February 4, 2010
Tampa Grow House With $1 Million Worth Of Marijuana Busted By Hillsborough County Deputies
Posted By 1 800 FIGHT IT
Three men with 35 fully grown marijuana plants weighing around 300 pounds gave consent for deputies to search their home Wednesday morning, according to a story on TBO.com. Once inside the Tampa home, Hillsborough County deputies didn’t have much trouble discovering the weed inside.
Deputies arrested all three men on charges of trafficking in marijuana and cultivation of marijuana. The men are still in a Hillsborough County jail and no bail has been set as of yet. The grow house was located at 8408 Lava Place in Tampa. Deputies estimated the value of the seized marijuana at $1 million.…
January 28, 2010
Lawyer For Buju Banton Claims Entrapment In Sarasota Drug Case, Wants Paid Informant Revealed
Posted By 1 800 FIGHT IT
The drug trial of reggae star Buju Banton in a federal courtroom in Tampa hasn’t begun yet but the musician’s criminal defense attorney has already begun to set up his criminal defense strategy. Banton’s lawyer has accused the government of entrapping his client in a drug deal that involved a brick of cocaine being exchanged at a police-controlled warehouse in Sarasota according to a story on TampaBay.com. He is also requesting that the identity of a paid informant central to the case be revealed.
Banton’s trial is set to begin in March and he is currently being held in a Pinellas County jail.…
January 26, 2010
Man Charged With Drug Trafficking Has Links To Pain Clinics In Tampa, St. Pete, Orlando, Lakeland and Jacksonville
Posted By 1 800 FIGHT IT
A pair of men from Dunedin and Tampa have been charged with drug trafficking for supplying oxycodone to drug addicts through their pain management clinics. According to authorities as reported on TBO.com three other people have been charged and two have already pled guilty to drug distribution charges. The pair that has already pled guilty admitted to distributing morphine, oxycodone, hydrocodone and alprazolam. The drugs were allegedly dealt out of pain center clinics in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Orlando, Lakeland and Jacksonville.
On top of the charges for drug trafficking , Troy Wubbena of Tampa is being charged with cheating more than $200,000 from Medicare.…
January 26, 2010
Man Snatches Prescription Pills From Manatee Deputy And Then Gets Tasered And Arrested
Posted By 1 800 FIGHT IT
Manatee County Sheriff’s deputies Tasered and arrested a man Tuesday morning for possession of a controlled substance and resisting arrest. Thomas A. Towson allegedly snatched a pill bottle that was confiscated from him by a deputy and then took off. When the 26-year-old refused to stop, officer’s used a Taser to apprehend the man.
According to the report on Bradenton.com, Towson was seen outside of a closed business on Manatee Avenue. Deputies asked if they could conduct a pat-down search . Towson agreed and admitted to having the drugs in his pocket. The deputy then conducted a warrant check and that is when Towson grabbed the pills and took off.…
January 12, 2010
Hillsborough County Man Arrested For Running A Marijuana Grow House
Posted By 1 800 FIGHT IT
Hillsborough County Sheriff’s deputies uncovered a marijuana grow house in Tampa on Sunday. Deputies arrested Jose Saborit on charges of trafficking in marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, cultivation of marijuana and possession of a house to manufacture a controlled substance. The arrest took place in Tampa’s Carrollwood neighborhood.
Deputies found 55 plants that measured 4 to 5 feet in height according to a story on TampaBay.com. Hillsborough County Sheriffs also uncovered growing equipment inside the home. The only things they found outside of the drugs and paraphernalia was a sleeping cot and a few personal belongings they believe belong to the 53-year-old Saborit.…
January 12, 2010
Manatee Sheriffs And Sarasota Police Break-Up Major Cocaine Trafficking Ring With 12 Arrests
Posted By 1 800 FIGHT IT
Sarasota And Manatee authorities arrested 12 men on federal drug charges as they joined forces to bust up a major cocaine trafficking ring according to a story on the Bradenton Herald’s website. All 12 men have been indicted on federal drug charges. According to the story, the prize of the operation, called Operation SRQ Cartel”, was Jesus “Jesse” Guzman. The man also known as Antonio Marroquin was allegedly the leader of the cocaine trafficking operation.
Guzman was arrested in a raid at Exotic Auto Parts during which detectives seized more than three kilos of cocaine. During the two-year investigation it is being reported that federal agents seized four kilos of cocaine, $350,000 in cash and more than $1 million in property.…
January 11, 2010
Major Drug And Weapons Arrest In Clearwater Follows A Police Stop For Tinted Windows
Posted By 1 800 FIGHT IT
Clearwater police stopped a Cadillac early Monday morning for dark tinted windows and upon the traffic stop they discovered cocaine, marijuana, more than 100 prescription painkillers and semi-automatic firearms. Police report finding the drugs and guns inside the car after stopping the vehicle on U.S. 19. The men were charged with armed trafficking in oxycodone, possession of Xanax and being a felon in possession of a firearm. The driver of the car was charged with DUI.
According to TBO.com police seized 17 grams of oxycodone, 111 Xanax tablets, a gram of marijuana, a gram of cocaine and two handguns.…
January 6, 2010
Buju Banton Arrives In Pinellas County Jail As He Awaits Trial On Federal Drug Charges
Posted By 1 800 FIGHT IT
U.S. Marshalls transported reggae star Buju Banton to a Pinellas County jail this morning where he will wait for a trial on federal drug charges. The singer is charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine. The charges stem from a drug bust in Sarasota where Banton and two other men were caught on video tape entering into a drug transaction with undercover officers according to reports and a story on TampaBay.com.
Banton’s arraignment is scheduled for Thursday in Tampa. His lawyer was quoted as saying that Banton will plead not guilty. The reggae star is nominated for a Grammy this year and is 36 years old.…
January 5, 2010
Florida Deputies Nab Grow House Suspects With Fake Ransom Note
Posted By 1 800 FIGHT IT
Police officers in a southern Florida town found a unique way to arrest a man who is accused of operating a marijuana grow house. The deputies seized six large marijuana plants and then left a ransom note for the grower saying they had his plants and the suspect needed to call the phone number to get them back.
According to a news release and a story on TBO.com, Steven Alan Locasio called the officers and offered $200 to get his drugs back. Locasio agreed to the exchange and after he handed the money over to the police he was arrested on drug charges.…
