The deaths of three people were reportedly caused by a gang in Orange County, Florida, that sold fentanyl tablets that looked like prescription drugs.
Eleven members of the RMS/EBK (Respect, Money Structure/Everybody Killer) gang were indicted by an Orange County, Florida, grand jury last week, marking the end of Operation Dirty 30s (named for the fentanyl pills compressed to resemble 30-milligram oxycodone pills).
Oxycodone, a partially synthetic narcotic painkiller, has a long history of misuse among drug addicts. The FDA has authorized the use of fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid pain reliever. When compared to heroin and morphine, fentanyl’s pain relief effects are 50 to 100 times stronger, respectively.
The arrests were revealed by State Attorney Andrew Bain, Assistant State Attorney and Chief of Narcotics Anne Wedge-McMillen, and Deputy Chief Carlos Torres of the Sheriff’s Office at a news conference on August 7th.
According to Bain, the grand jury’s decision to produce an indictment under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) statute is significant because it enables the dismantling of criminal organizations by focusing on both the specific crimes committed and the underlying causes that enable them to operate.
Burglary, illegal weapon sales, racketeering, and death caused by the illicit distribution of fentanyl were among the charges against the eleven defendants who remained in detention as of Wednesday. An Orange County court issued an arrest warrant, and ten of the defendants were already in jail when the last one was hauled into custody on Wednesday.
The arrest of a female gang member for trafficking 30 grams of fentanyl by deputies in late 2023 marked the beginning of Operation Dirty 30s. The operation was a project of the OC Sheriff’s Office and the Orlando Police. A probe was initiated after the death of an individual who had purchased narcotics through the gang. Her capture led to the arrest of high-ranking members of the group.
Authorities have evidence linking the criminal gang’s operations to three fentanyl-related deaths. The victims were Samuel Fredrick, Carlos Pena, and Noah Polanco. Wedge-McMillen believes that the victims were not aware that they were purchasing fentanyl.
The defendants also sold undercover officers fentanyl and illegal firearms.
These drug gangs know full well that selling fentanyl veiled as oxycodone will almost certainly result in overdose deaths. Torres said the criminals were unconcerned.
Authorities highlighted the continuing and active investigation. They did not provide more specifics, such as the number of firearms, narcotics, and money that were traded amongst gang members.
Among the many accusations leveled against the gang members are:
- Conspiracy to traffic fentanyl for Illegal Purposes
- Death caused by the Illegal distribution of fentanyl
- Possession of weapons and ammunition by a felon
Over 30 tons of fentanyl have been smuggled across the US/Mexico border since President Biden assumed office. According to the DEA, it is enough to kill around 13.8 billion people.
The Drug Enforcement Administration reports that fentanyl is being disseminated and sold on the black market nationwide after being smuggled into the country via Mexico from illegal overseas labs.
