Twelve Suspected Gang Members Charged in South Florida Drug Trafficking

Twelve people have been charged following a major drug trafficking operation in South Florida. The unsealed indictment implicates several members of international criminal gangs including MS-13, Sur-13 and the Mexican Mafia. The charges relate to drug offenses primarily in Broward and Miami-Dade counties, according to a press release from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.

The detailed 12-count indictment charges Edgar Garcia-Velasquez, also known as “Diablo,” Francisco Rangel, “Casper,” Gabriela Rodriguez-Carrillo, Luis Portillo, “Shadow” or “Sombra,” Jose Puga, “Stranger,” and others with conspiracy to possess with intent to rapidly distribute significant quantities of methamphetamine. Additionally, Garcia-Velasquez, Rodriguez-Carrillo, Puga, Gonzalez and Martinez Vazquez are charged with distribution of a substance containing fentanyl.

The arrests were reportedly orchestrated beginning on September 12, with suspects gradually appearing in the courts of the Southern District of Florida. Those convicted could face sentences of up to life in prison. The indictment itself contains charges, and the suspects remain innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

The joint operation involved numerous federal and local law enforcement agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO). These efforts were part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) which were focused on identifying, disrupting, and effectively dismantling drug traffickers and top-level criminal organizations that threatened the United States.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bertila Fernandez, with support from various HSI and FBI offices in California and Florida. For additional details about the charges and legal proceedings, the websites of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida and PACER are available as reliable sources.