Advertisement Officials shut down $10M drug ring in Fort Pierce Deputies reveal details on 'Operation Spot Remover' Share Shares Copy Link Copy

Law enforcement officials on the Treasure Coast released details Wednesday on a multi-agency crackdown on a multi-million-dollar drug ring centered in Fort Pierce.St. Lucie County Sheriff Ken Mascara and Fort Pierce Police Chief Sean Baldwin announced the results of "Operation Spot Remover," the dismantling of a large drug ring with tentacles reaching into South and Central Florida from Fort Pierce.MOBILE/TABLET USERS: Watch Angela Rozier's ReportThe year-long investigation was called "Operation Spot Remover" because the members of the drug ring referred to a location where they sold drugs as "the spot."Mascara said residents who live in the neighborhood where the drug house was operating gave officers a standing ovation after they shut down the drug operation. He also said neighbors described the volume of activity around the house "like I-95, 24 hours a day.""There was a time we were mesmerized at the amount of traffic, and sometimes we would look at ourselves and question how is there not a traffic crash on this street, with the amount of traffic coming in and out of this?" said Detective Andrew Bolonka, of the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office.MOBILE/TABLET USERS: Tap here for video from June 4 bustAdded Mascara: "The ring was trafficking weekly in heroin, MDMA, powder and crack cocaine. Investigators estimated the group was selling more than 1,800 Oxycodone pills, Hydromorphone (Dilaudid) pills, and Alprazolam (Xanax) pills."It led to dozens of arrests of people involved in selling more than $10.4 million worth of illegal drugs a year, Mascara and Baldwin said.The drug ring "was supplying narcotics throughout the Treasure Coast and had ties throughout South and Central Florida," Mascara said. "The narcotics traffickers were affiliated and often associated with some of the area's local gang members. This information is still being investigated in an effort to gain more information into violence over the last several months."Mascara also said detectives obtained arrest warrants charging approximately 28 individuals with 184 drug felonies totaling in excess of $6.7 million in bonds.The State Attorney's Office will file an additional 50 or so felony drug charges on approximately 15 individuals. This is in addition to 51 defendants who have been arrested already for multiple drug charges, according to an release.More arrests are expected as the investigation is still ongoing.