Gang members arrested for synthetic drugs in Broward, Miami-Dade

MIAMI – Federal prosecutors in Miami are prosecuting cases involving a dozen suspects — including members of the Mexican Mafia and the MS-13 and Sur-13 gangs — for trafficking highly addictive synthetic drugs in South Florida, documents show.

Documents show detectives charged Edgar “Diablo” Garcia-Velasquez, a native of Honduras, with possession with intent to distribute a mixture containing fentanyl and approximately 50 grams of methamphetamine in Broward and Miami-Dade counties.

According to an indictment, Garcia-Velasquez, 34, did not work alone. Federal and local investigators from multiple agencies worked together to identify 11 other accomplices, including seven from Florida and four from California.

The suspects in Florida are Jose “LaBomba3” Hernandez, Loupe “L3g3nd” Loredo, Hugo “Houdini” Cruz, Luis “Sombra” Portillo, Rafael “Rafy” Gutierrez, Malinda Martinez and Karina Martinez-Vazquez. They are from five counties: Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, Lee, Polk and Hendry.

The four from California are Francisco “Casper” Rangel, Jose “Stranger″ Puga, Felipe “Wicked” Gonzalez and Gabriela Rodriguez-Carrillo.

A trio — Martinez-Vazquez, 34, of Miami-Dade County, and Rodriguez-Carrillo, 42, and Puga, 45 — are alleged to have handled both the methamphetamine and the fentanyl mixture.

Gutierrez, 28, of Miami-Dade County, allegedly helped the trio with the methamphetamine. Portillo, also known as “Shadow,” 35, and Gutierrez, 28, both of Miami-Dade County, allegedly helped with the help of Martinez, 42, of Fort Myers in Lee County; and Loredo, 39, of Lake Wales in Polk County.

Prosecutors announced Friday that the arrests of the 12 suspects began on Sept. 12. The investigation involved agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration in Miami; FBI agents in Miami, Los Angeles and Fort Myers; and agents with Homeland Security Investigations in Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers and Los Angeles.

The Broward Sheriff’s Office and agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives in Miami and Fort Lauderdale also worked the cases. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bertila Fernandez is prosecuting the cases.