would make cross-country trips to Hillsborough County. The gang would break the shipment into separate vehicles and transport them to an undisclosed location in St. Pete.
According to News Channel 8 the shipment contained 1,800 lbs of marijuana, 42 grams of crack cocaine, 40 grams of powdered cocaine, 5 grams of meth, 1,054 grams of THC wax, 7 lbs of liquid promethazine, 252 BU Crystals, and $360,000 in cash. Along with the shipments of drugs, authorities also uncovered 15 firearms, one of which was connected to two shootings in Hillsborough County.
The street value of the shipments were estimated to be about $3 million.
St. Pete Police chief Anthony Holloway stated that although the gang operated throughout the entire region, “law enforcement agencies were more effective working together to bring it down.”
